Sony DAV-FC7 Dream Home Theater System with 5-Disc DVD Player
By: Sony Average Rating: 2.0 Total Reviews: 42
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 On: 2008-03-25
I have the Sony Dream System DAV-FC7, and now its experiencing a continuous high pitched whine on all inputs except dvd, even when no input cables are connected. It seems to be a common problem as its mentioned on many web forums. A piece of JUNK, I will never will buy Sony again.
On: 2007-08-12
The machine exhibits substantial mechanical problems after less than 1 year of minimal use; unable to eject DVDs, the machine stays in "Standy Mode" until I manually unplug it. I strongly recommend that you dont purchase this. It seems very unlike SONY to produce such a piece of trash.
On: 2007-04-08
Sounds like a broken record about this machine - but when powered on the DVD display blinks twice and then goes blank. At this time and for some time later (maybe days or weeks) the DVD function wont work - no eject, no insert - no play!!
If you want one, I will sell you mine - certified not to be working on arrival.
 On: 2007-01-23
I cant believe that Sony has not done something about this. Our system has the same CD and power problems! I have already mounted the speakers on the walls and would love to just replace the unit with something compatible. I used to always buy Sony products but after this piece of junk, Im looking elsewhere for dependable electronics
On: 2007-01-06
Im sorry to say that I too have seen the standby glitch but in the past I was able to unplug the system and power it back on to fix the problem. UNTIL TODAY
Now when I power on the system it flashes DVD for a second, then goes blank. I cannot eject or insert a DVD. No display on the TV. But the FM tuner and audio inputs still work.
This system cost me $400 2.5 years ago. I was never thrilled with it - sound is ok, but no Treble/Bass or EQ adjustment is available.
It also takes forever to switch between disks, maybe an acceptable sacrifice for such a sleek system.. but now it no longer functions for me.
Not that anyone is going to be buying these new anymore. Just steer clear!
 On: 2006-12-29
I actually won this system via a radio contest, and I have had it for 2 years now. There have been some small annoyances, but otherwise, it has been a good system. It looks sharp, was easy to setup and use, and there was plenty of length to the speaker wire to setup surround sound in nearly any size room. The DVD changer is slow, but the sound and picture quality is great. I would recommend this system if you only have a basic setup of home theater, as multiple inputs/outputs can be a bit of a hassle.
 On: 2006-12-26
I have had my system now for 4 years and the only problem I run into is when I hit the disk switch button to move to another disk, it will sometimes eject instead. This is minor for me. I LOVE the Dvd player, and the sound is fantastic! For a middle of the road Home theather system, this is perfect!
On: 2006-11-15
We have had the same problems with the "Dream" Home Theater System. We have learned to mute the sound instead of turning it completely off for the night... it seems that once off, it becomes extremely finicky about turning back on and coming off of the dreaded "standby." We inquired about getting it fixed and were quoted approximately $135. Ive done my research and will invest in another companys product instead. Dont waste your time on this one.
On: 2006-10-13
Had unit for 2.5 years, used DVD rarely but used the surround through the TV a lot. Now after being on for 5 minutes it makes a high pitched whine or whistle that hurts your ears. I have traced the source to the FM antenna: when I remove it the noise gets worse. I have owned exactly 3 sony products and all failed catastophically. A potable cd player that skipped when sitting still, a car CD player that would not eject CDs for months and now this. I bought this unit from Best Buy because someone exchanged it and Best Buy was nearly giving it away (it was only 3 days old). I have never rated products but Sony has disappointed me so much that I am going to buy a different manufacturers home audio system rather than fix this piece of garbage.
On: 2006-07-19
Wish the negative reviews had been on Amazon when our family first purchased 2 of these systems. Even when the product works, its painfully slow to change & read discs; now both our units have the developed the same problem others have reported, namely getting stuck on "STANDBY" instead of turning off, refusing to read DVDs, and getting stuck playing CDs. So yes, it is NOT a fluke, this is a defective product, if you get hold of one and it isnt broken yet, it will be eventually.
