DVD Player recommendations: Discuss DVD player recommendations here

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Filmfreakazoid

I had a Panasonic RP56 that recently stop working on me, I have since bought the Panasonic S35. I don't know if the S35 is holding up with good picture quality (I could be wrong).

I've heard comments that the video performance of the Panasonic S35 and S55 (I think that's the model) isn't as good as the RP56, RP82 or XP30 since those players use Faroudja de-interlacers where the new "S-line" of Panasonics do not. I'm not sure what difference (if any) in video picture quality you've seen with the S35 vs the RP56. However, I've read a lot of negative comments about the S35. I've also read TONS of negative comments about Pioneer players that I love to death, but I don't let that stop me from buying Pioneer gear.

I've been looking at the Samsung HD931, I will not be using the DVI input because I have a Hitachi 43 inch without DVI. So my question is...how does the Samsung hold up "picture" quality without the up converting, and is the Panasonic S35 a better player than the Samsung HD931?

Good question. I'm not sure how good the component video output is from this player. The Samsung HD931 is another one of the upscaling DVI supporting DVD players people bought for 720p or 1080i upscaled video output over a DVI connection. Taxi owns this player so he might be able to comment on the component video output of this player. If your TV doesn't have a DVI input, you might be better off going with a progressive scan DVD player with other features, like DVD-Audio or SACD support. The Samsung won't output 720p or 1080i over component video connections, but it might be hacked to allow this. By default, the Samsung outputs 720p and 1080i over DVI *and* with HDCP encryption, I think.

Why are you interested in the Samsung HD931 if you don't have DVI support in your display? Does the player have other features you're interested in?

Peace...

[Filmfreakazoid]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

I've heard comments that the video performance of the Panasonic S35 and S55 (I think that's the model) isn't as good as the RP56, RP82 or XP30 since those players use Faroudja de-interlacers where the new "S-line" of Panasonics do not. I'm not sure what difference (if any) in video picture quality you've seen with the S35 vs the RP56. However, I've read a lot of negative comments about the S35. I've also read TONS of negative comments about Pioneer players that I love to death, but I don't let that stop me from buying Pioneer gear.

Good question. I'm not sure how good the component video output is from this player. The Samsung HD931 is another one of the upscaling DVI supporting DVD players people bought for 720p or 1080i upscaled video output over a DVI connection. Taxi owns this player so he might be able to comment on the component video output of this player. If your TV doesn't have a DVI input, you might be better off going with a progressive scan DVD player with other features, like DVD-Audio or SACD support. The Samsung won't output 720p or 1080i over component video connections, but it might be hacked to allow this. By default, the Samsung outputs 720p and 1080i over DVI *and* with HDCP encryption, I think.

Why are you interested in the Samsnug HD931 if you don't have DVI support in your display? Does the player have other features you're interested in?

Peace...

I was attracted to the Faroudja chip that's used in the Panasonic RP56, XP30 and I believe the Denon 1600.

Edit: I'm not sure the Faroudja technology is used for the DVI output only (does that make sense?)

[Filmfreakazoid]

Also...I'm using the Hitachi 43FWX20B widescreen T.V., it will convert to 1080i, but not 720p.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Filmfreakazoid

I was attracted to the Faroudja chip that's used in the Panasonic RP56, XP30 and I believe the Denon 1600.

Ah, gotcha....

Edit: I'm not sure the Faroudja technology is used for the DVI output only (does that make sense?)

chipmac also mentioned this in this thread:

Why does one need a progressive scan player?

It doesn't make sense to me but I guess that's what the player does.

Maybe you can find a XP30 or Denon DVD-1600 on eBay for a good price or maybe pickup a refurb unit.

Peace...

[tomdkat]

So, it looks like brttlt is leaning toward the Pioneer DV-563a:

Please Bottom Line it For Me

I think this will "mate well" with his Panasonic LCD TV... Be sure to let us know how it works out for you!

Peace...

[tomdkat]

Here is a review at AVS Forum of the Samsung HD931:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=320481

The review is written by someone who owns this unit. Additionally, I found these threads:

Denon DVD-5900 vs Bravo D1:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=323276

Bravo D1 "vs" Samsung HD931:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=324326



Peace...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

chipmac also mentioned this in this thread:

Why does one need a progressive scan player?

It doesn't make sense to me but I guess that's what the player does.

