If your Toshiba SD-3108 is experiencing problems and you are confronted with possible repair costs, we would like to hear from you at the Law Offices of Goren, Goren & Harris. Please ask for Brett. brettdaltman@consumerprotection.com (888) 554-6736

Great remote, high quality video and audio, component output, solid player.

Can't change the audio and video settings (e.g. AC3 vs PCM) while a disc is playing.

This is the first player I've bought and it was a good choice. This is a solid player with excellent features and flawless operation. I have never had a problem with any of my over 200 DVDs. The layer change is pretty quick and the video and audio quality is excellent on my Toshiba 36" TV.

The remote control has all the features you need easily accessible, even in the dark. The component outputs come in handy too.

I have never had a problem with this model Toshiba DVD player and I will certainly buy my next player from them.

The only disadvantage I mention is listed above - you can't change the setup settings without stopping the disc that is playing. I sometimes want to check them after I have put a disc in to make sure they are as they should be.

Oh yeah, the player also looks nice in my home theater - well designed!

Similar Products Used:

First DVD Player owned.

Great picture and sound, backlit remote, good anamorphic down-conversion for 4:3 televisions, adjustable black level

Nicely backlit remote is big and clunky

The Toshiba SD-3108 is a great DVD player which I settled on after long deliberation, comparing features and reviews from various sources. I don't see how I could be happier with my choice.

The 3108 has great video quality, including user-selectable black level (6 or 0 IRE). On my 27" ProScan television, the 0 IRE setting results in blacks that are deep and rich--letterboxing bars are almost impossible to distinguish in a dark room. Although the unit has built-in DTS decoding, I currently have only a Dolby Pro Logic setup. Even so, the audio reproduction is clean and fine.

I don't have a widescreen (16x9) television (and probably won't have one for some time to come), so it was important that the DVD player I chose did a good job at down-converting anamorphic DVDs for playback on a regular (4x3) television. The reviews I read indicated that the 3108 did a superior job at this task, and they were absolutely right. Anamorphic discs such as "Get Shorty" look great, with no visible artifacts that cannot be attributed to NTSC line structure.

The player's on-screen menus are well laid-out and easy to navigate. Also, they are transparent and allow the on-screen image to show through, which is helpful when making picture adjustments.

The remote supplied is nicely backlit, a must in today's home theater. There is simply no excuse for a non-backlit remote these days. The remote is not universal, but will control televisions from most major manufacturers. Although I have seen reports of problems with the 3108's remote, such as not transmitting while the backlight is on and not working more than a few feet away, I have never experienced any such problems. The only glitch I have run into is difficulty in navigating menus on "The Matrix." However, the remote works fine on every other title, and I believe this to be a problem with the disc and not with the remote.

The 3108 navigates layer changes smoothly, with only the briefest of pauses. This pause is only noticeable on the occasional title where the layer change is awkwardly or outright badly placed (for example, "Deep Impact").

I have recently discovered a new "feature" of the 3108 (two friends of mine bought DVD players over the holidays, and we have been comparing features and stories). When a disc is inserted that has an opening sequence during which access to disc menus is disabled (FBI warnings, studio promos, and the like), I can press the Stop transport button, dropping the player into a kind of "limbo" mode with a grey screen displayed, then press the Menu button and jump immediately to the disc's main menu, thus bypassing the opening sequence. My friends report that their players (a Sony and a Panasonic) do not allow them to do this.

A feature of dubious usefulness, which I have used only on occasion to demonstrate the high picture quality of the DVD format or to inspect details in a picture (never mind what), is the 3108's variable digital zoom capability. You can use this feature to enlarge the picture in three steps (2x, 4x, and 9x) and scroll around the enlarged picture at will. This is more of a gimmick than anything, although I have noticed some interesting things (check out the reflection in the pupil of the young Jodie Foster's eye in the great "zoom-out" sequence at the beginning of "Contact"). I suppose you could also use this feature to zoom in and perform a crude pan-and-scan on a letterboxed DVD...but why would anyone want to do that?

The Toshiba SD-3108 is a great DVD player. It is nearly a flagship-quality machine, but for a fraction of the price. If you can find one, snap it up--it has been sadly eclipsed by its successor, the 3109, which in my opinion makes some unacceptable compromises in order to include some new features of questionable value.

Similar Products Used:

None (first and only DVD player)

Easy to use.

Will not play new DVDs

As this was my first DVD player I was satisfied until recently. I rented several DVDs in a row that wouldn't work. I took them back to Blockbuster where they exchanged them thinking the DVDs were defective, but the replacements didn't work either. I discovered by searching the web that there was a change in the way newer DVDs are made, and some Toshibas won't play them. The aggravating thing is that when I called Toshiba they denied being aware of the problem, and claimed there was no fix for it available at this time. Getting through their horrible voicemail matrix was no small feat. They are one awful company to do business with. I have since E-mailed their customer service, but got no response to date.

