Video Reviews

This is the first time that I have bought a reciever of this type. I was reading all the reviews and recommendations from everybody before I bought this sucker. I actually bought it at a good price at the time ( 379 bones ) knowing from comments that the manual was lousy. I figured that it shouldn't be all that bad since I have a technical degree. Receiver was great. But it took me a fairly long time to get it work right with the subwoofer ( I had to fumble with a bunch of settings before I found the right one ). Still, it's a great system for the future.

I purchased this amplifier about three days ago. I had been looking for quite some time looking at sony, pioneer, denon, yamaha, morantz, onkyo, and some others that were so expensive I can't even remember the names of them. Of all the brands I looked at I chose this one because of the things I had heard about it from friends. With cost being no factor I wanted something dependable, sleek, powerful, and good sounding. This reciever is all that and then some. My home theater is now complete. Compared to the other brands I looked at (including the $5000.00 ones), this one seemed more reasonablely priced and more so high quality. It sounds great, looks great, it is great. Thanks to the JVC engineering. I needed something that was compatible with my DVD player and something that would sound great with my music. I have front speakers that were $1200 for the pair and I needed something that was powerful enough and clear enough for them. This amp is. I would reccommend it to any future buyers looking for one, not to mention it does have a very nice light set on the face of it. That just adds to the look of the home theater. Im glad my friends reccommended this to me. Thanks guys!

I have owned this receiver for a couple of months and bought a JVC DVD Player with the receiver. The sound and clarity is outstanding. I tried units like Yamaha and harmon kardon and found that this unit has more features and sounds identical to the Yamaha or H.K. The TEXT CompuLink between the DVD Player and the receiver makes using the unit extremely easy. The One Touch Operation keeps a memory of all the settings for the different functions used on the receiver. The remote is great. I use it to operate my satelite, tv, vcr, dvd, and receiver. The DTS and Dolby Digital is great on this unit as well. I would recommend this unit for any individual that wants a clear, precise, digital sound for a fraction of the cost of a high-end unit. JVC uses the Motorola DSP chip for its decoding. This is the same chip used by all the high-end units.

A great progressive-scan DVD player that also plays the customary assortment of CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs. It is also a multichannel SACD player. NO DIGITAL OUTPUT FOR SACD section ! You can use only the analog RCA connection!!

I used digital coaxial cable for the DVD/CD connection to my receiver, for instance, and an assortment of analog cables for the SACD connection via the six-channel analog input.
enjoy!

I'll defer to the other reviews of the video quality, since I bought this unit for it's audio capabilities.
I've collected a number of titles in various surround formats - from DVDs with Dolby Digital, DTS & PCM soundtracks to SACDs & the older, DTS CDs. The built in decoder makes playing this hodgepodge of formats incredibly simple. Just put it in & hit play. There are playback options if you want to exercise them, but you don't HAVE to. All players should work this simply. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the 2-ch output even downmixes titles with no stereo track - specifically DTS CDs.
The only format this player doesn't specifically handle is DVD-A with it's high-res multichannel tracks, but since every DVD-A I've bought has a Dolby Digital or DTS track, the discs have still been playable, and sound very good on my syetem.
This player lets the user focus on the TITLE not the FORMAT... Dark Side of the Moon on SACD, American Beauty in Dolby Digital on DVD, or Abraxas on DTS-CD all sound great through this deck. All players should do this - but as far as I can tell, this is the only one that does!
That it also plays DVDs & home-burned VCDs is just icing on the cake.