However, I still use it as a surround sound system, and must admit it sounds pretty good, but I have to plug a cheapo DVD player into an AV input (it only has 2..) to watch DVDs with surround... which is absurd, but I can thank Sony for making this ripoff.
And for what its worth: leaving the system off when not using it seems to improve its longevity.
 On: 2006-05-14
apparently everyone else is having a hard time with theirs. I have had no trouble with mine at all. I have had it for 3 years; bought it brand new. The complaints I have heard about the sound and quality of the bass and treble are just nitpicky.
You have many sound fields to choose from, as well as night and day options for sound emphasis. Many controls are found on remote and cannot be found on main unit, though. Without the remote you will be locked out of many features.
The DTS option is fabulous. If you have DTS dvds you will love this sony product.
I love my sound system, and many of my friends love the way it looks and sounds compared to theirs.
On: 2006-04-23
Im having the *exact* same problems everyone else is: mainly that the unit will not power off (just bliks "Standby" repeatedly) and I have 2 DVDs stuck in the machine that are unretrievable. Its been a little crappy since day one and has continued to go downhill ever since.
Considering that Sony wants about $200 to fix this "Dream Machine", id say the best adivce is to run from this thing and find another product.
On: 2006-03-15
In the past I have been a very loyal Sony customer; however, this DVD Dream System was by far the worst Sony product Ive ever purchased. I purchased the system less than two years ago. The DVD player started acting up (not playing) about two months ago despite limited use. I attempted multiple times to clean the unit using a DVD cleaning disk and even took the unit apart to blow out excess dust. The unit will still not play DVDs... In the past month, the unit has started not powering off unless it is physically unplugged from the wall. Im forced to keep the unit powered at all times in order to use the home theater speakers. My response from Sony was less than satisfactory. My recommendation is for anyone looking to buy a home theater/DVD combo unit to stay away from Sony products.
On: 2005-12-18
Ive had a Sony DAV-FC7 for about 1 1/2 years. I knew when I bought it that there were a few bad reviews, but like anything, its expected that not everyone will be happy with it and there will be a bad experience here or there. Plus it wasnt a top of the line device anyway. However, the odds of having a bad experience with this unit are unrealistically high as noted by the other 28 reviews posted just on Amazon. I primarily use mine for the home theater aspect. Its only had a couple dozen dvds played probably. Recently while trying to watch a dvd, it locked up 3-4 times just like a computer locks up - but computer lock ups are generally due to configuration or software issues, not hardware. I had to cycle the power each time to get anything to respond, then find my place again in the movie. Now just two days ago, I notice that it has the standby message flashing continuously, the same as many others have noted. I can unplug it to reset it, however, now I can hear audio, but have no picture coming though it. The DVD part doesnt work at all, I think there is a stuck dvd in it. The reset appears to have only short term effects as well. I have to unplug it each time I turn it off - otherwise the standby message takes over.
Of my last 3 Sony purchases (vcr, dvd, camera), 2 of the 3 have been flawed. Shortly after I purchased a Sony vcr, the front panel display went out. Everything else seems to work okay -- you just cant tell by looking at it what it is doing or even if it is on/off. Nice craftsmanship/design - Sony.
Im hoping my camera fairs better over the long term - which should be considered longer than a few months or 1 1/2.
I can guarantee, Sony wont get any more of my dollars for a long time.
On: 2005-11-28
I have two of these systems, bought one for work and one for home. They work great. Yes, one of them had the same trouble as you may read in some comments. I found if you eject the disks before you shut it off, they never get stuck in it. the one machine where they did get stuck, i unplugged it for two days and plugged it back in and it spit out the cd.
