Panasonic DVD-F87S 5 Disc Progressive Scan DVD Player, Silver
By: Panasonic Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 56
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 On: 2008-01-20
I bought this to replace a cranky old Sony which refused to play DVD+R and had a hard time with mass copied DVDs. The Panasonic does okay with home burned DVDs, but chokes on marginal quality commercial DVDs. The showstopper: A lot of the time, I watch part of a DVD, then turn the unit off and return to finish later. This unit will not automatically remember where you were in the disc - you have to press a cleverly hidden button on the remote - and its a button which no universal remote I have can duplicate. So the drill is to put down the universal remote, find the Panasonic remote, find the magic key, press it, then use the universal remote to power off the DVD/TV/audio system. If you dont hit the magic button, the DVD will play from the beginning. Pain in the butt.
 On: 2007-11-05
Great Product and the 6-channel audio is still the best for reproducing theater-like surround sound while still hearing dialogue at a normal level.
 On: 2007-09-28
Great 5-deck DVD player! Needs additional equipment for surround sound, but otherwise a good solid machine! If it holds up anything like my last Panasonic, I know Ill love it!
Im not sure if Ill need a splitter when all the new digital stuff comes out, but thus far, I love my machine! :)
On: 2007-05-25
I have owned this unit for nearly three years, and have no complaints. The price is very low for such a well equipped player (you can even adjust brightness, contrast, etc, just as you would on your TV), the motor is fairly quiet, the zoom is INFINITELY adjustable (just select MANUAL zoom rather than automatic and you can move back and forth in tiny increments), setup is easy (once you become accustomed to the fact that the primary menu buttons are called DISPLAY and GROUP), DVD-Rs are supported, and all the outputs are in place for DVD-Audio discs and optional subwoofer. You can also enhance dialogue and the video signal on low quality recordings.
I dont know what more one could expect at this price.
On: 2007-04-03
The unit is easy to learn how to use, it works well. It is nice to put in 5 DVDs and let it play. We do not watch TV, since we do not like 50% of our time being spent with someone trying to sell us something. So we can load a full days worth of movies and play them at the rate we chose.
On: 2007-03-09
I purchased this 5 disk changer when my old one went out. This one by far exceeds expectations.It will save your place on each disk. You can go back to any of them at any time. I would highly recommend this to serious movie watchers.
On: 2007-03-08
This is a great dvd/cd player. We where looking for one with a disc changer so we could play worship cds continously and also play dvds. So far this is working great! Great price for a great product.
On: 2007-02-22
Giving 4 stars based strictly on performance. Sounds great and great video. A lot of player for the money. In fact Ill never get around to using all of its capabilities. Having said that, I would say it is cumbersome to use. Manual not very good. Very slow to read and recognize disks. When playing random, player has to initialize every disk which slows things down. Hard to get all disks out of player since skip disk button rotates back and forth rather than in one direction. Have it plugged into outlet on receiver so that it turns off when receiver is off. But it doesnt turn on when receiver comes on. Requires it to be switched on separately. Not a big deal. Just an inconvenience.
On: 2007-02-08
Finding a DVD/CD changer is getting difficult. It used to be that most electronics companies offered a couple of models each. Now, many like Pioneer, Samsung and Philips dont make them anymore. The companies that do,like Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon and Sony only offer one model. The only one Pioneer has is this one, and they dont make it anymore (but there are still plenty in inventory to buy).
What is popular now are VCR/DVD combinations, DVD recorders and single DVD players with upconversion to 1080p.
In reality, why would anyone need a DVD changer. It is not like anyone would pop in 5 movies, flop on the couch and watch continuously for 10 hours. You cannot easily jump from DVD to DVD. You have to wait for the menu to come up and then you have to select what you want to play. You cannot even put in a bunch of concert videos and just let them play. With DVDs, you always have to interact with them.
Where a changer is effective is with CDs. You can drop in 5 CDs, press play and walk away. And then you can have over 6 of music with no further interaction.
The only reason to get a DVD/CD changer is to have the changer for the CDs, and then to have the DVD player so you dont have to buy two separate units.
I researched all the DVD/CD changers available and bought this one for the following reasons:
-It was the cheapest (even before going on clearance pricing).
-It has an HDCD decoder for better sound out of HDCD discs. HDCD stands for high definition CD and it is a CD recorded with a higher resolution. You can play them in a standard CD player and they sound better than most CDs but they sound even better with an HDCD player. There are many CDs with HDCD, including Roger Waters and almost everything from the Grateful Dead.
-It plays CDRs and CD-RWs (almost all DVD players do).
-It advertises that it plays DVD-R, but I have seen reports that it will play all DVD recordable formaats, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and maybe even the recordable dual layer discs.
-It can play all CDs in a random mode. The Sony (and some other units) can only play one disc at a time in random mode. That defeats one of the most important reasons for having a DVD/CD changers.
NOTES ABOUT THIS UNIT:
-It has an SPIF (coaxial digital) output but not a optical output. This wasnt a problem for me. Most receivers will take either.
-It has a component output but not HDMI. Older high definition TVs like mine dont have HDMI inputs.
-It has Dolby and DTS decoders and five channel output. I dont know who would want that. I dont know of many surround sound systems that dont also have the decoders.
-It will play DVD-Audio discs. There is a note about only playing them in stereo. But, I think that is only if you use the 5 channel output. If you use the digital output, it might play DVD-Audio in surround sound, but I dont know for sure.
