Vizio VBR120 Blu-Ray Disc Player - Black Review

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(More customer reviews)It's frustrating to hear how well this Blu-Ray player works for others, but it's also consoling to realize that I'm not the only one who's experienced problem after problem with it. I won't dwell on the glue issue, since it's been covered well enough by other reviewers. My main complaint is with the seemingly random hardware issues with this model. From day one, powering on the player has always been a crap shoot, and to date I've never been able to turn it on, or eject a disc, using the buttons on the machine itself. Thank goodness for the remote!
Sometimes it will play a disc quickly and without any problems; other times it will click and grind for one to two minutes before getting started. I want to be clear, however, that it's not so much the slowness that bothers me, but rather its inconsistency. Every day is a surprise, because I don't know whether it will turn on and hum smoothly away, or turn on and grind, or simply not turn on at all.
The coup de grâce came tonight, when I settled down to watch an evening film. Picture, but no audio. The user manual, a tome of wisdom, suggested that I either turn up the volume or double-check the mute button. Right. Thanks for the tip. Nor do I have any headphones or external devices plugged in, but the manual doesn't offer any suggestions beyond that.
I plan on returning this unit as soon as possible and exchanging it for something else. My recommendation to potential buyers? It's a great deal if you manage to get one that works as well as the models some of these other folks picked up; but it also seems like quite a few of us have run into a number of similar problems that you may want to avoid by dropping a few more dollars on a different brand.

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Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling Review

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(More customer reviews)Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BGXP1M/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
I decided on another Pioneer Elite DVD player because the DV-45A that I've enjoyed for several years has worked flawlessly (and still does). The Blu-Ray Elite Player is more than I require... (I will not likely use the Ethernet or USB ports). I have not found a flaw with the BDP-23FD (as I expected, from experience with the DV-45A, which I think is the best "quality/price" for a DVD-A + SACD player - glad I have it !).
Picture quality, Audio quality are superb, regardless of media format (plays the home-made variety DVDs just as well as the store bought varieties).
Although it's nice to have 'controllability/customization' features found on this player, the default set-up "out-of-the-box" is perfect for me. It's just a really nice player!

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Panasonic DVD-S54K 1080p Upconverting DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)There are DVD players out there in the same price range that offer a better picture. But what the Panasonic has going for it is rugged construction, a good remote, quick loading, easy set up and it plays everything (not multi-region though). I bought the S54 to replace my S47 which has given me six years of good service and is still running (the motor is getting tired though). I have tried other brands, including a Philips, which gave me just six months of service. So six years of intense use for this price is excellent (My friend's S47 is still going strong after six years). I watch my quality DVDs on a Denon or Marantz, but like all good DVD players, they can't handle shoddy media. They stick, skip or refuse to load. Which is why I always have a cheap DVD player on hand for less than perfect media. The S54 does that job in style, none of that dreaded 'disc error'. Simply put, this Panasonic range is the AK47 of DVD players. If it had better picture quality it would rate five stars.

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Onkyo DV-CP706B 6-Disc DVD Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)We've had this product just a few weeks, but are quite pleased with it. The only snag was when we hooked it up to both our receiver (with RCA analog jacks)and our new HDTV (with an HDMI cable)so that we could play our CD's through our receiver and our DVD's through the television. The problem was in hooking up the TV. We received a picture but no sound. Talking to our tv technician was of no help. We figured the problem out through trial and error, namely that the Onkyo's menu had a variety of sound options, to include some that we had no idea what they were for. One option, I believe it was the "PCM" option, did the trick when we turned it on. Apparently this option lowers the kHz frequency of the output so that it is compatible with the television (whatever all that means). Once I clicked that option on, the sound came through the TV. These instruction booklets all assume that consumers understand these technical terms, so you have to be something of a detective to finally figure it all out. Now everything (finally) works.

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Samsung DVD-C500 Upconverting DVD Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This upconverting DVD player is very small and slim and lightweight. The quality of the picture on my new plasma TV is excellent. I compared the same DVD played on my previous (5 years old) Samsung player with this player and the difference was obvious.
I'm guessing this improvement is due to two reasons: the upconverting process plus the HDMI output. The player also has Component and Composite outputs, but the picture is much better using an HDMI cable to the TV. One slim cable for excellent picture and sound compared to the five bulky cables required by my previous player -- that is also a big improvement.
** Update 8/14/2011 ** This DVD player and remote are still working very well.