On: 2005-11-06
This product has been complete junk. I had this system in for repair 4 times within the first year before it was fixed correctly. Now, it is a year and a half later, the warranty up, and it is broken again, with 5 dvd in it. There is no way I will pay to fix it, so Im looking for something new.
When it was working, the system was EXTREMELY slow changing disks. I was unhappy with it even when it was working.
There is no way that I would consider a Sony again.
On: 2005-04-06
Sony isnt what it use to be! BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY or PAY for repairs when the manufacture warranty is up. Sony customer service reps state that Sony entertainment systems should last longer than 1 year and 2 weeks, but (& its a bit one), in the age of "digital" to be assured of the unit lasting longer than that, you should purchase the extended warranty (as an insurance policy, just like life insurance for your kids because you never know when theyre going to die - really....that was actually said to me by a Sony customer service rep). Also told that Sony is superior quality over "disposable" systems that cost less, but what does that matter if the system doesnt work after a year.
My conclusion is you might as well buy a cheaper unit and replace every year!
On: 2005-03-27
I bought this system a year ago piece by piece. It only cost me $120 total. I got the receiver used, the sub used, and satellites new. I know it was a risky move to do so especially that it was used and the reviews about this system have not been good.
But the audi and video is great. The system is great. I havent had any substantial problems with it. My only complaint is that inserting and ejecting discs take some time to get used to and its kinda slow. But I usually have my top 4 CDs/DVDs in there and and keep the 5th slot ready for quick access.
So yeah, for the amount of money that I bought it for, its definitely a steal. But most of you probably also bought it retail. Well, the reason I got it is because I saw it in my brother-in-laws condo and I loved it. He said that he was satisfied with it and upto now he still hasnt had problems with it.
I hope this helps.
On: 2005-02-07
Nice Design and Functionality but Technical Difficulties
I was tired of separate stereo units for a receiver/dvd/cd players, each with their own remote, wires, etc.
I like the packaging and functionality of the Sony unit (DAV-FC7) I bought but have had two separate problems in less that two years.
The first one was when a CD got stuck in the 5 disk changer. I think it was partially my fault from tipping the unit forward with CDs in it. I took the cover off and was fixed it with a little nudge.
Now, a year later, I have two simultaneous problems- it wont shut down (the "Standby" issue that another reviewer posted on) and it wont accept/eject CD/DVDs.
I just got off the phone with Sony and they gave me two options;
1. Ship it to them and pay $130 for the repair plus shipping
2. Drive it to the nearest service center fifty miles away.
Shipping it is unappealing because I neither have the original shipping box, nor do I have the time to deal with it. I would also be without a system for two weeks.
I would have preferred the drop off option, but there is no way Im doing a 100 mile round trip for this. I live in San Francisco which you would think would have some type of certified repair centers.
The net is that its a good product with questionable quality and lame service options if you have a problem. Good luck!
On: 2005-01-16
Sony knows that this Home Theatre System has a problem. I posted earlier that this system works only for a short period of time and then doesnt eject discs, doesnt turn off and flashes `standby for ever. This is my second unit, which I got replaced within 90 days after purchasing, with the same problem. Several others have mentioned they experienced the same problem with this system. Practically this system becomes useless once this happens. I took it to a service center of Sears where I bought the system. The technician says Sony has alerted them with a `Service Flash with a clear instruction of what part to change when this unit comes in for repair. He says the voltage inside the DVD player is not properly regulated and unable to handle the discs and hangs up in the middle something like a computer crash. He replaced a resistor for my unit. The technician said he had been doing that for many of this particular model that keep coming in, and that he had not seen the repaired ones back again so far. My system seems to be working well now. Its an obvious problem that Sony knows very well. However, we have to pay for the repair. Fortunately, I bought service protection for three years by paying $60 more when I bought this unit. Otherwise, it costs about $150-$200 to get the system back to working. I really wonder why should we customer pay for an obvious manufacturing defect. If Sony wants to maintain their reputation and integrity, they should recall this unit and replace the part free.