Well, I just found this thread on AVS Forum that counters the assertion that the Faroudja de-interlacing is NOT used with the component video output.

Originally Posted by czarcone @ AVS Forum

And no, DCDi is NOT DISABLED when viewing component 480p. This is another erroneous assertion that I have seen in negative 931 reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Remember that with this player, DVI output and component 480p output are mutually exclusive - if one is turned on, the other will be turned off. So your simultaneous output options are:

- DVI (480p or 720p or 1080i) & component interlaced & S-video & composite. (DCDi is disabled for component/S/composite but since those outputs are interlaced, it's not needed there anyway).
- Component 480p. That's it - all other outputs are disabled. This makes sense because S-video and composite do not support progressive signals. As for why DVI is disabled, you'd have to ask Samsung.

Now I'm TOTALLY confused....

Peace....

Originally Posted by tomdkat

So, it looks like brttlt is leaning toward the Pioneer DV-563a:

Please Bottom Line it For Me

I think this will "mate well" with his Panasonic LCD TV... Be sure to let us know how it works out for you!

Peace...

I was looking at this this morning because I'm probably going to replace my current player. So far it looks really good. I checked Audioreview and most everyone there says it looks and sounds great. And since it is coming recommended here as well, I think I might just grab one.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by bune duggy

And since it is coming recommended here as well, I think I might just grab one.

Considering the < $200 price point, it's at least worth trying out.

What player are you replacing?

Peace...

a Toshiba 5700. It is a really good player and I've been really happy with all of my Toshiba's. I couldn't recommend the brand highly enough. it's just that this problem, coupled with the lack of SACD support means I'm going to have to go elsewhere.

[wrathix]

Put this is the wrong spot...fixing it now....

Hello all,
I just got a new Sony WEGA TV, Model number: KV-34HS510, with all the new bells and whistles DVI in, and Component in. My old TV had none of this, so my old dvd player the Panasonic DVD-RV30 worked just fine through the RCA's. I'm looking to upgrade the DVD player to a prgressive scan, or DVI model. I'd also like to spend under 200. ANy recomendations? Thanks

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by wrathix

Hello all,
I just got a new Sony WEGA TV, Model number: KV-34HS510, with all the new bells and whistles DVI in, and Component in. My old TV had none of this, so my old dvd player the Panasonic DVD-RV30 worked just fine through the RCA's. I'm looking to upgrade the DVD player to a prgressive scan, or DVI model. I'd also like to spend under 200. Any recomendations? Thanks

Thanks for the info on the TV.

If you read through this thread, the discussion of the Samsung HD931 (if any), the Bravo D-1, or the Momitsu V880 would be of interest to you. All three of these players are in the $200 - $300 price range, all have DVI outputs, all are progressive scan DVD players, all upconvert current 480i DVDs to 720p or 1080i.

Here is a Samsung HD931 vs Bravo D-1 "shootout".

Here is another thread which compares the above named and the LiteON DVI capable progressive scan DVD player as well.

I think the Bravo D-1 is closer to your price range than the Samsung or the Momitsu, but I could be mistaken about the cost of the latter named players.

EDIT: Here's a tip for you. Go to the first page of this thread and use the "search this thread" feature to find "Samsung" or "Bravo" and you can see all of the posts discussing these players.

Good luck!

Peace...

[wrathix]

Thanks for the help, I did read through everything, though God knows how frequently technologies change and reviews are made obsolete.

Thanks again.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by wrathix

Thanks for the help, I did read through everything, though God knows how frequently technologies change and reviews are made obsolete.

Yeah, that's a very good point to raise. As soon as you purchase a player, it will almost become obsolete the next day.

Still, you don't _have_ to stick with the 'latest' technology unless it offers something you want. So, if you go with any of the DVI players I've named, you should be in good shape until something "new" comes out, like HD-DVD, and then you can re-assess at that time.

Good luck!

Peace...

[halfkorean]

anyone heard anything (good/bad) about this player? i think it's been out a while, but i couldn't find anything about it on these forums..
it's 7-disc progressive scan..
i'm looking for a cheap, sub-$100 progressive scan player, and this one looked interesting (it's $99 on costco.com, http://www.costco.com/product.asp?ca...5&log=&navtop=)..

thanks in advance!

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by halfkorean

i'm looking for a cheap, sub-$100 progressive scan player, and this one looked interesting (it's $99 on costco.com, http://www.costco.com/product.asp?ca...5&log=&navtop=)..

