New DVD player?

[bwolf]

I'm currently building a home theater in my finished basement. Right now I'm running your basic run-of-the-mill $100 Sony progressive scan DVD player to a Mitsubishi 65" HD TV via component cables. Since I'm building the new theater, I was wondering if it made sense to upgrade the DVD player. With all of the new technology that is on the way, does it make sense to buy a new DVD player now? Will I notice much difference from my Sony? There's nothing wrong with the Sony so I hate to throw money at something unless I'm going to get a noticeable improvement. Thanks for any opinions.

 

[L-Jay]

There's nothing wrong with the Sony so I hate to throw money at something unless I'm going to get a noticeable improvement. Thanks for any opinions.

You said it. Why throw money away when there's nothing wrong with your Sony. I'm sure the progressive scan is giving you an excellent picture. Save yourself some cash.

 

[Vancouver]

I'm currently building a home theater in my finished basement. Right now I'm running your basic run-of-the-mill $100 Sony progressive scan DVD player to a Mitsubishi 65" HD TV via component cables. Since I'm building the new theater, I was wondering if it made sense to upgrade the DVD player. With all of the new technology that is on the way, does it make sense to buy a new DVD player now? Will I notice much difference from my Sony? There's nothing wrong with the Sony so I hate to throw money at something unless I'm going to get a noticeable improvement. Thanks for any opinions.

personaliy I have noticed a noticable difference in sound since I got a new DVD player. I went from a Denon 800 to a rotel 1060 (very recently). I to didnt think anything was wrong with my denon and only replaced it becuase there were some small loading problems. I was pleasently surprised.

 

[jfabes]

personaliy I have noticed a noticable difference in sound since I got a new DVD player. I went from a Denon 800 to a rotel 1060 (very recently). I to didnt think anything was wrong with my denon and only replaced it becuase there were some small loading problems. I was pleasently surprised.

Vancouver - how do you like the Rotel dvd? I was considering, but am still caught up in all the progressive upscaling hoopla. I demoe'd it against the denon 3910 (in 480p/720p/1080i) and I couldn't see a difference. Anyway, I talked with one of their reps yesterday to ask them if the 1060 had video control (brightness, color, etc.) because I didn't see it in the manual and he said it didn't. He told me the 1050 is actually the better player because it has a better processor in it (along with audio and video control). The reason for the 1060 price increase is for the R232 port. Did you hear this? The Rotel dvd's sound very good.

 

[WndrBr3d]

Some people have been straying from purchasing expensive DVD players at this point because HD-DVD is right over the horizon.

A lot of people have been suggesting a good "stop gap" DVD player would be the Oppo for $199. It performs very well and has a very modest price.

If you feel that you might not be upgrading to HD-DVD as soon as it comes out, and living with the Sony pains you, you could upgrade to perhaps a Denon 3910. These could be found for ~$750 refurb. from Authorized dealers.

 

[Vancouver]

Vancouver - how do you like the Rotel dvd? I was considering, but am still caught up in all the progressive upscaling hoopla. I demoe'd it against the denon 3910 (in 480p/720p/1080i) and I couldn't see a difference. Anyway, I talked with one of their reps yesterday to ask them if the 1060 had video control (brightness, color, etc.) because I didn't see it in the manual and he said it didn't. He told me the 1050 is actually the better player because it has a better processor in it (along with audio and video control). The reason for the 1060 price increase is for the R232 port. Did you hear this? The Rotel dvd's sound very good.

well it seems that most of the equipment I end up buying has little to no reviews on it i.e. B&W FPM speakers, RDV 1060.

I am in a little different boat then most where I use and external processor (iscan HD) to do all of the scalling and de-interlacing, so as far as video goes I only wanted the Rotel to send a 480i singal. In my own personal generally opinion about upscaling DVD players I think they are way over rated and not need unless two of the following things apply.

1. Your TVs native resolution is 720p or 1080i
2. the processor in the DVD player is better then the one in your TV

I can't comment on the processor in the 1050 is better then the one in the 1060 I have heard the opposite, and i can emagine they would use a worse one.

All and all I would say that the denon 3910 is a better play, but the Rotel looks MUCH better

 

[Vancouver]

Some people have been straying from purchasing expensive DVD players at this point because HD-DVD is right over the horizon.

A lot of people have been suggesting a good "stop gap" DVD player would be the Oppo for $199. It performs very well and has a very modest price.

If you feel that you might not be upgrading to HD-DVD as soon as it comes out, and living with the Sony pains you, you could upgrade to perhaps a Denon 3910. These could be found for ~$750 refurb. from Authorized dealers.

True. Personally however I am not going to buy one until the war ends. I refuse to support it, and that is coming from some someone who wants the best.

I was prepared to buy both the HD DVD and the Blue Ray becuase if they were both $1000 I would pay $2000 for one good one....but I dont want to get caught up in it.

I have to say that a good dvd running through my processor doesnt look worse then HDTV signals!

 

[aarond]

Some people have been straying from purchasing expensive DVD players at this point because HD-DVD is right over the horizon.

A lot of people have been suggesting a good "stop gap" DVD player would be the Oppo for $199. It performs very well and has a very modest price.

If you feel that you might not be upgrading to HD-DVD as soon as it comes out, and living with the Sony pains you, you could upgrade to perhaps a Denon 3910. These could be found for ~$750 refurb. from Authorized dealers.

He is using component video, so the oppo should not be considered

 

[jfabes]

well it seems that most of the equipment I end up buying has little to no reviews on it i.e. B&W FPM speakers, RDV 1060.

I am in a little different boat then most where I use and external processor (iscan HD) to do all of the scalling and de-interlacing, so as far as video goes I only wanted the Rotel to send a 480i singal. In my own personal generally opinion about upscaling DVD players I think they are way over rated and not need unless two of the following things apply.

1. Your TVs native resolution is 720p or 1080i
2. the processor in the DVD player is better then the one in your TV

I can't comment on the processor in the 1050 is better then the one in the 1060 I have heard the opposite, and i can emagine they would use a worse one.

All and all I would say that the denon 3910 is a better play, but the Rotel looks MUCH better

Yea, I agree with you. I DO have a 720p native resolution tv, not sure if the dvd scaler is better though (dedon dvd vs. mitsu diamond plasma???)

The only things that bothers me about Rotel is that a) there are no - or few - reviews of their dvd players against other ones costing the same amount, b) they are behind everyone else in technology (room equalization and hdmi to name a few) and c) EXPENSIVE. I totally agree with you though, probably the best looking pieces on the market.

 

[WndrBr3d]

He is using component video, so the oppo should not be considered

All 65" Mitsubishi HD televisions for the last two years has had DVI-D inputs, I was just making an assumption

But you are compeltely correct, in that if he plans to continue using component, the Oppo should not be considered.

 

[Vancouver]

Yea, I agree with you. I DO have a 720p native resolution tv, not sure if the dvd scaler is better though (dedon dvd vs. mitsu diamond plasma???)

The only things that bothers me about Rotel is that a) there are no - or few - reviews of their dvd players against other ones costing the same amount, b) they are behind everyone else in technology (room equalization and hdmi to name a few) and c) EXPENSIVE. I totally agree with you though, probably the best looking pieces on the market.

since I dont have a dedicated room to home theater I wouldnt buy equipment that looks bad, no matter how good it sounded. Luck for me there are enough things on the market that both look great and sound good. B&W FPMs, B&O, Vienna Accustics and rotel DVD players may not be audiphile stuff, but it looks great and performs well.