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Yamaha DVDS1700 DVD-A/SACD Progressive Scan Universal DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had this unit about a month, and have played commercial (personal and Netflix) DVD's all day long with no problems, i.e., playing warm or cold, pristine or slightly used, through an HDMI connection. It has a very sharp "upconverted" picture, displays deep color, presents no motion problems (blurring), I've noticed absolutely no layer-change pauses through several disks, and have noticed no CUE or macroblocking issues, either. It also has a myriad of picture controls to fine tune the picture, although I've used my Sony XBR LCD to do most of that. And, in what Yamaha calls NL Stretch mode, 4:3 aspect ratio DVD's look pretty darn good when filling the screen; it basically stretches mostly the edges, so something like 80% of the center is relatively intact - that is, people don't look like blobs. So far it's played everything I've thrown at it, although I have yet to try every format. Also, it seems to be very well made and is very quiet. Some minor complaints: menu response times are slow (although DVD menu's seem to be okay), in that it takes a couple of clicks to get the menu to move; also, when you change DVD picture settings the player pauses the DVD to make the changes, then resumes where it left off, so you can't see it on screen as you're making them; and, the dimmer seems to have only two settings - bright (although it's not very) and dim - with no "auto" setting, as advertised. Overall, unless you're ready to camp with HD DVD or BlueRay, I recommend this pretty impressive DVD player.

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Pioneer DV-610AVE PAL Multiformat DVD, SACD Player with HDMI and USB Host Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the most amazingly satisfying electronics product I have ever bought. The features are many and easy to learn. I especially enjoy some of the audio and video adjustment features:
Audio: DRC setting helps bring up quieter sounds while controlling loud peaks. Great for taming those annoying audio surges in 'background' music or battle scenes, etc. The Dialog feature lets you adjust the dialog perception so that you can hear the voices better over the background sounds in the soundtracks.
Video: You can adjust the Sharpness, Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, Hue, Chroma Level and BNR (block noise reduction). Each one has several levels to choose from and you get to sample it as it adjusts, so you can skip back and forth and compare the difference before you decide what to settle on.
The USB mode has great, easy to navigate menus. You can also record to your thumb drive from a CD that you are playing. There is a choice of different bit rates to do this and you can record individual tracks or all tracks. Very user-friendly menus for all these choices.
This unit has too many features to list, especially for someone like me, who is not quite fluent in tech terminology. Suffice it to say that it performs all the functions beautifully, the manual is very user-friendly and not only tells you how to adjust/change the various settings, but also explains the technical terminology in real English, so you know what those settings actually do when activated.
I do love the region-free feature too. But for me, this is more ho-hum, since I already owned one - a far inferior quality Philips one.
About the only thing I can think of to improve the user-friendliness of this product would be to have an alphabetized index in the manual. But, since it's only a 61 page manual, it's not such a big issue overall.
Another suggestion I would have would be to allow to record audio from DVDs also. So often, the audio track on a DVD sounds so much better than the soundtrack that is published on CD (i.e.: Brassed Off, Eyes Wide Shut), although I recognize there may be some copyright issues with that concept.
For the record: I am getting a second unit for my upstairs TV. Have I mentioned that I love it...? This is a really great product!!!

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Memorex MVD2045 - DVD player - upscaling Review

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(More customer reviews)Like the first two reviewers, I bought this (the 2050 version) a short time ago and enjoyed close to 10 movies before it started freezing (either with a matrix-esque green screen of gibberish, or no signal from the hdmi out). After unplugging the unit and plugging it back in, it worked for a little bit. Tried it on two TVs, just in case something wierd happened with the HDMI (since the first TV uses Samsung's AnyNet program, I though maybe a signal from the TV was confusing the DVD player). The DVD player freezes on both sets. Yes, the second Memorex is going back to the store.
Since I had already thrown away the box by the time the unit failed, I was told to send it to a location (fortunately local) and to send $7.50 along with it... The warranty people were fairly nice and adequate in response time, but I'd rather have a working upscaling DVD player.
I eventually picked up a Samsung 1080p Upconverting DVD Player which has yet to experience any problems.

