Toshiba SD2300
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CNET Editors' Review
The good: Good remote control design; solid video playback with DVDs.
The bad: Flimsy construction; no digital optical output; no CD-R/CD-RW/VideoCD support.
The bottom line: Nuon technology makes this DVD player stand out, but an ability to play more than one disc would make it even better.
DVD gaming
Nuon's ability to play games puts it somewhere between a home-theater center and a PlayStation. However, there's only a limited number of games available, and they have graphics that can't touch those of the newer consoles, such as the visuals found on the PlayStation 2 (which also plays DVDs, though not at the quality level of a dedicated DVD player).
Video quality is the most important aspect of a player, and with movies, the Toshiba SD2300 performs as well as or slightly better than other DVD players in its price range. We detected no visual artifacts, and the blacks appeared black. While we saw some minimal pixelation with a test disc, this wasn't a problem when we were watching movies. Antz produced enjoyable sound and a crisp picture. Some upcoming DVD titles will also have special features that can be "unlocked" by Nuon players. The first such title, Bedazzled, looked good, but more importantly, you'll be treated to an interactive fashion show with Elizabeth Hurley.
Remotely controlling
Videophiles will love the Toshiba SD2300's ability to call up menus during a movie and zoom in on the action, midsentence. A feature called Virtual Remote gives you a handy visual of your onscreen options, which is great for switching among scenes or watching your favorite scene over and over again. And the physical remote is far superior to the one included with the Samsung DVD-N2000. While several buttons on the SD2300's remote are hidden under a clamshell cover, the control's intuitive design makes it a winner.
The Toshiba SD2300 handles zooms fairly well, although by the time you've zoomed in to 20X, what you're seeing won't be all that clear. You can choose either a traditional picture-box aspect-ratio frame or full-screen viewing, and you can switch between them midmovie.
The box itself feels surprisingly light and doesn't seem very sturdy, although the metal finish on the front of the chassis lends some style. The SD2300 has the usual stable of composite, component, and S-Video outputs for your TV. Unfortunately, the unit doesn't include a digital optical output, which makes for limited audio options. Hide Review
User Reviews
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"Won't play CD-R's." By
Summary: Big disappointment that this unit won't play CD-R's properly. For this money I expected full functionality. Wish I'd read these reviews before I bought this thing.
"Broke after viewing 40 DVDS" By
Summary: The DVD player can not track the DVD's. It will start a movie and gets stuck at about 115 minutes. Cleaning head did not help this problem. Overheats after an hour of movie time. Don't waste your money on this lemon.
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