On: 2004-12-14
Need another source of stress and anxiety in your life? Like the challenge of taming an uncontrollable electronic appliance? Has it been too long since you last payed astronomical late fees to Blockbuster because your DVD player refused to eject a long-overdue disc? Well, have I got a system for you!
With the Sony DAV-FC7 Home Theater System, you too can experience entertainment like never before, with a DVD drive that dies a quick and asymptomatic death after only 4 weeks of moderate use, and the warm glow of an eternally blinking "STANDBY" display of your soon-to-be-non-responsive system. If thats not enough, you have at your disposal hours of fun with the worlds most unintuitive voice response system. Just dial 1-800-222-7669, and let the fun begin.
Not recommended if youre pregnant or suffering from a stress-related heart condition. Consult your doctor before purchasing.
On: 2004-09-17
Sonys lacks quality. This system never switches off, keeps flashing "Standby". I have seen this happening every shop I visited. Still these shops sell these equipments!!
And more over, this is my third bad experience from Sony.
1. Wega TV - Broke in two days
2. Home Theater - Broke in week
3. Sony DSC-P3 digital camera - Came defective(lens wont pop out).
All these broke within a matter of first day or in a week.
I have decided not to purchase any more Sony equipments/gadets unless really improve their quality.
I sold this item and purchased Onkyo(SR502B)/Bose(AM6) combination. Wow..What a quality and sound!!
On: 2004-09-16
Sonys lacks quality. This system never switches off, keeps flashing "Standby". I have seen this happening every shop I visited. Still these shops sell these equipments!!
And more over, this is my third bad experience from Sony.
1. Wega TV - Broke in two days
2. Home Theater - Broke in week
3. Sony DSC-P3 digital camera - Came defective(lens wont pop out).
All these broke within a matter of first day or in a week.
I have decided not to purchase any more Sony equipments/gadets unless really improve their quality.
I sold this item and purchased Onkyo(SR502B)/Bose(AM6) combination. Wow..What a quality and sound!!
On: 2004-08-26
Many reviews have been slamming this system, but I have had this for 2 years now and not one problem. Lets be honest, this isnt a top of the line system but youre not paying for one either. For the price, the picture and sound quality is excellent. It make watching movies a great experience. For the people that have defective ones, that sucks, but for those who complain about the picture and sound quality, maybe you should get a better TV, or spend more that $400 buck if you want perfection. Dont complain if you buy a car for $500 bucks and expect it to run like a $30,000 car.
Downfalls - set length on speaker wire. Slow disc ejects/changes.
On: 2004-08-25
Many reviews have been slamming this system, but I have had this for 2 years now and not one problem. Lets be honest, this isnt a top of the line system but youre not paying for one either. For the price, the picture and sound quality is excellent. It make watching movies a great experience. For the people that have defective ones, that sucks, but for those who complain about the picture and sound quality, maybe you should get a better TV, or spend more that $400 buck if you want perfection. Dont complain if you buy a car for $500 bucks and expect it to run like a $30,000 car.
Downfalls - set length on speaker wire. Slow disc ejects/changes.
On: 2004-08-13
I bought my unit back in March 2004. A month later, it would no longer play DVDs. I shipped the unit back to Sony at my expense, and about three weeks later I received the repaired unit back. The shipping label mentioned some IC (chip?) repairs done. The unit has played fine for over two months (we dared not attempt playing multiple DVDs). Now the unit is acting up again. This is one of the worst Sony products I have ever purchased. Please stay away from this system.
