Home Video
(1,029)
results 1 - 20 of 1,029 reviews
0
This is an excellent product. We've had ours now for several months and it works flawlessly. Sure, I can come up with plenty of features I wish it had (I'm an Electronics Engineer so imagining new features comes naturally!) but that's always true of every product of any type.
This unit has a hard drive for normal recording, a DVD burning optical drive for removable media, a digital tuner for compatibility with over-the-air (OTA) digital broadcasts, and an analog tuner for compatibility with those stations that don't switch to digital in Feb 2009. That's everything you need for home broadcast recording today and after Feb 2009. The remote is intuitive, the on-screen menus make sense, and everything works.
All right, a couple of criticisms. It loses programming if power is disconnected for more than ~30 seconds. It doesn't have to be that way - Philips could have simply written the programming to the hard drive (which is inherently nonvolatile). Some of its on-screen menu features are obscure
This unit has a hard drive for normal recording, a DVD burning optical drive for removable media, a digital tuner for compatibility with over-the-air (OTA) digital broadcasts, and an analog tuner for compatibility with those stations that don't switch to digital in Feb 2009. That's everything you need for home broadcast recording today and after Feb 2009. The remote is intuitive, the on-screen menus make sense, and everything works.
All right, a couple of criticisms. It loses programming if power is disconnected for more than ~30 seconds. It doesn't have to be that way - Philips could have simply written the programming to the hard drive (which is inherently nonvolatile). Some of its on-screen menu features are obscure
...
more
6 price(s)
0
Well, you get what you pay for, I suppose. I can't say that I'm all that impressed with many of the Coby products that I have bought. Their MP3s aren't very good and now I know the DVD players aren't a whole lot better. They are reasonably priced. That is what attracts so many people to their products. But, you can't expect much for your money either.
I bought 2 of these DVD players simultaneously (one for each of the kid's rooms). One of them has been working quite well, while the other has had a few problems. It doesn't always read the DVD and will sometimes stop playing. It usually will restart after a push of the button, but it is kind of annoying.
I bought 2 of these DVD players simultaneously (one for each of the kid's rooms). One of them has been working quite well, while the other has had a few problems. It doesn't always read the DVD and will sometimes stop playing. It usually will restart after a push of the button, but it is kind of annoying.
0
I am surprised at the negative reviews of the BDP-S350. I purchased mine just last week and have had no problems: quick start times, quiet operation, excellent picture quality.
I've determined that most of the negatives are coming from users who are not properly setting up the player before use. NOTE: The default setting on this unit is "auto," meaning that it will set the picture quality to match the disc. So, if you put in a standard DVD it is going to play it at 480p. Change the picture setting to 1080p for all playback and you are guaranteed automatic upscaling for SD DVDs and 1080p for Blu-Ray discs. And the upscaling on this unit is terrific -- your standard def dics wil look great.
Also, several negatives are coming from people who aren't playing the unit through a 1080p HDTV. Of course the picture isn't going to look better than your SD DVD in that situation. Therefore, don't buy this unit it you don't have a 1080p HDTV -- you are wasting your money. And take the time to properly
I've determined that most of the negatives are coming from users who are not properly setting up the player before use. NOTE: The default setting on this unit is "auto," meaning that it will set the picture quality to match the disc. So, if you put in a standard DVD it is going to play it at 480p. Change the picture setting to 1080p for all playback and you are guaranteed automatic upscaling for SD DVDs and 1080p for Blu-Ray discs. And the upscaling on this unit is terrific -- your standard def dics wil look great.
Also, several negatives are coming from people who aren't playing the unit through a 1080p HDTV. Of course the picture isn't going to look better than your SD DVD in that situation. Therefore, don't buy this unit it you don't have a 1080p HDTV -- you are wasting your money. And take the time to properly
...
more
0
I bought one 2 months ago and liked it so much I bought a second one, so I can record programs from 2 channels at the same time.
I don't like to pay a monthly fee for anything, so I have always just set VCR's to record off the antenna by timer. But that won't work after February. What nobody tells you is that the converter box will not let you do that, because the channel selection is in the converter, not in the VCR. So this DVR is the solution, and it's the only one out there, unless you pay a monthy fee for cable and something like TiVo.
For timer recording, it is even more convenient than a VCR. You can just set and delete events at will, and don't have to worry about what fits on a tape. By default it shows the date, time, and channel for each event. I keep a separate log on a piece of paper, and that saves the time to label each event on the disc. I usually delete an event after I watch it anyway.
