differences between Panny RP61 and RP91 (1 Viewer)

[Gavin McCullough]

ok, my 3 year old toshiba dvd has got to be up-dated---doesn't play MP3, cd-r, having longer pauses on layer changes and has the Emp. New Groove gliches.....so a new player is needed---
what are the difference between the Panasonic RP61 at $268 and the RP91 at $468---is the 91 worth 200 more??
i currently don't have HD or 16:9, but my next tv will be HD and 16:9--of course that might not be for a year or even two---if there is not a great difference, perhaps i should get the cheaper player, as i may want the newest player when i get a HDTV...
plus, any info on the CP71 player?? is it a RP61 that plays multiple disks??
do all the panasonics use one laser for dvd's and the other laser for cd's?? thanks for the help gavin

 

[Tom Johnson]

The DVD-CP71 does not exist. A decision was made not to produce this player.

 

[Peter Jessee]

My understanding is that the 91 supports DVD-RAM, while the 61 does not. The other features (DVD-A, Progressive output, CD-R/RW, MP3 support, etc.) are the same. Presumably the 91 has better build quality and possibly better picture and sound quality as a result, but I haven't seen either one yet and cannot comment. I'm not sure that the 61 is shipping yet.
Peter

 

[Craig F]

[SIZE=3]
Feature..........91.....61
--------------------------
Optical out.......Y......Y
Coaxial out.......Y......N
Audio Re-master...Y......N
Stop memory.......Y......N
CD Text...........Y......N
Gamma Correction..Y......N
DVD-RAM...........Y......N
[/SIZE]

[Edited last by Craig F on July 25, 2001 at 10:08 AM]

 

[Andriy Zolotoiy]

RP-91 12bit video DAC, 61 - 10bit. Auto picture zoom seems to exist only on 91, as well as digital CD upsampler.
BTW, my Outlaw 1050 picks upsampled digital signal showing 96KHz on display despite somebody said here that it has only 48KHz 20bit DACs.
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Andriy Zolotoiy
My HT: http://members.home.net/azolotoiy

 

[Brett G]

RP61 has only 10-bit video DAC, while RP91 has 12-bit.
But most importantly, RP61 does not scale anamorphic discs. If you have (or ever plan on getting) a 16:9 display, this feature will be SORELY missed.
RP61 doesn't play DVD-RAM.
There are several other video adjustment features that the RP61 does not have.
-Brett
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[Jon Carlson]

Please forgive my ignorance. Can you more fully explain "Does not scale anamorphic disks"? And do you know how would this apply to a Sony 61HS10, a 4:3 set which does the 16:9 squeeze? Thanks.
[Edited last by Jon Carlson on July 24, 2001 at 05:14 PM]
[Edited last by Jon Carlson on July 24, 2001 at 05:52 PM]
[Edited last by Jon Carlson on July 24, 2001 at 06:00 PM]

 

[Gavin McCullough]

thanks for all the info---and dang you all too...was hoping to save a couple of hundred bucks...but guess i will go with the RP91...g

 

[Brett G]

Jon,
For people who have 16:9 displays, non-anamorphic discs must be zoomed in by the TV in order to take full advantage of their widescreen sets (if you don't zoom, then you end up with a widescreen image inside of a 4:3 window - bars on all four side of the image). This results in a somewhat blocky image and is why 16:9 owners scream for anamorphic discs so much.
The RP91 scales a non-anamorphic image into a 16:9 window that has the same resolution as an anamorphic disc. This allows your TV to see it as an anamorphic disc, and does not have to do any zooming in order to take up the whole screen.
Now, you can not really create more resolution, so true anamorphic discs still will always look better, but this solution (scaling instead of zooming) looks so much better on 16:9 displays, it's not even close.
Regular 4:3 displays (even ones that do the squeeze) will not be affected by this feature, since no zooming is required for non-anamorphic discs. If you have (or plan on getting) a 16:9 display, this feature is a must.
-Brett
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[Steve_D]

here we go again....
Do you think you can hear a difference between Optical Out and Coax out?
Do you have a 16:9 HDTV OR a 4:3 TV capable of doing the vertical squeeze on 480p, or plan on buying one in the next 18 months?
Do you take pride in having the player du jour?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, buy the RP-91
If not, then the RP61 becomes a valid alternative for the $200+ savings. Plus, next years RP-92 will have everything the RP-91 has, plus bass management for DVD-A, plus maybe SACD. Since almost all the affordable players these days leave something out, count on buying another one in 18 months give or take.
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[David Scott]

Steve, where did you find information on next years Panasonic models (RP92)?

