Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The SC-HT800V DVD/VCR Home Theater is great with the exception of the remote control. It is somewhat confusing for the first few times you are trying to use it. You must learn what the shift key is there for and then figure out everything else out. The manual really could use some extra pointers on remote use and hooking the system to a DSS system. It took me two days to ever get stereo sound coming from my DSS. Other than these problems, I highly recommend this product.

The Panasonic Home Theater System is the best bang for your buck. The only negative drawback to this system is that it is not to be used as a digital amplifier for external systems - however it will do a single L/R analogue input no problem. So if you want to hook your television, hi-fi or games console, into this unit then it will have to be done via an analogue line. This means if you are looking for an amplifier for several inputs from other sound sources then THIS IS NOT FOR YOU and at the price it is clear that the item is intended for limited purposes and is not a full blown digital IN/OUT sound system (be prepared to pay the $600 + mark for these types of systems that are only for advanced system setups). Although no true digital input is achievable you can always choose a digital OUT to analogue IN cable as an addition. However when all said and done I have my PS2 and TV hooked up to this box using analogue connections and it is fine and works but really the heart of this package is in the DVD player's quality and the SOUND.

The item has 3 front speakers, 2 surround and a woofer. The sound is sublime for the price. The picture quality is well above average and the functionality is pretty outstanding. The system is simple to setup (took me 20 minutes out of the box) and can play nearly every DVD disc format (including MP3, CD-R, CD-RW) and has several sound formats to choose from (DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Surround and Stereo). Also each sound format has several variations for room shapes and sizes. You can also adjust the levels of each speaker individually. The unit then gives you multiple options for screen sizes, playback types, picture quality etc. In short there is nothing this player is missing except for maybe some advanced features like zooming in on frames. If you are looking for an out-of-box home DVD theatre system then this is the package to get. The tower also looks funky and the ejection system is beautiful. I would encourage those who are looking for a good DVD system and who do not want to spend unreal sums of money to give this one a try. It is far from disappointing.

Pros:
1) Great Sound and a very nice speaker system to boot.
2) Multiple sound formats and disc types can be played back on the unit.
3) The DVD player has multiple options to choose from.
4) The quality of the DVD image beats the XBOX or PS2 any day.

Cons:
1)Load up times take a few seconds.
2)No true digital in/out.

However for some reason I prefered the design of the Panasonic SC-DM3 Home Theater System and think it might even be a little better.

We received this item 3 days after ordering even though Amazon said it would take 4-7 business days and we couldn't be happier with the product. We have not owned either a DVD player or surround sound before and the instruction booklet made installation incredibly easy. The sound is great - I have no complaints about the bass like others - if you switch it to 'movie' sound the bass is louder. This is a high-priced purchase for our family and we have no regrets about our choice!

This unit is REALLY good. The sound quality is outstanding - especially the low bass coming from such a compact subwoofer system. And you cannot beat Panasonic as a brand - their stuff lasts forever. One note: The amplifiers are in the subwoofer and there is a special cable, about 12 feet long, that connects the unit with the subwoofer. Be sure you can locate the subwoofer close enough to the main unit to connect with a 12' cable. I paid $360 for this same unit, and that was 10% off the regular store price of $400. This is a great deal on a really solid system.

I just bought this system, and my wife and I both like it very much. It has great sound and is pretty easy to hook up. It also has many nice features. Learning to use the remote takes a bit of study. When the sound volume is adjusted up, the corresponding numbers on the display decrease and vice versa for adjusting the volume down. I thought something was wrong so I called Panasonic and was told the reaction is correct. Also, if your TV has picture in picture (PIP) you will have sound from both the main screen and the PIP when the PIP is activated and you swap screens.

After a month, the unit (SC-HT800V) would turn off as soon as I turned the unit on.
After troubleshooting, unplugging and replugging, I figured out it had something to do with the connection from the base unit to the subwoofer. Since the all the speaker connectors are on the subwoofer instead of the base unit, I have no speakers.

The DVD and VHS will still work if I use the tv's speakers.
The tuner won't work unless connected to the sub, so no tuner.

Sound Quality: Crystal clear (even with the provided speaker cables), but subwoofer is far too weak (THX lovers look for some other system)

Style: Perfect fit and finish silver parts. Speechless.

Ease of installation: 1hr / Easy (Instructions are clear with pictures)

Conclusion: Stylish clear sounding system, but lacks bass. DVD player works with ALL of my DVD's and the features are sufficient.