I don't know much about JVC DVD players and haven't heard much about this player at all. For $100, it might be worth checking out. There is also this thread I found on Home heater SPot.

Peace...

[snipsnapsappy]

halfkorean,

I have a similar player, the FA90BK. It does well enough, but it has a lot of problems, especially because it is cheaply built. It sounds fine and looks fine on my CRT TV. But I would recommend looking elsewhere. The 7 disc changer is almost useless because you can not do a shuffle between all the discs like you can with a CD changer. A DVD changer can be fun, but is really quite useless. It is only really fun if you like to watch some of your favorite scenes from 7 different movies. But, it will perform well for only $100.

Wrathix,

With a 34" CRT TV, it is likely you will not see much of an improvement with a DVI enabled DVD player. You should buy one to see if you notice a difference, but the consensus between a lot of experts is that tube CRT sets (like yours and mine) will not show a difference with the DVI cables against component cables.

I would probably recommend trying out the excellent, feature packed Pioneer 563A as well as the featureless DVI players to see if they yield an improvement in picture that is worth the extra money and lack of features.

Also, since your TV has only one DVI input, I am guessing that it would be wiser to use it for an external HD tuner that is producing true HD signals than the DVD player which is only upconverting 480i images.

[tomdkat]

Here is discussion on "cheap" (inexpensive) DVD players:

Cheapity-Cheap DVD Players...

Peace...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by snipsnapsappy

halfkorean,

I have a similar player, the FA90BK. It does well enough, but it has a lot of problems, especially because it is cheaply built. It sounds fine and looks fine on my CRT TV. But I would recommend looking elsewhere. The 7 disc changer is almost useless because you can not do a shuffle between all the discs like you can with a CD changer. A DVD changer can be fun, but is really quite useless. It is only really fun if you like to watch some of your favorite scenes from 7 different movies. But, it will perform well for only $100.

Thanks for the info....

Wrathix,

With a 34" CRT TV, it is likely you will not see much of an improvement with a DVI enabled DVD player. You should buy one to see if you notice a difference, but the consensus between a lot of experts is that tube CRT sets (like yours and mine) will not show a difference with the DVI cables against component cables.

I would probably recommend trying out the excellent, feature packed Pioneer 563A as well as the featureless DVI players to see if they yield an improvement in picture that is worth the extra money and lack of features.

He could make use of the upconverting features of the above named DVD players if he deems higher resolution video to be of more importance than DVD-Audio or SACD support, if he doesn't have an A/V receiver to support the DVD-Audio or SACD output. As for the above players being "featureless" as compared to the Pioneer DV-563a, the Pioneer lacks good Zoom capability (from what I've read) and doesn't offer the best de-interlacing ability, both of which could be found in other players at or close to that price point. The real question is, what features does he deem most important.

Also, since your TV has only one DVI input, I am guessing that it would be wiser to use it for an external HD tuner that is producing true HD signals than the DVD player which is only upconverting 480i images.

This is an interesting point as if/when HD-DVD hits the streets I'm sure the same "dilemma" will exist. The cost of an external HD tuner would be much greater than the above mentioned DVD players so if HDTV content isn't in his immediate future, a DVD player that upconverts the video might be a more attractive option for the immediate future to get maximum possible video resolution from DVD viewing today. Besides, if he later upgrades his TV to a fixed pixel display, he will already have a DVD player capable of feeding it great video source material.

I've got nothing against the Pioneer DV-563a, I just think there's more to consider with the Samsung, Bravo, and Momitsu than just the digital video output of these players in conjunction with which features are important to the buyer. I've heard grumblings the next Samsung unit might support WM9 and if that's the case, then this discussion changes significantly.

Peace...

[halfkorean]

thanks to tomdkat and snipsnapsappy for the replies, i really appreciate it!

i guess i'm now leaning towards going with a toshiba sd-3900 or the panasonic s25.. anyone have any opinions on those two models? i read that the toshiba has problems w/ enhanced audio cds (i think that was the one), but i don't really care about that.. does it have the chroma error that a lot of older toshibas do? and i've seen something to the effect that the panasonic has some issues of its own, can't recall exactly what it was (i'm sure you guys know)
i'm gonna be hooking it up to a panasonic 51" (pt-51hx40).. just want to get a decent prog. scan player that has solid video/audio output (never had a prog scan player yet, got 2 old non-prog. players already) for $100 or less..