I use it with a 52" Sony HDTV, so I can evaluate the picture quality. At
I don't like to pay a monthly fee for anything, so I have always just set VCR's to record off the antenna by timer. But that won't work after February. What nobody tells you is that the converter box will not let you do that, because the channel selection is in the converter, not in the VCR. So this DVR is the solution, and it's the only one out there, unless you pay a monthy fee for cable and something like TiVo.
For timer recording, it is even more convenient than a VCR. You can just set and delete events at will, and don't have to worry about what fits on a tape. By default it shows the date, time, and channel for each event. I keep a separate log on a piece of paper, and that saves the time to label each event on the disc. I usually delete an event after I watch it anyway.
I use it with a 52" Sony HDTV, so I can evaluate the picture quality. At
...
more
0
The recorder is one of the newer ones and would otherwise be a great one, but its fatal flaw is built-in anti-copying technology that makes it so you're unable to record many TV programs that are broadcast with a certain signal. I attempted to record several episodes of Breaking Bad last night, but it only recorded two second snippets.
As it turned out, this DVR comes with a copyright protection software that shuts down the recording function if you record the wrong program. It does not give you the freedom of choice to make up your own mind as to whether your recording constitutes fair use (recording television in order to watch privately later) or duplication for showing to the public. It just imposes the choice of the TV program's producers on you.
I kept my receipt, so I'll be returning this recorder soon and getting one by a different company that trusts ME to make the decision about what I record and how I use it. If I get caught violating copyright, it is on me, not Philli
As it turned out, this DVR comes with a copyright protection software that shuts down the recording function if you record the wrong program. It does not give you the freedom of choice to make up your own mind as to whether your recording constitutes fair use (recording television in order to watch privately later) or duplication for showing to the public. It just imposes the choice of the TV program's producers on you.
I kept my receipt, so I'll be returning this recorder soon and getting one by a different company that trusts ME to make the decision about what I record and how I use it. If I get caught violating copyright, it is on me, not Philli
...
more
0
This product is so not worth purchasing. Do not consider a refurbished product. I'm about to return this item back. It constantly says "No Disc" and will not play any DVD. I'm pretty sure the reason for it being refurbished is due to the same problem and it had to be fixed.
0
The XDE-500 DVD player from Toshiba is a marked improvement in playback quality of standard DVDs. It not only upconverts the vertical resolution from 480 to 1080P but enhances the fine detail of the picture in the horizontal resolution in a way that does not raise the noise content in the program material while also enhancing the contrast and color detail in a most useful way. For the price it is well worth it to buy this outstanding performer to enhance all your current and past DVD collection to a new level of picture quality that is substantially higher than you are used to seeing them and approaches true high defintion on your 1080P HDTV set.
0
Here's my story:
- I finally realize what all that talk about copyright protection is about. I purchased the Samsung DVD-VR375 1080p Up-Converting VHS Combo DVD Recorder to dub my personal VHS tapes to DVD. When I tried to copy my VHS movies (like Heavy Metal which I purchased from a store about a decade ago) to DVD, it stopped a few seconds in saying that it can't dub because of the copy protection signal endcoded on it.
I am now learning that is because I am trying to copy video that has embedded macrovision protection. Taping over the hole on the cassette doesn't help because that hole is only designed to tell your VCR not to allow you to accidentally record over the cassette. This is one of the reasons the Samsung DVD-VR375 1080p Up-Converting VHS Combo DVD unit is useless because all it allows me to copy is my own home movies. From what I am told one needs to incorporate a Digital Video Stabilizer.
To add annoyance to the above problem I also had to contend with the fact that
- I finally realize what all that talk about copyright protection is about. I purchased the Samsung DVD-VR375 1080p Up-Converting VHS Combo DVD Recorder to dub my personal VHS tapes to DVD. When I tried to copy my VHS movies (like Heavy Metal which I purchased from a store about a decade ago) to DVD, it stopped a few seconds in saying that it can't dub because of the copy protection signal endcoded on it.
I am now learning that is because I am trying to copy video that has embedded macrovision protection. Taping over the hole on the cassette doesn't help because that hole is only designed to tell your VCR not to allow you to accidentally record over the cassette. This is one of the reasons the Samsung DVD-VR375 1080p Up-Converting VHS Combo DVD unit is useless because all it allows me to copy is my own home movies. From what I am told one needs to incorporate a Digital Video Stabilizer.
