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Bronze Member Username: Phi_do410Ho Chi Minh, Saigon Vietnam Post Number: 15 Registered: Sep-06 | Would somebody advise me what good DVD Player I should purchase with the budget of US$500-800. I prefer an HDMI connection one as I wanna upgrate my TV in the future and my current Receiver is a Pioneer with HDMI ports available. Thanks for any advice. |
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Bronze Member Username: Cobra11Post Number: 62 Registered: Oct-06 | I think your short list should include the Denon DVD-2930CI and the vastly less expensive Oppo DV-970HD. Both are upconverting units. Check out the link below for reviews... http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6531_7-6509120.html |
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Silver Member Username: TommyvRowlett, Texas Post Number: 107 Registered: Aug-06 | Dont forget to consider Marantz and Pioneer Elite as well. The Pioneer Elite DV 79AVi is a wonderful unit but a little above your price range retail. If you are going to play SACD you can count the Oppo out but if that is not a concern then there are some great players out there for less than $500. I assume you do want SACD because it seems like all the players out there in your price range play SACD. You can even find Denon 2910 or 955 around for $300-$400 since they are being replaced by the 2930ci. Heck if you dont care about SACD you may just want to get the new Toshiba HD DVD player when it comes out. |
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Bronze Member Username: Phi_do410Ho Chi Minh, Saigon Vietnam Post Number: 16 Registered: Sep-06 | Thanks for the advices. The Oppo DV-970HD looks very attractive at their offered price but this brand sounds strange to me. I have no idea about the SACD. I do have a seperate CD Player, the Marantz cd17 mk3 for music but I dont think it plays SACD either. Is it really necessary to by one with SACD then. If so, I think I should go with a Denon... However, these Denon models are quite pricey. Appreciate your further advices. many thanks... |
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Bronze Member Username: Phi_do410Ho Chi Minh, Saigon Vietnam Post Number: 17 Registered: Sep-06 | Here is the negative comment about the Denon 2930ci: "Very expensive for a deck that doesn't play next-gen HD-DVD or Blu-ray discs". Any comments on the Blu-ray and HD-DVD technologies? Should I look for these new stuffs? Thanks. |
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Silver Member Username: TommyvRowlett, Texas Post Number: 108 Registered: Aug-06 | Do: Like I was saying if you are not caring about SACD then you may want to get the new Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player that comes out next month. As far as that Denon goes it will probably upcovert your current DVD collection to look better than most other DVD players out now; but the Toshiba is an upconversion DVD player as well. What kind of TV do you have? |
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Bronze Member Username: Cobra11Post Number: 63 Registered: Oct-06 | Hi: There are FOUR major types of DVD players Long... DVD = just plays DVDs and does not upconvert to higher HDTV signal, does not play HD-DVD disks or BlueRay disks. DVD Upconvert = just plays DVDs but upconverts to 420P / 720i /720p / 1081i, does not play HD-DVD disks or Blue Ray Disks. Usually connects via HDMI or DVI to achieve HD signal. BLUE RAY DVD = can play Blue ray media and possibly displays in 720i /720p / 1081i / 1080p but usually does NOT play HD-DVD disks. Usually connects via HDMI to achieve HD signal. HD-DVD = can play all media except Blue Ray media and can possibly display in 720i /720p / 1081i Usually connects via HDMI to achieve HD signal. Currently, there is a media war going on with HD DVD like media. One camp is Blue-Ray and the other camp is HD-DVD. There is no clear winner yet but most predict that there is no room for two HD media at this time. The Denon 2930CI is a DVD Upconvert type of DVD player and probably the best of the lot according to testers. The fact that it does not play HD-DVd or Blu-Ray disks is not necessarily a negative comment. Long... be aware that your original question was about a good DVD player... not a good Blue-Ray or HD-DVD player. To date, the Blue-Ray and HD-DVD players are really disguised PC's with motherboards, cache memory, an internal hard disk drive and slow boot up times. They do a fair amount of "conversion" work for you. I guess you could say they are rather complex devices at present. Their current cost reflects the complexity. Until the media war is won, this will be perhaps the worst time to buy a top end DVD player IMHO. That is why I am running the Oppo upconverting DVD. Great performance, simple and... so inexpensive you could consider it disposable. |
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Silver Member Username: TommyvRowlett, Texas Post Number: 109 Registered: Aug-06 | I'd have to agree with Arty here. If you dont want to be on the cutting edge of technology and wait to see what new format will win, it may make more sense to buy a lesser expensive unit in the less than $300 range until things are settled between HD-DVD and BlueRay. |
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Bronze Member Username: Phi_do410Ho Chi Minh, Saigon Vietnam Post Number: 18 Registered: Sep-06 | Arty & Tommy, many thanks for the clarifications. It makes me much clearer now. What about SACD function? Is it necessary that a DVD or CD palyer can play SACD? if not, it just adds cost. My current TV is an LG 32" LCD but I would upgrate it in the near future. Regards, Phi |
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Bronze Member Username: Cobra11Post Number: 75 Registered: Oct-06 | Phi: SA-CD or SACD is an audio format for music CDs. I am not sure if this is of any benefit in a single disk DVD player used primarily for DVD playing. I personally would not pay a premium for this at the present time. However, DVD-A would possibly be a consideration but that audio format is farily rare today as well. Check out the following link for more information.... http://stereos.about.com/od/homestereotechnologies/a/dvd_sacd_2.htm |