denon 2500bt

[admin_exported]

Hi im currently considering buying the 2500bt blu ray player but am a bit concerned about cd audio playback via hdmi. Will the quality still be as good through hdmi as it would through 2 channel analogue? also does anyone know if the 3800bd will have any advantage over the 2500bt when it comes to producing picture quality from blu ray and standard dvd?

thanks in advance!!

dave!!

 

[Clare Newsome]

We've just got the Denon DVD-2500BT in for testing, and will putting it through its paces with Blu-ray, DVD and CD, so will report all that back in our review - including connectivity options.

Denon claims the DVD-3800BD - due in November - will offer both superior video and audio performance. For example, the DVD-3800BD features 10-bit video processing using a REALTA chipset, whereas the DVD-2500BT uses a standard 10-bit chipset. The higher-end player will also feature separate audio processing for stereo and multichannel sound.

What actual performance benefit such differences make will be interesting to see and hear when we can compare the two units side-by-side - but with the DVD-3800BD coming in at double the price of the DVD-2500BT we'd expect it to be something very special indeed....

 

[Anonymous]

ok thank you clare for the info..

 

[Anonymous]

Clare Newsome:
We've just got the Denon DVD-2500BT in for testing, and will putting it through its paces with Blu-ray, DVD and CD, so will report all that back in our review - including connectivity options.

Denon claims the DVD-3800BD - due in November - will offer both superior video and audio performance. For example, the DVD-3800BD features 10-bit video processing using a REALTA chipset, whereas the DVD-2500BT uses a standard 10-bit chipset. The higher-end player will also feature separate audio processing for stereo and multichannel sound.

What actual performance benefit such differences make will be interesting to see and hear when we can compare the two units side-by-side - but with the DVD-3800BD coming in at double the price of the DVD-2500BT we'd expect it to be something very special indeed....

Hi Clare,

Can you tell me what AV amp your testing it with? I have one connected through an Onkyo 875 and Pioneer 428XD screen and have a number of questions on the best way to set this lot up. for example:

With DVD I have the 2500 set to 576p and Onkyo to 720p (to get the Onkyo's HQV processing involved in the action) and the results have been superb. I've only watched the Bob Dylan documentary No Direction Home on dvd so far, but the black levels have been outstanding, especially considering the age of a lot of the footage.

With BR I have the 2500 set to 1080p24 and Onkyo to 1080p (again to get the HQV processing working), although if the Onkyo is set to 720p the Pioneer still displays a 1080p input. I'm not entirely sure what the screen is doing here, maybe you can answer this.

I have found that drive mode '3' and Pure Cinema 'smooth' on the screen settings gives the best results as far as motion is concerned although someone on this site posted that Pioneer told them to use the 'advance' setting for Pure Cinema with a BR input for some technical reason that I didn't understand, but I've found this setting is not as smooth with motion. Your help would be much appreciated.

So far as the 3800 providing better audio and video is concerned, my reason for buying the 2500 is because I've already invested money in high quality chipsets and dacs in the amp so I don't want to pay for it all again especially considering that only one set can be used. This is why I'm reluctant to set the Onkyo to 'through' as this means there's no HQV processing involved.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi MV. First, we're testing the DVD-2500BT with a variety of appropriate amps, but most often with the Denon AVC-A1HD (£3800). Video is being fed into our reference Pioneer PDP-LX5090 plasma, although we've also tried JVC's DLA-HD100 projector.

Now to the optimum settings for your Onkyo's video scaler. With a 1080p video input from Blu-ray, the TX-SR875's onboard video scaling and processing is bypassed, no matter what scaling mode you've set it to. This is why your Pioneer plasma is still showing a 1080p input even if you've set the Onkyo's processing to 720p: the native 1080p content on the Blu-ray disc is simply passing through the Onkyo directly into the Pioneer. And yes, I know you've not set the Onkyo to 'through' mode, but still - this is how it treats 1080p from Blu-ray (I checked with Onkyo just to be sure, too!). There's no reason to feel downcast about this, by the way. All it means is the picture you're so enjoying from Blu-ray is being provided by your Blu-ray player, with no additional modification save for the work the Pioneer plasma panel is carrying out.

And on that subject: when you're viewing DVDs, you're currently carrying out two video scaling processes. First, you're taking the native 720 x 576 content on the disc and scaling it to 1280 x 720 (inside your Onkyo). Then, you're scaling your video again to match the native resolution of your plasma panel (1024 x 768). Now it could be that this is, in fact, the best way to go: the HQV processing in the Onkyo is very good, as we've said many a time.

But I think you should also try omitting the Onkyo's video processing from the signal path too, just in case. You might (note I said 'might') find that only using one scaling process (ie 720 x 576 from the Blu-ray player up to 1024 x 768 in the Pioneer) delivers better results. Pioneer plasmas have decent scalers - it's one of the many reasons why they're so good. Give it a go, I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response Andy. I'll give the settings for dvd a try and let you know how I get on, I guess I should try the same for Sky HD also. However, I can't help but feel disapointed as the whole reason for buying the 2500BT was to avoid paying the extra for processing equipment that I already have in the Onkyo.

On a more positive note, I've just spoken to my dealer, who will let me do a side by side comparison with the 3800 when it comes in and replace it if the difference is that great. Also by then the Pioneer Blu-Ray players should be available too.

 

[Anonymous]

Andy Kerr:
But I think you should also try omitting the Onkyo's video processing from the signal path too, just in case. You might (note I said 'might') find that only using one scaling process (ie 720 x 576 from the Blu-ray player up to 1024 x 768 in the Pioneer) delivers better results. Pioneer plasmas have decent scalers - it's one of the many reasons why they're so good. Give it a go, I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

ÿ

Hi Andy,
Wouldn't outputting the video from the 2500 at 720p give a better result as surely even at 576p the player is doing some scaling / processing?
Mark

 

[professorhat]

Not for DVDs - 576p is the native signal.

 

[Anonymous]

OK, Much testing (and irritated wife) later here's what I found (just in case anyone's interested)...

DENON 2500BT ONKYO 875 RESULT (PIONEER 428XD)

1. 576P THROUGH Picture image is incorrect ratio. Image is misshaped.

2. 720P THROUGH Good detail. Some motion blurring (marginal)

3. 576P 720p Good detail. Good motion tracking.

I used the DVD of Apocalypto for the test. The difference between 2 and 3 motion was marginal, and very difficult to tell the difference, but it was just noticable. The first couple of seconds of chapter 8 are a good test for motion tracking as the camera pans up the cliff face with a bird flying across the screen.

 

[Anonymous]

Andy / Clare,
Are you close to posting a review of the 2500BT on the website yet?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Should be mere days away, though we still need to do some more comparative testing.

For example...we've just had the Pioneer LX71 in, too, plus the Panasonic DMP-BD55 - at last, some higher-end Blu-ray players to compare!

 

[Anonymous]

excellent. any idea when the LX-91 is due?

 

[Anonymous]

Clare Newsome:
Should be mere days away, though we still need to do some more comparative testing.

For example...we've just had the Pioneer LX71 in, too, plus the Panasonic DMP-BD55 - at last, some higher-end Blu-ray players to compare!

Are we there yet??