To add annoyance to the above problem I also had to contend with the fact that
...
more
0
As others have noted, the picture is excellent for DVD. The Color, Contrast, Sharpness enhancements are a mixed bag; I prefer the setting off.
My disappointment is that the player powers off after 20 minutes when it is not being used - that's fine to save electricity and all but the problem is, it doesn't resume play where I last stopped.
My disappointment is that the player powers off after 20 minutes when it is not being used - that's fine to save electricity and all but the problem is, it doesn't resume play where I last stopped.
0
After mourning the death of HD-DVD for a while, which reduced my Toshiba HD-DVD player to upconverting DVD's to 1080P, I decided to buy a Blu-Ray player.
I already had a PS3 and have watched Blu-Ray movies on it. Athough it does a great job, I wanted something that was plug-and-play that would play nicely with my Logitec remote and the rest of my equipment while also fitting in my rack.
I was looking for a player that supports the new lossless HD audio, 1080P/24 video, had HDMI 1.3 and has a ethernet port for upgrading the firmware as well as possible BD Live capability. I also did not want to spend a fortune. I did not need the player to internally decode the audio since my Onkyo 606 receiver has that capability.
I reasearched several players by looking at reviews from both the Home Theater magazines and the AVS Forum before deciding on the S350.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase from Amazon and the performance of the player. I would recommend it if you either have
I already had a PS3 and have watched Blu-Ray movies on it. Athough it does a great job, I wanted something that was plug-and-play that would play nicely with my Logitec remote and the rest of my equipment while also fitting in my rack.
I was looking for a player that supports the new lossless HD audio, 1080P/24 video, had HDMI 1.3 and has a ethernet port for upgrading the firmware as well as possible BD Live capability. I also did not want to spend a fortune. I did not need the player to internally decode the audio since my Onkyo 606 receiver has that capability.
I reasearched several players by looking at reviews from both the Home Theater magazines and the AVS Forum before deciding on the S350.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase from Amazon and the performance of the player. I would recommend it if you either have
...
more
0
Just received this DVD player. My old KLH DVD player is almost 3 times as thick as the Philips 5140. The remote IR window on the front of the player is very sensitive. The remote must be pointed directly at it. That may be one reason some people have had a hard time programming the player to be region free. It took me two tries to get the region code screen to display. Connecting and setting up the player was a breeze. Video is crisp and bright and audio is clear. Such a treat to be able to watch my UK DVD's now! Thanks H. A. Emet.
Update 9/28/08: From page 22 of the User's Manual - If you hold down the stop button on the remote, the disc tray will open. If you hold down the stop button again, the tray will close.
Update 9/28/08: From page 22 of the User's Manual - If you hold down the stop button on the remote, the disc tray will open. If you hold down the stop button again, the tray will close.
0
I am not an expert, but a guy that loves movies, and especially Blu-ray movies. The reliability, picture quality, and speed of the Samsung 1500 is impressive. I own a PS3, a Samsung 1400, and a Sony BDP-S300. However, I am in love with my Sammy 1500. I have tried over 50 of my Blu-ray movies and they all paly perfectly. The load times are significantly reduced when compared to the 1400 and the Sony S300. I paid $350 for my Samsung 1500 player, and was excited about the price. Now Amazon is selling it for $260...A great deal!
0
Well I must admit I was excited about Pioneers new lineup for summer 2008, I bought their new 1018 receiver which sounds fantastic with my paradigm speakers. I decided to pair my receiver with the new BDP-51 player since it matched up well in looks, quality, and video/audio specs. I must admit when placing the I AM LEGEND BD in the player I was astonished at how crisp the colors and sounds were on my new Panasonic 42" 1080 plasma. Then after placing in the TOP GUN BD and BATMAN BEGINS BD I found the player having difficulty loading the BDs, I had to press stop and then play and also play around with the menu button to finally get the BD to load. I would say the BD player froze atleast 75% of the time when playing these titles. I am now checking on the firmware updates in hopes that the bug can be fixed otherwise I'll be sending it in. So I'm definitley disapointed with the bugs I've noticed. When it works though its a beauty both in sight and sound....
0
This is an AWESOME product. I've been using it for about 2 weeks now, and in my opinion it's one of the best HTs I've ever heard. It's much betten than the overrated BOSE systems, and 7.1 THX beats any movie theater.
