Looks nice, good integration with other JVC components (Compulink feature), and reasonable price ($299 at Costco.com)

Poorly designed remote, unreliable, and poor graphics on the on-screen menu.

I purchased two players from Costco.com. The picture was much better than my Sharp but one unit broke after one month and the other unit started to skip. Costco was really nice about taking both of them back, even after the 30 day period. They even refunded the shipping.

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Entry level Sharp DVD player.

Very compatible. This DVD Player has every type of output in the world. And the picture is great.

The remote is a bit weak.

I have used this DVD player for about one month. I paid $320 online, so I don't know if that will skew my review. This DVD player has incredible picture, I have it hooked up to a 35" CRT TV with S-Video. It has everything that I have needed in a DVD player, including a seperate output for each channel in the Dobly Digital format. One of the "easter eggs" of this products is it's GUI (graphical user interface) -- espesically with the decorder, you can customize everything you want with visual references.


I believe that this product deserves a 4.5 , b/c no product is perfect (excluding the Polk SDA series speakers)

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None.

great picture, 5.1 sound output isnice

as all have stated, skipping and heating

I thought I would add my two cents. I bought this unit as my first dvd player on sale, with no remote or manual. I had many problems with skipping and overheating, I would put ice on it and it would alleviate it sometiemes. However, when the movie Gladiator stopped it in its tracks, I noticed all of the problems with the dvd happened on the loud passages. I noticed it was plugged into my Yamaha surround receiver which was in turn plugged into a 75 watt outlet. When the receiver and dvd player were plugged into their own stable outlets with enough watts, the dvd player problems cleared up, and it has played nearly flawlessly ever since on many dvd's. Through the component outputs, and a line quadrupler to a projector, the picture is awesome, better than the movie theater. I would speculate that this player is very sensitive to what it is plugged into and power variations etc.

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none, first dvd

Remote is poor and the quality assurance done on this product was poor. I too have experienced the reset issues and the skip issues.

I have learned several things from this purchasing experience:

1. Before purchasing a DVD machine - go to the company's website and find out if they have a "contact us" or email us or a tech support area on the site where you can actually ask a question or BE TREATED LIKE A REAL CONSUMER!
JVC's website is brochureware and it is by far the WORST consumer website I have ever been too.

2. Read the audioreviews before you buy. I was an "early adopter" of this machine and bought it after actually seeing some good reviews.....well I experienced the skip issue, the I don't know there's a dvd in the tray issue, and reset and pull the plug ourt and everything will be ok issue. My take is that this machine was problematic in itds first six months in my house but has settled down since then and has generally worked ok. BUT JVC should HAVE RECALLED a machine that needed to be reset and offerred cash for a replacement machine. This company - from the same orientation as the Bridgestone/Firestone folks - it is the philosophy that if we don't have to respond then we won't - of course there is no loss of life and safety issue here like the tires BUT IT IS THE SAME LACK OF CONSUMER RESPECT. This of course is not true of SONY which is more consumer focused. I along with others I am sure on this board will NEVER BUY A JVC PRODUCT AGAIN......and if a JVC employee sees my post here - please feel free to forward my email address to the JVC CORPORATE TOWER where NOBODY SEEMS TO GIVE A *&^% about its customers....Thanks for listening.

Easy to use with nice sound and picture

Having same problem as everyone else with picture descrambling and eventually freezing

This is a follow up review from shortly after I received this player as a gift. Unfortunately I cannot be as kind to this player as I was in my previous review. Just recently my player has begun freeze and skip during playback. At first I thought it was the disk's so I cleaned them, but to no avail. Furthermore, the disks work just fine in my computer. What is interesting is that the problem always occurs roughly 30 minuets after I turn the machine on. My guess is the problem is related to heat as the player has always run warm. Unfortunatly, I am having no more luck with JVC service than anyone else appears to be.

If you get a machine that works, it works great. However, JVC seems to have an inherient problem with their DVD players that they don't seem to really care about. I unfortunately cannot reccomend this player due to so many of us having the same problems

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Toshiba and sony

Many features, sturdy case, DTS

Tends to lock up, skips, power button on unit does not work all the time(have to use remote to shut it off), sometimes it works fine...other times...

