Panasonic SC-PT760
Manufacturer: Panasonic Part number: SC-PT760
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- With a five-disc changer, wireless rear speakers, and an integrated iPod dock, the Panasonic SC-PT760 offers a solid value for anyone looking for an affordable all-in-one home theater solution.
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CNET editors' review
Panasonic SC-PT760 price range: $378.00 - $399.95
- Reviewed by: Steve Guttenberg
- Edited by: John P. Falcone
- Reviewed on: 03/18/2008
- Released on: 03/17/2008
The good: 5.1-channel home theater in a box with wireless surround speakers; HDMI upscaling to 1080p; stand-mounted front left/right speakers; integrated iPod dock; full iPod menu displayed on TV for easy remote navigation.
The bad: Utilitarian look and feel; paltry connectivity; no iPod video playback via HDMI or component output; sounds better with movies than with music.
The bottom line: With a five-disc changer, wireless rear speakers, and an integrated iPod dock, the Panasonic SC-PT760 offers a solid value for anyone looking for an affordable all-in-one home theater solution.
Panasonic's 2008 home-theater-in-a-box line has three contenders in the sub-$500 range, and we think the midline SC-PT760 will be the most popular model of the group. It comes with a smooth-running five-disc DVD changer, wireless surround speakers, an integrated, flip-down iPod dock, and upscales video over HDMI up to 1080p. The step-down model, the SC-PT660 ($300), is pretty much the same thing, just missing the wireless speakers and front speaker stands, and the step-up model SC-PT960 ($500) duplicates the SC-PT760's features, but adds tallboy tower speakers up front. The SC-PT760's sound quality on DVDs was clean, powerful, and dynamic (considering the bargain price tag). Stereo sound from CDs and the iPod was less impressive, and the unit offers skimpy connectivity for other sources--just one stereo and one surround audio line-in jack. But if you're looking for an affordable all-in-one home theater solution that offers surround sound, a CD/DVD changer, wireless rear speakers, and built-in iPod compatibility, the Panasonic SC-PT760 should be on your short list.
Design
True to its "home-theater-in-a-box" name, the Panasonic SC-PT760 crams quite a few components into the package: the head unit (which includes the 5-disc changer and amplifier), the rear speaker amplifier (to power and wirelessly transmit audio to the two rear speakers), and the surround speakers (five relatively small speakers and a subwoofer). The head unit's slimline receiver/five-disc DVD changer is less than 3 inches high, a wee bit under 17 inches wide, and 13 inches deep. The front panel has the five-disc tray loader on the left side; a concealed, flip-down iPod dock in the middle; and the readout display and volume control over to the right. Panasonic spreads the controls to access each of the five disc-loading trays, transport controls, input selector, and subwoofer boost button across the top-front ledge. We really liked the convenience of the flip-down iPod dock--much better than the "tethered" iPod docks found on most other such systems--and the head unit is certainly compact enough, considering all that it does. However, the big buttons and brash white labels give the thing a much more utilitarian look than similar products you'll find from the likes of Samsung Electronics, Philips, and Sony.
The no-frills look extends to the remote. It won't win any beauty contests, but it's more straightforward and intuitive than many models. We particularly liked the large buttons, though we kept accidentally hitting the input selector buttons when trying to raise or lower the volume.
The SC-PT760's setup menus and speaker calibration was easy enough to implement. Fresh out of the box and before we did any tweaking, the sound was actually pretty good, so you won't be missing much if you just concentrate on getting the SC-PT760's video to work with your TV's resolution and aspect ratio.
The remote lets you adjust the relative volume level of each speaker, and the subwoofer's volume level in three steps (and there's the sub boost control on the receiver). We would have liked to have bass and treble controls, but Panasonic instead included an EQ control with "Flat," "Heavy," "Clear," and "Soft" options. There was also something called "Whisper-mode Surround" that's supposed to enhance surround effects for late night listening, but we didn't notice much of a difference with it turned on. We did hear some small amount of noise from the rear-mounted cooling fan.
The front left and right speakers can be wall-mounted or attached to the included floor stands. The skinny tube stands come with square bases and are stable enough, but could easily be knocked over by small children or large pets. The speaker on its stand measures 44 inches tall.
The matching center speaker is 10.5 inches wide and the surround speakers are about 5.5 inches tall. All of the speakers are fitted with nonremovable black cloth grilles, and the speakers can be shelf-mounted or wall-mounted with their keyhole slots. The black plastic cabinets look fairly basic, nothing fancy, just plain and simple designs. The satellites all feature one 2.5-inch "woofer" and no tweeters, but at least the center speaker doubles up on the woofers.
