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| Value for Money | 9/10  |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 7/10 |
Full review by
stoneybroke.
expert review 
on 6th Nov 2002
User Rating : 7
Respect :
+11
Good Points: Excellent price for Home Cinema in a single purchase.
Bad Points: Large. Doesn't have the latest whizz-bang technology.
General comments: The Pioneer HTD-5 home cinema system was sold in last years Argos catalogue at well over £400, so I thought it had to be a bargain and took the credit card plunge....
The five-disc set-up is excellent, removing the need to keep swapping between CD, DVD or different titles (stops the kids needing to keep using the tray).
The incorporated AM/FM tuner means that this is replacing, in the living room at least, my existing Hi-Fi. Various DSP effects means that all 6 speakers can pump out the radio and CD music - just a shame about the whoefully inadequate FM ariel supplied!
The player is large - don't expect a slimline model, but still smaller than a DVD + separate decoder + tuner. The speakers are also larger than some I have seen, but I feel that gives them a fuller sound - especially when you consider the combined 330w of power (i have not reached anywhere near full volume yet.
The remote has many buttons - some squinting required in the dark to see what's what, but generally good - all major controls are replicated on the front panel - very useful.
Setting up took a while, all those cables - the main output is svhs (mini-DIN) or composite (RCA phono) - fine for me, except the purchase of a svhs to svhs SCART - only one phono-phono cable in the box (though speaker cables are OK - rear, at 6m just a little too short for me).
I now have VCR and TV sound pumping through the speakers via the two separate inputs on the rear. There is another, digital coax only input too, plus audio out - headphones on the front. Fortunately the european version doesn't have the karaoke feature!!.
There's plenty to play with on the sound front, with effects, balances, etc, but not much on the visuals - don't expect any zooms, multiregion or fancy effects. Picture quality seems good, smooth and seemless, though I have yet to play a range of titles.
What you do get is a very good, solid start to Home Cinema, without the latest advances (mine was manufactured July 2001) - at a bargain price.
stoneybroke.'s review and ratings | 365 words
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