Upconverting capabilities - Oppo 981HD vs. Toshiba AX2

Jim_K · 04-05-2007, 08:39 AM

I've scoured the web but with no real results.

Are there any review comparisons or personal experience on the SD upconverting capabilities of the OPPO 981 vs. Toshiba AX2?

I currently own the Oppo but if there's a significant difference I can justify going format neutral.

1080P output is essential to me so the lower tier Toshiba HD players are out of the question.

Alon Goldberg · 04-05-2007, 02:37 PM

Hi Jim - the Toshiba XA2 includes Silicon Optix HQV video processing. This puts the player in a league above the Oppo, with some of the best video processing available in any player on the market. I was seriously considering a Denon DVD-3930CI, which also includes the HQV chipset.

Here is a list of products that include HQV video processing; http://www.hqv.com/products.cfm

Jim_K · 04-06-2007, 07:16 AM

Thanks Alon, I'm aware of the differences between the two in video processing and that on paper it's a better technology however I was looking for experiences on just what this difference equates to in someones viewing of Upconverted SD material.

The Denon would be very nice but it's a bit more than I'm willing to spend right now, especially after having retooled almost my entire HT setup over the past 3 months.

Mark Booth · 04-06-2007, 10:41 AM

I own the Oppo 971, the Secrets of Home Theater DVD Benchmark highest rated upconverting DVD player. I've happily used the 971 for over a year to enjoy the best quality DVD picture I've ever had. That is, until two weeks ago when I purchased a Toshiba HD-XA2.

The HD-XA2 is, hands down, superior to my Oppo 971. In fact, a friend and I recently did an A/B comparison of the standard def DVDs of King Kong and Happy Feet (two very-well mastered titles) in the Oppo 971 and XA2. Quite frankly, we were stunned by the differences. The XA2 image had more detail and was sharper than the Oppo 971 image. On one particular scene we still-framed on Happy Feet, where the Oppo showed some ringing around edges of objects, the XA2 looked much much cleaner. On another scene in King Kong, where the XA2's better detail clearly showed a defined bead of sweat on Jack Black's cheek, the Oppo 971 caused the bead of sweat to blend into the Jack's cheek and appear more like a smudge.

I am so very pleased with the standard def upconversion of the Toshiba HD-XA2, I consider its HD-DVD capability to be just a nice bonus.

Of course, when we compared the same two standard def DVDs (on either player) to the HD-DVD version on the XA2, there was no question which image was the winner! When you take the time to look closely on a decent sized screen (mine is a 70" JVC LCoS), no SD-DVD can touch the quality of a good HD-DVD. Anyone who thinks the differences between SD-DVD and HD-DVD are "minor", must be watching them on a 5" screen.

I have over 500 SD-DVDs that will continue to get regular service in my new XA2. Thanks to the XA2's upconversion quality, I won't be double-dipping (to HD-DVD) on very many of them (less than 2 dozen). But I also won't be buying any new SD-DVD titles. From here on out it is HD-DVD only for this guy. If the title isn't available on HD-DVD, I'll rent rather than buy the SD-DVD version.

So, if the studios still want to sell me DVDs... they better get off their butts and put the titles on HD-DVD.

Mark

Jim_K · 04-06-2007, 04:12 PM

Thanks Mark.

I've got the 60' XBR2 and a 500+ SD collection so I think we're both on the same page. Upconversion is critical, without it SD on a 1080P display looks very much like VHS quality.

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Dave H · 04-07-2007, 06:10 PM

The Reon will definitely outperform anything Faroudja makes.

Paul_Scott · 04-07-2007, 06:20 PM

Kris Deering, who is insturmental in those Secrets DVD player benchmark tests, remarked over on AVS that he's got the XA2 in his rack at home. That should tell you something.

Tim Glover · 04-08-2007, 12:20 AM

Here's the catch 22 if you will regarding the XA-2 upconversion greatness...

I've already sold all the dvds I ended buying on HD DVD. And the dvd movies coming out on HD this spring and summer are already sold...so I am needing the upconversion performance less and less. Still, though, and this is a BIGGIE, there are many great films on dvd that could take years to appear on HD: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Disney's classic animation and the Pixar greats...etc...

Touch decision. I came so close to ordering a XA-2 last week but stopped just before the page said, "submit order".

...Going to give it more thought.

All these players seem to perform the same with HD DVD.

Paul_Scott · 04-08-2007, 07:50 AM

could take, Tim?
When the first break-out, blockbuster new release HD disc only sells about 50,000 and some (imo excellant) catalog titles only sell a couple thousand, if that...we will be very lucky to ever see either the really good stuff, or the breadth of catalog choices sd will offer.

Those numbers that were recently divulged were startling...and very disturbing.
I don't think any of us will be enjoying many of Lucas or Spielbergs best movies anytime soon.

I really don't need to be buying anymore gear anytime soon, at least until I pay off my projector- but if I were I would have a very hard time not getting the XA2. It sounds like a winner thru and thru. My A1 performs reasonably well and I haven't had near the amount of problems with it that some others here have had. But I would love to have the ability to cleanly pass 1080p with both HD DVDs and regular sd.
But then again, if I was going to toss $600 on another player, wouldn't it make more sense to pick up something that can play the other format and open my pool of potential viewing choices up considerably?
I still think Bd has a much tougher row to hoe than most people realize.
When you have invested in a whole new infrastructure the way bd has, have as many yield issues as Bd still does, cost tice as much to master, and on and on, and yet the majority of titles still only sell a few thousand with a base of capable players numbering in the millions...I think you are definitely in trouble.

Dave H · 04-08-2007, 10:33 AM

Just an FYI, but supposedly Samsung is releasing a SD DVD player with the Reon chipset in it which will list at $110 (according to some people at AVS). I'm still skeptical about this, but something to keep in mind. If this is true and it's implemented properly, that's a great bargain.

Jerome Grate · 04-10-2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave H

Just an FYI, but supposedly Samsung is releasing a SD DVD player with the