On: 2004-08-12
I bought my unit back in March 2004. A month later, it would no longer play DVDs. I shipped the unit back to Sony at my expense, and about three weeks later I received the repaired unit back. The shipping label mentioned some IC (chip?) repairs done. The unit has played fine for over two months (we dared not attempt playing multiple DVDs). Now the unit is acting up again. This is one of the worst Sony products I have ever purchased. Please stay away from this system.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-07-20
Sure it looks awesome, but this system is junk. THREE days after I bought it, there was a horrible grinding noise and it stopped working (also, trapping 3 dvds inside that I couldnt eject.) I had to call Sony, pack it up and ship it off ($30 bucks at my own expense) and then wait two weeks for it to come back. When it did, from what I can gather from the cryptic description on the packing slip, it appears that the entire drive had to be hanked and replaced. So, now Im out $30 and instead of sending me a new one, Im stuck with the damaged goods.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-07-12
I am on the second system after my first system was replaced. This product has caused constant problems. The system takes DVDs and CDs and does not eject them.
On: 2004-06-17
I just bought this system after two years of major searching. Unfortunately, I should have waited another two years.PROS Can play almost any type of audio/video disk
Easy setup
The main player looks impressive CONS Cannot perform the most basic operations of my older, lesser Sony model; including: cant change one disk while playing another, and NO shuffle mode! (note to self...never throw a party) The sound is shallow, tinny, and weak. The listener is reminded of an alarm clock radio. When in "surround sound mode" the listener is reminded of several alarm clock radios. The speakers are, in my opinion, very outlandish looking. Youll have difficulty incorporating them into any decor; unless of course you live in a laboratory or industrial facility. BOTTOM-LINE I would hold out on home theater for now. Wait another two years for the high-end ($600-$1000) models to come down in price. Also, powered satellite speakers will be available within two years for a good price. That means no more wires in your living room, so even the most unnatractive speakers can stay relatively hidden.
On: 2004-06-14
In nov 2003 i bought this so called wet dream machine to replace my 10 year old great system. I have had nothing but trouble with this cool looking junk. It wouldnt shut off it wouldnt have the ready sign come on to put c.d or d.v.d. in it.I would always have to shut it off and put it back on. I called sony numerous times and to no avail,they new it was a manufacturers defect, and covered it up. I returned it to circuit city and before they took it, i hope everybody out there does the same as we did. Have them check the defect reports on there computer and find out its been a yugo for so sony that from nov 2003 to now there lemons the store manager told us. If you have to buy anything from circuit city please do it they were great. lets get together and take this crap off the market now.
On: 2004-05-31
It should be obvious to anyone that is reading these posts that this unit design is defective. Around a month into ownership, my unit became unresponsive, no stopping, pausing, ff or ejecting DVDs. The remedy was to unplug for a few minutes, reset and try again. Finally returned for a different product.
On: 2004-05-24
I wrote a review below, where the unit freezes up and I have to unplug it overnight to make it work. Just an update: Sony has had my unit for a month, cant fix it, and cant send me a new one back because "We dont have any DVD players" according to Eric." And by the way, we cant tell you when youll get one. I have literally had a broken unit since January, and no estimate when Ill get one. I pay Netflix $20/month for... nothing.Why would you want one of these in your home, when Sony doesnt even have any? Just look at all the reviews below, this is a piece of junk, and the service is beyond horrible. As one Sony customer support person explained to me: "Mr. Vaughn, life is full of inconveniences"
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-03
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UPDATE JAN 2005: Its been more than a 14 months since my wife bought this for me, and the unit has been "out for service" almost as much as it has been in our house. Our last repair cycle was in October 2004, but we have finally given up!! We have decided to quit the terrible cycle of service and some use and get a different surround sound system. Shame on you, Sony! Buyers - beware and stay away!
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My wife bought this unit for me as a Christmas gift. The shipment arrived about mid-November 2003. She wrapped it and put it in a closet for a month.