-It does not play Super Audio CDs. I dont think that DVD-Audio or SACD are going to last. You cant get many discs in either format.
-Like most DVD/CD changers, there is a DVD mode and a CD mode. When in DVD mode, you can play CDs but you have to play them individually. In CD mode, the DVDs will not play at all. But, in CD mode, the player now acts like CD changer and will play one CD after another or can play all CDs in a random mode.
DOWNSIDES:
-The remote control sensor is on the far right of the unit. It gets blocked by the door frame of my stereo cabinet.
-Default is DVD mode everytime you turn the system on. It takes about a minute before you can put in CD mode. If you put the system in CD mode while a CD is playing, it starts the CD over.
-There are not very many controls on the unit. To program it or switch it to random play, you have to use the remote. And you have to turn on the TV so you can see what you are doing.
-The little numbers that identify the disc positions on the carousel are almost impossible to see.
On: 2007-02-07
Finding a DVD/CD changer is getting difficult. It used to be that most electronics companies offered a couple of models each. Now, many like Pioneer, Samsung and Philips dont make them anymore. The companies that do,like Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon and Sony only offer one model. The only one Pioneer has is this one, and they dont make it anymore (but there are still plenty in inventory to buy).
What is popular now are VCR/DVD combinations, DVD recorders and single DVD players with upconversion to 1080p.
In reality, why would anyone need a DVD changer. It is not like anyone would pop in 5 movies, flop on the couch and watch continuously for 10 hours. You cannot easily jump from DVD to DVD. You have to wait for the menu to come up and then you have to select what you want to play. You cannot even put in a bunch of concert videos and just let them play. With DVDs, you always have to interact with them.
Where a changer is effective is with CDs. You can drop in 5 CDs, press play and walk away. And then you can have over 6 of music with no further interaction.
The only reason to get a DVD/CD changer is to have the changer for the CDs, and then to have the DVD player so you dont have to buy two separate units.
I researched all the DVD/CD changers available and bought this one for the following reasons:
-It was the cheapest (even before going on clearance pricing).
-It has an HDCD decoder for better sound out of HDCD discs. HDCD stands for high definition CD and it is a CD recorded with a higher resolution. You can play them in a standard CD player and they sound better than most CDs but they sound even better with an HDCD player. There are many CDs with HDCD, including Roger Waters and almost everything from the Grateful Dead.
-It plays CDRs and CD-RWs (almost all DVD players do).
-It advertises that it plays DVD-R, but I have seen reports that it will play all DVD recordable formaats, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and maybe even the recordable dual layer discs.
-It can play all CDs in a random mode. The Sony (and some other units) can only play one disc at a time in random mode. That defeats one of the most important reasons for having a DVD/CD changers.
NOTES ABOUT THIS UNIT:
-It has an SPIF (coaxial digital) output but not a optical output. This wasnt a problem for me. Most receivers will take either.
-It has a component output but not HDMI. Older high definition TVs like mine dont have HDMI inputs.
-It has Dolby and DTS decoders and five channel output. I dont know who would want that. I dont know of many surround sound systems that dont also have the decoders.
-It will play DVD-Audio discs. There is a note about only playing them in stereo. But, I think that is only if you use the 5 channel output. If you use the digital output, it might play DVD-Audio in surround sound, but I dont know for sure.
-It does not play Super Audio CDs. I dont think that DVD-Audio or SACD are going to last. You cant get many discs in either format.
-Like most DVD/CD changers, there is a DVD mode and a CD mode. When in DVD mode, you can play CDs but you have to play them individually. In CD mode, the DVDs will not play at all. But, in CD mode, the player now acts like CD changer and will play one CD after another or can play all CDs in a random mode.
DOWNSIDES:
-The remote control sensor is on the far right of the unit. It gets blocked by the door frame of my stereo cabinet.
-Default is DVD mode everytime you turn the system on. It takes about a minute before you can put in CD mode. If you put the system in CD mode while a CD is playing, it starts the CD over.
-There are not very many controls on the unit. To program it or switch it to random play, you have to use the remote. And you have to turn on the TV so you can see what you are doing.
-The little numbers that identify the disc positions on the carousel are almost impossible to see.
On: 2007-02-06
Ive found this piece of equipment to be one of the best that I have bought in years. Its controller is easy to use, the face controls on the unit are also simple but complete for use without the remote.
On: 2007-01-10
Just a simple review. The wife wanted a multidisc DVD player for the bedroom, this was one of the few that I had found with good branding, good price. Works well, easy to use and setup. Wasnt really interested in the HD compatibility, just basic 25" TV in bedroom!
 On: 2006-11-06
I purchased this particular model from Panasonic because it was recommended as a Consumer Reports Best Buy. So far the player has done well, but I have a few complaints. The biggest annoyance is that the direct disc play buttons are located underneath the disc tray. Therefore, when you have the tray open, you cannot press one of the five direct play buttons to begin a particular disc unless you bend way over or find it by touch. Very annoying. I also do not like the fact that the display does not show the disc time and chapter numbers together. You can toggle between the two with the remote but not see them at the same time. I am also unhappy that the player has a coaxial digital out instead of an optical digital out. I missed this feature when I purchased it so I have only myself to blame, but I would much rather have the optical out. All in all, it is a good player, but it will become my secondary player for the rec room and not the player for my main system.
