Panny RP56 -vs- RP91 (1 Viewer)

[WilliamB]

Hello. I seek enlightenment on a basic question -

I'm looking at the RP56 and the RP91. I don't need the DD5.1 in the 91 as my receiver has it. Reading the DVD shootout from August has brought questions to my mind:

- the report indicated that the Sage/Faroudja chipset in the 56 is superior to the Genesis chipset in the 91. The test data indicates that the 56 performed better.

So, I'm considering the 56 but a lot of talk in the forum here leans toward the 91 as a better unit. My RPTV is a Toshiba 56x81

Is the 91 really better and worth the extra $$ ?

I can get the 56 for $180, the 91 for $425

Thanks in advance for your advice. I love this forum - every time I browse it I want to go out and buy something else!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Since you own a 16x9 television, the RP-91 provides a big advantage over the RP-56 -- it's built-in zoom/scaling feature. This feature provides a superior picture over the TheaterWide 2 zoom mode on your Toshiba when viewing non-anamorphic widescreen material. I own a Toshiba 56H80.

Even if you do not own many non-anamorphic widescreen titles, the zoom/scaling feature is still a great convenience when viewing supplemental material. This material can fluctuate between full frame, anamorphic and non-anamorphic widescreen, causing you to constantly change the viewing mode on the Toshiba monitor. With the RP-91, you can leave your Toshiba in FULL mode at all times, and the player will automatically change viewing modes as the material changes formats.

I upgraded to the RP-91 from a Toshiba 6200 progressive scan player, and think the Panasonic has an excellent picture. I watch mostly film-based material, and have not noticed any combing, which seems to be the biggest complaint regarding the Genesis chip.

 

[Jim Golden]

You should also look at the Philips DVD Q 50, which can be had at Circuit City for $399.00. This unit also uses the Farjouda chipset. It also has a zoom function, and I believe it rated very well in the article you mentioned.

I first tried the RP56, but just couldn't get past the lack of features (flimsy unit with no digital coax output or bit rate meter). Also, at times, the colors seemed kindof "washed out."

I'm using the Philips on a TW65H80 set, and am continually amazed with the picture.

Jim