Toshiba SD2700 DVD Player
Player's pretty good, but remote is below average
If you've checked the specs you know that this unit has component output, but not progressive scan or MP3 playback.  I'll concentrate on how it performs based on 18 months of use since I bought it from Amazon.com.<br />I've used component cabling for video and optical cables for the audio.  With this setup the quality of both video and audio is excellent.  That's the good news for the player.<br />The bad news is that occasionally the player has some problems.  One problem is related to tracking on some CDs or DVDs, resulting in a rhythmic \\"ticking\\" sound as it seeks back and forth along the disk.  This usually doesn't affect the audio or video output, but obviously the listening experience is impaired by the mechanical noise coming from the player.  I've experienced the \\"ticking' problem on about 5% of the couple hundred disks I've put through the player.<br />A more frequent problem is that occasionally the player will freeze up in response to pushing buttons on the remote right before the end of a DVD chapter or title.  The last image remains in place, but that's it; there's no response to any of the play (forward, reverse, slow, fast, & c.) buttons.  Sometimes powering down and up again fixes things; occasionally ejecting the disk is required to reset the player's state; and a couple times the only way to get the player operating again was to unplug it from the wall.  I've never experienced this freezing problem except when I've pushed buttons on the remote, but then I'm a very \\"hands on\\" viewer of my DVDs.<br />I personally don't like the amount of on-screen space taken up by the info displays.  If I just want the \\"time remaining\\" counter, I also have to see a line with little icons for selecting audio type, zoom, alternate angles, and other such junk.  The zoom function is also pretty annoying, with so much screen area used for control info that you have to zoom in, then cycle through the on-screen controls to exit the zoom function to be able to see what you're zooming in on.  You might not mind these things.<br />While the player's mostly pretty good, the remote is pretty poor.  A lot of reviewers have mentioned that the remote doesn't have a button illumination feature.  Usually I don't think that's necessary, but on this remote it would have been a big help.  The button layout is quirky.  Most DVD remotes I've seen match the standard audio or video tape play controls for the basic functions (fast reverse on the left, fast forward on the right, play centered between them, and pause close by).  This unit is a bit different.  It's got the play button on the far right, with chapter skip, stop, and menu around it.  Reverse and fast forward are right next to each other near the top left, but you've got to be REALLY careful hitting reverse in the dark: it's got the tray open button just above it, and pause just below.  All of these buttons (except for play, which is a bit bigger) are similar in size and shape (all horizontal ovals), and all buttons have the same smooth texture.  All but the power button are your basic hard-to-see-in-dim-light black color, with small white lettering above on the button surround.<br />Summary: good player; bad remote.  Get this if you can find a replacement (Toshiba or universal) remote with better layout and buttons, and don't need the features (progressive scan, MP3) that this machine lacks.