The Panasonic SC-PT760 is the one of the products of “home-theater-in-a-box line” in the market, and though this product has three contenders, this product with wireless surround speakers is the most sought after model in the group. The device features 5-disc changers, and integrated flip down iPod dock. It also has HDMI which would convert your video up to 1080p. The previous model, the Panasonic SC-PT660, offers much the same features except it does not offer wireless speakers, and the front speaker stands. On the other hand, the Panasonic SC-PT960 adds on tallboy tower speakers in addition to the features available in SC-PT760.
Considering the price tag on Panasonic SC-PT760, the audio quality is said to be “clean, powerful, and dynamic” for CDs and the iPods. However, the quality of sound was not found satisfactory from CDs, and iPods. As far as the connectivity is concerned that too was not found to be quite up to mark, with just one stereo and one surround audio line-in jack available in the unit. However, the Panasonic SC-PT760 is available at an affordable price, and if you should be looking for “all-in-one home theater solution”, which provides surround sound along with a CD/DVD changer, wireless rear speakers, and built-in iPod compatibility, Panasonic SC-PT760 is the one for you.
The Good and the Bad
Panasonic SC-PT760 has its advantages and disadvantages. The product has been thoroughly tested by CNET, and the editor rates the product at 3.5 stars which appears to be very good. As for the average user rating, the product is rated the same.
Pros:
- SC-PT760 has 5.1 channel, with wireless surround speakers.
- It has HDMI outputs capable of up-conversion up to 1080p.
- The home theater has 2 speakers for your left and right positions, which are mounted on stands.
- It has integrated iPod dock, and is capable of displaying full iPod menu on the screen of your TV.
- It has five-disc changer, which plays all types of DVDs, CD-Rs, and CDs.
Cons:
- The product has a “utilitarian look and feel”.
- The connectivity in the product is poor.
- It does not have iPod video playback via the HDMI or component output.
- The audio is better with video.
Design:
The package which is called a “home-theater-in-a-box” is true in all its senses. It packs quite few component parts in a box which mainly consist of the main unit, which includes the 5-disc changer and the amplifier; the speaker amplifiers for the rare speakers, which transmits the wireless audio signals to the rear speakers; and the surround speakers, which are the small ones being 3 inches in height.
The controls of the 5 disc trays are spread out. For example the transport controls, input selector, and subwoofer boost button are situated across the top front ledge. The flip-down door was found to be more convenient than the “tethered” iPod docks, which is found in most of the other similar systems. The main unit of the Panasonic SC-PT760 is compact enough considering the hardware that it goes into it. However, as far as its looks are concerned, the big buttons and the bold white letterings give the unit an odd look compared to the other similar products in the market.
There is no great design for the remote control unit. The buttons are quite large, and easy to identify. The unit helps you to control the volume of the speakers, and that of the sub-woofer. This can be achieved in three steps. Incidentally, the main console of the product has a sub-woofer control. The SC-PT760 includes a EQ control and the equalizer consists of “Flat,” “Heavy,” “Clear,” and “Soft” options.
Wires from the wireless speakers get connected to the each of the wireless receiver/amplifier of the SC-PT760, and these two are then need to be plugged into the AC power outlet. The 9.5′ wire for the surround speakers might be short for some installations, and this could be replaced with wires for speaker wire of any length. The sub-woofer wire is permanently connected to the subwoofer, while the other end connects to the receiver/DVD changer via a proprietary connector.
Features:
The 5 disc changers of Panasonic SC-PT760 play DVD movies, audio CDs, video CDs, and those varieties which you burn at home, and this includes DVD-RAM discs. Not only that, it plays your MP3 music, displays all your JPEG images which you may have on DVD-R/RWs, DVD-RAMs, and CD-Rs. The SC-PT760 is not designed to play Blu-ray, but includes AM/FM radio along with the iPod dock that it has.
The HDMI of the Panasonic SC-PT760 up-converts signals to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolutions. This becomes useful depending upon the HDTV that you have and it’s handling capability of the up-converted signals. While there is no S video out, the Panasonic SC-PT760 has got the provision to be connected to older TV versions via component 480i and 480p or composite. The HDMI output of Panasonic SC-PT760 is “Viera Link” compatible. This means it can talk to Panasonic TVs which are equipped with similar features.
There are no video inputs available. It has two audio inputs, pair of stereo RCA jacks, and one optical digital input for the surround sources. Therefore, if you want to plug in, for example, a game console, Apple TV, or a cable/satellite box, this has to be done directly on your TV. Instead of the usual minimum of two or three each of analog and digital audio inputs, Panasonic SC-PT760 has only one each.
The iPods dock in Panasonic SC-PT760 has limited compatibility with the later models, such as, “fourth generation or later, including current iPod Touch, Nano, and Classic models”. However, it does have the feature to browse the menu of the iPod on your TV screen. You could use the remote control unit to do this, and also, you could go through the entire list of favorite artists, stored music, or songs. With other products, the remote unit is limited to volume and track up/down control, and all the rest of the controls remain with the main console.
Panasonic SC-PT760 Prices
We have not found the Panasonic SC-PT760 in the price comparison engine. However, here is a newer product - Panasonic SC-PT960.