Good high-end HDMI compatible DVD player

[JeffS]

Looking for a good HDMI compatible DVD player, also looking for HDMI cables but not wanting to spend more for cable than player.

Another question- What is the difference between digital co-axial and toslink cables, reason I ask this is I have my cheap DVD player which doesn't support toslink but does support digital audio through a digital co-axial cable (orange output/input). My problem is I am playing sound for my DVD player through my CD input on my receiver because my DVD player doesn't support the toslink and I refuse to use standard analog cables in my system. Am I hampering my DVD sound by redirecting it to the CD input on my receiver?

Thanks

 

[AVRat]

Coax vs Toslink, no significant difference, some prefer coax. My DVD player also only uses coax.

 

[JeffS]

so pretty much no reduction in sound quality then?

 

[WndrBr3d]

Okay... HONESTLY, there's no difference in quality between the two.

Some will debate until they're blue in the face that one is better than the other, but the sheer fact of the matter is that they're both DIGITAL. The SPDIF protocol has error correction and the ability to retransmit lost data.

Since the data arrives in digital form, if it's degraded or incomplete, the receiving device will request a retransmit.

The argument is that since coax is using an electronic pulse to send the data, it is susceptible to EMF and other forms of interference. Where as optical uses fiber optic and light, so it is not as prone to this type of interference.

The fact of the matter is, they're both DIGITAL. So the quality will be the same on either.

 

[jfabes]

I read this three times to make sure I didn't miss anything (and I'm sure I still did), but why don't you just run the digital coax to the receiver and play through the dvd input?

I agree that there is no - or not a significant - difference in sound between the two. The only downfall to optical is that they can't take a lot of abuse. Bend them to sharply (or kink), cut off the light path and you have a distorted signal.

 

[WndrBr3d]

I think dropped data frames would be a less confusing term than distortion , due to the nature of the post.

 

[JeffS]

I read this three times to make sure I didn't miss anything (and I'm sure I still did), but why don't you just run the digital coax to the receiver and play through the dvd input?

I agree that there is no - or not a significant - difference in sound between the two. The only downfall to optical is that they can't take a lot of abuse. Bend them to sharply (or kink), cut off the light path and you have a distorted signal.

There are 3 digital inputs on my receiver two optical (DVD and DTV/Cable) and one digital coaxiel (CD)

 

[j_garcia]

What do you consider "high end"? I consider the Denon 5910 high end and that is in the $3K neighborhood, so if you're talking $500, we aren't speaking the same language.

If you cannot reassign the digital inputs, you can pick up a little box that converts Coax to optical here.

Other thoughts - get a player that has both or upgrade your receiver.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Looking for a good HDMI compatible DVD player, also looking for HDMI cables but not wanting to spend more for cable than player.

Another question- What is the difference between digital co-axial and toslink cables, reason I ask this is I have my cheap DVD player which doesn't support toslink but does support digital audio through a digital co-axial cable (orange output/input). My problem is I am playing sound for my DVD player through my CD input on my receiver because my DVD player doesn't support the toslink and I refuse to use standard analog cables in my system. Am I hampering my DVD sound by redirecting it to the CD input on my receiver?

Thanks

Jeff,

You have the Yamaha 5850, right? Why do you want a player with HDMI? The Yamaha doesn't accept HDMI, unless I'm missing something. HDMI incorporates video and audio, so there is no need for a digital coax or toslink IF your unit accepted HDMI.

Now, if your tv accepts HDMI, you could run the HDMI cable from your dvd player to your plasma/lcd etc... You would still need to run a toslink/coax from the dvd player to your 5850 receiver for digital surround sound. A DVI cable would do exactly the same thing in your case.

It would seem to me component cables with toslink/coax on a less expensive dvd player would be the more logical purchase based on your receiver.