The Kelton designed subwoofer has a side-mounted 6.5-inch woofer. The medium-density fiberboard subwoofer has a molded black plastic front baffle. It's just 7.1 inches tall by 14.25 inches wide by 12.5 inches deep and weighs 10.4 pounds. It's also a tad more stylish than the plain-Jane satellite speakers are.
The two "wireless" surround speakers have wires that get connected to the SC-PT760's separate wireless receiver/amplifier (a relatively compact 6.5 inches by 3.5 inches by 6.5 inches cube), which must be plugged into an AC power outlet. (The wireless signal comes from a module that's built into the rear of the main head unit.) The supplied wires for the surround speakers are only 9.5 feet long, which might not be long enough for some installations, but you can substitute hardware store speaker wire of any length. The subwoofer's 13 foot-long cable is permanently attached to the sub, and the wire's other end has a proprietary connector that plugs into the receiver/DVD changer. The front-left speaker and right speaker comes with 13-foot long wires; and the center speaker uses a 10-foot long wire; these wires also have proprietary connectors that plug into the receiver, but they use bare wire to connect to the spring clips built into the speakers. Therefore, if you need longer wires, you can easily splice longer lengths onto Panasonic's wires.
It's also worth noting that the wireless system needs to be enabled--there's no way to connect the rear speakers to the front head unit. Therefore, if the wireless doesn't interest you--in other words, you don't mind the long speaker cables running from the front to the back of the room--save yourself $100 and go for the aforementioned SC-PT660.
Features
The SC-PT760 built-in five-disc changer can play DVD movies, audio CDs, video CDs, and most home-burned varieties thereof, including DVD-RAM discs. It can also play back MP3 music and display JPEG images from DVD-R/RWs, DVD-RAMs, and CD-Rs. As we'd expect at this bargain price point, Blu-ray playback is absent, as is compatibility with increasingly obscure DVD-Audio and SACD discs. In addition to the iPod dock, the SC-PT760 also includes the requisite AM/FM radio.
The HDMI output delivers the requisite upscaling to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolutions, which may be useful, depending on how well your HDTV handles video processing. Older TVs can be connected via component (480i or 480p) or composite; there's no S-Video out. Note that the HDMI output is "Viera Link" compatible--that means it can talk to similarly equipped Panasonic TVs, allowing them to automatically (for instance) power up and toggle to the correct input when the PT760 is turned on.
Video inputs are completely absent, and there are only two audio inputs: one pair of stereo RCA jacks and an optical digital input for surround sources. That means any other video sources--a game console, Apple TV, or a cable/satellite box, for instance--will need to be plugged directly into the TV. Likewise, just one analog and one digital audio input are excessively stingy--there should be two or three of each.
The SC-PT760's digital amplifier carries two power ratings: the optimistic "1,000-watt" specification--and the much more realistic Federal Trade Commission rating of 428 watts. Surround processing covers the usual Dolby and DTS modes, including Dolby Pro Logic II, which can create a faux surround effect from any two-channel stereo source.
The flip-down iPod dock is superconvenient, but you need to support the dock with one hand when inserting or removing an iPod with the other hand. While compatibility is limited to later model iPods (fourth generation or later, including current iPod Touch, Nano, and Classic models), the SC-PT760 does offer full ability to browse the iPod's menu on your TV screen. Using the remote, it's dead simple to navigate to favorite artists, playlists, or songs. By comparison, most home-audio products limit remote iPod control to volume and track up/down control, and instead force you to navigate the iPod manually via the click wheel. Panasonic's use of the onscreen interface is a big step up for those of us who prefer not to leave the sofa. However, here's the rub: iPod-based videos will only play back via the composite output, not HDMI or component.
Performance
The DVD changer mechanism was one smooth operator, so loading and unloading discs was a reasonably quick and quiet operation. We started our evaluations with a remake of a classic western, 3:10 to Yuma. The new one pumped up the explosions, and the SC-PT760 obliged and pummeled our eardrums. The stagecoach robbery was action packed, and the onscreen firepower from the Gatling packed a wallop. Dialog remained clear with the volume cranked fairly loud. Surround effects, such as the sound of gunshots ricocheting off the distant mountains, were subtle, but highly effective. The subwoofer's plentiful low frequency support was in large part responsible for the SC-PT760's home theater gravitas.
The wireless surround speakers worked so well we never thought about them; there were no noises, pops, or interruptions we've experienced from some wireless systems.
CD sound was less impressive, mostly because we were much more aware of the satellites' limitations. The Cuban jazz on the Buena Vista Social Club sounded passable, but we could tell that all the bass was coming from the subwoofer, way over on the left side of the room.