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Samsung BD-UP5000 1080p HD-DVD Blu-Ray Disc Combo Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked up a BD-UP5000 when limited quantities appeared in mid December 2007 and have been quite happy with the unit. It's my first venture into HD disc playback and having a single box to play all DVD formats was essential. This player delivers excellent picture and sound quality (including exceptional SD DVD upscaling). Less than 10% of HD DVD and Blu-Ray titles have only a TrueHD track which will output as 2-channel stereo. Most discs have other tracks that can be selected: Dolby Digital, multichannel PCM, DTS, etc. So lack of multichannel TrueHD isn't as big an issue as it may seem. Still even one title that limits you to 2.0 is frustrating. Lockups and strange behavior when loading and playing some discs is frustrating, but from what I've read most players go through growing pains and the content providers are at least part of the problem because they can influence the way the player behaves with custom menus and features.
The 5000 has a Silicon Optix Reon running HQV SD upconversion. SD DVD quality is amazing. You need HDMI/HDCP video as the analog components are limited to 480p based on licensing constraints. The HDMI output supports 1080p60 and 1080p24 as well as other more common rates. 1080p24 is noteworthy since it sends a film to the display at it's native frame rate of 24 frames per second without introducing a 3:2 pull-down sequence. However, the display must be capable of receiving 1080p24 AND have a refresh rate of 72 or 120 Hz to completely eliminate motion "judder".
The 5000 will decode Dolby Digital and DTS encoded sound tracks to multichannel PCM and ship them out via HDMI. Or the player can be placed in "audiophile" mode which sends the undecoded bitstream to the receiver for decoding there, again via HDMI. Some audio tracks can be sent to the receiver via S/PDIF optical or coax connections, but not the higher bandwidth tracks such as multichannel PCM. You must have HDMI for those or use the 7.1 analog outs. The "reencode" mode converts all audio formats to DTS, allowing you to get multichannel audio to your receiver via S/PDIF optical/coax if HDMI isn't an option.
The 5000 has had a rocky start and is still somewhat unstable and lacks key features. While it was announced the first part of 2007, it didn't ship until mid December 2007. Many of the disc compatibility problems have been fixed by a firmware update released in mid January 2007, but there are still some discs that have problems. The 5000 suffers from random lockups requiring a power cycle and lacks support for the advanced audio formats: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD HR/MA. In addition, standard definition discs are always stretched to 16:9 even for 4:3 content. Most TVs and displays can't unstretch the image without reducing the size as well.
A Samsung engineer working on this product indicated they are aware of the problems and missing multichannel audio support. He said they are planning a major firmware update in the May 2008 time frame. Speculation at AVS Forum (the 5000's user thread is 3000+ plus posts!!!) is that Samsung relies on Broadcom to supply DSP firmware, so it may really Broadcom we're waiting for. This makes sense since the BH200 has the same audio format limitations and uses the same chip. Firmware updates can be done via an ethernet connection to the 5000, or you can download an ISO CD image from Samsung's web site and burn an undated disc from any PC or Mac. (Mac update procedures are not documented but work fine: use Disk Utility or Toast Disc Copy to burn the image file; do not use Finder's burn mechanism.)
Samsung announced the BD-UP5500 at CES January 2008 with availability in the May 2008 time frame. The 5500 is not a true replacement for the 5000 since it does not have the Reon upconverter, nor does it have multichannel analog outputs. Price should be lower than the 5000. This might be an option for some, but the lack of the Reon/HQV is a big deal for me since there are many more SD DVDs than Blu-Ray and HD DVD combined. Those that have a separate audio processor may also need the multichannel analog audio outputs. The 5000's true replacement will be the BD-UP6500 due out late in 2008.
Blu-Ray Java and HDi allow content providers to "enhance" the viewing experience with additional material on the disc and/or downloaded from the internet. Personally, I just want to watch the movie as the producer/director intended. The 5000 is currently Blu-Ray BDJ 1.0 with a promise for 1.1. The 5500 will have to be BDJ 1.1 based on Blu-Ray specs/timetable. The 5000 (and 5500) will never be BDJ 2.0. The 6500 should be BDJ 2.0. The 5000 is supposed to support HDi but haven't tried it.
If you want a single box solution that can play most of the HD DVD, Blu-Ray and SD DVD discs, and can live with the limitations at least until firmware updates are available, the BD-UP5000 is worth serious consideration.
Your only other choice is the LG BH200, but it doesn't have the Reon HQV upconversion or multichannel analog audio outputs. Other than that, the 5000 and BH200 have essentially identical features with similar prices: $750 for the BH200 on Amazon, currently.
However, if you need onboard decoding or bitstreams of Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD MA, Blu-Ray and HD DVD playback and can't wait for firmware updates, you'll need to look for separate Blu-Ray and HD DVD players.

