Nice Array of Features

Not Stable, No Customer Service

15 years ago, I bought a JVC turntable - the thing broke within a week. I took it back and purchased another brand with is still working today. I had sworn JVC off. But now decide to give JVC another chance ...

I usually pride myself with detailed research before I buy a new product. But my purchase of this JVC model was early in the model year - not many reviews, but the unit had a good set of features. It was a very nice unit when it worked, but not much to compare it to.

As with other reviewers, my JVC DVD player crapped out. Eventually learned that it was the reset procedure after much agony. Then the optical unit. Should have been replaced, but I managed to fiddle with it until it worked (not recommended unless you know what you are doing).

I usually repair my own stuff, but would not pay $200 for a new optical unit when the player cost me $350. When I tried to contact JVC for tech support, I was completely ignored. They will not talk with anyone whom is not a JVC certified service person.

In summary ... JVC has not improved over 15 years. Do not buy this unit. They need to hire better mechanical engineers, and need to learn how to listen to customers.

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None

the EEPROM thing

Thank the Lord for the Internet. I was having a problem that started about a week ago. My wife and I rent about 3-6 movies a week, and have had virtually FLAWLESS performance from our JVC. (Which by the way I bought at a pawn-shop for $200, no manuals, just the remote--Which there is no place on JVC's page to purchase the manual, or to download/view the remote codes--if anyone wants to post the hunt-and-peck procedure for programing the remote that would be cool). I have watched the Matrix about 6 times and only once has it 'glitched', very minor. Anyway, one of those special features sections must have screwed the EEPROM in the unit, and since then would only play 2/3 of the movies we rented, we would take them back, sometimes to get the same movie, which STILL wouldn't play, the last one was BOWFINGER, so I decided to search the internet, and I SWEAR this is the only site that mentions the link to JVC's page for the EEPROM fix, (I have been to their page DOZENS of times but all to no avail).

Anyway, the problem IS real, but after doing the fix, haven't had any problems since, have watched close to 100 movies on it in the past 3 months, NO COMPLAINTS, except for the major EEPROM malfunction. I give it 4 stars. Next time, JVC, make it easier to find the answer that 90% of the users of the unit seem to be experiencing!!!

Good picture, on screen menus

Special features not so special with this player!

Ok, so I got this as an open box item at Best Buy, and I considered it a good deal, but was a little suspicious. I have owned it for about a year, and it has spent damn near 5 months of that time in the shop! Customer service is non-existant. I just happened to wander onto their customer service site and find out how to take care of the whole parental lock/EEPROM issue -- after I had sent it to the service center a second time! Luckily I had bought a 4 year service plan at Best Buy. Unfortunately, their service department is deplorable. Typically, the player is sent to one place so it can sit for weeks until they realize that they don't fix DVD players and have to send it to JVC. Then JVC sends it back to the "holding pen" where it sits a while longer. Ugh.

So, I'm over the parental locks thing. I assume I'll never see the alternate end of Arlington Rd. or the special features of Idle Hands. But the thing that really ticks me off is that I just got the X-Files Season 1 DVD set on Monday, and I can't get to the deleted scenes (it's like following the white rabbit with the Matrix, which I have not tried yet, but intend to). Also, couldn't view alternate angles in the Waterboy. At the time I thought it was a disc error, though. Something screwy in the authoring of it.

Can anyone tell me if they have a similar problem with The X-Files or other special features that pop up while the program is playing? Do I just have to hold the stupid enter button forever -- even though that red circle with the slash appears in the upper right of the picture?

Bottom line: I feel like I bought a lousy piece of equipment and will never buy JVC again. I use many different DVD players as part of my work and have never run into problems like these before. I'm telling everyone I know about these problems, too. I don't care what JVC says, this machine is a lemon.

Looks good and durable, it didn't break apart the first time I smashed it on the floor after continuous problems.

Joystick too fragile and unit freezes up after playing for one hour.

Unit worked well until the warranty expired (12 months) with nothing but problems since. It continually locks up (reset does not help) and the $300 plus optical repair is obviously not worth it. JVC should be ashamed of themselves for not admitting they have a defective product. Their Customer Service Department is virtually non-existant and of no help with this defect. I nor my friends will be purchasing any JVC products again.

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Toshiba and Samsung DVD players

Out of the box, it works great.

I agree with others. DO NOT BUY THIS UNIT!!! As in previous posts. "Anybody that owns it knows the unit freezes when playing back discs with special functions. The enter button on the remote is also flaky. JVC customer service does not want to recognize the problem."