After Christmas I set it up and watched a movie. The surround sound was unimpressive. After about 2 movies the unit stopped working (would not play or eject from the CD/DVD trays). I called J&R Music. They disowned responsibility for repair since their obligation ended after 30 days (even though it was purchased as a gift and had been wrapped and sitting in a closet for that month). I called Sony (and I actually thought the automated phone support was terrific and very helpful), and they worked hard to make it right but there was some confusion about getting it serviced locally versus sending it to them, and I ended having to call them back several times. Finally, it turned out that none of the local service providers were authorized to work on THIS model and I ended up having to send the receiver part to Sony (with a $40 shipping cost).
Including transit time both ways, the unit was gone for about 6 weeks. When it came back, I found out that Sony had used some "peel the back off" stickers to attach service paperwork to the brushed metal surface, essentially defacing the unit. I ejected the DVD that had been stuck in the unit, and hooked it back up into my system.
Within an hour or two of use it stopped working again, so I called Sony again (save all the info they give you!). It was a weekend, so they probably had a second tier staff at the help desk, but the lady I spoke with actually wanted me to check speaker connections to troubleshoot an eject-DVD problem. I was not impressed.
The good news: Sony called me back a couple of days later and sent a shipping label to return the unit the second time (important: since it was the same problem), and I was able to repack it into the box they had used when they returned the unit to me just a week or so earlier. I also wrote a letter of complaint to Sony, J&R Music and Amazon.com (neither Amazon or J&R ever responded, although I sent the letters certified-return-receipt and did get the signed USPS return receipt cards back).
About a week later a compleltely NEW DAV-FC7 system arrived from Sony. I was extremely impressed that they decided to replace the unit instead of trying to repair it again. And I was amazed to get a complete system rather than just the receiver piece (which is all I had sent in for servicing).
The bad news is that the surround sound is still not all that great. But we have watched four movies on it now, which is more than we were able to watch with the first unit over nearly four months. I would still call this a terrible experience and an awful investment, even though Sony certainly impressed me in sending a new unit. Still, it was late April before this all got worked out and there were two times when I had to install and then uninstall the new system (and hook up the old DVD player that this unit replaced). Also, I have yet to hear anything from either Amazon or J&R Music. Good luck!
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-30
I am giving up on this system.
The CD changer takes too long to change discs, and the system crashed in one unit in 4 weeks- I exchanged it and it broke again after 2 weeks.
Luckily I paid for an extended warranty that allows immediate exchange as well as replacement for dissatisfaction (Local retailer).
On: 2004-04-25
Do not buy this unit or any complicated electronics from SONY.Had problems from the day I got the unit. It would completely freeze, had to unplug (and keep unplugged for a while) to get it back to normal. Sony wanetd me to pay to ship it for repair. Finally some mgr noticed "Oh, theres a repair shop right down the street from you." Took it in, they couldnt reproduce (Ma and Pa shop). Finally wrote them the steps to reproduce, take it in again. They call me back and say "Sony just changed policy, you have to mail it to them." Call Sony, they make me pay to ship. I explain that it has never worked, Ive brought it in twice on my own, and now... The guy rudely interrupts me "Mr. Vaughn, life is full of inconveniences". Seriously, he told me this. I still dont have a working unit. For fun, before you buy this product call Sony support at 1-800-222-7669 and just see how long it takes you to get all mad. You get an automated voice-recognition system that doesnt work. You literally spend a 1/2 hour saying "No" and "Go Back". Eventually the fake computer person says "OK, you have a Sony TV not under warranty, let me help you with that" (which of course I dont have) and now you are HOSED. Seriously, call it for fun, its a riot, we do it at work. The fake guy says "Hmmm, I didnt quite hear that, can you repeat it?" and "There seems to be something wrong with my computer." What you eventually have to do is just say "BLAHBLAHBLAH" enough where he says "I cant understand you, Im going to hand you off." Their support is horrible and rude. I have lots of electronics with no problems, Im not a whiner - I have just never had a product this bad and then have it serviced so poorly. The unit was purchased through J&R, and they were worse than Sony. Typical "I dont care" NY firm. The first lady said "Weve got them in stock, we can just swap." Then the "I have a New-Jersey accent so thick you cant understand me" lady came on and basically told me "Tough. Call Sony" Seriously dont get this unit. I just bought a new ultra-portable laptop this weekend. Guess which vendor used to be in the running, and got pulled from the list???