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Magnavox Mdv2100/f7 Dvd Player W/progessive Scan Zoom Slow Motion Search Review

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(More customer reviews)I had an older Magnavox DVD player that lasted for years. I replaced it with a Best Buy brand, and that lasted about a year. I saw this Magnavox model in a Meijer store and the price was right. I realized that I wasn't getting the Cadillac of DVD players for $30, but there should be some minimum expectations. It lasted a few months and then started to periodically lose color. I had to turn the machine off and then on to reset it. I had already gotten another for a spare TV, so I returned the first one and switched to the second. It's still working, but makes some funny noises. Hasn't been used enough to tell yet. In the meantime, a third player was purchased for the basement. It won't play right from the beginning. Will play some DVD's but not others, even though its twin will play all of the former. It too will be returned.
I expect the last one to go soon. A player or any product should be inexpensive because it lacks certain features, not because of poor quality. Yet I expect if I call the store to complain (or even Magnavox), there'll just be a shrug and comment "What do you expect of a $30 DVD player?" Let's say I expect a lot more than this. And perhaps some compensation from the manufacturer for my time, expense, and frustration.
When will people actually care enough about what they buy to consider boycotting corporations which insult the consumer with their shoddy products? Right now, it still seems to be . . . shrug and toss!

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Philips DVDR3576H DVD Recorder with 160GB Hard Disc and Built-In Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)This excellent unit is truly powerful and capable. It's a real bargain if its price does not climb (see paragraph 3). It combines 3 different functions in one slim package, any one of which alone would have cost more than its sub-$300 price not so long ago: a 160 GB hard disk recorder, an ATSC digital tuner (and an analog NTSC tuner too), and a DVD recorder. Additionally, it breaks the DVD +/- format war by its ability to record on both.
This unit is one of the surprisingly few hard disk-plus-DVD recorder devices available today that has a digital tuner. It eliminates the high cost of monthly charges for a TIVO. No monthly charges at all! It can do two things at once, allowing playback from either DVD or HDD while recording to HDD. It has a fan but it's quiet, and turns off about a minute after turning the unit off. And, of course, you can watch live TV via your TV's tuner as well.
NOTE ON PRICES: In 2009 the Philip's price has increased, sometimes substantially above what it was last year, although you may still find it at a good price. It may be in limited quantities and/or about to be deleted: I do not know. If you can only find it at an elevated price you should also consider other units. Gary S. reports recently that the newly-available Magnavox H2160MW9, now at Amazon too, is essentially identical to the Philips and is at a sub-$300 price, so investigate that. At higher prices, there are other units that, unlike this otherwise excellent Philips, can record in high definition instead of standard def (albeit on hard drive only): the Moxi MR 1500 (for cable only, cannot be used with an antenna; 500 GB hard drive); or the TiVo TCD658000 HD XL DVR (for both cable and antenna; 1000 GB hard drive). TiVo imposes service charges, unlike Moxi or Philips, so the HD XL effectively costs about $900 for the unit + "lifetime" service fee. However, unlike the Philips, both Moxi and TiVo need an adjunct DVD recorder in order to download keeper programs to a DVD (in SD not HD, at least until Blu-Ray recorders are available). Otherwise you lose your recordings if/when the hard disk crashes.
Recording TV programs
I use a roof antenna, and receive both analog and digital TV signals. Programming to record TV shows is very similar to programming a VCR manually. There is no automatic programming system, but it's really not that hard to do manually. It records HD signals as SD (standard definition).
The listing of programs ("Titles") that you have recorded are clearly shown and easy to navigate to. But it is best to put at least a rudimentary title on the TV programs right after you record them. Otherwise all you have is the date, time, and channel of the recording. You have to add titles by a clunky texting method, requiring multiple presses of numbers 1-9.