Rock music was irritatingly harsh. Dire Straits, Bruce Springsteen, and the Rolling Stones sounded strained played at even moderately loud volume. We pumped up the subwoofer, which helped matters because it sounded punchy and moderately well defined. Music from the iPod Nano sounded no better than CD.
In sum
As with most budget home-theaters-in-a-box, the SC-PT760 will do its best work with DVDs, and sound less accomplished with music. But it's still going to sound perfectly fine to most listeners--especially those who don't want to invest upwards of a grand or two in their audio system. That, paired with its generally impressive feature set, makes the SC-PT760 a good choice for those on a budget who need an all-in-one home theater system--so long as they don't need a lot of extra inputs.
User reviews
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Great System for the Price
by johnbuker on May 19, 2008
Pros: Price- Overall Sound- Wireless Rear Speakers
Cons: Slight buzz in the Rear Speakers when idol- No cables inlcuded
Summary: I finally decided to take the plunge and bought an HDTV. I wasn't really considering any type of Home Theater system initially. My thought was I'd get one ...
Summary: I finally decided to take the plunge and bought an HDTV. I wasn't really considering any type of Home Theater system initially. My thought was I'd get one eventually, just not at the same time I got the TV. But once I decided on which TV to get, I found that Circuit City had a deal where if you purchased a Panasonic TV you would get $300 off a Panasonic Home Theater System. That deal coupled with the 8% off AAA coupon that I used essentially meant that I got this Home Theater system for free.
The system was easy to set up- everything was color coated and fairly well explained in the quick set up guide. I hooked the system up to my TV using an HDMI cable and a digital audio cable (cables had to purchased separately and I did not buy them at CC where they were way overpriced).
I think the review here on CNET is fairly accurate. The system is a huge improvement in sound quality over my 8 year old Aiwa system. For use with the TV, the sound is full and can go louder than is necessary for our 15' by 24' living room. The wireless rear speakers do have a slight buzz when turned on and not in use, but the buzz can't be heard unless you put your ear next to them and it doesn't appear to be present when they are in operation. We did notice at least a slight improvement in picture quality when using the up converting DVD abilities of the system as opposed to a regular DVD player. Music also sounds fairly good when played but isn't as good as the sound from the TV.
I don't have an Ipod, so I can't comment on how well it works. The menus and overall interface could be a bit more user friendly and I wish it had another input or two for other audio sources (like my old CD and cassette players), but overall I'm extremely happy with the purchase.
NOTE: They would not give me the deal that I got at the store. I had researched it online and printed out the online price and took it with me, but didn't want to purchase anything before seeing it in person. I had to go back home, order it online, and then go back to the store to pick it up which was a pain, but doing that saved me $400 over what they wanted to charge me in the store.8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good sound system and value for my needs
by Tomalot on October 22, 2008
Pros: It has a clean design with minimal disply lighting (so non-distracting). Good power and sound, with the 1080I up conversion a nice feature. HDMI output to plasma HD TV & optical audio input from DVR cable box just what I needed.
Cons: Personally have no use for the Ipod dock. Would be nice if package included a conversion adapter or cable to allow Ipod dock to work with mini plug MP3 players.
Summary: The system was a great value for what I needed. I like the looks of the system, which are non-distracting and find the controls and features easy to use. Was ...
Summary: The system was a great value for what I needed. I like the looks of the system, which are non-distracting and find the controls and features easy to use. Was a little worried about using wireless surround speakers at first, but sound quality is very good. For the price I paid, it was by far the best value I could find for my needs.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Perfect system for our needs, great value, can do everything
by value_oriented on June 13, 2008
Pros: Easy SetUp, No Brainer Ipod hookup that you can control via remote on screen, Nice Sound, Good amount of features for money
Cons: When is my neighbor going to come ask me to turn down the volume?
Summary: For the money I don't think this can be beat. Wireless rear speakers were a must since the I didn't want wires running all over the house. You ...
Summary: For the money I don't think this can be beat. Wireless rear speakers were a must since the I didn't want wires running all over the house. You plug the wireless control box into the wall and then plug the wireless speakers into that. Works perfect. Setup was very easy (this is coming from someone who isn't very good at setting these sorts of things up). And it sounds great!
One tip - to get the sound you're expecting when you're watching TV, turn the Dolby II off (there is a movie setting, music setting and off). I had it on movie (which I think is the default) and wondered why the TV sound was only coming from the center speaker.