[wrathix]

Hey all,
I opted to pick up the Sony DVP-NS725P. I figured I'd save the DVI in for HD/Digital cable if I ever come around to getting it instead of using a first generation DVI DVD player. Perhaps when the next set come out I'll take a look at them again. The picture the Sony presents is a marked improvement over my previous non-progressive scan player.
All in all I'm very happy with it. Thanks for all the help and opinions

[Quark]

Ok Im in kindof a dilemma need to buy a new dvd player since my old pioneer 606 is screwedup beyond repair. The Two models i have cut down to is (are)
Sony DVP-NS930V
and
Pioneer DV-565The pioneer i know i like since ive been very happy with the brand but how does sony compare to it? Picture/audio vise. Denon 1300 is not an option since i cant make that one region free.

PS:I dont care if one or the other has useless extras as zoom that people never use anyway

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Quark

Pioneer DV-565The pioneer i know i like since ive been very happy with the brand but how does sony compare to it?

Do you mean the Pioneer DV-563a? I'm not familiar with the DV-565.

Peace...

[Quark]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Do you mean the Pioneer DV-563a? I'm not familiar with the DV-565.

Peace...

Probably the same player. Only that 565 is the european version

[tomdkat]

Here is a new recommendation request:

Looking to spend about 400 USD on a New DVD Player...

Since you want scaling/zooming capability, I think your only options would be the Panasonic DVD-RP91 (if you can find one, try eBay or similar sites) or one of the newer Toshiba progressive scan DVD players, like the SD-4900:

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/dvd/prod...?model=SD-4900

I'm not sure if your current SD-1900sc is a progressive scan DVD player or not. You can check out a Denon DVD-1600 or maybe a DVD-2200, but I think the DVD-2200 is over $400. The Denon's don't offer the zoom capability of the Toshiba but should offer better progressive scan video performance. If the Panasonic DVD-RP91 doesn't have MP3 support, you can see if you can find a DVD-RP82 or DVD-XP30, but then you sacrifice the zooming capability.

The SRP of the Toshiba SD-4900 is $150, which means the street price is likely to be well under that. For that kind of money, it's at least worth trying out since it offers zooming, MP3 playback, DVD-Audio, and should offer good to great progressive scan video performance. The SD-3900 looks to be close to the SD-4900 at the same price.

I just don't think there are any DVD players out there that offer the combinations of features you want at your price point.

Peace...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Quark

Probably the same player. Only that 565 is the european version

Ok, since you're talking about European DVD players, you should post this in the "Off-World Colonies" DVD player thread:

Region-Free/Multi-Region DVD player discussion

Good luck!

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Since you want scaling/zooming capability, I think your only options would be the Panasonic DVD-RP91 (if you can find one, try eBay or similar sites) or one of the newer Toshiba progressive scan DVD players, like the SD-4900:

Actually, upon further consideration, the zoom/scaling feature isn't all that necessary.

Originally Posted by tomdkat

I'm not sure if your current SD-1900sc is a progressive scan DVD player or not. You can check out a Denon DVD-1600 or maybe a DVD-2200, but I think the DVD-2200 is over $400.

I have the 1800SC, not the 1900, but yes, it does have progressive scan

Originally Posted by tomdkat

The Denon's don't offer the zoom capability of the Toshiba but should offer better progressive scan video performance. If the Panasonic DVD-RP91 doesn't have MP3 support, you can see if you can find a DVD-RP82 or DVD-XP30

I was looking at a denon (the 910) as well as a Marantz 4300. I never checked out the higher end Toshiba's because the guy at the store was raving about the other two. Since I'll be spending a bit on this purchase, I intend to move slowly and get something really good for the money.

I guess what I'm wondering is what kind of picture quality/performance increase am I looking at moving from the SD1800SC to something that costs about 2 to 3 times as much.

Thanks for the reply btw

Cheers...

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dvdzrkool

Actually, upon further consideration, the zoom/scaling feature isn't all that necessary.

Great, this simplifies things a bit...

I was looking at a denon (the 910) as well as a Marantz 4300. I never checked out the higher end Toshiba's because the guy at the store was raving about the other two. Since I'll be spending a bit on this purchase, I intend to move slowly and get something really good for the money.

I guess what I'm wondering is what kind of picture quality/performance increase am I looking at moving from the SD1800SC to something that costs about 2 to 3 times as much.