On: 2004-04-17
I bought this system for its size and its all-in-one nature. It fits in nicely in my living room and is small enough to fit on my tv stand. The set up was easy except for the rear speaker wire not being long enough. Everything works the way it should right out of the box. CD Sound quality is nice and loud and the DVD looks and sounds great. The good qualities end there. Lets start with the slot loading changer. It takes about 45 to change a cd or dvd, which is ridiculous in my opinion. If you are watching your cable or satellite through the system and you want to put in a dvd or cd to listen to, it changes the function to the dvd player! That wouldnt be so bad if you planned on watching the dvd right then but when you want to load 5 cds to listen to it is horrible. Even worse is that when you push eject to get out your rented dvd to take back to the store, it changes the function then too! Changing between cds in shuffle mode atkes about 30 seconds between each song. You cannot split the audio and video so dont expect to play video games and listen to cds or watch tv with the radio on. The diplay on this unit is so small that you can hardly read it from 5 feet away. Also, I had a cheap dvd player and even it showed the movie title on the display. This player gives you no information about any of the discs inside. So even finding out what discs are in the machine takes another 5 to 6 minutes.
This would be a good single disc system, but as a changer, it sucks. Im returning it to get a tray style system.
On: 2004-04-15
My new Sony DAV-FC7 system is working just fine after I set it up 3 weeks ago. The installation was easy -- it has those new, handy, plug-in speaker wires that have ends like a telephone outlet: just plug the green one into the green socket. Easy! They even give you a reasonable amount of speaker cord, which is generous. The remote is very nice, and easy to use. SACDs sound awesome. This is my first experience and I am impressed. The system even played some home-burnt DVDs that my previous Sanyo player had big-time problems handling. The Sony was a snap. I also enjoy the "sound field" option, where you can scroll through the sound settings youd like: i.e. "concert hall", "2-speaker stereo", "Sony Studio A-B- or C". My only complaint is that the 5 disc player is tricky to use. For instance, when disc 1 is finished, it proceeds to play disc 2. But I dont want it to play disc 2. Then you have to re-shuffle back to disc 1 in order to eject it, and that takes a few minutes. So, my suggestion is that you pre-load your favorite 5 discs and leave it that way. Its not made for easy switching. I wouldnt throw out your old cd player! One more item: I live in a small apartment in the city. This system is perfect for my space. I have a nice entertainment "bubble" in my apartment. The system even has a "night mode" setting so I can watch my movie in surround at night but not freak out the neighbors. I cant comment on how the system would play in a larger space, but for my needs it is perfect.
On: 2004-03-09
Overall the system is nice: it sounds fine for a low end system and the picture quality is fine. But I hate using it as a CD player. It takes forever to switch between disks, about 30 seconds. Loading or ejecting a disk take even longer. There is no way to tell what disks are loaded in the machine, and you cannot change one disk while it is playing another. These seem like minor things, but when you walk in to the room and turn on the stereo to listen to some music they add up to a 5 minute delay before you are actually listening to anything. Bleh. If I had it to do over I would get a system like my older one that just has a big tray instead of the fancy slot loader. I guess the people at Sony put looks ahead of function on this one.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-03-07
Okay, we were so excited to get this new system. We hooked it up to our TV only to find out that the DVDs only play in Black and White with our TV. We were sent a multi system version and unless you have a multisystem TV then DVDs recorded in NTSC format (which is all US DVDs) only play in black and white. We have made repeated attempts to discuss the issue with the Vendor, J & R music and they have not been helpful at all! The Cds sound good but we are so disappointed with the service and DVD quality that we are returning the product and will never buy from this vendor again.