 On: 2006-10-22
Not sure if I just got a lemon or what but would never purchase this player again. It worked right most of the time, but found that at times it would confuse the change disc button with the eject button. I would have to turn the unit on and off to get it to "reset" and work correctly. Its now about 9 months later and the unit decided it was time to stop working.
Bought it because it was cheap and I guess I got what I paid for. Fork out the extra cash and purchase another brand.
by: Anonymous On: 2006-09-22
This DVD/CD/VCD changer is THE MOST expensive one we have ever had. But it is by far my least favorite. Stopped working after 2 months of ownership. We played a DVD then puff, that was the last one. Laser skating protector is also weak. The disc still skates. The player also had trouble playing burnt DVDs. What a piece of ####. please dont waste money.
On: 2006-08-16
I researched what was the best 5 disc changer and this has all the needed features. Continues to get high marks from various consumer groups. Sometimes I have trouble with the automatic play the next dics but I think that is due to a setting I have incorrect. This is the second one I have purchased. First one the power switch is bad we think and it was less money to purchase new than fix. Will probably fix first on the cheap and give to a friend. Then if second one does same thing we know how to fix it.
Overall a great player
On: 2006-05-17
I received this unit via my home insurance after my RCA 5-disc changer was stolen.
The unit itself is solidly built, and I dont have any issues with the playback performance or picture quality. I think if you get this unit, youll be pretty happy with it.
What stinks is the documentation, remote, and setup.
The manual is your typical poorly-translated engrish guide that most people have come to expect from inexpensive electronics. Fortunately, if youve had any experience setting up a DVD player, theres not much different here.
Unless you want progressive scan.
Heres what you have to do if you want to use progressive scan mode:
1. Connect both the component cables AND an S-Video (or composite) cable to your TV. Hopefully it has both inputs (most HDTVs do).
2. Put your TV on the S-Video (or composite) input.
3. Enter the Setup menu (not to be confused with the Options menu!) and choose Progressive output.
4. Now you can unhook the S-Video (or composite) cable and put your TV on Component input mode.
Thankfully this is a one-time hassle, but its still assinine that Panasonic couldnt have either designed an autodetect or used a physical switch like my old RCA had. With the RCA, I just hooked up the component cables, flipped the switch, and set up the DVD player for 16:9 aspect ratio and I was done.
Lastly, the dreaded H07 error. I think I figured out whats probably causing the majority of them: when you eject the tray, the currently playing CD/DVD is still on the motor and continues to play. A neat feature for swapping the other discs without interrupting your music, but the upshot is that the ejected tray has an empty slot in it.
Can you guess what happens if you accidently put another CD/DVD into the seemingly empty slot by mistake?
To avoid this, instead of using the Eject function, use the Swap function. This will stop the playback and make sure all the discs are out of the drive and avoid damage.
Overall, a great player for the price. Just be careful with it and bear with the tricky setup!
On: 2006-04-02
After reading some of the previous reviews, I wanted to state that this player definitely plays back multichannel DVD-Audio discs. If youre only hearing sound out of 2 speakers, then there must be a setting you need to change in the setup menu.
Also, Ive burned many DVD-Rs on various DVD burners (not Panasonic branded) and theyve all played back flawlessly on this Panasonic DVD-F87S player.
Havent had any problems with this player and Ive owned it for 18 months now.
On: 2006-03-30
It didnt work properly from the time it came out of the box. The carousel wouldnt make a complete rotation, so CDs and DVDs would get trapped inside the unit. And occasionally, it would simply refuse to play a DVD altogether. Panasonic has directed us to a local repair shop, so maybe they can get it to function as it should. If you do purchase one, please read the warranty carefully; a defective unit will either have to be repaired or replaced with a refurbished one. Panasonic informed me that they do not replace malfunctioning units with new ones, under any circumstances.
On: 2006-03-16
I love this DVD player. A huge step up from my old one, which was not a progressive scan. I didnt have too difficult of a time getting used to the controller, which is always a pain when you get a new system. And the on-screen features are fun. I like the ability to adjust the position of the subtitles. I watch movies a lot with them on and its just nice to have some more freedom with that.
Overall, this DVD player isnt the absolute "Best" DVD player out there, but if youre looking for a high quality player for a low budget price, this is definitely the perfect item.
On: 2006-03-15
Excellent quality for its intended use. The price was unbelieveably low,. You cant beat either.
On: 2006-03-10
This DVD player is a great, mid-range player that encompasses a wide variety of disc formats. One of the best features is that it can store the exact position of playback for 5 discs so that if you stop watching one movie and move on to another, you can go back the next day and pick right up where you left off.
I have tried playing DVDs, DVD+R and CD-R (with JPG images) and all have worked successfully.
On: 2006-02-17
After having every Sony Product under $1500 I buy fail and die, so quickly after their warranty is up, Ive tossed my hands in the air, and bough this panasonic today.
I was looking for a Yamaha.
Anything, to get away from SONY!
RRRRR!
Literally, over ten grand, down the drain!
Well, this Panasonic connected, and worked immediately, and seemed to have an instantly better picture than the Sony it replaced (whose original japanese remote batteries are still alive and well). Well see.
Im seeing all these other complaint about Panasonic motor faults.
I dont care.
It CANNOT be worse than the SONY motor FAULTS!
IT CANNOT POSSIBLY!