Playback
I use an HDMI cable between this unit and my TV. Playback from the hard disk is a joy. Access is immediate. The unit remembers where you left off watching last time on each program individually. You can manoever around the recordings with an (adjustable) 30-second skip forward/backward button, or with an adjustable-speed fast forward/rewind, or with a chapter-jump ("next") which uses the (optional) 10-minute auto-chapters that are inserted.
Playback from DVD is fine, but loading a DVD is slow (perhaps because it can handle so many different DVD formats).
Aspect Ratio (edited 12/08--thanks to Arnold E.)
This will require fiddling with from time to time to display the picture properly.
When recording DIGITAL programs you get 16:9 playback with very good SD definition on a widescreen TV with the following settings: Setup/General/Video/TV Aspect/16:9. AND set the "HDMI" toggle button to 1080p (or 1080i if your 16:9 set doesn't have p). The TV should then choose the correct aspect ratio setting automatically.
If you play back a 4:3 ANALOG program (until June 2009) with these settings, it will play back stretched sideways: reset "HDMI" to 480p to fix this.
AND if you are recording some digital programs which are not broadcast full-screen (e.g. BBC News) you may wish to press ZOOM on your TV to fill the screen.
User-friendliness
Most functions are well thought out and the software is good. But you will have to read the manual.
The remote control has the buttons needed, but several important ones are badly laid out. The STOP button is tiny.
Since it's a multifunctional device, you have to tell it what component you want to use. If you have been watching a TV show recorded on HDD, and then insert a DVD, if you just press "play", it will resume playback of the HDD unless you press "DVD" first. It's not smart enough to realize you want the DVD now.
The 122-page instruction book is detailed. It is fairly well written. Mine is very well-thumbed and dogeared. To get the most out of this complex unit, you will need to read it carefully.
Editing
For copying from old VHS tapes or home DVD's, I find it best to record first onto the HDD. Then use "deleting a scene" to remove unwanted sections. The software for this is pretty user-friendly. Then transfer the cleaned-up version to DVD. You can in theory record directly to DVD from VHS, and delete unwanted sections on the DVD directly, using "Hiding Chapters" but this is clunky (first you have to define the section as a chapter). Worse, these deletions, and added chapter headings, were ignored when played back on another unit.
Upsides
An excellent, low-cost, way to record digital and analog programs over the air or on cable.
No monthly fee.
Good quality SD 16:9 recordings.
Versatile: able to transfer recordings either way between DVD and HDD.
Downsides
It can't record HD programs in HD--it downgrades them to SD.
It's slow to load a DVD.
The remote buttons are poorly laid out.
Titling tracks is tedious.
DVD edits may be ignored in other DVD players.
Summary
This is a really fine and extremely versatile unit, at a good price. It is a leapfrog into the digital age. Finally here is a device with the versatility to fully supplant S-VHS VCR's.
The next step will be when this kind of device is upgraded to record HDTV on its hard disk AND to record Blu-Ray DVD's. Don't hold your breath.
(This review is based on the predecessor model, DVDR3575H, similar except for the tuner).

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Toshiba SDK1000 DVD Player with 1080p Upscaling (NEW Model) (Includes HDMI Cable) Review

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(More customer reviews)This model number, SDK1000, appears to be a package specifically sold at Costco. It includes an HDMI cable, in addition to composite RCA cables. The DVD player itself is super-thin and slim and small and lightweight, yet it does a very good job at upscaling regular DVD images to 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p, as long as you use the HDMI cable. (In other words, upscaling is not available on RCA cables, composite or component.) Image quality and audio quality are both very good. I paid less than forty bucks at Costco for this, and I think it's a GREAT value.
The user's manual is hard to read, typical of electronics. The remote control is actually easy to use, once you get used to its layout, or just use a universal remote if you prefer.