DVD is a 5 DVD player that upcoverts to 1080p via the HDMI cable. It is very smooth and fast - I have a panasonic plasma so it's very convenient because you can turn the TV & audio on from the same remote. The picture is very sharp - sharper than the upscaling sony DVD player that this replaces.
Ipod plug in is super easy. You just flip down the door and attach your ipod. You can control the ipod from the remote on your recliner and it sounds great!
Other than that, very pleased with this system for the money and the sound it produces, now am buying tons of DVDs to showcase the system. It really makes watching HDTV & DVDs come to life - I can't believe I've lived without a home theater system for so long?! With the price this low, couldn't pass it up.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Pretty good system despite the lack of inputs
by abstraktxbeatz on October 18, 2008
Pros: Sounds great when using the digital-in. Satellite speakers really do work extremely well.
Cons: No HDMI-ins. I HATE THE UI! No treble/bass controls
Summary: I bought this to use in the living room for my apartment (living room is about 15'X20'). I hooked my PS3 up to it using the digital-in line, and ...
Summary: I bought this to use in the living room for my apartment (living room is about 15'X20'). I hooked my PS3 up to it using the digital-in line, and had to just connect the TV's direct audio output using the 1 RCA jack input they have on the system. Nearly everything sounds amazing except for CDs.
I have the Panasonic Viera TV and i thought that having that would be a big plus because of the VieraLink system, but in actuality, when i toggle tv sources, it doesn't usually go to the right input anyhow, so that was kinda pointless...
All in all, i love the sound when playing movies and thats the most important to me so it works great for me. Definitely very good for an apartment sound system.. If you have a large home, I suggest spending more money2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Sounds Great!
by rocpilefsj on December 29, 2008
Pros: Very simple set-up (I am not very good with electronics at all) Color coded set-up made it a breeze.
Surround works great, spekers sound great, sub pounds pretty good.
Love the IPOD dock feature. Just plug it in and control it from your couch.Cons: Wires were mixed up from factory (wireless speaker wires already in the stands were for the front left and right speakers) Switched them around and quickly forgot about the minor inconvenience once I heard it!
Summary: For the price I don't think you can really complain about this system. I run the 5 disc DVD player and a PS3 for gaming and Blu Ray. Both ...
Summary: For the price I don't think you can really complain about this system. I run the 5 disc DVD player and a PS3 for gaming and Blu Ray. Both look and sound amazing. I highly recommend this system for anyone looking for a great system for a great price.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good Sound. Bad Wireless. Worse for Large iPods
by spillahcrown on February 15, 2009
Pros: The price was right and the setup was easy. Works seamlessly with TV and Digital Cable service. Works well with smaller iPods [4GB Mini, 8GB Nano]
Cons: Larger iPods don't load-up quickly [40GB and 80GB Classic]. Wireless transmitter has direct effect on wireless router - has to be removed when internet is in use.
Summary: The system is fine but, for the few hundred dollars you save, it's not really worth it. In the end, I should have opted for a newer system that'...
Summary: The system is fine but, for the few hundred dollars you save, it's not really worth it. In the end, I should have opted for a newer system that's blue-ray compatible, works with all iPod's AND doesn't mangle my internet signal.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Interferes with too many devices
by frankwhite8e on January 25, 2009
Pros: Sound is great. IPOD is great. Loud enough
Cons: Interferes with my Laptop and Xbox live. I get absolutely no internet on the floor that the system is on, and my router is on a different floor. I can only use them at the same time if I pull the wireless card out, and not use the back speakers.
Summary: Do not buy if you like to watch movies, and surf the internet at the same time. OR, if you play Xbox live and like to have surround sound. This ...
Summary: Do not buy if you like to watch movies, and surf the internet at the same time. OR, if you play Xbox live and like to have surround sound. This system completely disables any wireless internet within 20 ft of the wireless card. But, if you do not have a router in your home, and live in the stone age, then this system is great!!!
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good sound but UI is awful
by habassa5 on October 1, 2008
Pros: Sound, setup, ipod dock
Cons: The UI is awful. Crude, ugly, and very slow & laggy - very annoying while scrolling through your iPod library. Amazing that a consumer electronics company like Panasonic would apparently forget to put effort into this central function.
Summary: Good sound but UI is awful.
Summary: Good sound but UI is awful.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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For the price, it cant be beat
by dsoroudi on September 1, 2009
Pros: superior sound, easy setup, good price, support from panasonic was outstanding on an issue I had.
Cons: lack of inputs, but I can live with it
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prefer the older model
by raposog on April 10, 2009
Pros: wireless rear speakers
Cons: difficult to control with my Harmony remote
subtitle toggle is buried under Function menu
disc changer is not intuitive
not enough inputs
slight buzz from rear setupSummary: While I knew that it was stingy on inputs I was sold on its low price and great reviews (bang for the buck?) and the wireless rear. I also looked ...
