Worth it to get a DVD upconvert player?

[Needa916]

I just gave my DVD player to my sister, since her's broke. So i am going to buy something for myself. Is it worth it to buy an upconverting 1080i DVD player. Pic quality that much better on a 55" screen? What if I only have a 1 DVI and 1 Component? WiIll they work with either of these connection (and upconvert)? How much would pay?

Or - should I just buy a cheapie player and wait for the next gen?

 

[Mark_AR]

I've got a Zenith DVB318 that is connected thru component video(Y,Pb,Pr) because my 921 takes up the DVI-D slot on my 57" Hitachi.

I am very satisifed with the PQ at upconverted 1080i.

Movies like Finding Nemo were near HD quality on playback.

I bought mine from wildwestelectronics, but I see they no longer carry them. I'm sure a quick google search would show you places to get one for $159.00 and up.

Of course you can spend up to $2000 for a Denon, but why...?

 

[long_time_DNC]

I have a Samsung DVD-931 and really enjoy the 1080i upconversion. Watching almost any DVD is (as Mark said) near HD quality. Watching a Superbit DVD is simply stunning.

 

[Needa916]

I heard a lot about that Zenith (in various online reviews), but also heard hardly anybody carries it anymore. Funny about the Superbit...I just bought Spiderman 2 in superbit, but can't enjoy it till i get me one of those upconvert DVD players

Thanks for the opinions.

 

[long_time_DNC]

I heard a lot about that Zenith (in various online reviews), but also heard hardly anybody carries it anymore. Funny about the Superbit...I just bought Spiderman 2 in superbit, but can't enjoy it till i get me one of those upconvert DVD players

Thanks for the opinions.

Superbit versions play just fine on a non-upconverting player and still look great. They just have max bandwidth due to the removal of all the extras (or the extras have put on a second disc. They just look about 30% or so better on an upconverting DVD player is all.

 

[Needa916]

I don't know what superbit looks like even on a standard DVD player, as I currently don't have one. Checked around the web for either Samsung and Zenith, and they are hovering around $200. Any cheaper, I have to go with some online retailers I have never heard of.

 

[long_time_DNC]

$200 is a good price-point. As you said, any lower and you don't know who you're buying from.

The best-looking Superbit versions I have are:

Spider-Man 2 (top-notch quality)
Vertical Limit (the first 10-15 minutes is amazing, after that, well, snow is white...)
The Quick and the Dead (if that one doesn't look like HD in 1080i, I don't know what would, besides real HD!)
The Mask of Zorro (Stunning, especially Zeta-Jones)
The Fifth Element (again, stunning)

And for a great runner-up that's not a Superbit title but looks spectacular in 1080i upconvert: Tombstone (Vista Series Special Edition).

 

[Needa916]

Welp, I got a Toshiba SD-5970. The PQ is somewhere between 480p and 1080i as expected, but I don't like the blacks. There are some spots in Matrix that don't look that great, wish I could "tune" that away. Going to sit through another session of Video Essentials this weekend to fine tune. Its well worth the extra money...apparently this DVD player even does 1080p - any TVs even support that?

Man does this HD obsession ever end???

 

[BFG]

Yeah I have a 931 as well and love it. The PQ is amazing. I've also gone into the service manual of my TV to tweak things and it's looking great. I finally got around to watching the Spiderman 2 SB last weekend, it was amazing!!! Can't wait to watch the incredibles this weekend!

 

[calikarim]

Have a Denon 1910

I just purchased a Denon upconverting 1910, and is it amazing on My Mitsubishi 68813 diamond. The picture is yes almost HD, however upconvert is still upconvert it is not native 1080 i . It is worth it to spend $200 until the real HD Dvd comes out in 4 months, just 16 weeks. I can't wait.

HD rules and dolan is the King of HD

 

[toto]

I beleive the next generation Sony's will do HMDI and up conversion. available August?

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

We have 3 up-converting DVD players, one is a dual DVD/VCR deck.

1. Zenith 318 $169.99
2. LG 418 $189.99
3. LG 514 DVD/VCR $199.99

All prices include shipping for SatelliteGuys forum members.

-Robert

 

[DarrellP]

I just paid $199 for a Neobits and it is excellent. One drawback with this player and my pj: No matter what I select in the Aspect Ratio screen, my pj still stretches out a 4:3 DVD. I have conversed with Neobits on this and they will correct it in the next software update.

I've noticed that the audio is much more dynamic than my other 2 DVD players. The shakers on my couch darn near throw me off at times.

 

[charper1]

Does the player have a aspect ratio selector? I know all my Sony players have them.

 

[DarrellP]

Yes, it has the option of 4:3, 4:3 letterboxed and 16:9. The tech I emailed admitted it was a fault of the player in that they never considered sending an HD signal to a device that would stretch everything to fill the screen. He said they would address this in the next update.

 

[Carl B]

I have a Sammy DVD-HD931 going to a Sammy DLP via DVI and overall the upconversions are great. I'm converting to 720p, my DLPs native resolution.

The really good DVDs look as good as HDNet Movies. Matrix isn't one of the real good ones. "Finding Nemo" is, as are "Pirates of the Carribbean", "Jurassic Park", and "Ladder 49".

Most current up-converting DVD players only do so via DVI or HDMI, not component. BTW, if you have a quality, fixed-pixel, HDTV, chances are that it has a very good up-converting capabilities built in. Any good DVD player via component to such a HDTV will produce a very good up-converted picture.

 

[DarrellP]

The Neobits will do up to 1080p via component but it also has HDMI out. I bought their HDMI to DVI convertor cable but decided to use component just because I can't get my DVI input on the pj to look proper and I have no way to calibrate it, it doesn't seem to hold the settings when I do adjust it & the component looks awesome anyway.

The Fifth Element Superbit looked damn near HD. Most discs I have tried look really good. I watched The Grudge last night and it looked awesome.

 

[kcribb1]

Samsung 841

Costco had the player for $99.00... and I passed. What was I thinking !! uuuugh!!!

 

[dfergie]

With your Pc and the right hard and software it will do this...

 

[Carl B]

Is that the Survivor babe?