5 comments about Panasonic DVD-F87K 5 Disc Progressive Scan DVD Player Black.

1. The unit is easy to learn how to use, it works well. It is nice to put in 5 DVD's and let it play. We do not watch TV, since we do not like 50% of our time being spent with someone trying to sell us something. So we can load a full days worth of movies and play them at the rate we chose.



2. I have owned this unit for nearly three years, and have no complaints. The price is very low for such a well equipped player (you can even adjust brightness, contrast, etc, just as you would on your TV), the motor is fairly quiet, the zoom is INFINITELY adjustable (just select MANUAL zoom rather than automatic and you can move back and forth in tiny increments), setup is easy (once you become accustomed to the fact that the primary menu buttons are called DISPLAY and GROUP), DVD-Rs are supported, and all the outputs are in place for DVD-Audio discs and optional subwoofer. You can also enhance dialogue and the video signal on low quality recordings.
   
   I don't know what more one could expect at this price.



3. Great 5-deck DVD player! Needs additional equipment for surround sound, but otherwise a good solid machine! If it holds up anything like my last Panasonic, I know I'll love it!
   
   I'm not sure if I'll need a splitter when all the new digital stuff comes out, but thus far, I love my machine! :)



4. Great Product and the 6-channel audio is still the best for reproducing theater-like surround sound while still hearing dialogue at a normal level.



5. I bought this to replace a cranky old Sony which refused to play DVD+R and had a hard time with mass copied DVDs. The Panasonic does okay with home burned DVDs, but chokes on marginal quality commercial DVDs. The showstopper: A lot of the time, I watch part of a DVD, then turn the unit off and return to finish later. This unit will not automatically remember where you were in the disc - you have to press a cleverly hidden button on the remote - and it's a button which no universal remote I have can duplicate. So the drill is to put down the universal remote, find the Panasonic remote, find the magic key, press it, then use the universal remote to power off the DVD/TV/audio system. If you don't hit the magic button, the DVD will play from the beginning. Pain in the butt.

1 comments about Samsung DVD-VR330 DVD??RW/RAM/VCR Combo Recorder with TV Tuner.

1. From almost the beginning of use with this unit, we have had constant issues with almost every aspect. Within the first month, we started getting "disk can not be read" messages on random discs. After cleaning the disc, sometimes they would play, sometimes they would error out. We have even had this happen with brand new movies right out of the packaging.
   
   As far as the recording functionality, we were never able to get it to finish a recording session, and would have to unplug the machine before we could get the disk out. The only positive for this unit is that we have had no problems with using it as a VCR.
   
   I will personally never buy a Samsung product again after all the frustration of owning this unit.

No comments about Digital Concepts DVD-72 Rechargeable Universal DVD Battery Pack.

2 comments about Remanufactured Samsung DVD-V8600 DVD/CD Player w/Built-in HiFi VCR & Flash Reader.

1. I am giving this product 1 star due to the incapacity of the VHS player. I had it less the 24 hrs and it would not eject the tape that I and the family was watching. I called Samsung Corp. about this problem, and they told me I had to pay for the maintenance because they sold an expired warranty. I bought one from NEW Companies, but they wouldn't accept that warranty. This is the last product from Samsung, that I will ever buy. The price alone on this product is exaggerated because the product don't live up to it's potential. And plus it is supposed to be brand new/remanufactured. I'll stick with my Panasonics, or Sony's from now on.



2. I haven'nt bought a remanufactured electronics product before, so I was a bit sceptical. But I am amazed at the crisp quality of this product. For the price, I took a chance and so far (3 weeks), I haven't had any problems. The player looks elegant with easy user interface. Product appeared to be factory sealed with a 90-day warranty.

No comments about JWin JDVD-762 9" Portable DVD Player with Swivel and SDTM / MMC Card Slot.

No comments about RB-LI02 DVD battery for Audiovox.

5 comments about Samsung BD-P1200 Blu-ray Disc Player.

1. Incompatible with some newer blu-ray discs: firmware 'upgrade' lost sound and visual quality for all dvds, with no way to revert to the earlier firmware. Samsung support is very, very poor on this: they said we'd have to phone every few weeks until their engineers released a new patch, and we could not watch anything until then.
   
   This player is also very slow to load, and hangs from time to time.



2. This player worked great when I first got it, however, the latest blu-ray dvd's will not play! Pirates of the Caribean, 3:10 to Yuma, and any other new disk. The new firmware upgrade didn't help at all. I suggest buying a PS3. Stay away from this player!