by: chucklesthehammer On: 2004-02-19
You couldnt possibly need more sound than this. "Sound Fields" give the options of "hall", "live" and several Pro Logic DVD surround modes for movies. Tuner, DVD/CD, AMP, a solid woofer with satellite speakers that have a great mid-range, for under 500 bucks. TEN times better than the Bose 5.1 system at a 1/3 the price. And its all-in-one. If your in the market, look no further..I happen to love Techno, and it has never sounded better.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-01-21
This was a rebound system for me as I was burned with my previous one. After an easy set-up, the first thing that hit me was the amazing quality of the picture. I had read some good and bad reviews for this system, but nobody bothers to mention the picture. With component cables and running progressive scan, hooked up to my projection HDTV, the picture is amazing. This is with out a doubt the best DVD player, picture-wise, Ive ever had and Ive had many. Ive read several people complaining about the sound, but it sounds great to me (although I must admit, I am not a hard-core audiophile). Sony has made this as user-friendly as possible and as a result, they sacrificed all but the most basic fine-tuning capabilities. However, it does offer you the choice of several pre-set "sound-fields". You are bound to find one that suits your needs. The remote has buttons devoted to this function so as you are switching from action movies to drama to music CDs, you can easily adjust the sound to match. A minor complaint would be that, while cool, the slot-loading disc loader is a little slow. However, the "coolness" factor and the overall design of the system more than make up for this. Personally, I couldnt be happier. Thank you, Sony.
On: 2004-01-07
My wife and I picked this one out after looking and listening to a lot of comparables. The sound has a fullness and depth that I just didnt hear in any other compact home theater system under $500. Hookup took less time than I expected; however, you will need to purchase additional speaker wire... the supplied wires are just too short. (you do NOT necessarily need to buy Monster cable) The plus side of the sound quality outweighs the negative of a rather slow disc changer/reader. And watching a DVD in Dolby ProLogicII is an excellent experience. The SACD format is also fantastic whether youre listening to Dark Side of the Moon (an absolute must with SACD) or the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra (try Mahlers Resurrection Symphony). Again, its a perfect home theater system for the price.
On: 2004-01-01
i just got thism system dav-fc7. set up was easy but the store didnt tell what other cables i needed. easy to use but i have one problem. i didnt investihgate or was told by the store that thee remote commaner is not universal, so it will only run the system and the tv. i also have a satellite box and a vcr so i have to use 2 remotes. i dont like that and contacting sony by email and phone were horrible if they even answerd my quesstion. i evem purcjased another sony universal remote that is supossed to work any sony component right out of the box. it dint and the original renmote will not let anyotheer remote learn from it. this is a consciprary on sony part and this syystem is going back to the store..final quote dont buy sony their customer service has a lot to be desired.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-11-17
Set up was a breeze; the speaker cables are color coded and it took almost no time to get the system set up to hear a DVD. But, if one has poor eyesight or large fingers, the very small remote will irritate you. I have two SONY electronic items, and both have a larger remote than for this SONY. Setting up the speakers is rather straightforward, although the distances one can select are fixed multiples. One can, however, increase or decrease the decibels to compensate for each speaker. However, in setting up the speakers, the system hits a tone on each speaker in sequence, and if there is a way to stop the sequence, I have not found it.I have a SONY TV (Wega XBR) and could not figure out how to get the TV sound through the new speakers. A teenage boy (neighbor) gave me the clue as how to do so, and changing settings in the TV menu and the correct hook up solved that easily.
Since I have the TV sound through the new speakers, if one is viewing a DVD and then switches to the TV mode (from DVD mode to Tuner mode on the system), it is the same as stopping the DVD so beware (it is not a pause, it is a stop!) The bottom line is that I am very pleased with the sound and the system is very compact. Having an AM/FM radio also built in will allow for diversity in listening to the system. SONY is offering a lot of value for the money. A slightly larger remote would have allowed me to give this five stars.
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