Toshiba SD-1200 DVD Player

The outbreak of DVD (meaning "Digital Versatile Disk") had spread considerably by the time I began to consider a purchase. The details regarding my delay, while too numerous to itemize, could probably be distilled down to a single concept - my ignorance of the medium and its features. Why spend the money when I didn't know what I was getting?

When I started building up Epinions bucks, my attitude became a bit more affirmative in terms of finding out what was going on with DVD, and why I ought to get a DVD player. Here's some of the scoop:

While a typical hifi VCR will give you around 250 to 300 lines of video resolution and standard stereo output, a DVD player will almost double the video resolution to 400 to 500 lines, and give you CD-quality audio, along with various choices for theatrical audio effects and multiple sound tracks (including foreign language tracks, or a commentary track where directors, producers or actors add their comments as the movie plays along). DVD content manufacturers are learning to take advantage of this capability: In The Matrix DVD, for example, you can see the movie, watch it with commentary from some of the crew, or watch it with the music track only. If you look carefully you'll find two hidden-effects documentaries and nine behind-the-scenes features.

Early DVD offered regular video resolution with a standard composite video cable, but they also offered substantial video enhancement with an S-video cable outlet, allowing you to run an S-video cable from the player to your television (assuming your TV had a plug for S-video). Later models, including the Toshiba SD1200, introduced component video (Toshiba's trade name for component video is "Colorstream technology"), offering 540 lines of video resolution and extremely clear, unfettered-by-comb-filter color output. Component video requires three cables running from the DVD player to the television. But take note: your television must be equipped for component video before you can take advantage of that feature.

And therein lies the disadvantage of DVD for many people. Seeing only the advertised benefits, they'll purchase something like this Toshiba, expecting the added picture quality and sound. But, as is often the case, they won't have the equipment on the receiving end of the signal capable of reproducing the enhanced output from their new player.

And a note to consumers with older televisions - some sort of RCA jack in the television is required to use most DVD players, and is a must with the Toshiba SD1200. DVD players will not plug into your coaxial or antenna input as will a VCR. The "RF" plug-in modulator units you can buy for video game machines to plug into older televisions won't work with DVDs because of the video tape protection measures encoded into most DVD disks - the picture may end up scrambled if you go that route. In nearly all cases, if you buy a DVD, you'll need a television with a minimum configuration of a composite video input plug.

Buying a DVD will often necessitate an upgrade of the television (for example, one that accepts either composite, S-video or component video cables) and stereo system (a digital receiver that can accept DTS and can handle multiple channels and speakers) if one wants to take advantage of all the features DVD offers. However, a person can experience many of the features - mainly the added content - with just the expenditure for the DVD player itself.

That is why I recommend this particular product. This Toshiba system is the newest of the basic line of DVD players, replacing the more expensive (when introduced) basic model 2109. Since the SD1200 is the next generation of players, it comes with features that used to exist only on their higher-end decks - Dolby? Digital and DTS? Compatible Digital Output for digital (note: not digital ready) receivers, Colorstream? component video, zoom, camera angle adjustment and Spatializer? N-2-2? Virtual Surround Sound adjustment, among many other features.

While the list of features is somewhat detailed (see dkozin's review, listed at the bottom of this page, for an exhaustive list), it pays to take note of some things that buyers will want to know about the audio features. The SD1200 does not have, contained within it, all the digital technology for sending a signal to a so-called "digital ready" stereo receiver. It requires a digital surround receiver for reproducing full digital surround. This has numerous ramifications, but the one that's noticeable is that without a digital receiver your rear surround speakers will have no stereo separation (you'll have separation up front, and that is enough for many people). If you want separation from behind, get a Dolby Digital surround system receiver. It's a few bucks more, but the difference, to most people, is worth it if they use surround speakers, and it takes advantage of Toshiba's Dolby? Digital and DTS? Compatible Digital Output.

The remote is a more-or-less standard configuration, with a compass-like center button layout for moving around menus and other buttons tied to the features of the DVD - fast forward and reverse (in several speeds), stop-action, zoom (in three successive steps), titling, and so forth. The supplied remote is NOT compatible with your television (i.e.; it's not programmable). It is not even compatible with a new Toshiba television, and that eliminates the single- remote- control- for- everything option that most people enjoy. More unfortunate - the Toshiba TV's remote doesn't handle the Toshiba DVD operations, though it's programmable for cable boxes and VCRs. So there you are - you need two remotes.

Another feature worth mentioning to the consumer - component video. If you have a typical television, it has (at most) a single-plug composite video input for a standard RCA jack. If you use this plug with your DVD player, you will have the same video quality a standard VCR provides. But even if you're limited to composite video, DVDs offer many more features than VHS, most of them being on the DVD disk itself; e.g., all the added content (plus no tape wear, you don't have to rewind, less storage space, etc.). However, I thought it worth the extra money, since I was, in addition to the DVD player, getting a new TV, to get a TV that handled the three-input component video cables (I reviewed this TV, a 32" Toshiba, earlier).

I have not regretted my decision - the difference in video quality is obvious even to the casual viewer. Again, though, the difference comes with some cost. Televisions that can handle component video are $50 to $100 more expensive than the otherwise-equivalent model that can't. The cables themselves run from $30 to $70. I got a 3 meter set of Monster Cable? Component Video Cables - $69. You can go cheaper by getting three RCA-jack cables, male on both ends.

The good news about the SD1200 is its lower cost in spite of the added features. DVD players, as did VHS players in their time, are maturing in capability and economy. The medium, with its added features and content, is probably around to stay for a while, and I can personally attest to the enjoyable experiences I have had with this particular deck. As always, when buying electronics with more than one or two moving parts, I bought an extended warranty with this item. I recommend this player to those who want to experience the DVD phenomenon without a large initial outlay.

And please read the other reviews on DVD players, linked on this page.