 

[Max Leung]

RP92? D'oh! It's too early for buyers remorse!

 

[Steve_D]

David,
I didn't..but obviously the next steps are complete bass management facilities, maybe SACD, hopefully full digital passing of DVD-A and SACD, so I extrapulated a little.
Not to mention it will have 14 bit, 66 MHZ video chip to make everyone that has the old, terrible 12 bit/54 MHZ feel a bit dated.
And if its not from Pana it will be from soneone else. My point was if you said NO to each of my three questions, then the RP-61 becomes a valid choice knowing whichever one you buy will be "outdated" in 18 months or less.
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[David Scott]

So I guess "No" may mean "Yes" for me buying the RP61 as I won't be upgrading my TV for another couple years. Hopefully I'll hear some early reviews of the RP61, as I'm looking to buy in the first couple weeks of August. The extra $200 will help me get started on a DVD collection!

 

[Max Leung]

So, in other words, Steve, you pulled the "information" out of your "behind"?

Hahaha funny joke.

 

[DanG]

Yes it will, but make sure none of the movies that bring you fun : are non-anamorphic : else no panoramic : dread the thought : I should have bought : the 91
If you do buy non-anamorphic discs, then the 61 won't do this:

This feature would cost you approximately 10 DVD's. Is it worth it?
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[Steve_D]

Dan,
Which part of on 16:9 TV's did you not understand? Did you read my post and have the ability to objectively evaluate features or are you just stuck on the 91?
If you do not have a 16:9 HDTV, or a 4:3 HDTV that will do the vertical squueze on 480p, than the scaling feature is worthless. It's like putting a Ferrari steering wheel on an Accord, its not going to corner any better....
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[Jeff Kleinberg]

Hi,
I'm having this same dilemma, I have the Toshiba 56H80(& panny A110) 16:9 TV which does NOT lock into full mode. When I watch anamorphic 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 movies I use full mode. When I watch non-anamorphic movies I was advised to use TW2 mode, I noticed that when I use TW2 over full the horizontal bars are smaller, but I'm not losing any of sides of the image. What is going on? If its zooming why don't I lose info from the L&R edges? Also if I watch non-anamorphic in full is that the real 2.35:1 ratio or is the TW2 mode the one with the correct ratio? Will the RP91 affect my picture quality in a palpable way if my doubler has 3:2 pull down? Please all help and incite appreciated.
Jeff
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[GlennH]

Jeff, with most DVD players the FULL mode is incorrect for non-anamorphic discs. The picture will be distorted -- everything stretched horizontally, a bunch of short fat people for example. If you put the TV in the NORMAL mode (or whatever Toshiba calls it) you should see the image properly proportioned but windowboxed in the middle with black bars all around. Now TW2 will "zoom" or blow up that picture, maintaining proper proportions, to the point where the screen is filled horizontally. So TW2 is the proper mode for non-anamorphic DVDs in order to get the biggest picture with proper proportions and no cropping on your set. Unless ...
... you have the RP91. The neat thing it does is allow you to leave the TV in FULL mode. The player itself has a "shrink/zoom" mode which actually scales a non-anamorphic image for proper proportions in the set's FULL mode, which is normally only used for anamorphic discs. In effect, it converts the non-anamorphic DVD into a pseudo-anamorphic one. And it's scaling is superior to simply using a zoom mode on the TV like TW2. It does more than just blow the image up to a bigger size which makes the raster lines more visible. It has an algorithm that seems to interpolate the lines for a much smoother transformation. Good transfers really look like they are anamorphic.
Now, this feature can be selected in the player manually -- ZOOM, but you should place the player in AUTO and it will figure out on its own if the disc is non-anamorphic letterbox (requiring ZOOM) or fullframe (requiring SHRINK, which places black bars on both sides of the 4:3 image). The only problem with this is that some letterboxed DVDs aren't flagged properly so the player can't figure this out and you will have to go back in and select ZOOM manually for those (e.g., Titanic).
Obviously, this feature is tremendous for those of us with sets (like my Pioneer Elite) that lock into FULL mode with a progressive signal. But its value should not be overlooked even for those with sets that allow aspect ratio control with a progressive source (like the Toshibas), since the RP91's method works better.
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[Brett G]

If you do not have a 16:9 HDTV, or a 4:3 HDTV that will do the vertical squueze on 480p, than the scaling feature is worthless.

This feature does not benefit those with 4:3 displays, even those that do the squeeze. Since non-anamorphic discs are already scaled for 4:3 displays, using the RP91's scaling for a 4:3 display that does the squeeze will only introduce unnecessary video processing (which can only introduce artifacts).
-Brett
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