Price Paid:  $329.00 from ubid.com

Summary:
I bought this receiver/dvd player about 2 1/2 years ago and I have been mostly happy with it. It has a great picture and sound is ok for an average sized room. I use the system mainly for DVDs and attach a CD-changer for audio playback, which works well for my needs. One big problem with the system is that it doesn't play many CD-Rs, but it does play the "DigitalMedia" brand of CD-Rs, both music and VCDs that I've made. The DVD picture has locked up a couple of times recently, and now it doesn't read any DVDs at all, though it still reads CDs without any problem. If anyone knows how to fix this, please let me know. (davewarby@yahoo.com) I would appreciate it very much.

Strengths:
Space design with receiver/player Good picture

Weaknesses:
Doesn't play most CD-Rs

Price Paid:  $269.00 from UBID

Summary:
I've owned the unit two years now and have experienced nothing but troublefree operation. I own two other DVD players (listed above) and DVD discs which exhibit playback problems on the other two, never do on the Toshiba SD6109. Although not supported, the unit will even play homebrewed VCDs I've created/burned to CD-RW media (CompUSA, CircuitCity, Princo). Although slightly underpowered for larger rooms, I am using the Toshiba SD6109 in a cozy basement audio/video nook where it pumps out more than enough to make the walls/floors shake.

Strengths:
- Price
- All in one DVD player and receiver
- Onkyo receiver
- Direct connection between receiver/player
- DTS decoder

Weaknesses:
- Remote
- Slightly under-powered

Similar Products Used:
Toshiba SD3109, JVC 523GD

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Mercata

Summary:
Just a quickie since I've had this for a while now. I like that the Receiver and DVD is built together for this price. But I did get a little mad when I looked at the Onkyo version of the receiver has an optical audio out for say, MD recording. But, the sound coming out of it is great. It's power is decent to carry out action movies fine.

The remote is probably the worst part of it. The numbers on the remote can't control the tuner, and that's if you can figure out which buttons on the remote are the numbers.

And the biggest drawbacks for me now that I've used it for a while is that is doesn't support HDCD like once advertised and more importantly, doesn't play CDR's or CDRW's. I just couldn't believe my mix CD's wouldn't play on this thing.

Strengths:
All-in-One DVD and Receiver
Onkyo Receiver
Hardwired DVD to Sound System

Weaknesses:
Remote Control
Doesn't play CDR's or CDRW's
Doesn't downconvert S-Video to Composite RCA
Hard to use other All-in-One Remote Controls

Similar Products Used:
Toshiba 3109

Price Paid:  $450.00 from Onecall

Summary:
I thought I would update my review after owning this unit for over a year. See my strengths and weaknesses for the major items, my comments are mostly minor.

For some reason this player seems to have some problems loading sometimes, especially dual-layer. I don't think Magnolia is dual-layer and it had some trouble loading it the first few times -- this was brand new out of the box. I cleaned the DVD and didn't see any problems but it seems to load it fine now. The transition between layers is very noticeable on some titles but I don't have another unit for comparison.

It does a good job with my Mission speakers but I obviously need something with more oomph. Don't get me wrong, if you're an apartment dweller who likes to keep his lease, have a modest room or a wife constantly nagging at you to turn it down then grab this unit and don't look back, it does a great job. But if you really want to crank it you'll be looking elsewhere eventually like I am.

Since I purchased this unit to save money I'm not the least bit disappointed. I wanted to spend my budget on speakers and did so and I wouldn't do anything differently. It's just time to move on now and I'm slobbering over an Onkyo TX-DS777.

This is a great little unit though and has served me well. What it lacks in quantity of power it makes up in quality. It's definitely better than any consumer level 100w x 5 system you can buy from JVC, Pioneer, Sony, Techniqs, etc. When those system's capacitors are out of gas this little baby is still trucking -- never found it running out of steam even during extended high volume periods (such as the infamous Matrix foyer scene).

For CDs you should have something else planned, it doesn't do very well in that category. Even my ancient laserdisc player does a better job with them.

I didn't list lack of DSPs as a weakness as I don't care for DSPs but this unit doesn't have many and they are pretty bad. But then I think virtually all DSP modes are bad -- set it to STEREO for audiophile listening and set it to PARTY to crank it from all five channels.

Oh, and as others have said, grab the DTS titles if they're available -- this unit lets you do it. I got Private Ryan in both formats for comparison and I definitely liked DTS a lot better (listen to the openings of the landing scene and the tank scene for better reference, you think those rocks and waves are crashing around you).

My system:

Toshiba SD-6109C
Old Mitsubishi 27"
Ancient Pioneer CLD-S201 Laserdisc Player
Mission 773 Fronts (the old ones with a single driver)
Mission 77C1 Center
Mission 77DS Surrounds
Mission 700AS Subwoofer

Strengths:
Unbeatable price/value ratio
Hard wired interconnects for DVD (cannot be overstated)
Clean, High Current Power
Great Picture and DVD features
Decent component switching
Tolerant of slightly abused DVDs
DTS
Same unit as Onkyo DR-90 (save $$ and get the Toshiba branded one, this unit)

Weaknesses:
Remote
Sometimes slow to load DVD
Limited power
Tuner could be better
Speaker setup on faceplate only
Flat sounding with CDs

Similar Products Used:
First 5.1 System

Summary:
I love this machine. It combines the receiver and DVD player together saving a bit of my sanity for it mean a few less cables. The picture quality is great never had a problem. It was easy to learn to use and very simple to set up. I read about a lot of problems with the unit about not being able to push up sound but what I hear is great, even with my music CDs (of course I would like to keep my hearing a bit longer so I never need to listen to things that loud). It seems to read discs better than other DVD players. A family member has a JVC XV-M555BK and when I can't read a disc there I can still get it to work on the 6109C. I also like the zoom option (more zoom options than most systems I have used), I never use it but my mother hates widescreen (I most buy them that way, you miss some stuff with standard) so when she watches movies I zoom it up closer and when I watch movies I leave it alone, never having to reset up the player.

Now the bad stuff. Okay starting with the easy stuff, we all know the remote sucks. It grows on you but it still sucks. Next the hissing noise. Someone mentioned earlier that they brought it in to be checked and was told it was mormal. I believe that, my computer's DVD-ROM is also a Toshiba and when I first used the 6109C I wasn't surprised at the hissing noise. It is the same one coming out of my DVD drive! Next, Karoke. I don't use karoke, but my mom thinks it a grat option (not that I'm up for hearing people screeching on top of their lungs with the 5 speaker/1 subwoofer setup I have at home). Another problem is that I can't even stick a Karoke receiver (whatever you would call it) into the system, since it typicall goes between the reciever and the dvd player. This leads to the last gripe, not enough outputs. I have a Tivo, Dreamcast, and VCR getting them to work together required alot of work, I had to call Tivo costomer service for help and it was a pain.

Even with all the problems I would reccomend the DVD player/receiver, especially for people who want a great DVD entertainment system but don't have much room or patience for a super mindblowing set up.

Strengths:
*Great picture quality
*Space saver (DVD w/ Reciever)
*Sanity saver-a few less cables in the back
*Easy to use
*Wonderful machine

Weaknesses:
*I wish there was few more outputs for other uses
*hissing when DVD spins
*No way to get Karaoke with the system
*Remote, what remote, the thing is a minefield

Similar Products Used:
JVC XV-M555BK