The SONY DVP-NS755V is an outstanding disc player for the price. I have owned several DVD players in the past, beginning about 4 years ago (since I got into DVDs), but they have all been PANASONICs, this is my first experience with a SONY. First of all, the hook-up was easy and straight forward. Although this is a combination DVD player and SACD player, with multiple outputs, the hook-uo and set up was quick and went off without a hitch. Secondly, the picture quality is great, bar none. The sound on DVDs and CDs are excellent, I can not find any faults to list.Now for the real low down on this player. Although the hook-up options are numerous, you will need to use six high-quality RCA style analog jacks in order to listen to multi-channel SACD sound. Also, this player does have a pair of RCA jacks for devoted CD playback as well as analog DVD output. Then there is the fiber optic Toslink output in order to play the DVDs using an interna digital to analog decoder. All of these jacks cost a lot of money, and I found myself using about $240 worth of jacks to hook this DVD player up to my system. That $240 does include a high quality MONSTER CABLE componet video jact to transfer the video signals to the television. One could forego a set of devoted CD cables, and possibly buy a lower quaility video cable, but no matter how you hook this player up to your system, expect to spend at least $200 for cables.Having said all that, once this bad boy is all hooked up with the fiber optic cable and the multi channel cables, you will have a variety of options of decoding your precious CDs upon playback. Using some audiophile CDs of my favorite bands, I found that this player has extremely quick response times, great sonic quality, and a very wide dynamic range, (all the better to play JIMI HENDRIX). Now for the multichannel low down. The only reason why I even bought this player was to listen to PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE OF THE MOON in glorious multi-channel sound. Let me tell you, the experience of listening to multi-channel SACD is amazing, I can not even find the words to describe the experience. If for no other reason, you should consider this player for the multi-channel SACD playback capability alone. All of the other features are just icing on the cake.As a little footnote. It has to be remembered that to play multi-channel SACDs, you must have a receiver with at least six channel analog input, as well as six discreet amplifiers. For this purpose I used a SONY STR-DE895 (which I will rate in a separate review.)

This unit seems to work well put when you play a tape the VCR sound is VERY loud and distracting.

This particular model is great for a kitchen! I especially like the clear, bright picture and the features of commercial skip, automatic time correction and front aimed speaker.

This is one of the finest combination TV-VCRs I have seen. Panasonic and Sony both make good 13inch TVs. One reason is the incredible picture quality it has for this size screen size. The picture is crisp and sharp. It makes VHS tapes look incredibly good.

All the characteristics of this camera are great. The still digitals to mpegs, but I had to buy a Canon for this particular camera to be compatible with my G4 Mac. I bought the camera before I bought my G4.

This is a very nice camcorder for the money. I love the larger view screen, and the battery lasts quite a long time. The picture quality is very good, but there is considerable noise from the motor that gets recorded on the tape. If you're taping a birthday party or sporting event, the noise isn't too bad, but if you're using it to record the birds chirping on a quiet morning, forget it; the noise from the motor will drown out anything you'd be able to hear, it's that loud. Lastly, I have had several old 8mm tapes from my old camcorder that will not play on this camcorder. They will play on my neighbor's 8mm Samsung camcorder, but not on this Sony. I was a little upset by this.

This is a great camera! It is very easy to use. It takes very clear digital video, and for 1 megapixel CCD takes good digital pictures. It has many neat features. It has a large LCD screen for easy reviewing.

It records Mpeg files on the memorystick for display on computers. This is a great feature although the files recorded are a little grainy. This is great for e-mailing vacation movies back to family members.

The quality of the digital video is great. The bad thing is that you don't get much recording time on one tape. It uses 2 hour analog tapes, but when you record in digital mode you only get 1 hour on each tape.

The picture taking feature is wonderful for vacation. You don't have to carry both a still camera and a video camera around with you. The pictures are only 1 megapixel, but they show up on a computer screen great. We were very pleased with the results of the pictures.

The battery life is very long. We purchased a separate quick charger for our batteries which was a great addition. It doesn't take much time to charge and they last quite a while compared to our old Minolta camcorder.

I hooked up this camera to my iMac DV, connected it to the Firewire conneciton, turned on the computer and everything worked great the first time out. I was able to create, edit, and produce a Web film in less than a day.

I've owned the ultura since late January and so far have been completely satisfied with it.. is has a great range of features and turns out incredible quality footage. I also bought a DV Capture card for my computer, and the ultura allows for easy editing of videos. The digital zoom works up to about 64x, and some of the "modes" are not very useful, but all around, it's great!

