Sony DVD Dream DAV-FC8 - Home theater system
By: Sony Average Rating: 2.5 Total Reviews: 12
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 On: 2008-04-04
Within a year of owning this system we were having disk read errors, getting the common standby message, having intermittant shut down, etc... This thing is SLOW! Slow loading disks, slow playing disks,and ultra slow changing disks. Basically the reciever is a complete piece of overheating junk.
The sound however, is good.....when it works.
This is the worst product/thing I have EVER purchased in my life. I cannot express enough how much I hate having ever bought this thing, OR warn you enough not to make the same WAAAAAAAY overpriced mistake. FYI, Im using a computer surround sound on my TV now because I finally ripped the reciever outa the wall and smashed it.....and the computer surround is just as good for $125.
 On: 2007-11-28
Ive owned this system since June 2004. OK for a basic system, but you can do better, even with home-theater-in-a-box. In many ways, I preferred my old 1997 Pioneer 5x100W receiver & 1999 Pioneer DVD player.
PROS
- very stylish looking
- great sound clarity for this level system
- appreciate the color-coded speaker connections
CONS
- its reasonably loud, but i just dont feel the raw power. my friend has a $2000 Denon system that has the same clarity, but shakes you to the bone! more comparably, i have a 1997 Pioneer system w/ 100W per channel (same as DAV-FC8), but feels more powerful, albeit way less refined.
- occasionally, dvd will start-up with no sound. a power-off/power-on sequence usually fixes this
- surround sound seems weak
- my LR surround speaker has become very staticy. sony doesnt sell a replacement part, so they want $130 to repair.
- Discs take a long time to change/load. Making this worse, the DVD player doesnt resume a disc from where you left off after turning the system off/on.
- You cant save separate Sound Fields for each Function (Video-In, Tuner, DVD, etc.)
- The front speakers are easily toppled by a small child (my 9-month old nephew, in this case)
On: 2007-09-12
Ive owned this Dream System for 3 years, and have had continuous troubles with it. First malfunction was when the units disc eject mechanism broke. Second malfunction was when the unit started to experience startup troubles and would repeatedly cycle through its power-on/power-off sequence. The latest malfunction involves an annoying high-pitched whine emitting from the speakers when the unit is playing in Video 1 or Video 2 mode. Unlike other owners who experienced this problem, I am not willing to open the casing and poke around at the units innards. Im just fed up with this system and would discourage any prospective buyer from considering this unit or any future models branded Sony Dream System.
On: 2005-06-26
This is by far the worst piece of crap I ever purchased. I always loved SONY until now. This DAV-FC8 is far from a dream. It is a nightmare. The sound system actually works fairly well. However, here are the issues I have had, and I do not use the DVD player very often, keep that thought as you read this list:
1. When turning the unit off, after it has been on for a while, I get a message on the unit that reads, "Standby" which blinks for about 30 seconds, then the unit goes off. I checked the troubleshooting section in the manual--which is a joke--and it pointed me to wiring. I checked and checked the wiring which I found was perfect. It isnt a wiring problem.
2. When playing a DVD, every single time I play one, it freezes up, and I lose remote control of DVD features only. I can adjust everything else on it, but DVD controls, go figure.
3. I have come to the conclusion it is a weak component in the unit, due to a cheap part which overheats. SONY will never admit it, but they screwed up in their design and there is no way to fix this problem.
Why did I get to this point on heat and a particular component? Because I have 35 years experience in electronics. I have soldered parts into units. This is a design flaw that will never be solved.
DO NOT BUY the NIGHTMARE machine.
I noticed in another review that a person recommended buying separate components. I totally agree with this recommendation. Why? Because if you have a problem with one component, you do not have to replace everything or even get it repaired. You have a better investment if you buy separate components. Spend the extra money up front, it is definitely worth it.
 On: 2004-08-26
Excellent component, plays anything you throw at it, and it does it supperbly.
Thanks Sony !!
On: 2004-08-25
Excellent component, plays anything you throw at it, and it does it supperbly.
Thanks Sony !!