3. The Samsung BD-P1200 looks great for a paper weight, as delivered and is incapable of playing Blue Ray Disk unless you go on line and download version 1.4 (Image), you must download in "Image", otherwise it will damage the unit. The next generation Blue Ray disk will not work because existing Samsung's will not have the necessary hardware. Most of these good reports must have been written by Samsung, there are a number of class action lawsuits going on.



4. I've had nothing but problems with this DVD player. Samsung FINALLY released a firmware upgrade for POTC: III but it froze my player after I downloaded the update. The download turned my DVD player into a paperweight so I trashed it and will now buy Panasonic.



5. I really like the product when it works. I had a problem upgrading the firmware. I followed the directions and burned a cd. The update hung at a screen for over a half hour. Support told me to kill the power. I was apprehensive since I know it can screw things up. Sure enough, killing the power made it so it didn't work at all. Couldn't even open the tray. Sent in over a month ago for repair and still haven't gotten it back. Samsung now said they will send a replacement since it has taken well beyond a reasonable repair time. Hopefully I get a replacement unit soon. That is what we get for embracing a new technology.

5 comments about Philips DVDR80 Progressive Scan DVD Player / Recorder.

1. I am not one generally to anthropomorphize electronics, but after more than a year with this recorder I am left with the notion it has serious problems. I have spent more than 16 hours waiting for and talking to Philips customer service...they can read you the manual, but since you're reading this I assume that will be as much help to you as it has been to me. At this stage I know more than customer service about their machine. The interface is difficult and cumbersome I recommend avoiding the system. It periodically will not recognize DVD-R disks, although it always recognizes DVD-RW media. It randomly changes channels, stops recording in the middle of a program, etc.
   Try Sony I hear their system is easier to use.
   This is a shame because when it works it makes beautiful quality images.



2. I wish I had seen some of the other reviews here before I bought mine! While it was under warranty, I had several minor issues that their useless customer service department could not help me resolve. In hind sight, I should have just returned it for a refund then. But I was at least able to record DVDs successfully. Many pre-recorded, i.e. purchased, movies would not play at all. Now that the warranty has expired, it will act as if it is recording, with no error messages, but when finished, that disk is recognized as "empty". Total piece of crap! I'll never buy another Philips product.



3. I purchased Philips DVDR80 in October 2003. It worked fine for about 15 months, then stopped functioning properly. Would get "disc error" message, discs wouldn't finalize and became unreadable coasters. Was using Memorex dvd+r and +rw discs with no problem until this time. After the errors started, tried other disc brands (Maxell, Imation), and dvd lens cleaner.
   Ended up contacting Philip's "Customer Care", went thru all their suggestions, firmware updates, etc. Authorized repair center said they were unable to fix it. I called Philips back, told them I didn't think paying $500 for a product that lasts just 3 months past the warranty was fair. I suggested they give me a partial refund for this obviously defective product, but representative basically told me to get lost. To be fair, his supervisor was more polite, but wasn't anymore helpful.
   I've had good luck with Philips/Magnavox vcr's, so thought their dvd recorders would be comparable. Am writing this review few years after giving up on this product as it been sitting on my shelf as an expensive clock. However, Its going in garbage soon as have recently purchased a Panasonic recorder (hopefully it will last longer). Am not purchasing anymore Philips products until get over my anger, which may be awhile.



4. All the lameness of this product has been well documented here. I just wanted to add one more negative star to the voting, and to Philips as a whole. Boooo!



5. Like most people submitting reviews about the DVDR-80 from Philips on this site, I was a sucker and bought this lemon a few years ago. Also like everyone else, my recorder failed and I spent hours dealing with Philips (and getting nowhere). I downloaded the Firmware revisions and installed them according to the instructions, and even tried using the rest procedure to get back to the "Factory" status.... all failed.
   
   After letting the recorder "rest" in it's original packaging for a full year, I tried to use it again last night. It was a "Hail, Mary" plan with the hope that it would forget all the bad words I said to it, and might start working properly again. HA !
   
   This morning I figured out how to resolve the problems I've experienced over the past 4 or 5 years with this device, and managed to reduce my stress levels in the process. I packaged the recorder in it's original box, taking the time to coil up the power cord and wrap everything up in the protective foam and wrappers, then chucked the whole damn thing into a dumpster.
   
   It wasn't a GREAT bargain, but I did get a nifty set of RCA plug A/V cables for $500.00. Thank you Philips, for all of your advanced technology and outstanding customer support... I hope you enjoy my money, because that's the last you'll EVER get from me. My $125.00 Panasonic DVD recorder has been running for 4 years now without a single glitch. Maybe the folks at Philips should invest in a Panasonic DVDR, just to see what a quality product is suppose to look and act like after the warranty expires.

5 comments about RCA DRC8320N DVD Recorder.