We went into the store prepared to buy the sony TR 103 and ended up with this canon. It is alot smaller than the sony and the lens is supposed to be better. One thing about these camcorders is to get the smallest one you can afford because it is so easy to take with you. As far as options, it has just about everything you need. We just turn it on and shoot.

I bought the HK7000 in March of 2000, for the onboard digital freatures such as the decoding of DTS for DVDs. This allowed me to purchase a cheap DVD player for under $150. I should have done that for my CD player as well. I found the the HK produced better sound when I bypassed my more expensive Marantz OSE CD player by using digital out, and once again letting the HK decode the signal. In short this is a great reciever, with lots of programable digital/video inputs (the coaxal digital input goes to the cd, the fiber optical cable goes to the DVD player, etc...). The high output of the amplifier is clear and distortion free at high volumes. The sound that this unit produces is truely appreciable. Drawbacks include the large size and heavy weight. The unit also produces a good amount of heat, and shouldn't be put in an enclosed cabinet. I also found that the included HK universal remote has developed a minor glitch.

I've owned this receiver now for over 2 years, and I have had no problems. As a matter of fact I keep it enclosed in the storage area beneath my television. The only draw back is the size of this monster. It is the only component in my TV cabinet that was built for atleast 2. It's so easy to use, my four year old knows how to work the basics when daddy can't find the remote.

It's survived 4 shipments to and from Japan, and still no electrical problems (shell was dinged up from UPS...the bozos!). I'm not an audiophile or a stereophile, just a guy who loves watching movies in style. Hi ampage = clean sound. I've tried maxing out the amp several times. Still, no distortion at high volumes. Read the specs and look at the important 75 amps versus some of the other 500 watt receivers. You'll find no contest other than the AVR 8000 which costs considerably more (but is THX Cert).

I have had top of the line sony, yamaha, and denon receivers and non of them stood up to harmon's flagship receivers.
bottom line:
If you are married there is no way your wife is going to let you put more than 5 speakers in your living room so why spend $2000-$3000 dollars for a receiver that will run 7 speakers.
I listened to monsters, inc. with it and when my infinity IL-60's subs went off It nearly scared the @#$& out of my wife. All I have to say is thank god for giving me the insight to avoid the crap they sell at ultimate electronics.
see ya.

Bought tried tested. A nice quiet operating vcr. All the listed features work to my satisfaction.Sometimes I'm hard to please.I give it 4 stars. One thing I notice is,when using reverse mode(while in play) it has to think if it wants to do that. It will.When power fails...No Problem. All stored memory is still there when power comes back.On screen programing is great and easy to use.I like it and think you would be happy if you had this unit.

I bought this because of the reliability of Panasonic VCRs. The remote has incredible range, and doesn't need to be pointed even in the general direction of the VCR, unlike my Sony. The tuner is great. Much better picture quality than my Sony. The only drawbacks are the ability to channel caption only 34 stations, no XDS decoding, and the remote control doesn't have separate off buttons for TV and VCR, and the buttons require a pretty firm press. Possibly to keep you from accidentally changing channels when it gets caught in the cushions.

I've gone through my phase of "high end" vcr's. The truth is, now with DVD and formats I'm not even aware of on the horizon, VCR's have reached the highest function they ever will. The advantages to that, are that vcr's will be around for a while longer, while everyone catches up. And for REALLY low prices, you get a full function, quality picture and stereo from vcr's like the Panasonic PV-9662 Hi-Fi Stereo VCR.
We've had ours for over a year. The set up is simple, plug in the set, plug in the cables between the vcr and tv. Turn em both on and hit set up on screen. It's done!
The Panasonic PV-9662 Hi-Fi Stereo VCR includes Auto Head Cleaner, Front A/V Input, Auto Clock Set and VCR PLUS Silver.
This has been a great purchase for us. Easy to use, great picture and sound.
John Row

The only problems I have noticed is poor stagiging in the rear speakers - lack of volume too.

I purchased this receiver and the companion DVD711 player 2 years ago and it still impresses me to this day. I have it breathing through a pair of Klipsch LaScala's and a single powered sub and the power output can either be subtle or breath-taking. Has enough features to be funtional and no unnecessary gee-gaws I find to be useless price-inflation toys. I bought this to replace an old Kenwood integrated amp and I found it to put out as much oomph, if not a little more.