Summary: While I knew that it was stingy on inputs I was sold on its low price and great reviews (bang for the buck?) and the wireless rear. I also looked forward to a DVD player with HDMI out. In the end I am so frustrated and disappointed that I would return it if I still could. I preferred my old Panasonic home theatre system even though it was component out.
0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Panasonic
- Part number: SC-PT760
- Description: Use of a highly rigid bamboo material in the center speaker helps achieve an extremely pure, clean sound. A Kelton Subwoofer system with a dual diameter structure delivers a deep, powerful bass. Whisper-Mode Surround allows you to enjoy rich surround sound even when watching movies at low volume. Panasonic DVD home theater products feature a 1080p up-conversion function that converts standard definition images from DVD sources to high definition images. These up-converted signals draw out the maximum performance of an HDMI compatible 1080p HDTV, giving you vivid, sharp and exceptionally detailed high-resolution images to enjoy. With the included Wireless Kit for Rear Speakers, no cables means no clutter. You can also expand your music listening into three additional rooms with the wireless multi-room speaker kit (sold separately). Play your favorite music from your home theater's built-in hard drive in your living room and listen to it in your bedroom, in the den, or even in the garage. The built-in Universal Dock for iPod gives you a great way to enjoy music and video. Just slip your iPod into the cradle and enjoy. The dock charges your iPod, allows you to use the home theater remote to control the iPod, has on-screen audio menus, and also plays back iPod video. The enhanced Viera link displays a menu on the TV screen, making it easier to operate your connected home theater system. For example, you can display a menu with a list of the movies or music stored on your iPod, and use the Viera remote control unit to select one and begin playback.
General
- Product Type Home theater system
- Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight DVD changer / AV receiver : 16.9 in x 12.9 in x 2.7 in / 8.2 lbs, Speaker system : Right/left channel speaker : 9.9 in x 9.3 in x 44.2 in / 5.3 lbs, Speaker system : Center channel speaker : 10.6 in x 3.7 in x 3.7 in / 2.9 lbs, Speaker system : Right/left rear channel speaker : 3.6 in x 3.7 in x 5.6 in / 1.3 lbs, Speaker system : Subwoofer : 7.1 in x 12.4 in x 14.2 in / 10.4 lbs
Audio System
- Components Speaker system, DVD changer / AV receiver
- Built-in Cradle iPod cradle
- Sound Output Mode Surround Sound
- Built-in Decoders DTS decoder, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic
- Surround System Class 5.1 channel
- Output Power / Total 1000 Watt
- Amplifier Output Details 125 Watt - 3 Ohm - THD 10 % - 2 channel(s) ( Front ), 250 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD 10 % - 1 channel(s) ( Center ), 125 Watt - 3 Ohm - THD 10 % - 2 channel(s) ( Surround ), 250 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD 10 % - 1 channel(s) ( Subwoofer )
- Additional Features Magnetic shield, Multi-room audio output
Connectors
- Optical Digital Input Yes
Speaker System
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right/left channel speaker - External - 3 Ohm - Wired, 1 x Center channel speaker - 2-way - External - 6 Ohm - Wired, 2 x Right/left rear channel speaker - External - 3 Ohm - Wireless, 1 x Subwoofer - External - 6 Ohm - Wired
- Driver Details Right/left channel speaker : Full-range driver - 2.5 in, Center channel speaker : 2 x Full-range driver - 2.5 in, Right/left rear channel speaker : 1 x Full-range driver - 2.5 in, Subwoofer : 1 x Subwoofer driver - 6.5 in, Subwoofer : 1 - 10 in
Radio
- Type Radio tuner - AM/FM - Digital
- Antenna Form Factor Loop AM / wire FM
Turntable
- Type None
CD System
- CD system type None
DVD
- Type DVD changer
- Media Format CD, DVD, CD-R, SVCD, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, Video CD
- Changer Type 5
- Video D/A Converter 12bit / 108MHz
- Supported Digital Audio Standards MP3, WMA
- Upscaling Yes
- Output Resolution 1080p
- Additional Features Cinema mode, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning
Cassette System
- Cassette system type None
MD System
- MD system type None
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
Remote Control (2nd)
- Type None
Connections
- Connector Type Composite video output, Component video output, HDMI output, Audio line-in, Digital audio input (optical)
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories AM antenna, FM antenna
Manufacturer info
- Panasonic
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Panasonic products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.panasonic.com/
- Address:
One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094 - Phone: 800/662-3537
