Home > Consumer Reviews > Toshiba SD2710 DVD Player

Plays DVDs fine, but has a lot of trouble playing MP3 CDRs (lots of popping and crackling) and even has trouble playing music CDRs that I've burned, which played fine in my old CD player. Also, the display doesn't show the CD track number unless you turn on the TV and look at it on-screen. Utterly useless for any CD I've burned on my computer.

I've just purchased this machine because my playstation2 may be good for games but really stinks at playing DVDs. I've read the mostly good reviews and can't understand why people are so hung up on this machine playing CD and MP3s and such. It's a good added feature on the machine, but if I want to listen to music I use a CD player or MP3 player. It's common sense that you get better quality using a player that is specifically designed for those uses. I bought this to play DVD movies and by all accounts it does an excellent job. To get an all in one machine that is perfect you would have to shell out a lot more money than this costs.

has trouble playing dvd (seven samurai, and Casablanca)
this player locks up, these dvd will work on pc.
mp3 player will play only if sample rate is 44.1k.

Toshiba may not be the absolute best on the market but for the value and features it is a great DVD player. I personally do not like Widescreen movies as I feel I am not utilizing the actualy dimensions of my Television. Toshiba helps eliminate this by offering a 3X zoom button to help fill out your TV. I highly recommend this or any Toshiba player.

I previously owned a Panasonic A110 whose laser recently died as those units were prone to do. During it's three years, the A110 performed very well. As a replacement, I considered another Panasonic, the RV-31 (not needing progressive scan). The primary reason I passed was that Panasonic has dropped the coaxial digital output (on at least this unit). My DVD unit sits at the top of the entertainment cabinet and I wasn't keen on purchasing and re-routing a long optical cable.

The Toshiba 2710 looked like a good basic single-play unit and still includes the coaxial digital output. The unit's video seems fine so far, which is of course the primary concern.

The major nit-pick I have with the unit is the LCD display, primarily when playing CD's; DVD's it's not as big a deal. In a mystifying design decision, the unit defaults to showing elapsed track time, but not track number. So, if you hit the skip button to skip tracks, you have no idea what track you are on. What was Toshiba thinking here? Personally, I care alot more about the track number, than I do the elapsed track time.

Yes, there is a button (but only on the remote) to toggle this to show track number. Unfortunately, it defaults back to elapsed time when powered up. This is a nuisance and unlike any unit I've used. Also, when a disc is stopped, the LCD shows "zeroes", instead of total disc time like most other players?? It is the same for DVD's; shows elapsed time and only toggles to Chapter number, etc.

I also give the 2710 a slight ding for noisy disc spinning, where the A110 was virtually silent. (you cannot hear it from a seating position, though).

I give the 2710 a slight uptick for the zoom function, for those who might want to zoom a letterbox DVD (I personally don't).

Overall, if I had it to do over, I would go with the Panasonic and just deal with the hassle of switching to an optical cable.
But, for a basic unit with good video the Toshiba 2710 is okay.