I have been shocked and disappointed to find out that JVCs quality control is so bad as to allow this DVD player to have made it to the consumer market. When I originally bought this DVD player back in Oct of 99 it was fine. However I have had intermiittment problems with it. And now a friend of mine who has the same player...his wont even acknowledge that there is a DVD disc inserted...but player. I have been very satisfied with other JVC products I have had...but this DVD player is a really flightly--especially when you have friends over to watch a new DVD you just bought and "Bang" the DVD player skips and acts for some reason it recognizes regular CDs. And now I see that I both of us are not alone with problems with the DVD flighty--but the next day it works fine. And even though mine is working(for now)..I am looking at getting another one--non JVC. JVC should offer a recall or at least a credit to the purchase of another DVD player--one that hopefully works longer then 3 months. Just adding my rant to the rest of the crowd. On a side note, when I bought the DVD player I also bought a Technics receiver that offered more wattage and DTS--which I was happy with. However, after 3 months the receiver quit working. Turns out the fuses they used were bad. Took it in and had it fixed "THE SAME DAY" and it has worked like a charm since. Why can't JVC have that kind of customer support???
Ok off my soapbox now.

Component Out

Faulty player; breaks after little use; DO NOT BUY JVC!!!

I came here to look at reviews for a new DVD Player and thought "Let me see what people are saying about my last one". I was amazed to see that so many other people had the same problem.

I bought mine back in Feb 1999 and we do not use it with any great frequency. A few weeks ago, the machine stopped playing DVDs, so brought it to be fixed. The technician said it had a faulty optical array, one of the most expensive parts. According to this guy, JVC charges around $300 for this one part.

I sent an email to JVC through their web site. I told them what happenend and they said that because I bought it over a year ago and it is off warranty, there is nothing they can do.

Frankly, that just sucks. I bought a high end unit (at the time) because I trusted the JVC brand and now I read from all you good people that everyone else had the same problem with it. I am going back to JVC armed with all these postings as ammunition.

Good Picture, Good Buy for the Price

Manual is dificult to understand

I have used this player for about 3 months now and I have only had one problem with it. I tried to play "Saving Private Ryan" and it did not decode the DTS track. I am not sure if there is anyone who knows how to fix this or if the 701 does not play DTS. Can anyone help?

I got my JVC XV-701 DVD player about 2 months ago for $358. I have to say that I am impressed with its performance. I have a Yamaha RX-V2090 with AC-3 readyinputs. Therefore, I must get a player that has a built-in Dolby Digital
(AC-3) decoder to enjoy 5.1 channels. I got a super sharp image on my Sony
32" XBR2 Trinitron.

I was waiting for the Panasonic DVD-A320 ever since '99 CES because it has DTS decoder built-in as well. I called Panasonic several times to see when they are shipping the A320, but the response was that the original scheduled introduction in spring quarter had been delayed 'til fall quarter. I couldn't wait any longer, so I decided to check out the Toshiba 3109. I found that
the ability to play HDCD was great, but the dual tray design was terrible. It takes forever to pop out a disc. Since dual tray increases the possibility of
disc jam, I'd decided to check out Sony 550. Unfortunately, Sony had a lot
of complaints on lip sync problem. I figured I better not take the chance. Otherwise, it would be a great player. After comparing all the models in my preferences, my winner was the JVC 701. The best part I liked about the JVC was the user interface. It's very user friendly, and it looks great. The ability to browse the menu on the front panel was a big plus. I had no problem with the remote control. The only down side was that the joystick was a bit skinny/thin, it felt like it's just about to snap. With proper use, I don't forsee any problem though.

As far as picture and sound quality as concerned, there is really not much
to compare between this class. They all have stunning picture and great
sound. Basically, what it boils down to is mainly functions, and user interface. I found the JVC XV-701BK to be a winner on both categories, and best of all, for a low price.

the 701 has video outs for you to grow into (i.e. 3 component out, digital coax, dts).

Some of the first models has an issue with a chip and laser that would not play some discs

The 701 has gotten a bad rap. After I bought this player I read the reviews and was shocked. A unit with an msrp of 700.00 should be shipped rock solid awesome- not lock up and over heat. That was Jvc's mistake. However, those issues of lock-ups and such are repaired for free via JVC and were only seen in early models. I sent mine in to be worked on although it was working fine. This player is first rate compared to most players. The array of video outs lets you grow into bigger and better monitors for the best video rez (the top being RGB 3 component out for hi def). The jog shuttle features, custom audio calibration, custom on the fly video tweaking (video fine processor)- you just can't ask for much more until you spend 2K on a dual scan unit. In my opinion, most users who bought this got a more technical unit than they can handle. You need to read the manual and configure this player to get the most of it. One user even claimed this player was outputting 'to dark' of an image. I should think that is your monitor, not the player. Nevetheless, supporting my thoery users aren't reading the manual. I will defend the 701 through and through. I love my player and wouldn't have bought any other model. The 5.1 reproduction is seemless, the picture is spectacular, and the controls are first rate. I use a programmable marantz 2000mkII- but I would have liked the jog shuttle on the factory remote.

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None