One of the best kept secrets! on the net
Written: Dec 20 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sound Quality, built in Dolby Digital compliments all rooms, plenty of options
Cons: I can get it at a cheaper price now, no random access over both discs
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| Co2112's Full Review: Toshiba SD-3109U DVD Player |
The Toshiba SD-3109 combines extraordinary audio options with state-of-the-art digital video playback to give you an experience equal to--or better than cinema. Hopefully you have an equal to or better home theatre set-up. If you don't than the SD-3109 is still a great first time DVD buy because of it's one of a kind (in it's class) audio option's.
The best part of all, I am only a college student that loves movies, and have a limited budget yet I do appreciate a higher quality item. "If it's not the best or damn close it's not for me." I was able to see a few of the different DVD players first hand before buying. Some friends own Sony, JVC, and also Toshiba, in the end looking at all the options and comparing prices with other brands the Toshiba SD-3109 has to be one of the best kept secrets in DVD players. Not only do you have dual disc loading but built in Dolby Digital, I picked mine up for only $350 plus tax. Which was under my $400 budget, and I couldn't be more happier with my product or decision. I have seen it on the net for $295, as of 12/1/99. Using "clickthebutton.com" to search. For more read on, I covered it all!
The Toshiba SD-3109 was easy to set up--it automatically detected our type of audio output (two-channel) and video format (4:3). Its rear video and audio connections are clearly labeled. The manual is easy to follow; lots of graphics make it simple to figure out how to connect in any possible configuration. Also, the front-panel button layout is simple, leaving more complicated functions to the full-featured, glow-in-the-dark remote.
Toshiba designed the new SD3109 to be a cornerstone of Audio/Video performance and versatility. An advanced 10 bit 27 MHz high resolution D/A converter delivers superior picture performance. The advanced picture performance of the SD3109 is complemented by a built-in Dolby Digital decoder, DTS capability and Spatializer(r) N-2-2 virtual surround sound.
The Toshiba SD-3109's most unique feature is its dual-disc loader, which lets you put in two DVD's for a double feature (or two audio CDs for a longer listening experience). The Toshiba SD-3109 lets you program tracks and chapters from both discs, although it wouldn't allow us to randomize playback across discs. I was pleased, however, to find out that it is able to load one disc while the other one was playing.
The Toshiba SD-3109 offers traditional DVD features such as camera-angle selection, subtitling, and language preference, but it also has a good selection of more-advanced features. Although most of the DVD's I have watched do not offer all the features the SD-3109 can handle, it is nice to know that it is available. The Toshiba SD-3109 lets you zoom in (up to 3x on our test disc) and features reverse- and forward-play speeds of from 1/8x to 30x normal. The Toshiba SD-3109 also does a great job of finding specific sections on a disc--it even lets you locate scenes by their time into the disc. I does take a little bit longer searching for the scenes (an extra second or so) compared to my friends Sony DVD player, but with the built in Dolby Digital Decoder it's all worth it.
The SD-3109's audio options are well worth its price; not only does this DVD player offer high-resolution digital-to-analog converters and a wide variety of audio-out selections (including linear PCM as well as DTS and Dolby Digital surround options), but it also lets you adjust the outputs to the center/surround speakers to mimic an ideally spaced home-theater system. Users with stereo-only playback will appreciate the Spatializer 3D sound-enhancement feature, which creates expansive surround-like audio using just two speakers. Which I actually used and worked great until I purchased an Aiwa home theatre package w/built in Dolby Digital inputs.
In addition to playing audio CDs and digital video CDs, the Toshiba SD-3109's circuitry also lets you play High Definition Compatible Digital-encoded CDs, which increase the audio resolution from 16 to 20 bits for improved sound staging and greater dynamic range--improvements that carry over in a more limited way to the playback of standard CDs.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Co2112
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Member: Carlos
Location: Carmichael, CA
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 2 members
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