1. This item was replacement for a DRC8300N that was also bad. It took many months of fighting with RCA to get a replacement and I did not want this model as it also had problems on internet reports. They said to take it or leave it.
   
   The replacement DRC8320N has the 'interface error' that so many report. RCA won't answer calls or they put on hold and never return when they hear it is this model. One nice lady said they have many reports of problems and can't fix them, then she hung up.
   
   I will never buy anything again from RCA. I bought my original unit two years ago and had problems almost immediately. Since then they have just jerked me around.
   
   To be fair, the unit was fantastic in all ways when it worked. But I only got about 20 hours on the first before it died and about 30 on this one.



2. Don't buy this product. I had mine for about one year before I finally figured out that it's junk. All of a sudden during taping a DVD, it stopped working and I now have a VCR tape and DVD stuck in it. None of the buttons will work, it won't shut off, eject, or rewind, etc. The screen reads "hello", but the junk 'won't talk to me'. It's going in the trash and I'll never buy another RCA electronic again! I hardly even used it before it broke.



3. All of the nasty reviews are true. What a waste of resources! Don't even think about buying one of these or anything else RCA (Chinese) makes. Timer function useless, user guide worthless.



4. I purchased this unit 15 months ago, hardly have used it in that time. Unit will not power on, company said will cost $130-150 to fix it, mail back at my expense. Wal Mart with original receipt and box will not do a thing past 90 days. I paid $172 a little over yr. ago for this unit. Manual was a nighmare trying to figure out how to set up unit.
   
   This is piece of junk, had a prior older VCR (magnavox or sony) for 18 yrs. that still worked but wanted to upgrade to DVD/VCR player recorder.
   
   Will never buy another RCA PRODUCT AGAIN.



5. I can't think of a single good thing about this system. It took forever to rewind tapes, and was very slow in turning off and on, etc. Then the audio randomly went out one day, instead only producing a static sound. The display then went out, and although you could hear the system power up, there was no display. The system then would not open or close to eject VHS or DVDs. The final step was for the system not to respond in anyway. It is now a dead useless piece of junk, and under a year old. Save your money, and do NOT buy an RCA!!

5 comments about JVC XV-SA75GD Progressive-Scan DVD Player, Gold.

1. I was looking for a player for a future HT setup. This player has the progressive scan for HDTV and DVD Audio. I let it repeat a CD for 12 hours with no lock up or any other problems and it played Fast and Furious 3x non stop with no dropouts or any problems. Crutchfield by the way has it for [price].



2. I think this is a good product, but mine doesn't play DVD audio disks recorded at 96kHz through the digital out. Most of the DVD audio disks that I have won't play on this machine through the digital outs. Even the two samplers of DVD audio music that came with the machine don't play. If you want this feature, I would suggest buying a different model.

   If you don't care about DVD audio, this is a really nice DVD player.

   Goodluck!




3. I have had the pleasure of owning this JVC product for almost a year. What caught my attention was the progressive scan technology and the DVD-Audio feature along with the slim and sleek updated gold "high tech" appearance. JVC is one of a few handful of companies willing to give the owner a decent and legible on screen guide for video/audio set up complete with nifty and colorful graphics (love that picture in window screen display so you don't miss the action). JVC's earlier DVD models did have some serious lock up issues as I was the unfortunate owner of their big bulky model XV-501 ( had to have that one repaired in less than 3 years due to laser/motor burn out and lock up disfunction). It looked very expensive and sported a video fine processor feature which allowed you to really sharpen the picture detail quality by a large noticeable degree, which is simplified in the newer models.
   On the XV 75 model, while the user can really fine tune color, tint, etc. without having to go through the tv's own picture controls, tweaking the picture to complete and preferable sharpness cannot be done to noticeable extremes like the older models. It allows for some sharpness but there is very subtle change or differences to make the viewer go wow ! Overall, the picture produced is very clean and substantially detailed on my 27 inch RCA (the poor man's Sony Wega) analog set, though. I have not had the luxury of trying the progressive scan feature on a high def set, yet (that's another item for my Christmas or B-day gift list of things I want BADLY !)...