Ill report back, if, theres anything to report......
pete
On: 2006-01-20
Panasonic could have done better. I purchased the F87 to replace the F85 a similar product. The F87 was sent back and replaced with a Sony five disc DVD player.
Come on Panasonic lets keep up with the competition.
On: 2006-01-11
The machine is well above average in terms of being an excellent progressive scan player. However, I received a slap in the face when I realized that my dream DVD-Audio player of over a year infact does not support DVD-A multichannel. This is mentioned only once in the manual as a miniscule note. I had been racking my brain trying to figure out why I could easily play DVD-A stereo, but not multichannel. I connected the unit via the "5.1" analog outs, which I now assume to be short for Dolby 5.1 only. If you own one of these, take some solace in knowing that your DVD-A multichannel discs are probably not poorly authored.
On: 2005-12-10
I am certainly pleased with the performance of this product. Its now 1 year in operation and has never failed me, its easy to use and very manageable. The switch from CD mode to DVD mode is easy like squezy. I give this product 5 stars.
On: 2005-11-21
An earlier reviewer stated that this unit would only play DVD-R discs that were recorded on Panasonic devices. My experience is that nothing could be further from the truth. Ive had my unit for over a year and it plays everything. I record DVD-R on a Sony unit and this Panasonic always plays them. Ive also bought numerous DVD-R recordings on EBAY and, once again, this Panasonic never fails. I couldnt be happier with this DVD changer.
On: 2005-10-22
I have bought this unit through Panasonic web site for $107 Dec. 1, 2004 for my son as Christmas gift. He didnt use it until Jan 2005. Its DOA (dead on arrival). I call Panasonic help line to get a replacement. ButI was told it has passed 30 days and I have to send to local dealer to repair. The local dealer charges Panosonic $120 to get part replaced. It works couple months. Now the disk tray wont open. Once it opens, it wont close. And the tray keeps spinning. I think I will get Sony DVD player from local store. At least its easy to replace the unit if anyting goes wrong.
On: 2005-10-21
I have bought this unit through Panasonic web site for $107 Dec. 1, 2004 for my son as Christmas gift. He didnt use it until Jan 2005. Its DOA (dead on arrival). I call Panasonic help line to get a replacement. ButI was told it has passed 30 days and I have to send to local dealer to repair. The local dealer charges Panosonic $120 to get part replaced. It works couple months. Now the disk tray wont open. Once it opens, it wont close. And the tray keeps spinning. I think I will get Sony DVD player from local store. At least its easy to replace the unit if anyting goes wrong.
On: 2005-10-12
I am just another sufferer of the Panasonic H07 error. Unless you want to spend your cash on a player that is likely to die in a year, avoid Panasonic - especially the changers.
Google "Panasonic H07 error" and you will know what I mean.
On: 2005-10-11
I am just another sufferer of the Panasonic H07 error. Unless you want to spend your cash on a player that is likely to die in a year, avoid Panasonic - especially the changers.
Google "Panasonic H07 error" and you will know what I mean.
On: 2005-10-09
within a week of using this piece of shiznit, the dvd door opened and then jammed and wouldnt close. Pick a different product. this one sucks.
On: 2005-09-26
Ive had this for 3 months now and the HD picture output is great, almost as good as a HD broadcast. The sound quality is fine which is no surprise since its digital. My favorite thing about it is the 2x fast forward WITH sound. It adjusts the pitch so they dont sound like chipmunks too. Not sure about the CD features. Havent figured out how to make it play from one DVD straight to the next either. If you just want good image quality though you have no reason to look elsewhere.
5/9/06 Update: The sound during the 2x fast forward is chopped up a bit and is not nearly as clean as it is on a computer using the latest WinDVD. Speech is very hard to understand. Continuous playback from one DVD to the next is not possible. This only works with CDs. Digital and analog audio will output simultaneously, which is very useful for multiroom setups.
On: 2005-09-24
I looked long and hard for a player with these features. After some false starts in purchasing, I finally received the player and found it totally lives up to its billing. The only annoying feature is lack of auto play after you hit the disk number button, very minor. The video looks great (I dont have an HDTV so cant really judge), the audio sounds great, and it plays all the formats I want.
On: 2005-09-17
Its a five-disc changer, and its main advantage is that I dont have to get up from the couch to change DVDs all the time. On the other hand, I have to plan what 5 movies to watch next. I have found the best usage to be to load the player with such as all three DVDs of the Lord of the Rings, or a multi-DVD series.
The indexing system is poor. At the push of a button, a display appears with 5 entries saying "Unread." After selecting each entry in turn, the DVDs are recognized by the system and the display changes to "DVD-1", "DVD-2", etc. The player doesnt pick up the titles or any other identifiers from the discs, so its up to you to remember what you have loaded and the order of the DVDs, 1 through 5. Thats a pain.
Another irritating maldesign is that you have to explicitly press a memory button in order to save your place in a movie. Then when you turn the unit back on it can take you back to the last save point, but in doing so it clears the save point, so if you turn the unit off and on again without pressing the memory button again you have lost the save point.
Would I recommend this unit? It depends. In my case, I have a hard time bending down. So now I have to bend low only a fifth as much as before. Otherwise, I wouldnt look at this unit twice. Its inexpensive, and rightfully so.
On: 2005-09-02
I got this dvd player two months ago and it is really amazing, beautiful picture I highly recommend.
