I'm a complete newbie to Home Theater. Could I get some help choosing a DVD player? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick_F]

From what I've read, the below specs are what I want. If theres anything major missing that you think I should know please tell me. I'm looking to spend $400 at the most. Around $300 would be preferable.

I've done some shopping but there are so many DVD players its hard to find the right one for me. Plus, I don't know of a good place to find DVD player reviews.

* DTS (Digital Theatre System) digital output

* Dolby digital (AC-3) decoder, 5.1 channel suround digital output

* Compatible with DVD/VCD/SVCD/CVD/MP3/CD(or at least most of them)

* Progressive Scan

* Good quality video

* Multi code (All regions, detects the region itself)

* Digital audio optical & coaxial output, S-video output, Scart av output

* Supports HDTV

Thank you!

 

[Keith_R]

Welcome to the forum Patrick. I'm not really all that qualified to answer all your questions as I'm still kind of a newbie myself but I can mention a few things.

Good quality video

What are you talking about DVD has good quality video no matter what. If you are referring to the DVD players ability to output good video, a couple things to keep in mind are:

• * Toshiba has bad anamorphic downconversion on 4:3 T.Vs.
  * Sony IMO has to soft a picture which cuts down on artifacts but looks to soft.
  * A good in betweener is either Pioneer or Panasonic, they give off good picture but they stay a little softer to cut down artifacts.

I'd recommend from what I've heard on the board a Panasonic RP-91 or possibly another Panny model. I doubt these models will have multi regions but if multi region is really important you could get a Malata player or a Apex, I don't know though if Apex still does multi region. Hope this helps.

 

[Michael Reuben]

* Progressive Scan

Have you confirmed that your TV can display the 480p signal that a p/s player puts out? Most TVs cannot. A simple (but not 100% accurate) rule-of-thumb is that, if your TV can support HDTV, it can take a progressive signal.

M.

 

[Patrick_F]

My TV CURRENTLY doesn't support that but I'm looking at getting a HDTV eventually.
I was looking around and I saw
http://www.homecinemachoice.com/test...aSD-210E.shtml
and
http://www.homecinemachoice.com/test...VP-CX860.shtml
I think those look good plus they're within my price range but I'm not sure what some of the features mean.

 

[Patrick_F]

I've been told that the Panasonic RP-91 is good. I can get that for $30 over my budget. Comments?

 

[Thomas_Berg]

$419 is the best price around on the RP91. it plays discs from all regions btw. (it also includes DVD-Audio ) www.etronics.com OR, i got www.jandr.com to pricematch; J&R is a much more respectable dealer and is authorized.
if you cant afford this, go to Best Buy and grab a Panny RP56. same thing without DVD-A and has a newer video chipset. it'll run you $225.

 

[Patrick_F]

Found this comparison: Link Removed
Could someone post a link to a good review of the Panny RP65? Possibly a RP65/RP91 comparison?

 

[Patrick_F]

Knocking this thread back to the top.
Since I just recently started looking at all the information on DVD players I'm still a newbie at this. I'm looking at the Panny RP-91, RP-65, andt the Sony DVP-CX860. Supposedly the Sony image is "softer" but it seems to have similiar features plus the ability of holding 300 movies . I'd really like to hear from people who are experts in the Home Audio field.

 

[jeff lam]

Doesn't sound to me like you're a newbee. You have done research and looking around more than most people that just go to Circuit City and buy what the salesman tells them to. I would get the RP-91 if I had the $400 budget. Pull out a few pennies from the couch and get the RP-91. Up to you, but with everyone around here that can attest to the quality of the RP-91, there is no equal at it's price.

 

[Patrick_F]

The other guys said the RP65 is just like the RP91 except its missing DVD-Audio support and its much cheaper. I can't seem to find a review of the RP65. Could someone post a link or if you own it post the specs?

 

[Patrick_F]

Knocking this thread to the top.

 

[RoyGBiv]

I have the RP-91 and think it is fantastic. I believe the RP-65 never was really produced, and the other Panny model is the 56. The main differences are no DVD-Audio support, and lack of "scaling" modes. That is, if you have a 16:9 HD TV that locks into "full" mode when it senses a 480p signal (like my Mitsubishi does), there will be difficulties playing non-anamorphic DVDs. Anamorphic DVDs will be displayed correctly, but non-anamorphic DVDs will be displayed inside a letter-boxed format with black bars on all four sides. With the RP-91 the DVD player automatically (or manually if the DVD isn't flagged correctly) scales the non-anamorphic DVDs to fit the 16:9 AR of the TV. It results in a much better picture than would be available otherwise with a progressive signal. Some current model HDTVs still lock into this mode when receiving a 480p signal. If your TV doesn't lock in, and you can adjust the TVs scaling, this feature would not be as useful. There is some argument about whether the end result is better if the DVD player scales the picture rather than the TV. I won't get into that. The RP-56 doesn't do this scaling.

SMK

 

[Patrick_F]

Thanks for the answer, I guess I'll get the RP56 now and I'll buy a HDTV that supports scaling later. I'm not planning on using this DVD player for music playback so the lack of DVD-A isn't a big deal.

If anyone else can think of a better player could you please tell me? I'll be buying the RP56 within days of this post if nobody answers.

 

[Patrick_F]

Knocking the thread up again just in case someone has a good reason for not getting the RP56.

 

[Al Mansur]

Well, if your not too pressed for Progressive Scan, since you don't have an HDTV anyways, I would get the RV31K. It can play VCD's unlike the RP56.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Patrick_F]

It can't play VCDs???? Thats defenitely a major consideration for me. I DO want progressive scan. I went to the panasonic website and it doesn't mention anything about VCD/SVCDs in the RP56's specs. Only says "CD-R/RW Playback".
Wait a minute, I'm writing this as I'm looking around and I just saw this:
Link Removed
Under the RP56's specs is listed "Progressive-Scan DVD-Video/Video CD/CD Player with A, B, C, D Features for Enhanced Theater Experience". It mentions VCDs.
The RV31K says pretty much the same specs minus progressive scan.
Could someone with a RP56 tell me if it plays VCD/SVCDs? Another thing, the specs mention Dolby Digital and DTS outputs but it mentions nothing about a decoder. Is that included?

 

[Chris Lock]

> if you have a 16:9 HD TV that locks into "full" mode when it senses a 480p signal (like my Mitsubishi does)

Which model is that? Does it not have a button to change the format (standard, expand, zoom, stretched, narrow)?

I have a 65807, & if my manual is right, all of those modes except stretched work with 480p signals.

I'm guessing what you call full mode is what mine calls standard. That's the mode that evenly stretches a 4:3 image to fill the screen. The only signal my manual says is limited to this mode is 1080i.

 

[Archie_C]

Is it true that the RP91K plays all region DVDs? I read that above but never heard that before.

Thanks.