Toshiba SD1700

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 6.0 (3.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  David Katzmaier
• Reviewed on: 12/05/2001

If you've looked through your music collection lately and noticed--perhaps with a twinge of guilt--a large number of CD-Rs, the Toshiba SD1700 isn't for you. It can't play CD-Rs or CD-RWs. However, it can play DVDs pretty well, and it has a simple interface that'll appeal to anybody who's a little unsure what DVD stands for. If that describes someone you know, the budget-priced SD1700 is an acceptable option.If you've looked through your music collection lately and noticed--perhaps with a twinge of guilt--a large number of CD-Rs, the Toshiba SD1700 isn't for you. It can't play CD-Rs or CD-RWs. However, it can play DVDs pretty well, and it has a simple interface that'll appeal to anybody who's a little unsure what DVD stands for. If that describes someone you know, the budget-priced SD1700 is an acceptable option.

Simplicity with a touch of zoom
The plain, off-black face of the SD1700 is uncluttered by buttons and dominated by a large fluorescent display. One thoughtful feature: you can dim or turn the display off completely so that it doesn't become a distraction while watching films. Meanwhile, the remote is nondescript but easy to use by feel, with logically sized and shaped buttons arranged so your thumb centers on the cursor controls.

The clean feel of the SD1700 extends to the setup menu. One category labeled Initial Setup offers quick access to the three options you'll need to adjust your system (Menu Language, Screen Shape, and Audio Output Select) when you first fire it up. Accessible via buttons on the remote--where they belong rather than buried in the menu--are five video presets, virtual surround sound, and a setting to enhance dialogue at low volumes.

Our favorite feature was the excellent zoom control, which comes complete with a navigator. When you engage any of the three levels of magnification, up pops a little grey rectangle that represents your entire screen. This rectangle is then overlaid by a blue rectangle that depicts the viewable area. You can use it to easily guide the zoom to any area of the screen, blowing up whatever portion of the action you want. Naturally, picture quality suffers on zoomed-in material.

Unfortunately, many prospective buyers will focus on the features that the SD1700 lacks. Almost every other entry-level DVD player has the ability to play VCDs and CD-R/RWs, and the majority can play MP3 CDs. The SD1700 can play only standard CDs, DVDs, and DVD-Rs.

The back panel is also missing an important jack: an optical digital output. We prefer to see decks with both optical and coaxial outputs, but if given a choice, we'd rather see an optical jack since they're more common on receivers and recording equipment such as MiniDisc units. In addition to the lone coaxial digital output, the 1700 has analog audio and component-, S-, and composite-video connectors. Continue reading

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