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Samsung DVD-1080P9 1080p Upconverting DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)For the price point, this is a feature rich player. What you get:
- a very sleek looking player that loads fast. Compared to the Phillips I bought at a big box store for the same price a year ago, it is greased lightning.
- a functional remote that is comfortable and easy to use.
- a USB port on the front of the player to play .mpg and picture files or to rip music to a flash drive or MP3 player from a CD or DVD.
- easy to navigate controls on the front panel. This is essential for me because my employees, who will not have the instruction manual available, will also be using the machine.
- an HDMI output, as well as the regular RCA type jacks.
- a ton of other features I will not use in my particular application.
Setup was a snap, even without so much as a glance at the instructions. I was even able to do a picture slide show from a flash drive without instructions, it is that intuitive. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars:
- If you want to connect an old school coaxial cable (the one that you screw on - with the little wire in the middle of the cable), you are out of luck
- I don't see any instructions on how to get it to control the volume on my TV (and it does not do it on it's own) even though the remote indicates it has the capability.

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Samsung DVD-C500 HDMI Multi All Region Code Zone Free PAL/NTSC DVD Player. Plays DVDs from Region 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. DIVX XVID AVI, WORK ON PAL & NTSC TVS FULL HD CONVERSION Review

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(More customer reviews)I had been looking at the reviews for similar products and there had always been unhappy buyers. This is a new product and I took a chance. Well, it came in just two days as announced, and took about two minutes to instal. Zone 1 and 2, PAL and NTSC played beautifully without any settings necessary, and even a self burnt DVD (NTSC Zone 1) that kept stalling on my previous player played without a hitch on this one ! So this amazingly small, amazingly light little machine meets all my expectations and beyond.
One might only regret it's not for use with 220 volt /50 hz current in case one might want to use it abroad (it's so lightweight !).
I highly recommend it (keeping fingers crossed for possible mishaps in the future).

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OPPO OPDV971H Digital HD-Ready Up-Converting DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got this player thru Amazon, and ran two region1 DVD disks: LOTR Return of the King Platinum and Dying Young. The short review: The wife is so impressed with the Oppo's picture quality (that's probably the most important consideration when buying anything like this). I was expecting the quality, since I was able to demo a Samsung earlier that could do DCDI/Faroudja/upconvertion. ADDED: I also tried Star Wars DVD. WOW!! The picture quality really blew me away. I can see details in the movie I have never seen before on a TV.
Our Oppo/HT setup: Panasonic AE700 widescreen lcd projector hdmi, ht=61" x wd=108" diy "blackout" screen (viewing distance=3.5meters), Yamaha RXV2095 receiver, Pioneer DV515 (old non-progressive dvd player via 12meter sVideo, 1.5meter fiber optic audio), Oppo DV971H (via dvi-to-hdmi adapter, 5meter hdmi cable, 3.7meter 75ohm component video cable, 10meter 75ohm coax audio), Speakers: Wharfedale Diamond 8.4 L/R/C and Bose AM10 L/R/C/Surr, Wiring AWG12. Home Theater PC setup (6meter VGA output, 1.5 meter fiber optic audio, Asus Pentium 4-2.67GHz notebook, ATI Radeon 9000-64MB, 512MB, 40GB HDD, ZoomPlayer, FFDShow, PowerStrip, WinDVD6, PowerDVD6). (1meter = 3.28ft)
I have observed a significant video improvement over our old pioneer DVD player. I also tried a 1970's movie (I won't mention the title) that was so poorly transferred to DVD (region3), and I noticed a significant improvement in the video playback over the old player. The noise artifacts were minimized, and the sharpness had a significant improvement. I guess that was the DCDI/Faroudja chip doing its work.
I've tried the 480p,720p,1080i upconvertion using the "dvi" button on the remote and although I couldn't really notice the difference in quality between the three modes even on such a large screen, the lcd projector saw the difference and reported the corresponding "input source signal". I may have to observe some more and change the projector's picture mode, we usually leave it at "Cinema1 mode".
ADDED: okay, I've now looked A LOT closer using Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon region3 DVD. Basically, as I move up the DVI resolution from 480p to 720p to 1080i, I did noticed that less and less horizontal lines were becoming visible (a good thing).
BUT, since our projector uses hdmi, the picture does suffer from hdmi cropping issues (varies with the resolution being used). Using component/analog gives the largest picture that can occupy the screen (unfortunately there is no upconversion using component, only the Oppo's DVI output has the upconversion). At the projector side: Using hdmi input, the picture appears cropped (black bars at the left and right, sometimes at the top and bottom, sometimes a combination of both). I also cannot change aspect ratio using hdmi, while you can using component/analog inputs of the projector.
ADDED: The Oppo I have can play DVD-Audio, something not stated in the manuals or the unit's array of logos. The DVD-Audio sampler disc I used came from Creative Lab's Audigy 2 for the PC.
ADDED: I also compaired the Oppo's component output vs. the dvi-to-hdmi output, basically, there's a big difference in the picture quality, you should connect using the dvi output if possible.
I also noticed that the subtitles on the movies are much easier to read now when compaired to the old dvd player, but on one brief moment the subtitles on Dying Young were garbled -that's never happened before on the Pioneer.
ADDED: Okay, this has now happened to a bunch of other DVDs, sometimes it garbles one single line of subtitle per entire single dvd I watched. That is still an acceptable problem to me.
I also heard no apparent difference in audio quality between the Oppo and the old Pioneer despite the length of the coax. Naturally I set all audio sound effects to off when compairing audio CDs.
I also compaired the Oppo to our HTPC. Basically, the HTPC could output better video than the old Pioneer, but when compairing with Oppo, I prefer the Oppo. I don't want the hassle the HTPC is giving me. I saw no significant video quality difference between the HTPC and the Oppo. So my take on this is if you're happy with your HTPC, stick to it. If you want convenience then Oppo is something to look at. If you can't demo an Oppo, try looking at anything with DCDI/Faroudja.
Bottom line: I am happy with the purchase. Good value for the money. It's region free and can upconvert, and that's what's important to me. I chose Oppo vs. Momitsu V880 because I prefer Faroudja over Sigma Designs. BUT, BUT, here are my Oppo gripes....
1. I don't like the remote's key layout, it also seems flimsy, it could use a backlight.
2. I don't like the el-cheapo plastic disc tray. It looks like it will break easily. It's weird having to insert a disc if the tray doesn't comeout 100% all the way. I just hope this is the design, not a defect.
3. I don't like the bright blue light which is distracting in a completely dark home theater room.
4. The player's buttons are a little hard to press, well, maybe because it's still new. As with other players, not all remote functions can be found on the unit itself. So take care of the remote.
5. I wish the unit was color black instead of silver.
6. I don't like the OSD font, could use a better readable font.
7. The setup menu could be more descriptive, the manual helps but not enough...
8. I wish it was HDMI rather than DVI, but the adapter solved that issue.
ADDED: 9. Subtitle display is sometimes garbled (sometimes happens once on a single line per DVD watched).
ADDED 05/28: Okay, after 3 months and almost 200 hrs of use, I am still happy with this purchase. However, not all DVD titles appeared fantastic thru the DVI upconversion output (hdmi input on our projector), such as Top Gun r1. I had to watch it thru the component output. It appeared too visually noisy via DVI.