Bought this unit at Sams on 12/30/99. Worked fine for a couple of weeks. Bought Thomas Crown Affair and watched several times. Problem as described above develops watching a movie (Don't remember the title). Tried putting in "Thomas Crown Affair" - Nothing. Put in "The Mask" - works just fine, as well as other titles. Took the unit back to Sams and replaced it. Hooked up put in "Thomas Crown Affair" - Life is good.

Last night (2/18/20)same problem developed on another movie. Put in 'Thomas Crown Affair" - Nothing.

Will be taking this unit back. Any one have suggestions on a unit at similar price.

Great picture quality and performance.

Occasionally "flips out" and needs to be unplugged.

My JVC-501 plays CD-RW discs but not CD-Rs.
I can burn an audio CD or VideoCD using a CD-RW
and get them to play. I wonder if different models
use different lasers.

-Steve

Good picture...Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

Won't play many different DVDs including new, used, rented, etc.

The player seemed to work fine when I first purchased and installed it. The day after the 1 year warranty expired, the player wouldn't work for some DVDs. It still seemed to work fine for CD audio.

I took it to to local JVC Service Center, where they cleaned and aligned the lasers costing me $35 in labor. This didn't seem to help at all. I took it back the the Service Center where they told me that they could send it into JVC but from their experiences with this model it wouldn't be worth it. The manufacturer was experiencing problems with this unit and were only covering the replacement and repair if it was still covered by the 1 year warranty. What a crock! I missed it by 1 day!

I have recently done some shopping and am enjoying my new Pioneer DVD. It has a great picture (like the JVC) and plays all DVDs and CDs.

I have to say that I am a loyal JVC owner for all components except for the DVD players. I did like the AV Compu Link features but it isn't worth anything if it won't work properly. I will consider JVC for future purchases but their service program needs to be improved.

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First DVD player, but have replaced with a Pioneer.

Works great for me, remote controls all JVC devices.

Having to read these Reviews

I had a Sony that had problems reading some CD's so I bouhgt the JVC. I have a JVC TV that is great so I purchased the JVC DVD, but after reading these reviews I am thinking of returning it. I have had it for only a week but I have watched at least 10 DVD's. Hopefully JVC has dealt with these problems, but I doubt it. So at this point I give it 4 stars......

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Sony DVD

as if

all the previous posts give a pretty acurate description

I will not elaborate on my problems with this unit-the story has already been told 190 times before. What I would like to offer is a solution (albeit not completely honest!) After having problems with my player for 14 months, and having no luck with jvc customer service, I decided that I would cut my losses and simply purchase a new player. At the local electronics store, I could not help but rant about jvc to the sales guy, and he agreed. He also pointed out the unit that jvc had replaced the 501 with, the 525. On closer inspection, I realized that the front panel of the two machines were very similar.I immediately left and went to my local sears store (I also have some issues with them, but thats another story) I puchased the 525 from sears, brought it home and carefully removed it from it's packaging. Then I cleaned all the dust off of my broken down 501, packed it into the 525's wrappers and box, and returned it to sears two days later. I explained to the sales guy that it just would not work and I wanted my money back, and he said no problem. So now I have a 525 that seems to work ok, and jvc gets to eat their pos 501 and have it shipped back to them as defective. Heres a couple more hints to keep anyone who might try this little scam out of trouble-Pay in cash, that way if anyone gets wise to your caper after you've returned the machine and split with your cash, they can't track you down. Also, try to make your return during peak store hours, so that no one will be able to take the time to inspect the machine your returning too closely (although that is highly doubtful!!) Lastly, if someone does figure out that you are returning a different machine than what you bought, tell them thats what came in the box, and demand your money!!!!! Good luck!!!!!

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sony

Worked for a while- sort of

Won't do anything now but play audio cds.. yeah! very expensive audio cd player, huh?

When I bought this inferior pile of waste, it seemed to be the nicest player that I could(n't) afford with all of the amenities I desired. I enjoyed all that it offered (which was nice for a while), but recently it has decided to rebel. I don't know what I did to deserve this kind of treatment I now receive from this worthless piece of technogarbage. Just the other day, I attempted to play a disc, and the player decided that it no longer wanted to play a disc, EVER. That is where I stand now. I have reset the machine (which a consumer really shouldn't have to do, right) but to no avail. JVC customer service will gladly look at it for $85. I don't know if it is worth it because it will probably just die again. Don't buy JVC. Apparently this one is a lemon. In all fairness, it was a great player for a while... but a great player is a great player for as long as it is called upon.... in conclusion- stupid jvc.

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Sony 330, Samsung, RCA, Toshiba