I would highly recommend this unit to any frugal audio/videophiles out there more interested in value rather then fluff.

This receiver is stunning.... It has raw power.... It has 5 S video inputs/outputs,and it has 2 optical inputs/outputs with options for your vinyl Lp's, satellite and more.... This receiver is a steal, hands down the best receiver for the money!!! I have shopped around I have been in Bestbuy,Circuit City,Radio Shack,Sam's Club I've even gone to department stores looking for the right receiver. I have been in numerous sound rooms and yes Harmon Kardon,Onkyo,Denon,and Yamaha do sound good but the FR975 receiver has more raw power than all the names Ive just mentioned unless you want to pay a grand or so for a few extra features and some pretty lights....Dont get me wrong just because you find a receiver for cheap,doesn't mean you should use cheap speakers.) I would still recommend high quality speakers.Your electronic equippment is as good as the quality, but sometimes you can find quality without the expense. This also an awesome upgrade from dolby surround to digital surround.(Nothing Ive seen carries the digital (DTS) signal and has the power of this receiver let alone the price of this receiver.)If you want to get crunk then crank this!!! Most underated buy for a receiver....

This game does everything the first one does and more. If you don't have enough money for the Need For Speed Underground, then go with this one. You wont be disappointed. Especially if you liked the first one and Zero.

I picked up a very first Tokyo Xtreme Racer (TXR) for Dreamcast without having much anticipation. Result was stunning. I couldn't put down the controller, playing it for hours and hours. I get easily bored with games these days because they look good on surface with graphic, however, lacking the most important aspect; gameplay/fun factor. However, this wasn't the case with TXR. I couldn't wait for the TXR 2 for Dreamcast in the States and ended up getting import version of it. I bought PS2 version, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, in order to obtain rival's profiles(you get rival's profiles once you beat them) since I can't read Japanese. You must be wondering why would I buy almost same game for different system just for stupid profiles, especially when it's just a driving game, right? Well, I vividly remember racing against this car in the first game. I raced literally 20 times and each race was so close, so close... After I beat that car, I couldn't help but smile when I read the profile;The rival was female, who goes to city college, borrowing her boy friend's car without his permission. Dang, I felt this 'bond' or 'tie' with her after having twenty close, close races. I almost, almost felt like asking her number... and she was just one of them.

Strangely, this game becomes personal and you get to relate to each rivals, especially ones who gave you hard time.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3... The very first thing I noticed was the graphic. The first impression was that it ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE HIGHWAYS IN TOKYO. One of my Japanese coworkers took me to Japan couple years ago to show me Shutokou Highway after we were fervently discussing about the game(actual highway where game battle takes place). The funny thing is that I didn't think first two TXR games looked anything like actual highway, of course, it looked similar. However, when I was playing TXR 3, it just came to me naturally that this really does look like actual highway. Game looks very identical not only in details (now there's oncoming traffic) but most importantly the scale wise. Feels like actually racing in the highways of Tokyo.

Moreover, they have balanced whole battle system. You could sort of bump into walls and cars and still manage to maintain your speed, however, it wasn't the case with TXR3. Even if you are ahead of your rival, you could still lose EASILY, WHICH FORCES YOU TO MAINTAIN THAT INTENSITY, CONCENTRATON TILL THE END OF RACE. If you just scratch your car or bump into something, then not only you lose speed but also considerable amount of your 'health bar'. This game rewards those players who play with precision, taking game driving as if they were driving a real car. You wouldn't bump into anything if you were to drive your own car in real life while racing someone, would you? No, this game really rewards those who drive realistically. I think that was another great improvement over the previous games. Furthermore, they have tweaked whole physic, where you just can't blindly make a turn without being understeer, which could result in partial spinning..and there goes your victory. They have managed this 'up grade' aspect in a way it literally felt like playing a RPG. It was more like playing Dragon Warrior, where you are fighting to make money to buy better weapon/armor without feeling bored but rather anticipated for better equipment. I felt exactly same way as I was playing this game. One time I was racing against the ring leader, and when that leader was losing, the battle turned into this three-way battle; the leader was trying to drive away while the second team member tried to block me- Wow, I was just blown away!