Eric Gutierrez
Manila, Philippines

Click Here to see more reviews about: OPPO OPDV971H Digital HD-Ready Up-Converting DVD Player

Improve the picture quality of DVD movies shown on your high-definition television with the versatile OPPO Digital OPDV971H DVD player, which provides 480p/540p/576p/720p/1080i resolutions and can upconvert 480i video from DVDs to the high definition 720p/1080i formats. Featuring a slim and elegant design, it featurs a sleek, silver design that will fit in nicely the rest of your home theater's components. In addition to standard DVD move and CD audio discs, it's also compatible with DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, (S)VCD, HDCD, and CD-R/RW discs as well as WMA and JPEG digital content. It also plays DivX 5, DivX 4, DivX 3, and DivX VOD video content (in compliance with DivX Certified technical requirements).
The OPDV971H features Faroudja's Emmy award-winning DCDi deinterlacing and scaling technology to up-convert standard video in DVDs to HD resolutions. DCDi (Directional Correlational Deinterlacing) technology eliminates the jagginess that conventional upconverters introduced to diagonal edges in video. FaroudjaÕs unique DCDi algorithm identifies all the moving edges in a scene and adjusts the angle of interpolation at each pixel so that the interpolation always follows the edge instead of crossing it, eliminating staircasing or jagged edge artifacts.
Other features include a 108MHz/12bit video D/A converter, super error correction with twin laser and intelligent laser wavelength control, NTSC/PAL output (from both NTSC and PAL formatted discs), multi-angled view capability, virtual surround sound, and built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders. Future upgrades to the firmware can be updated to the player via a CD-ROM disc. It offers the following connection options:
DVI Out: 1 (480p, 576p, 540p, 720p, 1080i resolutions)
S-Video Out: 1
Composite AV Out: 1
Component Out
Subwoofer Out: 1
Optical digital audio Out: 1
Coaxial digital audio Out: 1

