darylomer12 Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 Hey fellas. Long time lurker. I am just finishing up my dedicated HT room and the last thing i think i need is a solid dvd player. I am really not sure what features to look for. I am looking to spend around 200.00 or so. Could someone catch me up to speed on what i should look for when buying one. Not sure this helps but i will tell you anyway. My setup includes. Rf-3s Rs-35s Rc-35 Svs-pb10isd and a Pioneer Vsx1015tx. My room is 16' long by 24' wide. I am also looking for an Rc-7 if anyone is wanting to sell one. That way, i can use my 35 for a rear 6.1. Thanks again, you guys rock!!!! Daryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 For that money you should find a nice player, I like my Sony, but many choices out there, make sure it can play DTS, and of course 3 plug component hook-up, much nicer than S-video..................good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick_Derris Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 I have a Samsung HD-841, and i'm not to happy with it. Most of the time it plays fine, but certain DVD's it has trouble playing, it kind of jumps/skips around and temporally freezes up. It isnt a problem with scratchs or anything, yesterday I open a brand new copy of The Wall, and it had the same problem. I brought my parents the OppoDigital OPDV971H, and they seem to like it. I had heard good reviews on it, so I figured I'd use them as guinea pigs. I've only been over to there place a couple of times to watch movies, but it seems to work great. The only thing that I've noticed with it is that it seems that it always defaults back to 480p, everytime the dvd gets shut off. Oh, also I dont think it plays SACD's. Sorry for only having knowlege about 2 dvd players. But, like oldbuckster said, make sure it has at least component output, I would also try to get one that has DVI and/or HDMI and an optical out. -Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Khorns Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 You would also need to conisider whether to buy used or new. In my experience, DVD players seem to break down within 1-2 years. I've had 1000-1200 players from Pioneer, Yamaha, and Onkyo that have all quit working after 1-3 years. My last one is the Samsung, only had for about a month. I guess it's ok, will have to see. If it does die, I did only pay 130 for it, so not so much of a loss. It at least is universal and will play DVD AUDIO, SACD, CD DVD, etc and has a DVI output (although my Mitsu TV came out just before they were putting those in it). I suppose it would be best to figure out how many formats you really use and then pay for the best one that has only those options on it. And, from my reading, it seems like many of the players actually get the same or similar transport systems from the same company (Phillips of Holland?), and I believe that the lasers prob come from only a few select places also. I'm not sure how different some of the players really are from one another at the end of the day in as much as their ability to give good picture and sound. What experience have others had with Denon and Sony? I have not had one of theirs. I have read a ton of good things about the Cambridge stuff. I have heard their CD players and was very impressed. I'm not sure what their price point is. Good luck. Place a post here once you decide and let us know your opinion on what you get. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylomer12 Posted July 15, 2006 Author Share Posted July 15, 2006 Thanks for the input so far. My TV does have a DVI connection, so does that mean my best connection would be DVI or should i just leave it at component? (green, blue and red i think). Sorry if my questions are so elementary and thanks again. Daryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 I would recommend Sony for the dvd player actually. All the units I've messed with last forever and can play any kind of media while handling the scratched stuff very well. And I'd argue the sound quality is on par with any of the other crazy esoteric options out there...for movies you'll be running a digital connection anyway so the quality will be determined by your reciever and not the unit you end up with. I'm usually not a big fan of Sony, but they do build their TV's, CD and DVD players very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Khorns Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 My understanding is that if you use the DVI input, you can get a player that can upscale the picture to a better quality than is possible with the component connection. I think it may give you a slightly better picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 My understanding is that if you use the DVI input, you can get a player that can upscale the picture to a better quality than is possible with the component connection. I think it may give you a slightly better picture. Doesn't DVI include sound connection, component hook-up doesn't..........?????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Khorns Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 The DVI input is a visual only input. The HDMI will carry both video and audio. The selling point on it is that one cable can be used to bring a reciever both the audio and video. Several sources can be brought into the reciever, ie: DVD, CABLE, etc. Then one cable can be brought to the tv. The picture quality between the HDMI and the DVI is going to be pretty much the same, as they are both digital. The component is an analog signal, and is therefore somewhat limited on what it can bring to the tv. For example, the newest of the HDTV's are capable of producing 1080p. Only the DVI/HDMI cables can bring that much info over to the tv. Of course, you have to have a source that is capable of producing that level of an output. Currently, that would be an HD DVD, HD cable, or HD off of the internet thru a computer and streamed over to the tv. Interestingly enough, almost none of the newest of the tv's can accept 1080p, but rather 1080i, they then internally convert the signal. Hewlett Packard sells a couple of models that will actually accept the 1080p input directly, but, once again, there are only a few sources that can even prod. that level of signal. In the real world, the component video inputs are going to be fairly similar to the DVI/HDMI, unless you have a dvd player that upconverts the signal to 480p rather than the usual 480i. This will give you an improved picture to some extent. In conclusion (finally). If I had a tv that would accept DVI OR HDMI I would use that over the component. The traditional ranking is: DIGITAL (HDMI OR DVI), THEN COMPONENT, THEN S VIDEO, THEN COMPOSITE ( the little single yellow wire - essentially an rca cable.) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Khorns Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 One more thing. I keep reading that they are thinking about changing up the HDMI cable to a slightly different one. The powers that be are always so hyper about pirating etc. It's not certain that the current HDMI is the one that will be used in the long run. As I mentioned recently on a prev. thread, I am tired of the earliest of adopters and will prob wait until the dust settles before upgrading video equipment again. I believe though that the DVI will remain unchanged. There are plenty of adapters that can be used to hook up between DVI AND HDMI. The only slight downside to DVI is that it doesn't carry sound, but that does not really matter too much. If you are doing surround for the HT application, you simply bring the DVI cable out of the dvd or whatever, and go directly into the tv. You can then bring the audio to the reciever or pre/pro via an optic cable or a coaxial. The sound will be just as good as if it had been brought over using the HDMI, the HDMI just saves you from having to hook up one more cord, but I have a pretty good feeling that people like us have more than enough cables around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylomer12 Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 The DVI input is a visual only input. The HDMI will carry both video and audio. The selling point on it is that one cable can be used to bring a reciever both the audio and video. Several sources can be brought into the reciever, ie: DVD, CABLE, etc. Then one cable can be brought to the tv. The picture quality between the HDMI and the DVI is going to be pretty much the same, as they are both digital. The component is an analog signal, and is therefore somewhat limited on what it can bring to the tv. For example, the newest of the HDTV's are capable of producing 1080p. Only the DVI/HDMI cables can bring that much info over to the tv. Of course, you have to have a source that is capable of producing that level of an output. Currently, that would be an HD DVD, HD cable, or HD off of the internet thru a computer and streamed over to the tv. Interestingly enough, almost none of the newest of the tv's can accept 1080p, but rather 1080i, they then internally convert the signal. Hewlett Packard sells a couple of models that will actually accept the 1080p input directly, but, once again, there are only a few sources that can even prod. that level of signal. In the real world, the component video inputs are going to be fairly similar to the DVI/HDMI, unless you have a dvd player that upconverts the signal to 480p rather than the usual 480i. This will give you an improved picture to some extent. In conclusion (finally). If I had a tv that would accept DVI OR HDMI I would use that over the component. The traditional ranking is: DIGITAL (HDMI OR DVI), THEN COMPONENT, THEN S VIDEO, THEN COMPOSITE ( the little single yellow wire - essentially an rca cable.) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylomer12 Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 The DVI input is a visual only input. The HDMI will carry both video and audio. The selling point on it is that one cable can be used to bring a reciever both the audio and video. Several sources can be brought into the reciever, ie: DVD, CABLE, etc. Then one cable can be brought to the tv. The picture quality between the HDMI and the DVI is going to be pretty much the same, as they are both digital. The component is an analog signal, and is therefore somewhat limited on what it can bring to the tv. For example, the newest of the HDTV's are capable of producing 1080p. Only the DVI/HDMI cables can bring that much info over to the tv. Of course, you have to have a source that is capable of producing that level of an output. Currently, that would be an HD DVD, HD cable, or HD off of the internet thru a computer and streamed over to the tv. Interestingly enough, almost none of the newest of the tv's can accept 1080p, but rather 1080i, they then internally convert the signal. Hewlett Packard sells a couple of models that will actually accept the 1080p input directly, but, once again, there are only a few sources that can even prod. that level of signal. In the real world, the component video inputs are going to be fairly similar to the DVI/HDMI, unless you have a dvd player that upconverts the signal to 480p rather than the usual 480i. This will give you an improved picture to some extent. In conclusion (finally). If I had a tv that would accept DVI OR HDMI I would use that over the component. The traditional ranking is: DIGITAL (HDMI OR DVI), THEN COMPONENT, THEN S VIDEO, THEN COMPOSITE ( the little single yellow wire - essentially an rca cable.) Paul Thanks for all your time and input. Paul, you expained it very well. I have been looking for the last couple days now and i can't seem to find a Dvd player with a DVI connection for under 400.00. Since i don't think the picture improvement will be that noticable, expecially for 200.00 more than i want to pay, maybe i will just stick with component.Again, thanks to everyone for helping me out. Daryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylomer12 Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 I ended up purchasing this dvd player.http://www.dealtime.com/xPR-Onkyo_DV_CP701. I paid 130.00 for it and it is brand new, still in the box. Hope i did alright. Am i right by saying the dvd player is the least important piece of a HT? Anyway, i will be sure to let you know how it turns out. My next and final purchase will be the Avia Guide to Home Theater disc. I should have pictures within the next week or two of my complete setup. Thanks again............. Daryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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