The con is that speakers are freakishly bulky (specially if you compare to a Bose). You might have some hard time finding a stand that will remain standing with one of those, so it's a good bet to go with the ones from Onkyo itself.
Universal remote works pretty well, although it could be better looking (go with the Philips Prestigo series for a nicer look and good funcionality).
All and all, if you want a top-notch HT in a box system, you cannot go wrong with this. Plenty of digital inputs (both HDMI and Optical, unlike the previous 990 version).
The con is that speakers are freakishly bulky (specially if you compare to a Bose). You might have some hard time finding a stand that will remain standing with one of those, so it's a good bet to go with the ones from Onkyo itself.
Universal remote works pretty well, although it could be better looking (go with the Philips Prestigo series for a nicer look and good funcionality).
All and all, if you want a top-notch HT in a box system, you cannot go wrong with this. Plenty of digital inputs (both HDMI and Optical, unlike the previous 990 version).
0
I've had this Samsung DVD-VR375 for about 3 weeks now. I give up and will be returning it!
To clarify, my reason for buying a VCR/DVD burner was very simple: I wanted to convert my old VHS tapes to DVDs that would be able to be played in OTHER machines, not just this Samsung unit.
Here's the problem with this Samsung unit: Every DVD I have burned so far has sound-sync problems. The sound is off by a few seconds. If you fast-forward or chapter-search, then the sound goes REALLY off and the DVD is unwatchable because of this.
I have tested my newly-burnt DVDs on two players in my home: My iMac computer DVD player, and my Sony DVD player, which is hooked up to my TV. Both players give me the same problem: the sound is out of sync.
I have tried every imaginable iteration of dubbing on this machine to see if I could produce ONE USABLE DVD ... to no avail. I have used DVD-R, DVD+R, and DVD-RW discs. All produce the same sound problems. I have used the "Simple dub" option as well
To clarify, my reason for buying a VCR/DVD burner was very simple: I wanted to convert my old VHS tapes to DVDs that would be able to be played in OTHER machines, not just this Samsung unit.
Here's the problem with this Samsung unit: Every DVD I have burned so far has sound-sync problems. The sound is off by a few seconds. If you fast-forward or chapter-search, then the sound goes REALLY off and the DVD is unwatchable because of this.
I have tested my newly-burnt DVDs on two players in my home: My iMac computer DVD player, and my Sony DVD player, which is hooked up to my TV. Both players give me the same problem: the sound is out of sync.
I have tried every imaginable iteration of dubbing on this machine to see if I could produce ONE USABLE DVD ... to no avail. I have used DVD-R, DVD+R, and DVD-RW discs. All produce the same sound problems. I have used the "Simple dub" option as well
...
more
0
If you're looking for a complete solution, this is it. For the price, this delivers some of the best sound available in a complete receiver and speaker package with 7.1 sound! I had it recommended by two different people, one who went to a store and heard it side by side with other systems, and one who is a major audiophile and who has read many reviews on different systems. I didn't have to do any research, but I did go and listen to a few systems before buying, just in case. The system didn't dissapoint. And set-up was very easy. Being a technician, I didn't need help setting the unit up; however, if I was less technically inclined, the color coded wires and easy quick set-up diagrams would have been very helpfull. If you are new to audio and looking for the best 7.1 system under $800, or if you are a seasoned audiophile looking for a good system without a high price tag, this is the stereo for you!
0
As my first big box Home Theater system, I don't have anything to compare it to, but I feel the price was worth it.
The system looks great. The speakers are a decent size, and when set up, can look very attractive in a modern themed room. The receiver itself is very slick with with a nice design.
The receiver has plenty of hookups that will be suitable for most people. With 3 HDMI inputs, you should be able to hook up all your Hi-Definition components. One great feature is the ability to process the audio through the HDMI. Some receivers can't handle this and you have to deal with complex connections involving analog to digital, digital to analog, etc. This receiver is great for a PS3 owner because it can take advantage of the loss less sound formats. (Dolby TrueHD, DTS MA, etc.)
I haven't hooked up the included 1080p upscaling DVD player and don't know if I will because I have a PS3. Therefore I cannot comment on that component.
The remote is pretty weak. It has a hard
The system looks great. The speakers are a decent size, and when set up, can look very attractive in a modern themed room. The receiver itself is very slick with with a nice design.
