Help: Need a Progressive DVD-Audio player (1 Viewer)

[Jared_B]

I've been trying to get the Panasonic RP91 for quite some time from my local dealer, but they are having trouble getting one for whatever reason. Are there any other progressive DVD-A players I should be looking at? I don't want to wait for Christmas to get the RP91. Because of a special deal with several other components, I need to buy from this dealer. In Crutchfield I saw an ad for the Denon DVD-1600, which was DVD-A and Prog scan, but I can't find record of it anywhere else..?!?! Same thing with the Panasonic RP61, they just disappeared. They have the Toshiba 9200 for $799: good player? good deal? Any others?
Thanks
theJrod

 

[Gregg Loewen]

etronics for $419, I got mine in less than a week.
Also use mysimon.com to search for prices.
Lots of luck,
Gregg
------------------
The Sonodome
The Newest Sonotube
Gregg's DVDs
The Family Units

 

[KeithH]

Jared, I have only seen a reference to the Denon DVD-1600 in the Crutchfield catalog you mentioned. I don't know what the deal is with it. From what I have read on many occasions on this site, the Panasonic DVD-RP61 was cancelled for some reason.
JVC makes a couple inexpensive DVD-Audio players with progressive-scan video output. One is a single-disc player, while another is a seven-disc carousel changer (yes, seven, not five or six). Check Crutchfield's web site for more information. The catalog should have some basic information as well. I've seen the seven-disc changer at Best Buy, and the build quality isn't too impressive. If you are in the position to spend the money for the Panasonic DVD-RP91, I think you would be better off with it than one of the JVC players.
Toshiba is coming out with two new progressive-scan DVD-Audio players, the SD-4700 and SD-5700. From what I have read here, the key difference between the two players is that the '5700 offers HDCD decoding. I believe these players will be less expensive than the 'RP91.
As for the Toshiba SD-9200, it is an older model, and some on this site have said that it's progressive-scan video capability is outdated. As an audio component, it is well regarded, and $800 is a very good price for it. There was a thread running on this board a few days ago on the performance of the '9200 vs. the Sony DVP-S9000ES (progressive-scan DVD/SACD player) where the progressive-scan capability of the '9200 (and the 'S9000ES) was questioned. You ought to check out this thread.
I am not aware of any other DVD-Audio players priced the same as the 'RP91 or less.
------------------
My:
HT Pics ; Equipment List ; DVD Collection ; LD Collection
KeithH: Saving the Home Theater World Before Bedtime

 

[Will]

etronics for $419, I got mine in less than a week.

For the price of an RP-91, is there another progressive
DVD-Audio player I should even consider?
Will

 

[Gregg Hart]

For $420 I don't think you can do better right now. I'm sure in a few months there wioll be others but not right now.
Gregg - Is etronics an authorized dealer? Is it true that Panasonic will not fix a player from an unauthorized dealer?
------------------
Link Removed

 

[Will]

in a few months there will be others but not right now

Are new progressive DVD-A players expected by Christmas
in the RP-91's price range?
[Edited last by Will on October 22, 2001 at 11:31 AM]

 

[John Tillman]

Will,
I picked up the RP-91 because I have a progressive display and needed a player up to the task. After viewing demo material on different players I choose the 91 for its superior picture and scaling abilities.
DVD-A was a welcome bonus but requires an additional wad of cash for 6 analog coax cables. Audio titles are available but the selection is scimpy for now...
Bottom line is get a progressive player if you need it but DVD-A is just a nice bonus at this time.

 

[Michael Lee]

I, along with John TIllman, sampled many progressive players and found the 91 to be the player of my choice. I already had DVD-Audio capabilities..but still found the 91 having it to be a bonus. Adding the Outlaw ICBM makes this a tough to beat combination with what's currently on the market.
------------------
Link Removed
My Home Theater Pics
My Equipment List
My DVD Collection
Link Removed

 

[Billy Fogerty]

I also got my RP91 from etronics. Had it in 24 hours. What a beautiful player. The progressive picture is outstanding.