   The DVD-Audio decoding portion takes awhile to get used to (though it claims to be high resolution and of higher calibre than regular 2 channel stereo, the sound is rather soft).The dedicated .1 bass is wonderful when connected to the right sub (Velodyne, JBL, Infinity, anyone ?)Excellent DVD Audio discs to audition for the aural workout are The Blue Man Group Audio Surround Mix, Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales in DTS and a limited JVC Free dvd audio sampler ! Again, don't expect the earpiercing highs or mids. The sonic characteristic of DVD Audio is meant to have a "soft" and warm almost high resolution analog sound rich in deep bass (unlike that heard or felt with normal stereo). And the different effects or instruments to be heard placed around you will blow the mind (hopefully not the eardrums). The new DVD Audio format is indeed a new venue that requires getting aurally accustomed to. Also, heed my warning, YOU MUST HAVE A DECENT SUBWOOFER CONNECTED for the .1 LFE bass; otherwise you will get a very hollow soft sound not worthy of trading for regular stereo. Also, another major important ingredient is a voice matched and powerful center channel (3 way preferred). You will be amazed how many dvd audio recordings put the singer or instrumentalist dead center (another debate for another time). One drawback is that you cannot use a graphic equalizer on these newer digital receivers that must accompany dvd players like the JVC Dvd-audio player; you shouldn't need to, the sound produced by this new digital equipment is almost sonically perfect !

   The reason for the 4 stars is that the laser can be sensitive meaning that if there is a microsopic scratch that is ignored by other players it may be picked up by this one and cause lock up or major macro blocking/tiling. I found this out with my Chasing Amy dvd which has a flaw on it's surface yet plays that same flawed section effortlessy on another dvd player.This may be due to the player's small or limited correction error buffer circuitry. Also, when I first bought the machine the system would lock up and not start up again or shut off unless i unplugged it (rebooted ?). Must have broken in properly because the problem has disappeared !

   Overall, this JVC player wins my vote of approval in both video and audio processing functions. Remember, this player is packed with all sorts of goodies that previously were only exclusive to the Denons, Yamahas, etc. etc....




4. Produced fine quality images on my HDTV -- when it worked. However, it has suddenly gone on the blink after less than one year of fairly light use, failing to recognize certain DVD's and occasionally displaying mysterious onscreen messages telling me it is "searching for software updates".

   Needless to say, it's been sent back to the manufacturer for attention. While parts are still under warranty, labor costs are only covered for 90 days. With current new product prices and technician billing rates, it may not be justified to repair the thing.

   Bottom line is that I am not terribly pleased with the quality of this product, and would recommend considering similar alternatives from other manufacturers.




5. I am going on nine months with this player and could not be more pleased. Honestly if it froze up on me tommorow I would still give it high marks simply because it has performed so well and offers so much for the money.

   My main reason for purchasing this player was to get a DVD-Audio player without breaking the bank, reasoning that I would rather spend my money on DVD-A software. I also wanted a progressive scan player to go with my HDTV for excellent video playback quality, again at a reasonable price. With the XV-SA75 I got it all for the incredible price of $...! I see no-frills VCRs selling for more.

   DVD-Audio playback is EXCELLENT. I have it matched with the JVC RX-8020VBK AV Receiver (another excellent buy) and the sound from the 24-bit/192kHz decoders from this player is nothing less than stunning. It sounds like it should cost $1000 or more. Really, I would pit the sound quality of DVD-Audio from this player against a high end CD player from a $10,000+ system--and probably blow it away. I know it sounds like an exaggeration but believe me it's not. DVD-Audio when properly set-up is THAT GOOD. Like most DVD-Audio players, this one does not offer bass management for DVD-Audio playback. You will need five full range (or close to full range) speakers and a decent subwoofer (10"+) to maximize your listening experience. But with the money you save you can invest in a set of good speakers. Preferably floorstanding, from good speaker makers like B&W, Dynaudio, Energy, Paradigm, PSB, etc.

   Progressive scan DVD playback on this player is excellent also. Movies like The Fellowship of the Ring, Star Wars Attack of the Clones, actually almost any well made DVD movie look incredibly sharp and theater-like on a high definition/widescreen digital TV. Combined with the Dolby Digital EX or DTS ES capabilities of the RX-8020, I get 6.1 surround sound and stunning progressive picture quality for a truly movie-going experience--in my living room. It never fails to impress my friends & neighbors, who think I spent a fortune on this system. If they only knew the truth.

   As for the downside to this player, there are very few. I don't particularly like the CD playback quality with this player because on certain lo-fi quality CDs I will get an occasional drop off in sound during playback. I use a dedicated CD changer for CDs so this is not an issue for me. I think this saves on the wear and tear of the DVD player and I personally think this is the way to go anyway. This player also plays MP3s, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs for maximum flexibility. It really is amazing all the things this player can do. The only discs it won't play are Super Audio CDs (SACD) and DVD-Rs.

   You will also need to invest in a LOT of cables for this unit, what with six analog connections for DVD-Audio, digital (coax or toslink) connection for DVD-Video sound, component cables for progressive video... but of course this would be the case for any DVD-Audio/Progressive Scan player.

   I really can't say enough good things about this player. Other JVC DVD players take hits for laser problems and lock up issues, but so far this player has performed like a champ for me. The best investment I have made in a piece of electronic equipment by far.