The receiver has plenty of hookups that will be suitable for most people. With 3 HDMI inputs, you should be able to hook up all your Hi-Definition components. One great feature is the ability to process the audio through the HDMI. Some receivers can't handle this and you have to deal with complex connections involving analog to digital, digital to analog, etc. This receiver is great for a PS3 owner because it can take advantage of the loss less sound formats. (Dolby TrueHD, DTS MA, etc.)
I haven't hooked up the included 1080p upscaling DVD player and don't know if I will because I have a PS3. Therefore I cannot comment on that component.
The remote is pretty weak. It has a hard
...
more
0
I bought this Onkyo system without hearing it. A friend's recommendation and the brand name itself made me feel comfortable (enough) to take a chance with it.
Amazon delivered it using the free prime trial for free in 2 days (which was awesome).
When I got the box I was excited, and it was a lot larger than I anticipated. I believe this was mainly due to the size of the subwoofer. It is a large, legitimate, real powered subwoofer. It was not a cheap sub put in most of the HTIBs. The speakers were also solid, and look great with their high gloss case. I've purchased HTIBs before, but this had the feel of a purely component system. That is to say, everyone who has seen/heard it, thinks that the speakers, sub, and receiver were separate purchases.
Excited to get it up and running with my new Samsung ln52a650 and sony bdps350, I quickly got to work setting it up.
Here is where I met my only frustration with the system. The speaker wires (included in the box), were color coded
Amazon delivered it using the free prime trial for free in 2 days (which was awesome).
When I got the box I was excited, and it was a lot larger than I anticipated. I believe this was mainly due to the size of the subwoofer. It is a large, legitimate, real powered subwoofer. It was not a cheap sub put in most of the HTIBs. The speakers were also solid, and look great with their high gloss case. I've purchased HTIBs before, but this had the feel of a purely component system. That is to say, everyone who has seen/heard it, thinks that the speakers, sub, and receiver were separate purchases.
Excited to get it up and running with my new Samsung ln52a650 and sony bdps350, I quickly got to work setting it up.
Here is where I met my only frustration with the system. The speaker wires (included in the box), were color coded
...
more
0
This is my first Blu-ray player, connected to my Samsung 52" LCD TV. It is absolutely amazing. Picked up the BBC Planet Earth series on Blue-ray and the picture is stunning. I was able to add it to my wireless network by using an Airport Express. The only reason I did not give this Blu-ray player 5 stars is that it doesn't not come with built in wireless. For the price point, built in wireless isn't asking too much plus this is compatible with the new 2.0 'Live' discs that enable additional internet content with some Blu-ray discs. With that kind of functionality, wireless seems obvious to me. I was able to update the firmware easily. So far I am very pleased and have owned several Panasonic electronic items and have always had good luck with them. Currently still using a Panasonic DVD Recorder that works perfectly as well.
0
I recently purchased this system new from Amazon, to complete my low-budget-yet-high-quality home theatre setup.
I had heard lots of good things about Onkyo's 5.1 systems, but this newer model had very little review-wise that I could find. However, it seemed to be very similar to the previous generation, only with bigger speakers and an included Ipod dock. That and a good price point were enough to pique my interest.
On the whole I'm very pleased with the system. The speakers can sound a little tinny, but the sheer power and bass these little guys are outputting is impressive. I live in a rather modest apartment, and this system is a good fit for my space...in fact, it is probably too powerful, as the powered subwoofer has literally window-shaking strength, which I didn't expect from a small system.
Primarily I'm using the system for 5.1 sound, from a digital optical signal from my Oppo DV-981 Player, and in that application it does admirably. But I also wanted the interactivity with
I had heard lots of good things about Onkyo's 5.1 systems, but this newer model had very little review-wise that I could find. However, it seemed to be very similar to the previous generation, only with bigger speakers and an included Ipod dock. That and a good price point were enough to pique my interest.
On the whole I'm very pleased with the system. The speakers can sound a little tinny, but the sheer power and bass these little guys are outputting is impressive. I live in a rather modest apartment, and this system is a good fit for my space...in fact, it is probably too powerful, as the powered subwoofer has literally window-shaking strength, which I didn't expect from a small system.
Primarily I'm using the system for 5.1 sound, from a digital optical signal from my Oppo DV-981 Player, and in that application it does admirably. But I also wanted the interactivity with
...
more