On: 2005-08-10
I bought this unit approximately 18 months ago. We experienced no problems while heavily using this DVD player. The quality of both sound and picture has been very good - the player is connected to a regular CRT TV. The unit has been able to recognize disks that were recorded in different formats: Region 1 DVDs, music CDs, picture CDs, video CDs and even most of Region free DVDs. It is very easy to use and set up. Overall, we have been happy with it.
On: 2005-04-16
The good news; the sound is surprisingly good, and far better than even expensive players from very few years back. Its darn cheap. It plays many types of discs. There are many useful features, including the dialog enhancer, a setting that lets you "recover" information lost in the digitization process (not sure I got that right, but thats what the manual seems to say), and a 5 disc changer. The bad news; it has the single most frustrating, counter-intuitive, and simply poor user interface of any CD/DVD player Ive ever seen. I spend more time swearing at this player than I do in the rest of my day put together. It has many settings, which it forgets when you turn it off! Very often, it simply locks out options for no apparent reason; I cant get from one setting to the next, and I fail to see the logic. I could go on, but only buy this (or any more modern descendent from Panasonic) if you place $$ far, far above ease of use and overall satisfaction. I would only recommend this to a complete and utter masochist; I leave mine on 24x7 and avoid switching settings, just so I dont have to drive my self crazy dealing with the poor design. But the sound is, as I said, quite good. And it was cheap! But I certainly would not recommend it for most (any?) people. I intend to give mine to charity and buy something else when I find a newer machine (from someone other than this brand) that I like more. But it will tide me over until then, so it was probably worth what little it cost in $.
On: 2005-03-20
This player has good sound and picture. It is comvinient to combine the cd & dvd players to save room. However like another reviewer said the manual sucks. I have had this 2 months and I still havent figured out how to shuffle and program cds. The manual says you can. But it doesnt say how!
It also doesnt have a counter like every other cd and dvd player I have had. So for these 2 reasons I can only give it a 3 star rating.
On: 2005-02-10
Nice unit but it will only play DVD-R if they are recorded using a Panasonic DVD recorder or a camcorder. The description is a little misleading. But other then that nice picture and sound.
On: 2005-01-27
This DVD player worked just fine for around 9 months and now something has gone wrong with the processor- I no longer get any output to the subwoofer channel from either the Digital Coax or the analogue multichannel outputs. I am also starting to notice that the surround channels cut out frequently. Too bad that the warranty only lasted for 3 months...
On: 2005-01-27
This was so simple to plug in. I did it in about 3 mintues, and Im a woman with not that much expierence with electronics. The sound, and picture quality is super nice. I love that it lets you know what discs are empty and have a disc in them. Its super quiet. This was by far the best price I had found too. All the other places such as Target, and Best Buy sold it for another 30 bucks or more. This is a great buy for your money on a multi-disc DVD/CD player! I highly recommend it.
On: 2005-01-18
Ive been using an F87S since last spring for multi-disc DVD sets. It works great with everything that Ive played, and it handles JPG CDs better than my more expensive single disc player. I just dont see any difference between its video output and other higher-priced players Ive owned.
The only thing missing is a TOSlink/Optical audio output, which is pretty standard these days. It has the Coaxial digital output, but that forced me to reconfigure my system as my receiver only had one Coaxial input that would work with a DVD player.
On: 2004-12-24
Reviews trashing this item appear to be the work of a few diehards that got burned at some point. This is a good machine that has so many bells and whistles they cant be listed here. Poor manual given the "bells etc" but you can get there.
I got mine for CD play primarily. DVD is a freebie in my mind. I used the $30 discount for signing up for a Amazon credit card. A no-brainer at $80. total!
Panasonic is a good brand, other reviewers (Consumers Reports for one) give it good marks. And, yes, it does play DVD+R discs although not listed on the box.
Made in Singapore vs. China so, hopefully, it wont be a 6 month throwaway.
On: 2004-12-14
Like another reviewer, I had a Panasonic 5 disk DVD player but that one lasted 5 years. Based on that experience, I purchased this one. Unlike my previous model, this ones metal screw that holds/spins the turn table is raised above the height of the 5 DVD slots. If one of the DVDs pops out it will be ruined by that screw head...as what happened to a disk that is no longer sold. It is experiences like this that will prevent me from buying from a particular manufacturer like Panasonic again.
On: 2004-12-13
Like another reviewer, I had a Panasonic 5 disk DVD player but that one lasted 5 years. Based on that experience, I purchased this one. Unlike my previous model, this ones metal screw that holds/spins the turn table is raised above the height of the 5 DVD slots. If one of the DVDs pops out it will be ruined by that screw head...as what happened to a disk that is no longer sold. It is experiences like this that will prevent me from buying from a particular manufacturer like Panasonic again.
On: 2004-12-08
This is the first time I have been unhappy with a Panasonic
product. It looks good, had nice features, decent remote, but
the picture quality is poor.
This unit displays distinct bands of color when it should display smooth gradations of color.
For example, a headlight on a foggy night displays as concentric bands around the headlight, instead of displaying all the shades of brightness between light and dark.
Panasonic tech support told my local repair shop that this is not a bug or defect. Rather, Panasonic uses fewer bits in its color circuits than most other DVD players. It is like reducing the number of colors on your PC screen settings.
I own 6 DVD players, including a
real cheapo model, and none of them dislay this banding.
I own Pana DVD TV combo which I love. I dont know why Panasonic
chose to build newer models with reduced bits, but the picture
is unacceptable on those scenes.
