Gizmodo
I just reviewed the Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player, and like its brandmate the Oppo DV-970, the player does a great job of up-rezzing regular old garden-variety DVDs to high definition. This one takes it a step further, though, up-rezzing that unwashed standard-def signal all the way to the holy-grail 1080p resolution.
Taking a look at the results on a 1080p set over HDMI, DVDs just never looked so good. That Faroudja up-rezzing technology under the hood pretty much performs magic, but don't get too excited: even at 1080p, up-rezzed DVDs don't look like real HDTV. Still, it's a remarkable value for $230.
Review: Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player [Consumer Electronics Net]
Comments
We need a Pogue-style comparison on the NY streets showing DVD's playing a 480i, 480p, 1080i, and 1080p and see how many can guess each. Smart money is on folks easily telling the 480i source, but the other three are likely to be confused as their quality would be more likely a comparison of how the TV displays that particular resolution.
Which is better at up-converting a 480p image:
1. A $250 DVD player.
2. A $5,000 HDTV.
I am beginning to see people confused about upconverting vs true HD. I spent the holidays with a friend and he was all happy about his new HD DVD player which in fact was an upconverted player. While the concept is nice, I think holding out for a little bit more until the BluRay/HD-DVD problem is solved.
There is one big drawback with Oppo products. Their units do not have wireless codes that work with any Universal controllers. This includes Harmony and others.
I've read that it's the dvd player, because it takes the "guessing"/processing/upscaling strain off of the tv itsself.
Monty: considering a good bit of the cost (I'd guess $100-125) of the cost of an OPPO goes to the Faroudja chip and probably less than $25 is spent on the upconverting components for most HDTVs, I think people would be able to pick out the OPPO.
I own one and a Bravia 40in XBR3 LCD and the difference between the OPPO and a normal DVD player is night and day, with my HDDVD and BRD players being only looking crisper than the OPPO to videophiles like me - my friends can't tell between the OPPO and an HDDVD, but they sure as hell can tell the difference between the OPPO and a cheaper DVD player.
For anyone interested, here is an "unboxing" of an OPPO DV-981HD.
http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/mike_s_photos/Oppo...
Matt B: I appreciate the feedback, but I suppose I might need to see it myself. I have a 1080i CRT, and while I can tell the difference between a 480p DVD signal and a true 1080i broadcast, it is not what I would consider obvious. A standard component 480p DVD signal looks darn good, but maybe the difference is more obvious on an LCD or Plasma display.
Neodigits offers the Helios H4000 1080p upscaling Dvd Player with HDMI. It has nine other resolutions as well. The Helios also plays Divx and Xvid. The player is going for $169 until New Years.
http://www.neodigits.com/new/body/products/h4000/h4000.asp...
The H4000 is $144 if you type in, NewYears2007, at checkout until new year's day.
http://www.neodigits.com/new/body/products/h4000/h4000.asp...
neodigits also does the x3000 a media center wireless upscaling DVD player.
If you have tons of movies and music on your computer, just stream them to the unit. It will upscale the DVD or the streamed movie.
I have one and love it,, cost: $300 and worth every penny since I have a TB of movies and music.
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