What DVD player?

[admin_exported]

Hi

I own a Pioneer 428XD TV.

In process of upgrading rest of the AV gear.

Decided on a Onkyo 605 AV amp.

Dont know what DVD player to get?

I was thinking PS3, but then I thought even though its a game console I wont really play on it.

Borrowed an Xbox 360 Elite from a friend and played on it once all week.

So just wanted peoples opinion on what DVD player to get?

Only really watch DVD films on it.

Some of choices are with the research I done are

Samsung 870

Denon 1940

Pioneer 400 OR 6000

Toshibe HD Dvd players

I will be connecting through the AV amp to allow HDMI switching

Thanks

Sanjay

 

[professorhat]

Guess the main question to answer is do you want Hi-Def? You've got a great TV, have you seen any HD sources through it?

If you're really not that bothered and on a budget, I'd go for either the Samsung or one of Tosh's cheap HD-DVD players which will upscale your DVDs nicely (and let you try out HD-DVD just if you're curious!). If you have a bit more money, the Denon is a great player (though I've heard the Tosh EP35 produces just as good a picture as the Denon).

However, if Blu-Ray interests you, don't let the PS3 being a games console put you off. I have one but I very rarely play games on it (and I do love my games), mostly because the Xbox has better titles at the moment. However, I use it extensively as a Blu-Ray and upscaling DVD player (so far as I sold my old very expensive Denon standard DVD player as the picture from the PS3 was far superior). I also store lots of photos and music on it which is nice to have in the background if I have a few friends round. I got the 60Gb version when it first came out and don't consider it a waste of money and it's £125 cheaper now!

Hope this helps!

 

[Anonymous]

SANJAY: The Denon DVD 1940 is the one to go for-I have one and it's very good

Just be careful though! As you are wanting to get the Onkyo 605 AV amp try and get to audition both the Denon and the Amp together before you buy to make sure there are no lyp synch issues between the audio and the lip movements on screen. This seems to a problem experienced by many people of late and no it's not just a Denon thing!

My DVD player is directly connected to my 42 inch Plasma Display via HDMI and I hear the sound too out of the TV which is fine for me and I don't get any Lyp Sync problems, whereas if I try to hear through my stereo amp ( and others have tried to do so via their AV Amps) you seem to get problem which at the end of the day can only be eradicated but only but spending another £150 or so by adding an adudio delay unit form somewhere like www.felston.com If however, the Onkyo has audio delay built in you shouldn't get a problem

But to be sure you won't have any lyp synch problems, before you buy see and hear both the AV AMP and Denon in action.

Many dealers now know there are such problems which is why some of them reluctantly like to allow you to audition these machines together. Don't be put off by a reluctant dealer. Try to get and even insist on an audition if your'e going down the AV Amp and DVD player route

One more thing about Blu Ray. Yes it's all the rage at present but I've seen may Blu Ray films on other people's machines and displays and whilst I can't argue the fact that it delivers more depth to a picture that's as far as I'm prepared to praise Blu Ray at all.

The new crop of Blu Ray players in my view produce very anaemic pictures and overall the picture is a bit too cliycal for me compared to what I currently see and thoroughly enjoy on the Denon DVD 1940 and I would also go so far as to say that one of the more expensive Denon DVD players on the market selling for about £500 actually far surpasses any Blu Ray Player I have seen to date.

Maybe in about 5 years time Blu Ray will be 'the thing' in all it's vivid glory but for now the hardware requires a a lot more refinement and there will always be those will prefer to buy DVD's at £5.00 a go and be quite happy to just continue watching DVD's on something like a modestly priced DENON DVD 1940

 

[professorhat]

[quote user="Tallyho"]I would also go so far as to say that one of the more expensive Denon DVD players on the market selling for about £500 actually far surpasses any Blu Ray Player I have seen to date.[/quote]

Do you mean superior for playing DVDs or are you saying the DVD playback exceeds a Blu-Ray in quality? If the former, fair enough, but then you'd expect a more expensive dedicated DVD player to be better. If you mean the latter, I couldn't agree with that personally, but just my opinion.

Best bet is to have a look yourself and make your own mind up

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="professorhat"][quote user="Tallyho"]I would also go so far as to say that one of the more expensive Denon DVD players on the market selling for about £500 actually far surpasses any Blu Ray Player I have seen to date.[/quote]
Do you mean superior for playing DVDs or are you saying the DVD playback exceeds a Blu-Ray in quality? If the former, fair enough, but then you'd expect a more expensive dedicated DVD player to be better. If you mean the latter, I couldn't agree with that personally, but just my opinion.

Best bet is to have a look yourself and make your own mind up

[/quote]

I mean't in both cases. Sure Blu Ray gives you more depth but in my opinion that's all. But I also agree with you in that people must audition these products first before they reush out and buy and then what we see is a flood of problems encountered by so many on these and other such forums. People need to research first then go along with a list of questions and audition their shortlists. If the sales person in the shop is unhelpful or simply can't answer your questions don't buy from there. The more expensive DVD players are quite simply a delight to view DVD's on and there is still a good amount of depth in the picture for most to be satisfied with instead of people rushing out to buy Blu Ray Players at present. In 5 years time however it could all be different.

PS: Saw Sweeney Todd last night at the Cinema .I was hoping for a startling picture quality experience but you know I can't honestly say that Cinema picture quality hasn't come on leaps and bounds from what I used to see 10 years ago. Blown up on a massive screen in the Cinema pictures still look grainy and fuzzy even with my new SpecSaver glasses

 

[professorhat]

I know what you mean about the picture in the cinema! I just don't go to the cinema any more, but that's mostly because I live in Croydon and people seem to go to the cinema there to have a chat rather than watch a film. Nothing annoys me more!