Well, the difference in picture quality will depend on the de-interlacing and MPEG decoding ability of the new player. The Denons and Panasonics are highly regarded for progressive scan video performance due to the use of EXCELLENT de-interlacers (Faroudja and Silicon Image). The Panasonic DVD-RP82 and DVD-XP30 are the single disc Panasonic DVD players to find since the new crop of Panasonics (Sxx models) don't use the Faroudja de-interlacer like the RP82 and XP30 do. The Denon DVD-1600 might be a great player for you to check out since it DOES use a Faroudja (I think) de-interlacer. The Denon DVD-2200 is another player to check out since it offers DVD-Audio and SACD playback in addition to the Faroudja de-interlacing.

Still, for the $150 price point I would recommend auditioning a Toshiba SD-3900 or SD-4900 and see what you think of the picture. If you buy it from BestBuy, or some other place with a good return policy, you can return the player within 30 days (be sure to keep your receipt) for a refund. I would also recommend auditioning the Pioneer DV-563a since that player does not have the chroma upsampling error (CUE) and also offers DVD-Audio and SACD playback as well as progressive scan video through proprietary de-interlacing. You should be able to find the DV-563a between $150 - $200 at BestBuy.

I'm trying out a Pioneer DV-563a connected to a Toshiba 57HX81 right now and I'm finding I really like the video performance of this player.

Otherwise, try to find a Denon DVD-1600 online somewhere or see if you can find a good deal on a Denon DVD-2200.

Here is a GREAT resource for you to read thoroughly:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...on-9-2000.html

Read all three links at the bottom of that page:

Chroma Upsampling Error in DVD Players
Guide to the Progressive Scan Shootouts
Progressive Scan Shootouts - December, 2000 - January, 2003

Then read the "shootout" report and see how the various players compare with each other.

Good luck!

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Still, for the $150 price point...

Thanks for the info, I'll check these out some more. Just out of curiosity, were did the $150 price point come from?

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dvdzrkool

Thanks for the info, I'll check these out some more. Just out of curiosity, were did the $150 price point come from?

That is the MSRP of the Toshiba DVD players, which means the "street price" is closer to $100 or so. The Pioneer DV-563a has a MSRP of $250 (I think) but you can find it for $180 or so).

The main point being, if you are ready to spend $400 now, why not try one of the $150 players and see if that will work out for you and return it for a refund if it doesn't. The Denon DVD-1600 might be hard to find since I think it's been discontinued in favor of the DVD-2200, but I'm not totally sure about that.

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

That is the MSRP of the Toshiba DVD players, which means the "street price" is closer to $100 or so. The Pioneer DV-563a has a MSRP of $250 (I think) but you can find it for $180 or so).

The main point being, if you are ready to spend $400 now, why not try one of the $150 players and see if that will work out for you and return it for a refund if it doesn't. The Denon DVD-1600 might be hard to find since I think it's been discontinued in favor of the DVD-2200, but I'm not totally sure about that.

Peace...

Ohhh...I see, thanks I'm going to grab the Toshiba SD4800 tomorrow and try it out since the store I deal with in town has them in stock. Later on, I'll get them to order the Denon or Marantz (leaning towards the Marantz..the Euro's seem to love it though I'm hard pressed to find any reviews of it here in North America) and try it out to compare. I've looked into the Pioneer using the references you provided as well as some other review sites and it actually doesn't seem to be that good from what I have read so far. How's it working out for you? You mentioned you liked it so far and I was wondering what it was about it you liked? The Denon DVD-2200 is rather expensive up here (in Canada)...more than I thought anyway. I've only checked out a couple of places and none online. Not too thrilled about buying items such as this online because of the hassle of returning it. Much easier to walk into a store, walk out with a DVD player and then returning it to said store if I don't like it. I'll look into it more though.

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dvdzrkool

I've looked into the Pioneer using the references you provided as well as some other review sites and it actually doesn't seem to be that good from what I have read so far. How's it working out for you? You mentioned you liked it so far and I was wondering what it was about it you liked?

The Secrets reports of the Pioneer DVD players point out the technical flaws in the progressive scan video output, which is only one aspect of any given DVD player. From what I've seen thus far, the DV-563a performs "on par" with the Panasonic DVD-XP30, which I also have. Both are connected to my Toshiba 57HX81.

