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Which Oppo DVD player is best for me? (1 Viewer)

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Eric
I have a 50" Sony SXRD projection TV. I see on Oppo's web site they list the DV-980H as the choice for Rear Projection DLP and the DV-981HD as the choice for 1080p TV's and front projectors. Seeing as my TV is a rear projection but not DLP I'm not sure what the best choice is. Does it really even matter that much? I'm sure I would be quite content with both...
 

Phil A

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I went to Best Buy today to see if they would still do the Toshiba A3 for $99 with the 9 free HD DVDs. Evidently it was done in a couple of Best Buys before corporate sent out a memo. In talking the sales associate and other people the Toshiba on upscaling (on std. def) doesn't compare to the quality of the Oppo 980 (he's seen both - evidently a sales associate in the store brought one in). I've heard the same from several others not to mention the fact of much more limited software vs. std. def. DVD. So it depends on one's priorities. Obviously the Oppo can't play HD DVDs and if one is sold on the format it may not make sense to buy a std. def. DVD player. Some like vanilla and some like chocolate and that is OK.

I have not looked at Oppos site recently but they use to have a blurb about macroblocking issues on certain types of displays that could happen using the 981 (or a player of a different brand using the same video processor) I believe, but could be wrong, the issue is confined to DLP technology and perhaps plasma too. On really big screens they probably recommend the 981 unless you have such issues. The Oppos also do hi-rez audio so if that is a feature that someone wants the HD DVD player won't do it. The 980 also has a USB input on the front which provides one alternative for firmware updates (vs. a disc) and let's one make use of a USB device (e.g. with music files) hooked to it.

Oppo's customer service is good if you need to call them and talk to them as well.
 

TonyTone

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I was in the market of buying a upconverting SD DVD player to replace my slowly-dying Panny RP-82 (already repaired once out of warranty, not worth it to repair again), and was considering the Oppo 980; depending on what you read, the 980/981 does a slightly-better job (i.e., slightly-better PQ) than the A2 at upconverting SD DVDs to 1080i...but at $99 for an HD DVD player that by general consensus does a pretty decent job of upconverting SD DVDs as well (even slightly better than some SD DVD-only upconverting players, depending on who you want to believe), I could not resist--especially given that the 980 currently retails in the $169 range at most reputable retailers. :D

And yes I know that the Oppo offers a few features that the A2 doesn't have--namely, Divx/region-free/MP3 capabilities (yes it's true--the A2 cannot play MP3...amazing, isn't it?), among other things...so it's up to the person to decide which is more important (if having to choose between the Oppo and the A2).
 

John Garcia

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I have the 980 and the upscaling is very good, but it is NOT going to give you high def levels of picture quality from SD DVDs. That alone would push me to go HD-DVD or Blu-ray (I currently own both), and it will also not get you the new HD audio formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc...). To be honest, the upscaling of most players is decent at this point and relatively comparable, so the difference between them isn't going to be night and day. I'd also look at the titles available, as mentioned, since you do not have the same catalog of available titles on the high def formats quite yet...there are far more Blu-ray titles that I am interested in vs HD-DVD at this point.

The A3 will be $169 with the free movies at Sears (and likely other places as well) on Black Friday.
 
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Thanks for the Heads up on the A3. THE Misses is looking for a new DVD player so looks like I got one gift knocked out. :)
 

Phil A

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I concur. Std. def. DVDs are still cheaper if one is buying vs. renting too so it depends on preferences with that as well. There's no doubt that the recent HD DVD hardware price drops have resulted in lots of sales:

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/34742/118/

“San Jose (CA) - Toshiba has announced that it sold 90,000 HD DVD players between last Friday and Sunday, thanks to sub-$100 players offered by Best Buy and Wal-Mart, according to trade publication Video Business.”
 

Chris Gerhard

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I have the Oppo DV-980H and both next generation format's first players. The Oppo player does so much more and works so much better for DVD-V. Of course I play DVD-V, SACD and DVD-A far more than I play Blu-ray and HD DVD so I am going to like the player better. The firesale HD DVD player prices are amazing though and everybody should grab one.

Chris
 

John Garcia

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I have bought maybe 2 SD DVDs since last year when I got my PS3. At first I didn't really notice the difference that much. It wasn't until I went back and watched some of my old DVDs after living with Blu-ray for months that I really noticed the drop in picture quality and color on SD DVD.

Note too that the "fire sale" prices have been over since last weekend.
 

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