Toshiba SD-V391 Progressive Scan DVD-VCR Combo (Silver)

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Manufacturer: Toshiba
Price at amazon.com: New from $94.50

List price $219.99



Product Features:

• Space-saving combination DVD player and 4-head, hi-fi VCR
• ColorStream Pro progressive-scan outputs with 3:2 pulldown offers seamless, flicker-free image on high-definition and HD-ready screens
• MP3 and WMA Audio Playback with Coaxial and Optial TosLink Digital Audio Outputs
• VCR includes 19-micron heads for clear EP recording, auto clock set, auto head cleaner, and commercial skip
• DVD-Video/CD/Video CD Playback, and DVD-R/CD-R/CD-RW Compatible playback

Product Description:

The progressive-scanning SD-V391 is a convenient, one-unit source for high-quality DVD and VHS entertainment. The DVD deck plays a variety of optical content, including DVD-Video, DVD-R, audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and video CD, as well as MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) music files recorded on CD-R and CD-RW discs. A four-head, hi-fi VCR provides exciting stereo playback for your entire library of VHS tapes. You can even copy non-Macrovision-protected DVDs to videotape--perfect for sharing edited, DVD-based home movies with loved ones. Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the SD-V391 stands ready to deliver the full potential of DVDs. 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, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The SD-V391 also performs 3:2 pulldown (Toshiba's Digital Cinema Progressive). DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Into digital photography? This dual-deck model is a perfect complement to your hobby. Its JPEG feature makes it easy to view digital photo shots burned to recordable CDs from a variety of digital cameras. The unit's array of home-theater-ready video connections includes composite-, S-video, and ColorStream Pro component-video outputs (the VCR requires its own composite-video or RF audio/video connection). The DVD player's internal digital-to-analog converters work at 24-bit, 192 kHz resolution to ensure optimum sonic quality from a range of digital program material. Two sets of left/right analog-audio outputs (one each for the DVD player and the VCR) channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals from DVDs can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. In addition, readily accessible front-panel AV inputs permit easy connection for a game console or a camcorder for simple dubbing of home movies to the VHS deck. For enhanced picture quality during VHS playback, the four-head hi-fi VCR uses a pair of 19-micron video heads, which deliver exceptional (near SP) picture quality of content recorded and played back in the extended play (EP) mode. Commercial skip lets you pass over commercials during playback. Other features include one-year, eight-event programming, high-speed (200x) rewind and fast-forward, index skip, auto head cleaner, and auto clock set--no more flashing "12:00"! What's in the Box DVD player/VCR, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, and a coaxial video cable.

Description from Manufacturer:The progressive-scanning SD-V391 is a convenient, one-unit source for high-quality DVD and VHS entertainment. The DVD deck plays a variety of optical content, including DVD-Video, DVD-R, audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and video CD, as well as MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) music files recorded on CD-R and CD-RW discs. A four-head, hi-fi VCR provides exciting stereo playback for your entire library of VHS tapes. You can even copy non-Macrovision-protected DVDs to videotape--perfect for sharing edited, DVD-based home movies with loved ones.

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the SD-V391 stands ready to deliver the full potential of DVDs. 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, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The SD-V391 also performs 3:2 pulldown (Toshiba's Digital Cinema Progressive). DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

Into digital photography? This dual-deck model is a perfect complement to your hobby. Its JPEG feature makes it easy to view digital photo shots burned to recordable CDs from a variety of digital cameras. The unit's array of home-theater-ready video connections includes composite-, S-video, and ColorStream Pro component-video outputs (the VCR requires its own composite-video or RF audio/video connection). The DVD player's internal digital-to-analog converters work at 24-bit, 192 kHz resolution to ensure optimum sonic quality from a range of digital program material.

Two sets of left/right analog-audio outputs (one each for the DVD player and the VCR) channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals from DVDs can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. In addition, readily accessible front-panel AV inputs permit easy connection for a game console or a camcorder for simple dubbing of home movies to the VHS deck.

For enhanced picture quality during VHS playback, the four-head hi-fi VCR uses a pair of 19-micron video heads, which deliver exceptional (near SP) picture quality of content recorded and played back in the extended play (EP) mode. Commercial skip lets you pass over commercials during playback. Other features include one-year, eight-event programming, high-speed (200x) rewind and fast-forward, index skip, auto head cleaner, and auto clock set--no more flashing "12:00"!

What's in the Box
DVD player/VCR, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, and a coaxial video cable.Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: So Far, So Good!! Rating:
I purcahsed the Toshiba SD-V391, knowing that it has a high rate of mechanical problems. However, if you read the reviews for other manufacturers DVD/VCR combos in this price range, you will find similar complaints about the unit malfunctioning. Perhaps this happens with less frequency if you purchase a more expensive machine, but I don't have the money to spend on a high end home theater system. So I ordered the SD-V391, along with an extended service plan (which I recommend for just about any piece of electronics that you purchase).

I hooked the unit up in no time at all, and it was very easy to set up electronically as well. My TV is fairly new, but does not have audio/video jacks. I assumed that I would have to use the RF modulator that I had laying around, but surprisingly, it was unneccessary. The machine plays DVDs and VHS tapes just fine with only the basic TV and antenna connections hooked up.

The picture is amazingly sharp and clear for such an inexpensive unit, and I'm glad that I spent the small bit of extra money for the progressive scan, which the SD-V291 does not have. All in all, I think that it was a sound investment, and should the unit fail (which as I said, most of the lower end combos seem to do) then the $20 I invested in the extended service plan was money well spent.

I would recommend this unit to anyone!

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Comment: Loved it till it broke Rating:
Loved the easy hook-up, easy use of remote, looked nice and played fine. Purchased 11-06-03, and the DVD part stopped without warning 05-29-04. The kids never touched this one; it was all for Mommy and therefore subject to only gentle use. Now if you put a DVD in, it takes a long time to load, then comes up "ERR." And now the door makes a grinding noise when it opens. Severely disappointed, heartbroken, etc. Apparently VCRs, DVD players, and these combo units are meant to be disposable - work six months and then discard. If so, we may as well disregard brand names and buy the cheapest ones available. Forget quality, reliability, and pride of workmanship - those are things of the past.

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Comment: Globalization: You get what you pay for (and deserve) Rating:
Like cheap prices on products made in China? Do you actually expect them to work like Japanese electronics manufactured in the 1980's just because the Japanese brand is printed on the cabinet? Get real. There's no such a thing as a free-lunch. DVD margins are too low. So is quality. Period.

If your unit is misbehaving, try to cool it off. I have two of these gizmos (one upstairs and one downstairs), and I when I re-arranged my cabinets to give them more air and when I run them with the cabinet doors open, they behave. When they warm up, they stop running properly. Both units suffer from a heat-related transient defect that probably comes from mediocre manufacturing quality and components.

All this delight derives from paying employees $400 per year and keeping them in working conditions that would scare an American coal miner during the 1890's.

Posted at November 11, 2003 05:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)