Aiwa HT-DV90 / Sanyo AVD-8501 Home Theatre Systems

[boabw]

Is their anybody out there who is using either of these 2 systems, if so I would appreciate your thoughts on them.

I have around £400 to spend and want to purchase a Home Cinema Package in the 'sales'.

I would also appreciate anybody else's thoughts on other packages that are around this price point.

Happy New Year to you all too.

Hi,

I just got the Aiwa system the other day and think it's a great unit. For the price it rivals the Sony systems and has great sound and picture quality, plus a great load of features.....

I am looking for a multiregion hack if anyone knows of one though

Paul

[Sick Note]

try www.dvdreviewer.co.uk there is hack for the aiwa there

Thanks,

I have looked through there but they all relate to different Aiwa units, none of them work on mine.......

[boabw]

Paul,

Thanks for your reposnse on the Aiwa HT-DV90, can you tell me how you have your system connected up, I hope to purchase the Aiwa in the next few days.

My setup encompasses a Sony 28" Widescreen 2 scarts and s-video connection, Left/Right audio outputs, LG Video (2 scarts and left/right audio outputs and Panasonic Sky digibox.

Thanks again

Hi

I got my system running s-video direct into the back of a sony TV through a scart to s-video converter. I also have a digibox which hooks into the other scart socket on the back of the TV and have the audio out from the digibox running into whats called 'video 2' (an a/v input) on the Aiwa. That way I can watch sky and just switch to video 2 and get decent audio too.

Hope this helps.......

Re your set-up, if you go for the aiwa you could do as per mine but have the scart output of the digibox going into the VCR and then a scart out from there into the TV. You could then run the audio out from the VCR to an audio input on the aiwa (there are 2 extra inputs) and switch to use the aiwa system for sky and VCR. I think that should work!

[boabw]

Thanks for your response paul0000, i appreciate it.

I am still giving the aiwa system serious consideration but one fact is now putting me off the brand. My brother and a few of his pals are warning me away from aiwa due to previous experiences with hifi equipment and the cd laser seemingly going out of alignment easily.

I really do like the aiwa and it seems to do everything i want it to do, and I condiser the inclusion of DTS decoding a bonus as well.

What made u decide to purchase the Aiwa and not another brand.

Once again I ask for your input, much appreciated .

Robert

To be honest I also knew about the problems with the Aiwa Lasers. Until I got my DVD I had an aiwa stereo system and actually experienced probs with the lasers not playing CD's. But then in life nothings perfect....!!

The reason I went for an Aiwa is because I have had a lot of their equipment in the past - stereo's, VCR's etc and always (with the exception of the above) found them to be of great quality. I also compared features and functionality on a like for like basis with other brands and I found the Aiwa seemed to come out top.

Many people have commented that they are the next best thing to a Sony apart from you arn't paying for the brand name.

What I would suggest is visiting an AV shop (or even somewhere like currey's/Comet) where you can actually look at the units and get the feel of them. You won't really be able to hear the audio quality in a place like that but can see what the units are like.

Good luck!

Paul

Hi,

I've been reading this thread with interest as I'm also in the market for a Home Cinema package at around £400, and have been looking at the Sanyo AVD-8501 package.

Boabw, could you or anyone else tell me where I can get hold of the Aiwa HT-DV90 package at a sale price please?

Also, does anyone have any reports (good or bad) on the Sanyo AVD-8501 package?

Thanks

[boabw]

Re prices for the Aiwa system, I have saw this in Curry's for £449 but when I was last at Makro they were selling it for £362 inc VAT. That is where I am considering buying it from.

With regards to the Sanyo system I haven't heard anything about this system except all I know from looking at it closely is that when u pick up the speakers they are as a light as a feather, not a good sign I am told where as the aiwa speakers are quite heavy ang put out 50 watts per channel allegedly.

The sanyo is also £299 in the sales, last I saw at curry's and dixons, I don't recall encountering the aiwa in my travels in the online stores but if I do I will let u know.

I also got my system from Makro at the same price. I can't comment on the Sayno system but the Aiwa does go very loud without any distortion and the sound is great. It's a real improvement on my old aiwa stereo which I thought was good!

I did see the awia at www.qed-uk.com but am not sure if it's still there and at what price.

Paul

[boabw]

Hi Paul

Well I fianlly purchased the Aiwa system from Makro in Glasgow and I think I have a fault with the unit.

I have inserted a disc I know to have a dts soundtrack on it but it will not let me select them for some reason, the disc I am trying is The Mummy Returns.

I also have a strange sound that is eminating from the front left/right speakers when sound is playing although it does not appear to be present when the radio is being used. (Finally found out how to enter speaker setup, i was pressing shift and 1 instead of 4, did u have this puzzler?)

Do you have any ideas as to what the problem may be, also I was disappointed to find no batteries for the remote, no useful cables, i.e S-Video.

I am now seriously considering taking the unit back.

Your thoughts please.

Robert,

Sorry to hear of your problems.

How were you trying to select DTS? Were you using the 'surround' button? I am not sure exactly how to get it up - I only got my unit as xmas and have 1 DVD (too lazy to go out and buy some more at present!). If you look on the aiwa.co.uk home page and click contact, you can send them an e-mail and they are pretty good at responding. Or you can call them.

I am not sure re the strange sound you have coming out of the front speakers, silly question but do you have the speaker cables the right way round? That could effect the output.

Yes I also had exactly the same problem with the setup of the speakers, when you actually look at the remote (after you've worked it out!) it is obvious really!!

I also had no s-video cable or remote batteries, cost cutting I guess.....

If I was you I would return the unit to Makro and ask for another, they are always good with their returns as it sounds to me you have some issues with the system.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Paul

[smarks51]

when the dvd has started, press the audio button on your handset. this should scroll through the different sound tracks including all the foreign language tracks and the dts & 5.1 tracks.

hope this helps


Steven