Yes, this game does finally accommodate real licensing cars- however, they missed few crucial car makers like Honda/Accura. Having this license aspect does help with fun factor obviously despite of its short numbered licensing availability. This game also implemented weather change (raining) which seriously limit your visibility and that's another great addition.

You know, this game does have its own faults here and there.. but trust me, it does not interfere with your game in anyway because, for instance, you would be concentrating on driving, either trying go get ahead of your opponent or preventing them from gettting ahead of you, and I do not think you would notice any serious popups (and if you do, you must be a confident racer, not like me). One more thing I need to mention is that the difficulty has been lowered considerably in my opinion compare to previous two games. So if you were looking for something with more challenge, then this might not work for you. And for those who thought the previous games were way too hard, then this might be the one for you.

I guess if you are reading this game then you must be either new to the series or veterans who want to check out if they are buying another same old games- and rest asure because this is not a same game- (may be I could make a comparison between original Metroid and Metroid Zero Mission, which was the remake however it felt like a totally new game while attaining the original formula). Trust me, it's not about just having enhanced graphic here and there, changed menu and interface here and there.. they made substantial changes for you to not only enjoy the game but also appreciate the changes (especially for those who've played previous two games and were wondering if this is worth your money and time)...

AND YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO BUY AND PLAY THIS GAME ANYWAY IF YOU'VE PLAYED THE FIRST TWO GAMES, RIGHT?

So if you are making comparison with games like Gran Turismo or other games and decide not to buy this game (for whatever unreasonable reason), HEY, IT'S YOUR LOSS, SERIOUSLY. Gran Turismo is a great game, no question about it. However, there's some aspects from Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, WHICH CANNOT BE REPLICATED ANYWHERE, EVEN WITH GRAN TURISMO 3 (AND PROLUGUE OF GT4), BUT IN TXR ONLY, PERIOD.

Tremendously enjoy this game like I have.

Before I start my review, I want to make one thing very clear. Anytime a racing game like TXR3 is compared to benchmarks like the Gran Turismo or Project Gotham series, it will almost always finish behind. Is that always fair? I think not! Any street-racing game should stand on its own merits and not the merits of others. A red apple should be based on its qualities as a red apple and not a green one, so TXR3 should also be based on what it is instead of what it isn't. With that, let's get started!

TXR3 is the latest in the TXR series that started with the original TXR game followed by TXR2 and TXR Zero. All are fun and addicting games to play with more than their share of annoying little quibbles but the charm lies in its unique game play and the ability to race a seemingly endless number of rivals. Those particular qualities remain intact with some new twist that surely makes TXR3 the best in the series so far.

One of the first things you'll notice is that all the vehicles no longer use thinly disguised manufacturer names. Genki, the producers of the game, managed to obtain licensing from the car companies to use actual model names. A very obvious omission from the ranks is Honda/Acura. From what I understand, either Honda did not allow Genki to use their designs and names or they couldn't get proper licensing in time so if you are a Honda/Acura fan, you're out of luck but TXR3 does have some new kids on the block like Gemballa, DeTomaso, Volkswagen, and Lotus to name a few as well as the usual cast of Asian regulars. And don't forget to check out the all-new Ford GT! Another major change is now you have 3 areas to race instead of one. Along with the highways of Tokyo, there is Osaka and Nagoya to race. Combine those area's 200+ miles of road with 600 rivals to compete against, you'll have a game that will keep you busy for awhile.

