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

Rating:
Summary: Great bang for your buck.
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Good Value - Lots of Features
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Remote needs some work
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Anybody seen my socks?
Review: This system blew them off. I really didn't expect the kind of performance out of such a small package. I immediately noticed an improved picture from the progressive scan DVD. The sound has good clarity and plenty of power -- people at the other end of the house can hear the sub.
What I like:
-Sleek silver design to the case and speakers
-Includes VHS & DVD/CD
-Nice big volume knob, not a push button
What I don't like:
-Remote is confusing, especially navigating a jillion tiny buttons in the dark.

Rating:
Summary: Anybody seen my socks?
Review: This system blew them off. I really didn't expect the kind of performance out of such a small package. I immediately noticed an improved picture from the progressive scan DVD. The sound has good clarity and plenty of power -- people at the other end of the house can hear the sub.
What I like:
-Sleek silver design to the case and speakers
-Includes VHS & DVD/CD
-Nice big volume knob, not a push button
What I don't like:
-Remote is confusing, especially navigating a jillion tiny buttons in the dark.

Rating:
Summary: UNBEATABLE VALUE
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't ask for more for the price
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't ask for more for the price
Review: 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!