I'm blue (da ba dee daba daa) I'm blue (da ba dee daba daa). Thanks to everyone that's helped me cha...
I'm blue (da ba dee daba daa) I'm blue (da ba dee daba daa). Thanks to everyone that's helped me change colour!
Member since:10.01.2004
Reviews:23
Members who trust:8
For a long time I viewed the DVD market with scepticism, then came this mid-range budget player and my whole viewpoint changed.
I was looking for a player that didn't cost the earth but would give me access to features that I couldn't get with VHS such Zoom modes, angle changes and the obvious improvements of both picture and sound quality. I was looking for the basics first and any extras as a bonus. As it turned out I was in luck with the SD220-E.
The first thing that struck me about the player itself was the sleek design of the unit. Whilst much of the player is silver, the front fascia is covered in the main by a satinised clear perspex-like strip that houses the basic function buttons of the machine. All of this is positioned below the CD tray and incorporates a crystal clearLCD display. This is dimmable via the remote control but to be honest it's an option I'd probably never think of using normally.
After the aesthetically pleasing design, it's nice to discover that the player is not all mouth no trousers. Picture clarity is as clear as anyone could need it and on my 28" TV there was no sign of blurring or hazing that I've heard can be commonplace on lower-budget models. There are picture options for the advanced DVD user such as Light, Normal, Animation and Movie1/2 modes. Most of us will stick to the 'normal' option but again, for a lower-priced model added features are a bonus to be tinkered with at some point.
The sound options are more limited as Dolby 5:1 is not available. However the 220-E uses 'spatializer' technology to re-create a virtual surround sound. I've played a fair few blockbusters on the machine now and I've found this more than adequate. There are of course both normal sound and dialogue sound options but if you have the equipment for surround sound, it's worth making the most of, I believe.
Setting up the machine is child's play. Even those who are technically illiterate will understand the easy on the eye instruction booklet and basic commands it contains. Never has the phrase "plug and play" been more apt because that's exactly what you do. There is only the one Scart socket to the rear of the machine but those who need more than one will know ways around this or prefer a bigger budget model. There are also sockets for co-axial and digital audio connections to the rear of the player.
Now's the time to start balancing out my review. In terms of grumbles, I find the remote control fiddly to say the least. Whilst the basic play/stop/skip functions will all be found to the top of the control, try finding the smaller zoom, angle, e.am and other buttons towards the bottom of the remote. In a darkened room, whilst concentrating on the plot of the latest action thriller, you'll struggle, believe me.
My other main gripe is more personal. At 22 cms I have no problem with the depth of the machine. At 6.5cms I have no trouble in it's height. At 43cms it's about 1cm too wide for the slot on my TV stand. Maybe it's my stand, I don't know but whichever I've had to improvise and that's not good at any price.
I've heard that whilst the machine supports CD, DVD, MP3, VCD and CD-R there is no player display when playing audio tracks. I've never done this but it's worth bearing in mind.
So overall, at a price that won't damage too many bank balances, what we have here is a very good player at a very good price with a very stylish design. If you can put up without Dolby and can learn to deal with the remote, this could be the player for you. I think it's better than many dearer models and if you can find it cheap on Amazon (£49 now I hear) you'll get a bargain.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Component Video Outputs, 24bit 192Khz High Resolution Audio, 10bit 27Mhz Video DAC, 4xPicture Zoom, CD Text, MP3+CD-R/RW Playback, 5 Selections Enhanced Picture Mode, Enhanced Audio Mode and a Digital Audio out both Coaxial and Optical Disadvantages: None
kndege 11.07.2003 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Toshiba SD 220 E
Advantages: Beautiful playback, Stylish, More outputs than sticks and shaken Disadvantages: No decoder (what do you expect at this price?), Very sought after
HappyHarry 06.01.2003 (06.01.2003)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Toshiba SD 220 E
Advantages: Value for money,Nice looks,superb quality playback,wealth of sockets available Disadvantages: selling like hot cakes, needs chip to be made multi-region capable, no scart lead.
Mister-x 18.11.2002 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Toshiba SD 220 E
Advantages: Beautiful playback, Stylish, More outputs than sticks and shaken Disadvantages: No decoder (what do you expect at this price?), Very sought after
HappyHarry 06.01.2003 (06.01.2003)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Toshiba SD 220 E
Advantages: Component Video Outputs, 24bit 192Khz High Resolution Audio, 10bit 27Mhz Video DAC, 4xPicture Zoom, CD Text, MP3+CD-R/RW Playback, 5 Selections Enhanced Picture Mode, Enhanced Audio Mode and a Digital Audio out both Coaxial and Optical Disadvantages: None
kndege 11.07.2003 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Toshiba SD 220 E
Jan 11th, 2004
very helpful by (50%):
helpful by (10%):
somewhat helpful by (20%):
not helpful by (20%):