My DVD is now worthless, since I cannot tell if a DVD will be playable on it, so I can no longer rent them.

Similar Products Used:

Gateway DVD

Excellent picture and sound

The very odd time it doesn't recognize DVD

I really enjoyed the player with a 36 inch TV. Picture was ok and sound was fantastic. I recently purchased a 40 inch widescreen Toshiba TV and WOW. Like being in an actual theater. I can't fault anything about it. The remote isn't any problem as other seem to find? I won't hesitate to recomend it to anyone.

This was a top of the line player in 1998.

Needs a software upgrade to play new DVD's marked PC Friendly on the case.

To get the software upgrade call 1-800-631-3811 (Option 3 DVD Players, Option 3 talk to a rep.) They will need your serial number and the software code (see label on the bottom of the player, it starts with A) They will refer you to a local repair center and authorize the upgrade. I got my player upgraded without cost after making a request for a free upgrade. They should issue a recall without having to get pre-approved for a free upgrade, but they are only handling on a case by case need. Perhaps all the SD-3108's don't need the upgrade. My unit was one of the first ones sold.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba sd-2300 NUON (check this one out - DVD that plays games!!!!) What a ZOOM 12X on the fly.

Good Product

Poor downconversion

I have been having the problems playing newly released DVD's also. They include Mission to Mars and American Beauty.

I called Toshiba about the problem and they are also offering me the firmware upgrade which would require me to send the unit to Atlanta.

The tech. rep. did state a reason this is happening. He said that there was a slight format change for DVD's that was beginning for releases starting in October. He said that all the movie studios will be adopting this new format adjustment in the coming months. I asked what the reason was for this change and he said that it is to allow larger amounts of data storage on the DVD's. He also said that if you bought a player within the last year, you should not be affected since they modification was already known and incorporated into the current units. I do not know if this is affecting other manufacturers, but i would assume it would cause problems for all older model brands since it is a format adjustment of the software (DVD).

I will be sending in my unit this week. I HOPE it does not take long! Has anyone already done this? How long does it take to get it back?


Thanks,
Dave

GREAT FUNCTIONING REMOTE-BACKLITE,SHUTTLE JOG,NOT MANY PLAYERS FOR THIS PRICE COME WITH ONE SO FANCY.IT HAS A GREAT OPERATION AND GREAT FEATURES.THE PLAYER HAS GREAT SOUNDING DIGITAL WITH THE 5.1 AND ALSO 2 CHANNEL FOR REGULAR CDS.THE VIDEO IS FAR SUPERIOR TO OTHER PLAYERS I HAVE SEEN,THE BIT METER IS A BONUS.THE MAIN MENU IS SO EASY TO USE.THE 3D NOISE REDUCTIION REALLY HELPS.

SLOW TO LOAD DISKS COMPARDED TO OTHER PLAYERS.BORING DISPLAY

THIS PLAYER IS A SOLID PLAYER-I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS PLAYER TO ANYONE WHO CAN FIND ON.ITS NOT THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PLAYER BUT IT DOES ITS JOB.A GREAT SOUNDING PLAYER LIKE THIS ONE SHOULD BE IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN.I HAVE NEVER HAD TO GET THE PLAYER RE-PROGRAMMED TO EXCEPT NEWER DVDS.

Similar Products Used:

PANISONIC

GREAT FUNCTIONING REMOTE-BACKLITE,SHUTTLE JOG,NOT MANY PLAYERS FOR THIS PRICE COME WITH ONE SO FANCY.IT HAS A GREAT OPERATION AND GREAT FEATURES.THE PLAYER HAS GREAT SOUNDING DIGITAL WITH THE 5.1 AND ALSO 2 CHANNEL FOR REGULAR CDS.THE VIDEO IS FAR SUPERIOR TO OTHER PLAYERS I HAVE SEEN,THE BIT METER IS A BONUS.THE MAIN MENU IS SO EASY TO USE.THE 3D NOISE REDUCTIION REALLY HELPS.

SLOW TO LOAD DISKS COMPARDED TO OTHER PLAYERS.BORING DISPLAY

THIS PLAYER IS A SOLID PLAYER-I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS PLAYER TO ANYONE WHO CAN FIND ON.ITS NOT THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PLAYER BUT IT DOES ITS JOB.A GREAT SOUNDING PLAYER LIKE THIS ONE SHOULD BE IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN.I HAVE NEVER HAD TO GET THE PLAYER RE-PROGRAMMED TO EXCEPT NEWER DVDS.

Similar Products Used:

PANISONIC

Performance

Does not play the Alien DVD

This is a very good player. I have only had 1 problem with a DVD and have played over 200. I give this a high recomendation and hope you can still buy one at a close out price.

MW