Home > Consumer Reviews > Toshiba SD-1600 DVD Player

I made the mistake of purchasing a Samsung player, which basically died within 2 months. While doing research on Amazon for a replacement, I noticed that lots of people had wonderful things to say about the Toshiba brands. So I decided to purchase one and hope for the best. Well I've got nothing but good things to say.

This little player is really light, but don't let that fool you. It has played all my DVDs with perfection, and hasn't failed me yet. The picture is wonderful, and the sound is pretty good as well. A couple of my discs that would freeze or skip on the Samsung player, work just fine on the Toshiba. That was when I realized that I made a good choice. I love the on-screen setup menus, which allow you to see the picture on the movie that you're watching while adjusting the settings. It's a nice little drop down menu from the top of the screen, with very nice icons that are easy to understand. Other players just blank out the picture while the setup menu takes up the entire screen. You can imagine how frustrating it can be when going back and forth repeatedly from the picture and setup screen, while fine tuning the settings.

The Toshiba SD-1600 is a great player to buy if you're new to DVD, or are looking to add a low-cost, reliable system to another room in your home. Toshiba is known for great picture and sound, so you can't go wrong with them. As an added bonus, they've got a good warranty for it. It's good to know that I can get my player repaired for free at a local Toshiba certified service center if anything happens.

This is a very good entry level machine, essentially an upgraded SD1200. Its not too complicated, just insert the disc and work your way through the dvd's menu. You are not paying for the extras like multiple disc play.

Overall, this machine is quiet and reliable. It get s lots of use in my house, and the only complaint is that the remote could be a lot better. However, from a practical standpoint we don't need to do all that much with the remote other than navigate through the dvd menus.

This unit will not be the one to select for a high end system, but if you are looking for a basic entry level unit then look no further

The Toshiba SD 1600 is a great entry-level DVD player. In terms of picture and sound quality this very affordable unit really delivers. In fact, from the moment I pulled my Toshiba DVD player out of its box, I've experienced 100% satisfaction.

Set up is a cinch. The owner's manual is easy to follow and I had my unit up and running in a matter of minutes. Initially, I hooked up the player using cheap video cables (included in box) and the picture was washed out. I immediately switched to a pair of Monster cables and was blown away by the clarity and definition of the picture (Widescreen movies look especially great when played through this unit). It's certainly worthwhile to fork over a few extra bucks for a pair of quality cables.

Perhaps the most exciting feature of the SD 1600 is the Virtual Surround Sound capability. With a simple click of the remote, an ordinary pair of stereo speakers will produce a lively (and loud) 3-dimensional sound. This feature is a blessing for those (such as myself) who don't yet have the budget, or the time, to shop for an elaborate home theatre sound system.

The remote control is laid-out fairly well and takes only a short time to grow accustomed to. My only complaint is that the remote is not illuminated and is difficult to navigate in the dark. The Fast Forward and Reverse modes are lighting quick --moving along at up to 30 times the speed of the original picture! Those who like to read tiny film credits will love the Zoom feature which greatly enlarges the screen image.

I've been a Toshiba owner for over a year (also have the similar SD 2109)and have never encountered a single problem with the player or any DVD disc. The picture quality and the Virtual Surround Sound are first rate. Overall, I think this is an excellent unit. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a quality DVD player at an affordable price.

This is my first DVD player, which I bought solely based on online reviews. The setup was simple, and the picture quality superb. It hasn't "skipped" on any of my DVDs. It has three fast-forward speeds and four zoom-in levels (zoom is a must, and many mid-level DVD players do not have this functionality). Simulated surround sound is great and is a big plus for anyone without Dolby Digital. I would recommend this player to anyone new to DVD. The remote could be better, but it gets the job done.

Note: the player does not come with an S-video cable, though you can use the component cable that is included.

The Toshiba SD-1600 is an excellent entry level DVD player. For the price, it can't be beat, and it bests other models out there costing twice as much.

The SD-1200 was an acclaimed success for Toshiba, and the SD-1600 has a few refinements over that one.

The picture and sound quality are excellent. Though lacking an optical audio out, there is PCM/bitstream and analog outs, as well as a composite video out, an S-Video out, and component video outs. I'm using the analog audio and component video hookups (all with Monster Cables) to my 27" Sony Wega TV and it's brilliant.

Many people have complained about the remote, but I like it. It's not too awkward to get around, and the player responds to it well (as long as you're within a reasonable range). The menu system is good, if not spectacular, and all the options you'd expect from a standard player are there. The SD-1600 also features a Spatializer 3-2-2 3D sound option which provides an excellent surround effect with only two speakers.

Right now I have the player thinking it's connected to a 16:9 television (I'm using the 16:9 anamorphic squeeze option most Wegas have), and the picture quality is nothing short of amazing. I haven't found a disc yet that gives the player any problems, and it's also very quiet when playing.

It's a light machine, weighing only about ten pounds, but don't think it's underpowered because of it. Outside of a progressive scan DVD player (which really is of no benefit until HDTV is popular), this is one of the finest units widely available. Grab it up today.