Entered CNET Catalog: 04/05/2002
SKU: 0018818028970
Manufacturer: Aiwa America Inc.
Manufacturer description
AIWA offers a wide range of products in consumer electronics, multimedia, and computer storage devices and peripherals. All deliver outstanding performance and value. The company pays great attention to home audio systems. The HT-DV90 DVD home theatre package features Dolby Digital & DTS decoder, Digital Signal Processor (hall/theatre/stadium), FM/AM digital tuner with 32 station memory presets, bass and treble controls and monitor/S-video outputs. The HT-DV90 is compatible with DVD/Audio CD/MP3 CD/CD-R/CD-RW. The unit also includes potent satellites, a universal remote commander, an aluminum fascia and half-mirror display panel.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 04/07/2002
Speaking of speakers
This kit's five satellites are armed with 4-inch drivers, which are definitely a step up from the more typical 2- to 3-inch woofers that we usually see. The silver, plastic sats' cabinets are a tad larger than those of more space-efficient speakers, but you can hang 'em high with their integral key-holed wall mounts. We're also happy to note that the DV90's sub jumps out of the pack of me-too designs. It has a wood cabinet, and it's endowed with a largish woofer (nearly 8 inches in diameter) so it can deliver more and better bass than a run-of-the-mill 6-inch subwoofer. However, while this nonpowered sub is impressive, you can further improve the sound by adding a powered sub.
The DV90's sleek, metal front panel and controls feel more substantial than those of all-plastic kits, making the overall vibe closer to that of a regular component system. Another nice touch: The receiver's front-panel controls duplicate the remote's menu, cursor, and Enter buttons, so you can play and navigate DVDs even when you misplace the remote. The receiver/DVD player doles out the standard Dolby Digital/DTS surround sounds and delivers 38 watts to each of the six speakers.
On another positive note, Aiwa didn't skimp on the connectivity options, which include component-video, S-Video, and standard composite-video outputs, plus two digital-audio inputs and one digital out. Typically, such a setup is seen only on more expensive kits.
The remote is also worth a mention because it's unusually flexible; it lets you individually adjust the relative levels of the subwoofer and the front and center speakers without bringing up setup menus. The remote also keys into other functions such as tone controls and many surround-mode options.
Supersonics
We cruised through the Speed DVD and watched Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock having lots of fun on a bus. The picture was crisp and the colors were rich and vibrant. Dialogue from the center speaker was pretty natural. When the cacophonous soundtrack delivered the sounds of screeching rubber, roaring engines, swooping helicopters, and things blowing up, the DV90 mimicked the sound of a larger system.
The sub was no slouch either; it rumbled with abandon, but only to a point. When we pumped up the volume to annoy-the-neighbors levels, we managed to trip the amplifier's protection circuits, and the unit shut down. OK, we learned that we could push the DV90 only so far, but that's par for the HTIB course.
Movies are one thing, but music can be an even tougher test for compact systems. That's no problem here, though--we listened to everything from Beethoven string quartets to raunchy blues to sophisticated jazz, and the DV90 was always musical. The player spins CD-Rs and CD-RWs and, yes, it can play MP3 CDs.
The $575 DV90 is a winner, though we preferred Pioneer's $620 five-disc-changer kit. True, the Pioneer's speakers take up more precious living space, but they can fill even larger rooms and play louder than the DV90.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
7/10
fails to read dvd after 12months
Pros: had same problem dvd fails to read sent for repair. They say when you leave it to warm up dvd reads ok but struggles when cold they re-solders some connections inside now works perfect. good sound easy to use
Cons: remote control now packed up so struggle to use all features:(
User Rating: 
6/10
Doesn't detect DVD's after 1 year
Pros: I like this one except that the dvds are not detected now after a year. Buts that what its for. Fantastic sound, Loads of features.
Cons: You would not believe this. I bought one of this and in 9 months time dvd's didn't work. I had the warrenty so got an exchange. Now 1 year has gone and the dvd's are not detected. Very Annoying
User Rating: 
5/10
Fails to read DVD's after 1 year
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Cons: This worked great for about a year then had problems reading DVD's. It still plays cd's and mp3's fine but will have load errors if I put in a DVD.
User Rating: 
1/10
THE WORST DVD SYSTEM EVER!!!
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User Rating: 
8/10
Great all-in-one surround system
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User Rating: 8/10
Great all-in-one system
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User Rating: 
3/10
DVD drive malfunction
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User Rating: 8/10
v good
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User Rating: 6/10
not bad but not too good either
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User Rating: 5/10
Good for movies, not music.
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User Rating: 8/10
fair price for the value
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