Most of the time the picture is OK. But when there is a scene with a sky, or a lamp in a dark room, I just want to throw
this unit in the basement and buy something that works.
On: 2004-11-29
First of all, Id like to address other users comments about Panasonics motors burning out and about the freezing up problems. This is my third DVD player Ive owned from Panasonic and the first two are still running like a champ, including the DMR-E55S recorder. The DVD-F85 (actually the model that this model replaced) works great and never had a problem playing discs. I have been always pleased by Panasonic products, if not for performance, then always for quality and durability.
Now for this model. It is an improvement over the last one. I like the fact that you can play a WIDE range of formats in this machine like DVD-RAM discs and DVD-Audio discs. I have an older receiver with 5.1 discrete inputs (no Dolby Digital decoder built-in). Thats why I bought this model, because it had the decoder built in. The picture is stunning and the sound is excellent, as should every DVD player today. The setup is still a little complicated than I think it should be, but I was able to do it fairly easily. The manual is a bit poorly laid out, but everything you need to know is in there.
At this price, there is no argument that this is a great buy. And top-rated by Consumer Reports doesnt hurt your chances either. Get it.
On: 2004-11-26
I have got this player and I have started getting H07 errors too as mentioned by others in their reviews. I thought I needed to clean the lens or something. But researching this problem on google basically tells me that this player is no more than a paper weight for me now. Buy this only if you want to invest in a dvd player every year (which may not be such a bad idea given that the prices are droping at an alarming rate)
On: 2004-11-13
Over the past few years Panasonic has been selling DVD players with motors that burn out after about 1 year. My player was an S35 and it lasted nine months. Panasonic has done nothing to address this situation. If you really want the Panasonic, scour the Web before you buy to make sure that there arent a lot of complaints out there. Then cross you fingers.
by: t_janson On: 2004-11-12
My wife wanted to know why I wanted to buy a new DVD player when the one we had was only 6 months old. Simple...5 disc capability. Im a DVD nerd. I love muti-disc, collectors, special, deluxe edition sets. What I dont like is having to get up and change discs all the time.
The panasonic F87S answers my prayers with this 5 disc capability player. Its a tough, durable machine that can handle the needs of someone like myself who always has 4 discs in the player, rotating around depending on what I want to watch.
Outstanding picture and sound and excellent features make this one a great buy for multiple disc DVD players. The manual is consice and easy to read but any DVD aficiando will know how to use it anyway.
Only minor complaint is the design of the remote control with its bulky, rear weight balance.
On: 2004-11-12
Over the past few years Panasonic has been selling DVD players with motors that burn out after about 1 year. My player was an S35 and it lasted nine months. Panasonic has done nothing to address this situation. If you really want the Panasonic, scour the Web before you buy to make sure that there arent a lot of complaints out there. Then cross you fingers.
On: 2004-11-11
My wife wanted to know why I wanted to buy a new DVD player when the one we had was only 6 months old. Simple...5 disc capability. Im a DVD nerd. I love muti-disc, collectors, special, deluxe edition sets. What I dont like is having to get up and change discs all the time.
The panasonic F87S answers my prayers with this 5 disc capability player. Its a tough, durable machine that can handle the needs of someone like myself who always has 4 discs in the player, rotating around depending on what I want to watch.
Outstanding picture and sound and excellent features make this one a great buy for multiple disc DVD players. The manual is consice and easy to read but any DVD aficiando will know how to use it anyway.
Only minor complaint is the design of the remote control with its bulky, rear weight balance.
On: 2004-11-01
I have owned numerous Panasonic electronics items over the past 30 years. This includes radios, phones, 3 VHS players, a VHS camcorder, boombox, TV, answering machine, and Mini-DV camcorder. I also own a 5-disc Panasonic DVD player, which is a inoperable piece of metal and plastic occupying my entertainment system shelf.
Soon after the warranty expires(if not before), your Panasonic DVD player is LIKELY to develop a malfunction which is displayed on the DVD as an "H07" error. This code is well known to owners of Panasonic DVD players. It is a signal that the spindle motor has failed, or is failing, not turning the DVDs enough to be "read" by the laser.
PLEASE research well on Google, Metacrawler, or your Internet engine of choice on the dreaded Panasonic "H07" code. I HIGHLY recommend against buying a Panasonic DVD player until the company acknowledges and corrects their manufacturing error in these machines. Even if your machine is still under warranty, you will need to ship it to Panasonic at your cost, and if it is past the first 90 days of ownership, you will pay $90.00 per hour for repairs.
This DVD player is NOT recommended.
On: 2004-10-31
I have owned numerous Panasonic electronics items over the past 30 years. This includes radios, phones, 3 VHS players, a VHS camcorder, boombox, TV, answering machine, and Mini-DV camcorder. I also own a 5-disc Panasonic DVD player, which is a inoperable piece of metal and plastic occupying my entertainment system shelf.
Soon after the warranty expires(if not before), your Panasonic DVD player is LIKELY to develop a malfunction which is displayed on the DVD as an "H07" error. This code is well known to owners of Panasonic DVD players. It is a signal that the spindle motor has failed, or is failing, not turning the DVDs enough to be "read" by the laser.