Tech Talk DivX is a video codec (a piece of software encoding and decoding video) based on the MPEG-4 compression format, that blends good quality video with a low bitrate. This translates to a smaller file size (around 15 percent of a standard DVD's video file), making it easier to transfer to portable devices as well as quicker to create (encode).
HDCD (High Definition Compatible Digital) is a disc encoding format for audio CDs and DVDs. It can encode 20 bits of audio information into a conventional CD 16-bit channel, yielding a greater dynamic range and a more true-to-life sound when decoded. HDCD-equipped players will improve audio quality for even traditionally recorded CDs and DVDs. Conversely, because of the recording process, HDCD-encoded media will also sound better than traditionally CDs and DVDs on players that don't have the HDCD chip.
DVI (Digital Video Interface) provides an uncompressed transfer of high definition video from a digital video source to a digital display device. HDCP (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) ensures copy protection of the content. The DVI output is also essential if you want to watch copyrighted DVDÕs at a higher, upconverted resolution (other video connections do not provide upconversion).
What's in the Box DVD player, remote control (with batteries), video cable, RCA L/R audio cable, printed operating instructions

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Panasonic DVD-S38 Progressive Scan DVD Player, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)purchased the panasonic dvd s-38 on 6/1/10 and it does everything stated..and it should. it has been running approximately 10 hours every 24 hours, so it is truly being tested. i have dvd's recorded on two samsungs purchased in 2007 and 2008 which are now in dvd heaven and a sony which is closely following them.
all the discs from the sanmsungs and some of the discs from the sony are recorded in the usual 2-6-8 hr. format which play quite well on the panasonic. here it comes...BUT.... the discs from the sony that are recorded in 1-1/2, 2-2/2, 3 and 5 hrs can't seem to "audio" very well. the picture is just dandy but the lips and sound just can't seem to get together. only the sony discs recorded with the unconventional hrs are affected. i use close caption 100 percent of the time so it doesn't really bother me, BUT it might annoy someone hearing the words and seeing closed lips.
so for all you sony users out there recording with the unusual hour format, take into consideration for your NEXT dvd player and/or recorder. i don't know if it makes a difference on all brands but it does come to light on the panasonic.
as i said, the panasonic s-8 is a great little machine. it can only give you what you put in and apparently off-hour recording(audio) (picture is okay) is not one.

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Start watching your favorite movies with the Panasonic DVD-S38 disc player, which features progressive playback and a high quality picture with 108MHz/12bit Video DAC.Additionally, this disc player is Energy Star Qualified and has a compact design for energy efficiency.

What's in the Box Disc Player, remote control (with batteries), power cord, operating instructions


Disc/Media Compatibility

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LG DN898 1080p Upconverting DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The LG DN898 is a very good player with a lot of great features: it does a good job of upscaling DVDs, it can output at a full 1080p, it supports playback of.mpeg, .avi (xvid/divx) and .srt files, and it can read from most recordable DVD formats as well as from USB. For the most part I have had a very good experience with this player and I would have rated it better if I had not discovered one glaring flaw. The LG DN898 is incapable of displaying 4:3 content in a pillarbox on a 16:9 screen. A pillarbox is the widescreen TV equivalent of a letterbox, the two black bars that appear on the top and bottom of a regular TV screen when playing a movie recorded in widescreen (16:9) format, only on a widescreen TV these bars appear as two black pillars on the left and right sides of the screen when playing fullscreen (4:3) content. This means that any video recorded in a 4:3 aspect ratio will be automatically stretched to fill the screen on a widescreen TV. If you prefer to have your video stretched to fit the screen then this shouldn't be a problem to you, in which case this player might be a good choice. However, if you prefer to watch video in its original aspect ratio then this is not the player for you. I have used other upconverting DVD players that let you choose whether or not you want to stretch the video. Considering the price of this player I am a bit disappointed that the LG DN898 does not offer this option.

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