Panasonic SC-HT800V Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Home Theater System

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [3.66mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 14.9 x 16.9 x 3.6 inches ; 22 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 56 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000949XE
• Item model number: SC-HT800V
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,951 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The SC-HT800V offers high-quality home entertainment from a system that's as compact as it is easy to assemble. All you need is a television and a living room--the SC-HT800V provides the DVD and VHS playback, the surround-sound processing, and the multichannel audio delivery.

The system pumps 220 low-distortion watts of total power through a specially matched six-speaker system (left, center, right, left and right surround, and low-frequency subwoofer). And its versatility with media playback--from DVD to VHS videocassettes, MP3/WMA CDs, and JPEG image CDs--means you're never far from favorite movies, music, or digital photos. Topping it off, the system's DVD-Audio abilities offer super high-fidelity (192 kHz/24-bit) sound from specially formatted, music-oriented DVD-Audio discs.

DVD movies will look and sound great through the system's 54 MHz/10-bit video decoder, Panasonic's video Depth Enhancer, progressive-scan video output (for use with high-definition and HD-ready televisions), and Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic, and DTS discrete 5.1-channel surround decoding and rendering. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, providing higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. This feature can only be appreciated on high-definition and HD-ready TVs.

The VCR's four-head design ensures smooth slow-motion play (forward and reverse) and clear still-frame images, and with hi-fi sound the unit records and plays back stereo audio tracks. SAP audio receptions lets you listen to alternate-language tracks on select broadcast programming, and the unit boasts the ability to record in extra-long, 5x mode--just don't expect superior video quality at that setting. It also offers high-speed (600x) rewind--crucial when you're running late in returning videos!

The speaker set includes four wall-mountable bookshelf satellite speakers (front and rear left and right) powered by 25 watts each, a 30-watt center-channel speaker (critical for handling most of a movie's dialogue), and a powerful, 90-watt subwoofer optimized for unobtrusive placement. All speakers are magnetically shielded to protect your TV from distortion induced by the speakers' magnetic fields. A digital-synthesized FM/AM tuner lets you listen to your favorite radio stations.

What's in the Box
DVD player/receiver, four satellite speakers, one center-channel speaker, a powered subwoofer, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and all requisite basic cabling.

From the Manufacturer

Panasonic's SC-HT800V DVD/VCR Home Theater System has everything needed for great home theater, including a progressive scan DVD player, VCR, receiver, 5 satellite speakers, and subwoofer.

Features:

• Output Power, Home Theater Mode (FTC): Total Power--220W; Front--25W x 2 (120Hz - 20kHz, 6 ohms, 1% THD); Center--30W (120Hz-20kHz, 6 ohms, 1% THD); Surround--25W x 2 (120Hz-20kHz, 6 ohms, 1% THD); Subwoofer--90W (45Hz-120Hz, 4 ohms, 1% THD)
• Output Power, Home Theater Mode: Total Power--400W; Front--60W x 2 (1kHz, 6 ohms, 10% THD); Center--60W (1kHz, 6 ohms, 10% THD); Surround--60W x 2 (1kHz, 6 ohms, 10% THD); Subwoofer--100W (100Hz, 3 ohms, 10% THD)
• DVD-Audio Compatibility
• Dolby Pro Logic Decoder
• Dolby Digital Decoder 1
• DTS Decoder 2
• FM/AM Digital Synthesizer Tuner
• Cinema Mode
• Dialogue Enhancer
• Video D/A Converter: 54MHz/10-bit
• Speakers: Wall-mounting holes and built-in nuts (satellite speakers only)
• Subwoofer Level Control: 4-step subwoofer level control (1/2/3/4) accessible via Subwoofer Level key on remote
• Universal Remote Control
• Component Video Out
• Energy Star Qualified
• Multi-Channel Sound Field
• Sound Field Control (SFC): 7 presets
• Compatible Media Formats: DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, DVD-RAM/DVD-R 3, CD, CD-R/RW 4, Video CD, JPEG, MP3, WMA, HighMAT
• Super Surround Sound
• Double Re-Master Processing
• Depth Enhancer
• 4-head Hi-Fi stereo VCR with: MTS Stereo and SAP system, x5 Long Time Recording, x600 High Speed Tape Rewind
• 3 Separate Front Displays
• Magnetically Shielded Speakers
• Receiver Dimensions (inches, W x H x D): 16-15/16 x 3-21/32 x 14-1/32
• Front Speaker Configuration (drivers per speaker): 1-way, 1-speaker bass-reflex
• Front Speaker Cabinet Dimensions (inches, W x H x D): 3-5/8 x 7-5/32 x 3-17/32
• Center Speaker Configuration (drivers per speaker): 1-way, 1-speaker bass-reflex
• Center Speaker Cabinet Dimensions (inches, W x H x D): 7-3/32 x 3-25/32 x 3-7/32
• Surround Satellite Speaker Configuration (drivers per speaker): 1-way, 1-speaker bass-reflex
• Surround Satellite Speaker Cabinet Dimensions (inches, W x H x D): 3-5/8 x 7-5/32 x 3-17/32
• Subwoofer Configuration: 1-way, 1-speaker bass-reflex
• Subwoofer Cabinet Dimensions (inches, W x H x D): 6-1/8 x 18 x 16-3/4