The premise of the game hasn't changed much since the beginning -find a rival, flash your lights, race, and win (or lose) depending on whose meter runs out first. Every rival is part of a gang that must be beaten before you can race the leader of the gang. This, in itself, doesn't sound particularly thrilling but there is an undeniable rush when beating your rivals and accumulating funds to buy better cars and modifications to try to beat even faster rivals. And it doesn't stop there! You can also do engine swaps from hi-revving inline-4's to brawny V-8's that go beyond the normal engine upgrades that can really give your ride some very serious power! If that isn't enough, you'll also have the chance to race two bosses at the same time in some situations! Double the pleasure when you win but double the defeat if you don't. Also new for this series is the weather-effects. You'll have many opportunities to race in the rain and snow, although the snow doesn't accumulate but those roads sure get icy! It adds a great dimension to the game that makes you prepare for every race you encounter.

Sound? Definitely better. All the variety of engines now make the appropriate noises from the buzzy 4's to the burbling V-8's and even the 'squish' of the tires on the rain-soaked roads are worth noting. I can't say much for the music, though. If you like the typical power-grunge rock, then this is right up your alley. Personally, I never listen to the music when I'm playing. With the new and proper engine sounds combined with gear-revving, tires squealing, and turbo waste gate whoosh-ing, that's the best music you can have! The music is just a distraction from that.

The graphics are certainly better and a little cleaner than the previous series and the graphics for the weather-effects are superb. The only drawback is that there seems to be an awful lot of pop-ups, especially on the weather-effects. It's not too noticeable when you are driving fast but it's easy to see the buildings and overpasses fill in as you move forward, even when viewing this from the rear-view mirror. This doesn't effect the game play but on some sections of the roads when traveling super fast on rainy days, the pop-ups aren't visible until it's too late and suddenly you find yourself having to make a micro- second decision on what path to take and by then you've crashed big time. Come to think of it, this would probably happen in real life.

Summary:

Hits
* More highways, more cars, more rivals, endless modifications.
* Better road feel, less 'floatiness'.
* Realistic weather-effects.
* Good graphics.

Misses
* Lots of pop-ups on rain/snow days.
* Some bosses start way in front of you before you race.
* WAY too many yellow "Official" vans on the road.
* Absence of Honda/Acura vehicles (which may not necessarily be a bad thing!) :-)

All in all, a first rate game with a tremendous replay value loaded with new options that make it even more fun to play. And that's why I give it 5 stars because it's just good old, bumper-to-bumper, winner-takes-all, fun! Bottom line, if you liked the previous series, go out and lay down your $20.00 for your own copy. It's that simple! If you didn't like it before, rent it and play it. You might be surprised!

The television picture is gourgeous. The DVD features are wonderfull. I taped a program on the VCR and the re-play was virtually DVD quality. However, it is a very low price for a flat screen TV. And I think the low cost is mostly in the TV console. It seems to be tin and plastic. And it does not travel well. My set arrived with a couple of dings in the console. Then I notice there was a spot where it was cracked and compressed as if from being dropped.

Therefore I give the Toshiba MW20FN1 20" Flat Screen TV-DVD-VCR Combo 5 stars for quality at that price. Exceptional. - 2 Stars for ruggedness and shippability.

Like another reviewer, I received the unit with some dents in the frame along the bottom, front-right side. The box and packing materials were in good shape, so this appears to be a Toshiba quality control issue, unrelated to the retailer or shipper. On the positive side, it was very easy to connect and configure. The user guide is adequate, reasonably easy to understand, and well illustrated. If you have special connectivity requirements, you won't find any of the necessary cables in the box. Picture quality on the flat screen is excellent, and the sound quality is also very good, better still passed through my bookshelf hi-fi system. This was true for cable TV, VHS and DVD playback. I chose an old tape for VCR testing purposes, and I was very happy with the color, sharpness, and audio. I picked a "difficult" DVD disk -- i.e., dual-layer, "funky" color/surface/reflectivity factor -- and was surprised that it played flawlessly, first try. This "killer" disk has defeated a number of other players, so I've decided to keep the unit I received, dents and all. Like they say, handsome is as handsome does.

3-25-2004
I got this tv yesterday and it is great... but I noticed that it had wavy,bloby colors around the sides on dvd,vhs,and tv on all channels and a tiny crack in the corner. So I just emailed Amazon to ship me another one and pick up the broken one at the same time. They emailed back and said they would.I haven't receid it yet.