Need help purchasing sub $500 DVD player (1 Viewer)

[TroyV]

I first want to say thanks for your time reading and hopefully responding to my question.

I am looking to purchase my first Progressive scan DVD player. I currenly have an Onkyo DVD-S535. I am somewhat pleased with it. It has lasted me two years, and my only complaint is that faces tend to take on the background color when there is a rock/stair/ledge in the background right behind the character.

I am purchasing a HDTV and am looking to upgrade my DVD player. (I am selling my DVD player with my TV). It will be a 55" set.

I have narrowed it down to the Denon DVD-910, 1815, 1200, 2815, 2200, Kenwood DV-6050, Mitsubishi DD-8040, and the Yamaha DVD-C940. (These are all sub $500 players with the faroudja chip). I have read the reviews on audioreview.com but they tend to be old units. They also don't seem to like Denon players.

I am impressed with Denon having all of their players use the faroudja chip. However, I have normally been an Onkyo/Integra fan. They don't have a DVD player with faroudja, so I am not considering them. I am a Mitsubishi fan, and have a TV and VCR from them. The new TV will also be a Mits. The build quality of my SVHS player is superb.

Too make a long story short, I don't have access to store with all of these players. (Actually, all the national chains don't have most). So, I was wondering what you all think?

Thanks...and sorry for the long post.

 

[Leo]

Actually the 2200 uses Silicon Image/DVDO PureProgressive (SiI504). It's chroma bug free though. I really like this player. Prior to the 2200 I had the Pioneer Elite DV-45A. I prefer the image and better Bass Management in the Denon 2200.

 

[MathewAB]

You would be doing yourself alot of good to consider where youre shopping. You can pick up a good Denon 2800 on eBay for less than $500. I dont have as high expectations(and I dont see such the huge difference)as the Silicon Image chips put out. You could get a 910 for much cheaper, and I have a DVD player (Denon 1805 5-disc)that uses the Farouja, and have no complaints after 2 weeks of testing all the dvds up against my buddy's 2800 he was kind enough to lend me whilst out of town. The only test that I could really see any nominal difference is how the 2800 displayed older dvd's not enhanced for widescreen tv's. Most of these are being re-issued though, with the enhancements.

What kind of display do you have????

 

[TroyV]

I currently have a mits 46" 4:3. It is being upgraded to a Mits 55" 16:9, and that is why I want to get a progressive scan DVD drive that is decent. (not 2k decent, but decent).

I have no problems buying off of ebay, ubid, or here. I just would like to test them, and that is why I said the national chains don't sell them.

If I am reading this right, basically any thing with the faroudja chipset will be the same? I always thought the DVDO chip was just new next "best chip" after the faroudja.

I guess if all is equal, I'd go with Mits. Am I way off here?

 

[Don_Berg]

No they are not all the same. The Faroudja de-interlacer is one important item, but there are other parts to make a good design and also how the Faroudja is setup is important. Some turn on or off certain features that can cause color flicker and other problems.

 

[Nick B]

I am curious as to how the Denon 2800 stacks up to either the 2200 or the 2900. What are peoples thoughts? Also, the Denon website makes reference to a 2800 MKII. I assume this is their second generation 2800. What did they change? Is it significantly better? How about as compared to the new 2200 or 2900? Again, many thanks for your responses.

Nick

 

[Steve Griswold]

Check your local Good Guys if you have one. They're clearing out their Denon DVD-1600 units. Most have an open box one left. Two of them near me had such units for half of retail. Walked out the door with one + 3 year warranty for $330 incl. tax. The PQ makes me happy.

 

[TroyV]

has anyone used or had any xp with the mits model?

 

[TroyV]

well, after searching on this site, it seems the Mits has CSS=on. Does anyone know if there is a crack to turn it off? I love my Mits TV and my Mits VCR (well, did love it. Don't use it much anymore). But it also seems they don't build/design DVD players, just rebadge them.

I guess I'll go with the Denon 1600. (DVD-A is not important, but what the hell...might as well get it over the 910)

 

[Don_Berg]

No, only the factory can turn on/off CSS when the player is designed - its not a user changeable setting. Pick a model that has CSS=off.

 

[JamesGL]

I don't know in your area but the local GoodGuys here are clearing out their Denons.

I saw a Denon 2815 for just $320 (floor model). The DVD players at Goodguys are not usually hooked up so it is literally brand new.

 

[TroyV]

No local GoodGuys in Milwaukee. Just CC/BB, and a local company called Flanners. ( flanners.com/ ) Flanners is where I buy my TVs, and they are close to high end. I'd say mid to high end.

So, I guess it's Denon for me. I'll let you know when I buy in about two weeks. Just bought a pair of Fluance fronts, so I will wait to hook those up.

And just for the record, I bought a Harmony remote and love it. I highly recommend it.

 

[MuneebM]

If you haven't already bought a player, I highly recommend the Toshiba SD-4900. Compared to other players I've tried, it looks the best on my Toshiba RPTV (50H82), although I have yet to try a Denon player on my TV.

 

[Don_Berg]

You obviously have never seen a Faroudja-based player, when you do you will learn that Toshiba doesn't even compare!

 

[TroyV]

I agree with Don. I ONLY want a Faroudja-based (perhaps Silicon Image but they are a bit too exp for me) player. I would also prefer CSS=off. I have read the panasonics are DCDi, but don't advertise it. Is anyone familiar with the "current' models? I would prefer to buy a current model.

Also, when are the new crop coming out? I keep hearing about that on here. That the new models will be coming out shortly.

Also (sorry for all the alsos) are 5 or 6 discs varieties better than days past? I know back in 2000 carousels weren't the best transports, and you got better performance from singles. Is that still the case?

 

[Don_Berg]

The current Panasonics are only cheap models with a low quality de-interlacer no Faroudjas. Panasonic is supposed to release new models in April however and one has Faroudja plus DVI for $299 list. This could be finally a successor to the good ole' RP82/XP30/XP50 models. I haven't seen any reliable multi-disc players, I say stick to the reliable single disc players.

 

[JoeHard]

I bought the Yamaha DVDc-920,not only does it have the Farodja video chip,it also has Burr- Brown dacs.However the disc change time is slow, the unit cannot turned on/off by remote,and DVD-AUDIO titles are lacking when compared with SACD.

 

[TroyV]

does anyone know which one of these has a flag system so when you turn the player off, it will remember where you were in the movie, so that when you turn it back on, it will go to where you left off?

thanks

 

[Don_Berg]

The Panasonics can do that.

 

[AaronJB]

The Philips 963 has Faroudja, 13-bit/108 mhz video DAC, DCDI, NSV and something called Match Line. It also remembers where you left off in the film if you turn off the player. However, it is a quirky player that can occasionally mis-read a DVD when it first loads (video, no audio - turn it off/turn it on again and then it has no problems from then on) and has some other quality control issues. It does perform extraordinarily (almost scary w/great transfers) well in terms of Picture Quality (at least in my opinion), but its reliability is a bit shaky. The player is strangely scarce right now, but can be found for about $375 online.