Features:
- AV receiver and DVD player combo unit with Direct Digital Progressive-Scan output for seamless, flicker-free display on HD or HD-ready TVs
- Plays DVD-Video, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, SVCD, JPEG, and MP3 formats
- 100 watts x 5 (into 8 ohms at 1 kHz with no more than 0.8 percent THD; offers 100 watts from 40 to 20,000 Hz in stereo)
- DVD includes variable search, slow, resume play, digest, strobe, angle and zoom
- Component-video, composite-video, and S-video outputs for compatibility with a range of TVs
Description:
As electronic devices do more and more, design simplicity grows ever more important. JVC's RX-DV3VSL is not only simple to set up and use, it's also incredibly stylish in its silver sheen and vivid blue lights. And it performs well, offering stunning progressive-scan digital video, clear sound, and myriad inputs and outputs to accommodate a range of other gear, including non-progressive-scan TVs. We found the RX-DV3VSL a delight for both home theater and music applications. The disc player loads DVDs and CDs quickly and delivers an ample 100 watts per channel. A handy "top menu" button zips you past the FBI warnings, previews, and other pre-menu annoyances written into many commercial DVDs. The RX-DV3VSL even offers compatibility with JPEG image CDs (we love the slide-show feature!). Higher-resolution images take longer to load--up to 10 seconds on shots from a 1-megapixel camera--but higher resolution pics offer greater rewards when zooming: the unit takes you beyond 4x and 16x all the way to a blurry but amazing 1,024x. No, you can't listen to the tuner or any other source during a slide show, though that would be a good option. We found only a few other disappointments: the plastic volume knob feels cheap to the touch, and the multibrand remote control is poorly designed, with tiny volume buttons. Further, there's no onscreen display for the receiver settings, including relative speaker levels. But these are offset by related pluses: The volume decreases in appropriately tiny increments, the remote allows activation of progressive scanning from your seat, and the onscreen display shows track and artist information on MP3-encoded CDs. Can you get better quality with separate devices? Sure. You'll especially want an outboard audio-video receiver if high power, pristine audio quality, and extra features are priorities. But for saving space and getting the job done affordably, the RX-DV3VSL will do just fine. Ample connections foster hookups with a range of AV gear. You get four stereo analog audio inputs (two outputs), two digital-audio inputs (optical and coaxial, with an optical out), and two composite-video and S-video inputs and outputs. A set of component-video outputs feeds a DVD signal to a compatible TV. Speaker terminals are the spring-clip type. A .125-inch headphone jack grants private listening. The unit comes with FM and AM antennas, a remote control, two AA batteries, a user's manual, and a composite-video cable. --Michael Mikesell Pros:
- Easy setup, two-in-one convenience
- Fast disc operations (start-up, chapter advance, etc.)
- Top Menu function a real time saver
- JPEG slide shows a nice option
- Pristine, progressive-scan video output
- Sturdy build
Cons:
- Cluttered remote control
- Will not scan within MP3 tracks
- Cannot listen to tuner or external source during JPEG slide show
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