DVD player advice needed.....

[Mal]

I'm looking into getting a decent DVD player rather than the $50 one I've been using for a while. I must say, for a bottom of the range player, the Philips 5960 has been a real gem of a player - upsacaling to 1080i through HDMI certainly looks far better than I'm used to. Having said that, most (if not all) the improvement has been going from analogue connections to HDMI. As far as I can tell, the Philips looks about the same whether it is set to 480i or 1080i!

Anyway, I would like to get the best out of my ever growing DVD library and am looking at the Denon DVD-5930 as the benchmark based on what I've read. However, I really don't need any of the non video related audio features of the Denon - I have DVD-A and SACD covered with other hardware.

So, my question is - what DVD players rival the Denon DVD-5930 for DVD video playback but without the extra non-video frills I don't need?

I don't mind if the player is an older model - in fact I'd rather buy used and save a few bucks.....:)

So, what are the best DVD players out there?

[Mal]

I should add - I have a 32" Hitachi Plasma (32PD5200) which can handle 1080i but not 1080p. Of course, in the future I will eventually get a larger 1080p panel but for now it is not essential for the DVD player to handle 1080p. I'd like a DVI output on the player if at all possible since my Hitachi only has DVI for digital connection - although to be fair it seems fine using HDMI->DVI.

:)

[SamS]

I don't believe there is a Denon 5930 model, but there is a 5910 and 5910ci (includes 1080p).

Either one of these would be video overkill for a 32" display. I think your native resolution is 852x1054 so whatever resolution a DVD player spits out, it will have to be scaled up or down to this 852x1054 by the panel itself.

I would say get an Oppo DV-983H or 980H model. You'll be fine with the cheaper 980H model :agree:

[balzac]

I'm not at all qualified to compare models as I don't have experience with a lot of models or brands, but one idea to throw out there is to track down a really cheap new Toshiba HD-DVD player. The HD-A3 can probably be found for easily under $100 by now, and it's highest resolution is 1080i, which would match your display. I think the HD-A2 is pretty similar. You can probably get some of the better Toshiba models that do full 1080p for not much more.

Plus, if you're into it at all, you can pick up some really cheapo HD-DVD discs on cutout sales. But based solely on upscaling DVD's, I think the Toshiba HD-A3 does a pretty nice job. I don't think upscaling makes a huge difference, mind you; but my Toshiba HD-DVD player seems to do a very marginally better job at upscaling than my Sony Blu-Ray player, just to my eyes.

[Mal]

I don't believe there is a Denon 5930 model, but there is a 5910 and 5910ci (includes 1080p).

Sorry - yep, it's the 5910ci :agree::

http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3127.asp

Either one of these would be video overkill for a 32" display. I think your native resolution is 852x1054 so whatever resolution a DVD player spits out, it will have to be scaled up or down to this 852x1054 by the panel itself.

I would say get an Oppo DV-983H or 980H model. You'll be fine with the cheaper 980H model :agree:


You really don't think I'd be able to notice a difference between the 5910ci and an OPPO 980H on my 32" TV?

[Mal]

I'm not at all qualified to compare models as I don't have experience with a lot of models or brands, but one idea to throw out there is to track down a really cheap new Toshiba HD-DVD player. The HD-A3 can probably be found for easily under $100 by now, and it's highest resolution is 1080i, which would match your display. I think the HD-A2 is pretty similar. You can probably get some of the better Toshiba models that do full 1080p for not much more.

Plus, if you're into it at all, you can pick up some really cheapo HD-DVD discs on cutout sales. But based solely on upscaling DVD's, I think the Toshiba HD-A3 does a pretty nice job. I don't think upscaling makes a huge difference, mind you; but my Toshiba HD-DVD player seems to do a very marginally better job at upscaling than my Sony Blu-Ray player, just to my eyes.

I did think about picking up a cheap Toshiba since Blu-Ray won the battle - however, I don't know if it really competes with the top players like the 5910ci. Have you seen the Denon in action?

[Mal]

What I am hoping to find out is whether anyone else makes a player up to the quality standard (both in terms of performance and build) of the flagship Denon but without the non-video related audio features such as SACD & DVD-A - anyone know of such a machine?

[balzac]

I did think about picking up a cheap Toshiba since Blu-Ray won the battle - however, I don't know if it really competes with the top players like the 5910ci. Have you seen the Denon in action?

No, the only thing I know about the Denon players is that a lot of people on this board and some others seem to have them. If you're specifically into finding the best upconverting DVD player, then there may well be players other than Toshiba HD-DVD players that have better video processing chips or whatever they're called (can you tell I'm not an expert when it comes this stuff? :) )

Back in the middle of the last year, before I ended up buying into HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, I strongly considered getting a new upconverting DVD player and had a few recommended to me that were supposed to be among the best. I think one of the higher-end Oppo players were noted as among the best, especially for the price and other features. I vaguely recall someone mentioning to me that one of the earlier, high-end Toshiba HD-DVD players had one of the best processing chips or whatever innards of the player make for the best upconverting.

I've been hearing of pretty much all of the Toshiba HD-DVD players going for insanely low prices, cheaper than I've ever seen most run-of-the-mill upconverting DVD players, so those low hardware prices coupled with some super-cheap and great-looking available software (albeit software that isn't too future-proof!) means the only recommendation I can offer with any knowledge on the subject is an HD-DVD player.

I'd better stop trying to discuss the technical details too much, as I just used the words "innards" to describe video equipment. :)

[harmonica98]

Mal - you can get a Toshiba HD-EP30 for £60 new which is a great upscaler - I have one myself. Only problem is that is cannot be made multi-region at present, which may well be an issue for you. However, you could get the HD-XE1 (European XA2) which can be multi-regioned for only £300 from Richer Sounds - the XE1/XA2 are reputed to be as among the very best for upscaling.

I think that the Denon that you are looking at is overkill for your display, even allowing for future-proofing. The 3930 is supposed to offer similar performance to the 5910 but at a much lower price. Or there is the Pioneer 989avi which can be had for less than £300 second-hand.

If I was in your situation, I would buy something like the EP30 for now, then buy a Blu-Ray player next year when there should be a model that is Profile 2.0 and can be made multi-region for SD discs for less than £250 - assuming you are going to upgrade your display.

Tom

[SamS]

You really don't think I'd be able to notice a difference between the 5910ci and an OPPO 980H on my 32" TV?

There is no way you'd notice a difference. Even on a 7 foot wide projection screen, the differences would be subtle, even with demanding material.

The 5910ci would certainly be $2000+ used. The Oppo is less than 1/10th of that price!