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Rating: 
Summary: OUTSTANDING
Review: I researched for many weeks before opting for this product. Outstanding Sound and when connected to a DTS capable DVD player, the sound will blow you away. The number of inputs makes it a great receiver. I have connected all my electronics including my computer to it and the performance is amazing. Just one word of advice, don't go for any of those Home theater systems that have DVD players built in. They are really bad and I can tell you from personal experience.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of bang for the buck
Review: I searched, researched and reviewed every thing I could find about home theater systems for about 3 weeks before choosing the Panasonic SC-HT400S. I selected it for 3 reasons; value, performance and brand reputation. And my homework paid off. This system is easy to set up; only took me 25 minutes to set up the 400S and a Panasonic progressive scan DVD / Hi-Fi VHS combo unit. It also has lots of little extras and a clear instruction manual. But more important than any of that; it sounds incredible! Deep clear bass from the subwoofer, crisp and clear sound from the satellites and excellent presets and adjustment options. I found the sound quality to be on par with Pioneer's receivers and JBL speakers. And this unit is just as amazing when playing DVD's as it is when listening to music. I whole heartedly recommend this system, especial in conjuction with the Panasonic PV-D4743S. This is THE best home theater system I found ...
Rating: 
Summary: Good sound, complicated controls
Review: PROS:
* Sounds great and looks great with Panasonic RV32S DVD playe (very good inexpensive player). The remote also controls the DVD player.
* The five small speakers are all the same, and the directions are very clear, so setting up the speakers is a no-brainer. The speakers look and feel substantial.
* It would be hard to get a better deal on a receiver AND six speakers.
* I don't yet have the digital optical cable for connecting with the DVD player, but I can't wait to hear movies in true surround sound.
* There are plenty of inputs for other equipment.CONS:
* It is VERY hard to customize the sound. All the settings are controlled digitally. Bass, treble, and the individual speaker volume levels are all controlled through menus.
* Like a lot of other receivers these days, this one comes with a lot of stupid pre-configured level settings described as "Live", "Concert", "Hall" etc. Does anyone use this feature? If you turn down the subwoofer and then switch from one of these settings to another, the subwoofer is right back where it was.
* The controls on the receiver and remote are not intuitively obvious. You will definitely need the manual. The manual, fortunately, is short and well-written.
* The bass is very distinct from the rest of the music (this may be true with all subwoofers?). And since the subwoofer is reasonably powerful, I want to keep it at a very low level - but it is complicated to fine-tune. Overall, this is a great package for the money. I would recommend it over systems that come with a built-in DVD player because, as we know, DVD players break, and the technology will evolve. Most of my complaints stem from the difficulty of fine-tuning the sound. This is a real problem. However, I am not sure if other receivers being produced these days will be any different. I will miss the sliders on my old receiver.
Rating:
Summary: Good sound, complicated controls
Review: PROS:
* Sounds great and looks great with Panasonic RV32S DVD playe (very good inexpensive player). The remote also controls the DVD player.
* The five small speakers are all the same, and the directions are very clear, so setting up the speakers is a no-brainer. The speakers look and feel substantial.
* It would be hard to get a better deal on a receiver AND six speakers.
* I don't yet have the digital optical cable for connecting with the DVD player, but I can't wait to hear movies in true surround sound.
* There are plenty of inputs for other equipment. CONS:
* It is VERY hard to customize the sound. All the settings are controlled digitally. Bass, treble, and the individual speaker volume levels are all controlled through menus.
* Like a lot of other receivers these days, this one comes with a lot of stupid pre-configured level settings described as "Live", "Concert", "Hall" etc. Does anyone use this feature? If you turn down the subwoofer and then switch from one of these settings to another, the subwoofer is right back where it was.
* The controls on the receiver and remote are not intuitively obvious. You will definitely need the manual. The manual, fortunately, is short and well-written.
* The bass is very distinct from the rest of the music (this may be true with all subwoofers?). And since the subwoofer is reasonably powerful, I want to keep it at a very low level - but it is complicated to fine-tune. Overall, this is a great package for the money. I would recommend it over systems that come with a built-in DVD player because, as we know, DVD players break, and the technology will evolve. Most of my complaints stem from the difficulty of fine-tuning the sound. This is a real problem. However, I am not sure if other receivers being produced these days will be any different. I will miss the sliders on my old receiver.
Rating:
Summary: Good sound, complicated controls
Review: PROS:
*Sounds great and looks great with Panasonic RV32S DVD playe (very good inexpensive player). The remote also controls the DVD player.
*The five small speakers are all the same, and the directions are very clear, so setting up the speakers is a no-brainer. The speakers look and feel substantial.
*It would be hard to get a better deal on a receiver AND six speakers.
*I don't yet have the digital optical cable for connecting with the DVD player, but I can't wait to hear movies in true surround sound.
*There are plenty of inputs for other equipment. CONS:
*It is VERY hard to customize the sound. All the settings are controlled digitally. Bass, treble, and the individual speaker volume levels are all controlled through menus.
*Like a lot of other receivers these days, this one comes with a lot of stupid pre-configured level settings described as "Live", "Concert", "Hall" etc. Does anyone use this feature? If you turn down the subwoofer and then switch from one of these settings to another, the subwoofer is right back where it was.
*The controls on the receiver and remote are not intuitively obvious. You will definitely need the manual. The manual, fortunately, is short and well-written.
*The bass is very distinct from the rest of the music (this may be true with all subwoofers?). And since the subwoofer is reasonably powerful, I want to keep it at a very low level - but it is complicated to fine-tune. Overall, this is a great package for the money. I would recommend it over systems that come with a built-in DVD player because, as we know, DVD players break, and the technology will evolve. Most of my complaints stem from the difficulty of fine-tuning the sound. This is a real problem. However, I am not sure if other receivers being produced these days will be any different. I will miss the sliders on my old receiver.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad at all.
Review: This isn't a bad system at all. I purchased it for my boyfriend who really wanted a surround sound system. The only downside is that a lot of movies aren't made with Dolby Digital DTS so it's just like listenting to it without the system. However, when you do get a movie made with DTS, it's great!! A lot of video games now support this and it makes playing the game that much better. Although the setup/installation was a pain and the remote is terrible, this isn't a bad system at all.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad at all.
Review: This isn't a bad system at all. I purchased it for my boyfriend who really wanted a surround sound system. The only downside is that a lot of movies aren't made with Dolby Digital DTS so it's just like listenting to it without the system. However, when you do get a movie made with DTS, it's great!! A lot of video games now support this and it makes playing the game that much better. Although the setup/installation was a pain and the remote is terrible, this isn't a bad system at all.
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