PLEASE research well on Google, Metacrawler, or your Internet engine of choice on the dreaded Panasonic "H07" code. I HIGHLY recommend against buying a Panasonic DVD player until the company acknowledges and corrects their manufacturing error in these machines. Even if your machine is still under warranty, you will need to ship it to Panasonic at your cost, and if it is past the first 90 days of ownership, you will pay $90.00 per hour for repairs.
This DVD player is NOT recommended.
On: 2004-10-21
I have had this player for over two weeks now and it has performed quite well. This is an excellent player for the price. It played some damaged DVDs better than other players I had tried.
I am giving this 4 stars due to the quality of the manual. The manual is too terse and not really well laid out.
I was also little disappointed that the player is able to show the MP3 files located on a DVD+R but cant play them.
On: 2004-10-06
I purchased the Panasonic DVD-F87 player in part because the literature said it played MP3 files. Unfortunately, the player inserted an audible blip between many of the MP3 songs, so I returned it and got the Panasonic S47 model. It had the same problem. MP3 discs that played fine on several computer drives, a Sony DVD player and a Phillips portable CD player would hiccup between songs on the Panasonic. Panasonic denied they had a problem, and tried to blame it on Roxios MP3-burning software, but one of Panasonics authorized repair facilities told me that Panasonics MP3 reader is buggy and that Panasonic has not provided a fix (as of September 2004). So, if MP3 playback is important to you, steer away from Panasonic players.
On: 2004-10-05
I purchased the Panasonic DVD-F87 player in part because the literature said it played MP3 files. Unfortunately, the player inserted an audible blip between many of the MP3 songs, so I returned it and got the Panasonic S47 model. It had the same problem. MP3 discs that played fine on several computer drives, a Sony DVD player and a Phillips portable CD player would hiccup between songs on the Panasonic. Panasonic denied they had a problem, and tried to blame it on Roxios MP3-burning software, but one of Panasonics authorized repair facilities told me that Panasonics MP3 reader is buggy and that Panasonic has not provided a fix (as of September 2004). So, if MP3 playback is important to you, steer away from Panasonic players.
by: hotpurplekoolaid On: 2004-10-02
I picked up this little beauty to replace both an ancient and cranky 5-disc CD Player and a single disc DVD player. I now have breathing room in the old entertainment center, so even my antique turntable can take a creaky spin every now and again.
Seeing that I cant connect a toaster without help, I called on my trusty better half to unravel the mystery of setting it up. In non-technical language, a.k.a. plain English, this is what you need to know about this mighty machine:
1. The manual needs a lot of work. Its neither user-friendly nor idiot-proof. Ditto for the boxy silver remote.
2. It is easy to set up if you already know how to do that sort of thing. (We have component video connections to the TV and digital coaxial connections to the receiver.)
3. It gives excellent sound from both CDs and DVDs. With the benefit of 5.1 surround, movies like Master and Commander can literally move you, and CDs have never sounded better.
4. It is as convenient as a 5-disc CD changer as it is a 5-disc DVD player, except that when youre playing more than one CD youll need to put it in "CD Mode" first.
5. It can easily play different types of media, such as audio Cds, MP3s, DVDs and those other mysterious formats - just put in the discs and play away.
6. The video quality is very good on a regular TV. You can set up different pre-defined picture quality modes, or customize to suit your own taste if youre a techie or a buff. If you have difficulty making up your mind, ignore this option.
7. The player is chock full of options, but you have to explore for yourself, which can be a bit confusing until you get the hang of it. Read the manual, you say? See Item 1 above.
8. Theres on-screen information for MP3s and photo CDs, with different views available for the contents. (Groups/folders or entire playlists)
9. I cant comment on the progressive scan feature, since I dont have an HD or HD-ready TV - yet. (Still waiting for that lottery win)
10. It is supposed to play DVD-Audio discs, but you need 6.1 channel inputs on your receiver to play them. Unfortunately, our receiver is lacking these inputs, but then again, I am also lacking any DVD-Audio discs.
Electronics buffs will probably say that it needs a bit of "tweaking" to get it to look and sound just right, but it looks and sounds great to me. All in all a very good player, perhaps excellent when you factor in the price.
Amanda Richards, October 1, 2004
by: Anonymous On: 2004-09-29
Have played at least 30 different combinations of dvd-r, dvd+r, and + and - r/w of many brands, this panasonic never had a problem.
As far as picture quality, I have compared high end sony and toshiba units side by side, and the panasonic is better than most, certainly in this price range. One can tell by zooming with high action picuters and hdtvs.
One reviewer below mentioned DVD-Audio syupport and 5.1. Keeop in mind they are talking about highly specialixed dvd audio disks, which are a very small niche market (100% of cd players and 99% of dvd players dont support dvd audio this way anyway, whcih is why dvd-audio is not very common, i.e.how many do you see at the music store or on amazon)).
This DVD player fully supports all audio formates on dvd videos, including 5.1 directly or through either the digital and 5.1 outputs to your receiver. (Your receiver does NOT have to have 5.1 inputs). Indeed the sound quality and capabilities are excellent.
On: 2004-08-29
This Panasonic DVD player has the best sound Ive ever heard out of a DVD player. The Multi Remaster feature is wonderful, allowing CDs sampled at 44.1 kHZ to be played at 88.2 kHZ (sounding almost as good as DVD-Audio) with my reciever. By the way, it also supports DVD-Audio 6 channel, but this is incompatible with the coaxial out (only stereo sound) and only compatible if your reciever has 5.1 inputs for each speaker. It also allows you to turn off the video circuitry for the highest quality sound with Audio CDs, MP3s, and WMAs.