Pioneer DVD players tend to be less "quirky" and offer robust playback ability. A number of people claim to "love" the progressive video output of this player and others "slam" it. I recently read one comment from someone who prefers their DV-563a to their HTPC w/ PowerDVD.

For me, I like the DV-563a's video performance and Pioneer rep for stability and robustness, based primarily on my personal past experience. I simply have NOT had the player in my possession long enough to know how reliable this unit will be BUT I've been going through I 8 Piglet's thread in the Glitch Exhaust about this unit to see if I can encounter the same "problems" he reports. I experienced NONE of the playback problems he reported in Pearl Harbor and I'm going to rent Die Another Day again to give that a try.

I'm also interested in giving SACD a try so this player will enable me to do that as well.

There are some things about the DV-563a that I don't like. The lack of "auto-progressive" the DV-656a (and others) have is something I miss as that provided an "easy" way to identify non-anamorphic DVDs. The tray seems to be some sluggish compared to the DV-656a as does the "spin up" time of a DVD. The Fifth Element (Superbit) main menu had very noticable "shimmering". I haven't viewed this menu on the Panasonic DVD-XP30 or the Pioneer DV-656a to see if those players exhibit the same behavior.

For you, a Toshiba might be a better "fit" mainly because of the zoom capability.

Good luck!

Peace...

[tomdkat]

Here's another request for a portable DVD player recommendation:

Portable DVD Players

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

Well, I got the DC4900SC player and brought it home earlier today. After hooking it up and watching parts of the Matrix, ST:Insurrection and LOTR:TTT, all I can say is..."looks the same as my DC1800SC...just has more bells and whistles". I was thinking of keeping it a few more days before deciding wether to keep it or not, but I changed my mind and will take it back tomorrow.

I'm reading up on the D1 that everyone is raving about and the concensus I get from it is that if you're using it on a tube HD Ready TV (such as my Toshiba 34"), the improvements aren't worth losing all the added features of a non-DVI player. I'm going to go with the Marantz 4300 for now and see what comes down the pipe with respect to DVI players over the next 6 months or so. The only other one I've heard of is the Samsung. Are there anymore on the horizon that don't; or at least shouldn't; cost an arm and a leg?

Cheers

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dvdzrkool

Well, I got the DC4900SC player and brought it home earlier today. After hooking it up and watching parts of the Matrix, ST:Insurrection and LOTR:TTT, all I can say is..."looks the same as my DC1800SC...just has more bells and whistles". I was thinking of keeping it a few more days before deciding wether to keep it or not, but I changed my mind and will take it back tomorrow.

Cool, well at least you now know what to expect from the current crop of Toshiba DVD players and you're in a position to get your money back.

I'm reading up on the D1 that everyone is raving about and the concensus I get from it is that if you're using it on a tube HD Ready TV (such as my Toshiba 34"), the improvements aren't worth losing all the added features of a non-DVI player. I'm going to go with the Marantz 4300 for now and see what comes down the pipe with respect to DVI players over the next 6 months or so. The only other one I've heard of is the Samsung. Are there anymore on the horizon that don't; or at least shouldn't; cost an arm and a leg?

Actually, the V Inc is coming out with the successor to the D1 called the D2. I don't know anything about this player at all. The Denon DVD-5900 has a DVI output along with being a Universal player, but it costs an arm and a leg. LiteON also makes a DVI capable DVD player, but I don't know much about one either. The Pioneer Elite DV-59AVI (I think is the model) has an HDMI output, which will probably be the "next wave" as we transition over to HD-DVD (when that comes out).

Good luck with your Marantz and keep us posted on your findings.

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

As an added note... Not sure why I'm looking into the D1 (or D2)...the freaking company that sells it won't ship to Canada or take a credit card from a Canadian bank. So much for NAFTA....idiots.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dvdzrkool

As an added note... Not sure why I'm looking into the D1 (or D2)...the freaking company that sells it won't ship to Canada or take a credit card from a Canadian bank. So much for NAFTA....idiots.

Well, you could always send me $400USD cash and I could send you a DVD player...

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Well, you could always send me $00USD cash and I could send you a DVD player...

$00USD? Hell ya...what's your address?

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by dvdzrkool

$00USD? Hell ya...what's your address?

Yeah, $00USD plus the $400USD service fee for me to process the $00USD payment...

Peace...

[dvdzrkool]

Tomdkat, just out of curioisty, what is your take on NAD DVD players? I saw one in a store today and I know nothing about them.