Limit 8080a Review

Overall Rating

Price, multi-region, plays most formats, 6 channel output

No s-video, no RGB-out, need NTSC compatible TV for Region 1 disks.

I bought this Limit 8080a DVD player at Christmas 2001 in a package with the Limit JSP200 5.1 Home Theater System from the Richer Sounds website (http://www.richersounds.co.uk). Cost then was £200 and in January this combination was selling for £150 (drat - I should have waited!) so it's cheap. But is it any good? Well, as a newcomer to DVD, I have been very happy with it. The picture is clear, steady and not at all jerky during playback and the sound quality through the JSP200 seems good to me (although I am no video or audiophile). Playback and sound quality seem comparable to DVD/home theater systems my friends and family have and most of them have paid more for the privilege. I've not seen any high end systems to compare it with so I cannot comment on it's overall performance. The only thing I have noticed is that fast forward and reverse is a bit jerky - I don't know if this is normal for DVDs and it doesn't bother me much.
Setting it all up was a doddle - the booklet that came with it is sparse on detail but clear and easy to follow.
Features:
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Dolby Digital, DTS digital out, CD compatible, MP3
Front panel:
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Power, display, remote control sensor, play, pause, stop, skip +/-, open/close.

Note - the front panel on the player doesn't let you move through main menu options so don't lose the remote control!
Rear outputs:
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Coax out, 5.1 channel outputs, Euroscart (no RGB), Video output jack.
Multiregion
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The DVD supports multiregion with a hack typed into the remote control. The only downside is that if (as I do) you have an older PAL TV then colour playback can be a bit jerky from a Region 1 disk. Use an NTSC compatible TV and this problem apparently goes away (and according to the instruction book you don't need a hack code - I haven't tried this since my TV isn't NTSC compatible).
Remote control:
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It is a pity that the same remote cannot work both the JSP200 and the 8080. At the minute it feels like remotes are breeding next to my TV (JSP, DVD, TV, Video, digital set top box, hi-fi - you know the problem) and it's a shame that when, as Limit does, a company sells two items like these as a set that it doesn't combine the two. The home theater remote has far too many functions - IMHO it could have been accomplished with a fraction of the buttons and some more intelligent menus.
Manufacturer
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I've never heard of Limit before and information on the net is thin on the ground - I recommend a search on Google groups for more detailed information.

Members' Comments onJimmy A.'s Review

• Jimmy A. on 21st Mar 2002

  I would add that maximum volume on the bundled JSP200 home theatre is not that loud. If you have a large room then perhaps this is not for you. My living room is about 3 metres by 6 metres and even at maximum it is not overpowering. That said it is fine for my listening at about 75%.

• Jimmy A. on 12th Jul 2002

  Try this at your own risk - I cannot accept responsibility for any problems.
  
  Multiregion:
  Press open on remote
  type 8421
  Current region displayed on screen
  "OK" button toggles region (9=all,2=UK (default), 1=US)
  Press close
  Only need to do it once - it remembers when powered off.
  Tested on Region 1 disc.
  Supposed to be okay with RCE (may need to select Region 1 rather than 9) but I haven't tested this yet.

• Paul T. on 16th Aug 2002

  You can buy this baby at richer sounds for only £50 now HA HA

• dionescu. on 23rd Oct 2002

  i lost my remote control from jsp 200 . i don't find any similar IR codes. i don't find the manufactor of this product!!!!!! please help meeeee!!!!!!!!