 On: 2004-07-06
I purchased a different sony about 5 months ago as an open box item from circuit city. (Ill get to this one in a minute) When we got it home it accepted a CD then decided not to give it back. Then it refused more cds. When you would turn the unit on the elevator would go up and down relentlessly and refuse to stop. Argh, we took it in to send for repair (we bought the extended warranty). 6 weeks later we find out it has to be sent to Sony. 3 weeks later, sony says it has physical damage. When it is returned it has NEW damage. Somewhere in shipping it was damaged and due to that they refused to fix it! Circuit City made good (they note any physical damage prior to shipping and there had been none) and replaced it with this DAV-FC8. For a couple of months it had worked GREAT. We forgot about the old one until this last week when I tried to put a DVD in and it loudly rejected it. Then the elevator did the up and down thing. Argh, again. Well, hopefully they dont damage it in shipping again and it will be fixed this time. Well, This is too much of a coincidence for us. Were officially unimpressed with the Sony Dream Systems. Dont get me wrong, we love Sony, we should own stock with how much we own of theirs just to get some money back out of our investments. The only thing left in our house that isnt Sony is our televisions. Even our alarm clock is a Sony. We were so sure of Sony products that our last Camcorder, we opted to not purchase the warranty from Best Buy. No trouble and we dont expect any. The Dream systems seem to have that cornered.
On: 2004-06-13
I LOVE SONY PRODUCTS... HOWEVER, THIS IS THE WORST. I HAVE HAD MY SYSTEM FOR LESS THAN 3 MONTHS... AND HAVE HAD TO SEND MY SYSTEM BACK TO SONY 2 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SYSTEM HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN AND OFTEN WILL NOT ACCEPT A DVD OR CD. IF IT DOES ACCEPT, IT MAY NOT EJECT IT! THE MOTOR IN THE CAROSEL CHANGER IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. THE ODD THING IS THAT I ONLY USE THE SYSTEM MAYBE TWICE A WEEK. ITS NOT DISPLAYED IN AN AWKWARD LOCATION. JUST THE WORST -- IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. IF YOU ARE GOING TO PURCHASE THIS SYSTEM, THINK TWICE... UNLESS YOU DONT MIND FOOTING THE SHIPPING BILL MONTH AFTER MONTH, AND IF YOU DONT MIND BEING WITHOUT YOUR SYSTEM MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-26
I just bought this thing from Amazon and all I can say is WOW!!!! This is probably the best purchase I have ever made. This thing is everything I ever expected and more!! Its very easy to use as well! I have bought other brands before, and this one just blows everything else out of the water! I have to say, everyone out there who is thinking of buying this, stop thinking. I bought it and I am extremely happy with it the moment I powered this thing on. YOU ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS PURCHASE! I GUARANTEE IT!!!
 On: 2004-03-28
ordered on amazon.com, for way less than anywhere else i could find it. Same price at local "Best Buy" as the model below, the FC7.for me, im not an expert, the sound is great, i had a bose system before this and it sounds way better that that. Installed easily but 3 minor grumbles.
1. The surround sounds cables are not long enough had to go buy some more.
2. Doesnt come with Wall mounts for the Surround sound, Why ?! Seems like most people have surround speakers in the ceiling or on the wall.
3. Cant connect my Dish Receiver video out through the same video out as the DVD, So i have to switch both the TV and the Receiver. No idea why, just wil live with it. Anyway i like sony products am now looking for a plasma screen to go with it!
Happy listening
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: 2004-02-18
I had the DAV-C770 and had numerous problems with it but this model so far is excellent. The bass enhancement feature really adds that extra kick..makes you really feel the movie. It is a major upgrade from the last model where movies sounded thin and bass was embarrasing. I have a fairly large room and turning the volume pass 10 might send my neighbors running. The progressive scan makes the picture look breathtaking when connected to a HDTV. Definitly would recommend if you like the Home Theater in a Box.
On: 2003-12-23
For the folks who plan to use this equipment to play CDs==forget it. Receiver does not have tone control--bass, treble) and as a result of this vital feature, all music is flat, dull, colorless,
lifeless. Big mistake on my part for not checking tone control feature before purchasing. Urge all to stay away from theatre-on-a-box if you plan to use and enjoy as a CD player. Strongly recommend you purchase components individually using an A/V receiver. Passing this Sony crap setup to a relative and starting from scratch with A/V receiver, dvd player, and speakers.
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