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent value, April 30, 2004

By 

Tor Slettnes (SF Bay Area, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic SC-HT800V Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Home Theater System (Electronics)

I have owned the SC-HT810V for four days now, after a month-long decision making process. That's the same as this model, with a little more output power, and with table stands for the speakers. The only reason I got that model rather than the 800V was that I stumbled across it at Fry's Electronics for $249 -- cheaper than the HT800V, anywhere! Otherwise, I don't really care for output power that much, the 800V has plenty to fill up even larger rooms.

Compared with some of the other models I looked at, these are its strengths:

* Compact, includes DVD, VCR and FM/AM Radio in one small unit.

* Plays a multitude of disc formats (incl. DVD-A, VCD, and Panasonic/Microsoft proprietary HighMAT discs). (Compare to the Zenith XBS344 and XBS245, which only play DVD Video and CD Audio).

* The sound quality and surround effects are, ahem, awesome. Now I just wish more DVDs (including children's, cartoons, etc) had surround sound.

A few things that did not quite appeal to me:

* No digital audio (5.1) input. (Unlike the Zenith, or the Philips LX3750W wireless theatre). This means that I cannot get surround sound input from my Comcast HDTV converter. (But who watches TV these days anyway?)

* With the DVD progressive scan enabled, thin lines, text, etc flicker a bit. It turns out that my Panasonic (CRT) HDTV in some ways does a better job of de-interlacing the standard (480i) signal (whether through component or composite cables) than the unit does, despite the D->A->D->A conversion.

* Operating the unit (+ the remote) is a bit cumbersome. For instance, to switch to the external sound input, you need to press the DVD/VCR toggle button to VCR mode, change to channel 2, then press CH- (channel down). This is only the sound - you also need to switch your TV to the appropriate input source. Basically, you need a good universal remote control - be sure to get one with plenty of macro capability, such as the One For All/RadioShack Kameleon. And because the DVD/VCR button is a toggle, you first need to press the FM/AM button, then DVD/VCR, after which it always comes back in VCR mode. (OTOH, if you don't have an external input source such as a digital cable box, you can get by quite easily using this unit's built-in TV tuner).

That said, with a good universal remote, this unit is a real, real good buy, especially considering Panasonic's attention to durability and quality. You will not be disappointed.

One thing to be aware of is that unlike most others, the subwoofer is the only speaker that is directly connected to the unit (via a 4m = ~13ft cable); the other speakers is wired to the subwoofer. The subwoofer requires external power.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Value - Lots of Features, September 3, 2003

By 

Steve Ruane (Sylvania, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SC-HT800V Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Home Theater System (Electronics)

The Panasonic SC-HT800V is an excellent value for the money. It delivers ample power to the speakers. There are more powerful units, but this unit fills the living room with clear sound. The speakers, subwoofer and main unit are easy to hook up, but I had to work at getting my TV to work properly with both the DVD and VCR outputs. I was able to attach a 5 disk CD player to the system after some fiddling. This unit is loaded with features and it takes time to learn how to use them effectively. I need to refer to the owner's manual frequently for the first few days of use. After the initial learning curve, I am able to enjoy this system. It works wonderfully.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Super Value and Super Sound, December 23, 2003

By 

Scott Masters (Allen, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SC-HT800V Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Home Theater System (Electronics)

I'm very satisfied with this product, giving it 4 stars only because I don't have a lot of comparisons. You get a lot of features for dollars in the $300+ range: DVD/VCR, 5.1 surround, 6 speakers, a multitude of custom settings, auxillary inputs, component video output, S-video output, progressive scan, MP3 capable, 220 watts of power, and more. I recently had Terminator 3 in the DVD player, and really rattled the room. I have mine hooked up with a DISH Network box and frequently play the digital music channels through the surround speakers. I also use the MP3 feature, and have put several of my favorite albums on a CD-R in MP3 format and let it spin for hours. The picture quality with CVI outputs looks great. All in all, this is a great value for a theatre system, the only thing better would be to spend more and get a 5-disc changer. I'm very happy with the purchase.