The worst part of this DVD player is its video quality. It isnt bad, it just isnt anything to write home about. With the drastic improvement in sound quality, youd expect the same increase in video quality.
This DVD player supports CD-A, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-RAM, MP3, WMA, and commerical DVDs. It plays DVD+R great even though it is not listed as a feature.
On: 2004-08-28
This Panasonic DVD player has the best sound Ive ever heard out of a DVD player. The Multi Remaster feature is wonderful, allowing CDs sampled at 44.1 kHZ to be played at 88.2 kHZ (sounding almost as good as DVD-Audio) with my reciever. By the way, it also supports DVD-Audio 6 channel, but this is incompatible with the coaxial out (only stereo sound) and only compatible if your reciever has 5.1 inputs for each speaker. It also allows you to turn off the video circuitry for the highest quality sound with Audio CDs, MP3s, and WMAs.
The worst part of this DVD player is its video quality. It isnt bad, it just isnt anything to write home about. With the drastic improvement in sound quality, youd expect the same increase in video quality.
This DVD player supports CD-A, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-RAM, MP3, WMA, and commerical DVDs. It plays DVD+R great even though it is not listed as a feature.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-25
This is one of the best deals on the DVD player market. First rate sound, video, and features with a bargain price. I own a Go Video D2730 networked DVD player also and I thoght it is a decent one. Bought this one just for some dialog enhancement. Never imagined this Panasonic one makes so much difference in sound and video quality. One of my best buys ever!
On: 2004-06-18
I wanted a budget DVD/CD changer that could also play DVD-Audio (DVD-A). I was a bit skeptical about this player, having read other user reviews.At its price point of $130, I decided to give this player a try - because I could always exchange it for another player if necessary. Currently I also own a JVC progressive and an Aiwa non-progressive DVD player. Both those players are good, but have problems playing certain DVD and VCD disks. I was presently surprised to find that the new Panasonic DVD-F87 player played all the disks with which I had problems with my previous players. The player is quite thin and has a small footprint - the width being actually slightly less than my old JVC single-disk DVD player! I set up this player using component video cables to a Samsung widescreen HDTV and using digital coaxial cable to a JVC RX-6030. I first tried the "quick setup" menu features, but was not impressed with the results. So, I decided to use the more advanced menu options and was able to tweak it to audio and video excellence. Since I have a HDTV, I set it up to use progressive scan (selecting 480p). The video performance is excellent for the "film based" (24fps) DVDs using 3:2 pulldown, but average for "video based" (30fps) DVDs. This is because these low cost Panasonic players no longer have the Sage/Faroudja DCDi deinterlacing chip. Thankfully, almost 90% of new DVD movies released today are film based, so this player will have no problem producing excellent video output. Besides, its 54MHz/10-bit video DAC produces an increadibly good detailed image. Another feature highlight is its "black level" control, which improves picture contrast considerably. It has a number of zoom modes to suit the DVD format and your viewing style and does a superb job of scaling. You can even scale non-anamorphic DVDs to suit the aspect ratio of your TV (using the "Display" menu). The real surprise is in the audio performance with its 192kHz/24-bit audio D/A converter. DVD-A and HDCD and two of the advanced formats supported (but not SACD) that provide very detailed sound quality. But the key feature that sets this player apart from the competition is the oversampling feature (called "multi remaster") with improves the detail in your normal (or "redbook") CDs. The result is very detailed sound, with clean and smooth highs with a wide soundstage and excellent imaging. Bass is also defined and tight. With multi remaster enabled, I compared the Panasonic F87 with a more expensive Marantz 4400 DVD player and the Panasonic won hands down. So I now have this player connected (in stereo mode) to my more high-end stereo audio gear. On the downside, the thin manual does not do justice to the ton of audio and video features that can be tweaked using a combination of menus. But if you are an audio or video-phile I can guarantee you will have fun with this player! In conclusion, I highly recommend this player to those of you who are willing to go beyond the "plug and play" and are willing to use the excellent menu features to tweak the player to your liking.
On: 2004-04-12
I was pessimistic because of a poor experience with a Panasonic DVD player in the past...Ive owned many different Panasonic electronic components and have been 100% satisified, except with their DVD players. Unfortunately, I should have trusted my gut and stayed away from Panasonic DVD.The very first movie I played, which was brand new out of the package, was Matrix Revolutions. At chpt 21, the DVD player hangs up, freezes, and eventually skips ahead about 5 minutes into the movie. I took the DVD to my Toshiba DVD/VCR combo unit and it plays in the same area without a hitch. I tried playing the DVD in 3 different slots in the carousel and had the same exact problem. Im returning this DVD player. It is a shame, because I really like the features for the price on this player. It is slightly (though not much) quicker changing CDs than other DVD changers. The buttons are easily accesible on the unit itself (so finding the remote isnt mandatory), and it takes 2 pushes of remote buttons to get CD random play (which is better than some of the comptetitors. Quality of audio and video was excellent. The only other major complaint is the remote. The range of the remote is weak. I couldnt get the DVD player to respond to remote inputs sitting on my couch which is about 7 feet from the DVD player...that was also annoying. Stay away from Panasonic DVD, that is my advice. This is my second Panasonic DVD player that has issues with hanging up and freezing on DVD play. Im now debating between Toshiba and Sony...
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