 

[Will]

I just found out etronics is currently all out of RP-91's.
Maybe at $419 plus shipping it's hard to keep 'em in stock.

 

[Will]

Is anybody else currently selling the RP-91 at this price?

 

[Jared_B]

Thanks for all the input, guys.
The RP-91 I had on order finally came in. Picture is amazing on my Mits 55809. DVD-A sound is excellent, but the sound varies quite a bit from disc to disc. I can't recommend the Corrs "In Blue", as the surround encoding is just plain F'ed up. In contrast, the Blue Man Group's "Audio" sounds just awesome.
I saw almost no artifacts on any of my DVD's, unlike what I saw with my old Sony interlaced.
The Pany is a solid unit that I would recommend to anyone in need of a progressive player.
Jared

 

[Will]

Both Buydig.com and MoreAudioVideo.com have the RP-91
at under $419 plus shipping. Has anyone had an experience
buying from either?

 

[John Kotches]

Michael Lee,
I agree with your "for the price" statement, but in an absolute sense, I can think of a couple I wouldn't mind having in place of the RP-91. They are substantially more in price

Regards,

 

[Will]

Maybe I'll take a chance on one of the discount mail
order places mentioned above... and hope for the best.

 

[Will]

Took a chance and ordered from one of the under-$419
plus shipping mail-order places and I'm happy to report
an RP-91 arrived today from Fed Ex! Double-boxed too.
Yippee.

 

[Billy Fogerty]

Good luck Will. You are going to love this player. The auto scaling is really cool. Did you get the chanpagne or black? at the last minute I opted for the champagne.

 

[Will]

It's black not champagne.
By the way, it replaces a Toshiba 3108 I bought back
in 1998. I paid the same price for it (under $419) at
the time. The price for "relatively good" DVD players
is about the same now as it was then, but of course a
"relatively good" player does more in late 2001 than it did
in 1998 (before progressive DVD and DVD-Audio was available).
What a difference 3 years makes!
I had to replace my Toshiba because it wouldn't
play lots of newer DVD's. The upgrade from Toshiba
is not free, and requires shipping it which means
I'd be without a player. So I'm going to give away
the Toshiba 3108 -- I won't sell it since it won't
play so many of the newer DVDs.
[Edited last by Will on November 04, 2001 at 04:35 PM]

 

[DavidY]

Will,
quote: By the way, it replaces a Toshiba 3108 I bought back
in 1998.
I had to replace my Toshiba because it wouldn't
play lots of newer DVD's. The upgrade from Toshiba
is not free, and requires shipping it which means
I'd be without a player. So I'm going to give away
the Toshiba 3108 -- I won't sell it since it won't
play so many of the newer DVDs.[/quote]
Which newer DVD's have you had problems with?
I have the Toshiba 2108 with original firmware, R1.4. The only recent DVD that I have had problems with is major audio dropouts with the Emperor's New Groove.
If there are a bunch of other titles that won't play, then I may have to upgrade my DVD player sooner than later. The JVC 70 or 90 looks promising...however, I will have to more cautious about buying and/or upgrading HT-related stuff.

Thanks for any help.
Dave
[Edited last by DavidY on November 04, 2001 at 07:13 PM]

 

[Will]

I am unsure if the problem the 3108 has with
playing newer DVDs are also problems with the
Toshiba 2108. I seem to recall reading
(but not sure where) the 2108 had less
problems playing the newer DVDs.
The problem on my "original" Toshiba 3108 was
so bad that, in my case, it wouldn't play about
a quarter of the newer DVDs. It was so bad that
after awhile, I learned to rent DVD's that were
at least 2 years old. The alternative was to
drive back to Blockbuster and exchange rented
DVDs until I got one that work. That was alot
of extra driving. You can probably go to any
large DVD rental place (like Blockbuster) and
they'll probably confirm my story that many of
their newer DVDs won't play on the Toshiba 3108
because chances are, they've had customers just
like me, who exchanged DVD's. The deal was I
had to return to Blockbuster very fast after it
didn't work, else they didn't believe I hadn't
watched the DVD movie.
[Edited last by Will on November 05, 2001 at 06:11 PM]