Product Description
HDMI and HDMI CEC / Plays BD to 1920x1080 / Upconverts DVD to 1080p / Selectable 60 and 24 frame per second / Dolby True HD and DTS HD
From the Manufacturer
Samsung's BD-P1400 is a perfect centerpiece to your media environment, providing the features you need for a fulfilling entertainment experience. Advanced Blu-ray playback technology gives you crisp, clear images, while added picture quality adjustment lets you set sharpness and noise reduction to your liking. HDMI v1.3 lets you experience richer colors. Dolby® Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD compatibility completes the HD experience.
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CD and DVD Compatible
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Samsung's Blu-ray Disc Player offers state of the art viewing with CD and DVD playback compatibility. Even as you take advantage of the latest video and audio advances, you can still enjoy all your existing media content. |
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1080p with 24Hz Output
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View scenes as they were meant to be seen. The Blu-ray movie title's original source (1080p/24Hz) output means you'll enjoy the film picture quality. |
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Seamlessly Connect Your Digital Devices
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With High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI™ version 1.3), a single cable transfers the full power of the Blu-ray Disc Player's high-definition video and audio signal to your HDTV and other digital devices. Version 1.3, standard in the BD-P1400, transfers deeper color and higher resolution, and handles the new, compressed audio formats. Another plus: Your room is freed from the unsightly tangle of multiple cords and cables. | |
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Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD
Immerse yourself in sound. The BD-P1400 supports the new Dolby Digital Plus Audio format — the next generation in sound. It also supports uncompressed PCM Audio and Legacy dts 5.1 Dolby Digital. Dolby TrueHD is Dolby's next-generation lossless technology developed for high-definition disc-based media. Dolby TrueHD delivers tantalizing sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master,* unlocking the true high-definition entertainment experience on next-generation discs. |
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Anynet + Ready TV
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You're in full command with the BD-P1400. Anynet+ delivers streamlined, one-touch control over all your Anynet compatible connected devices such as the TV, AV Receiver, and Home Theater. You can operate all of them with a single remote control that enables commands to be passed among devices within the system. A true "plug and play" product, it comes with a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature that lets you operate Samsung HDMI products with a single remote control. |
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One Remote
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Trust Samsung to make home entertainment a seamless and exhilarating experience. Thanks to High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI™) with Consumer Electronic Control (CEC), just a click of a single remote control accesses any digital device in your SAMSUNG home entertainment system., and laptops. HDMI is the best performing interface for displaying an HD source on an HDTV. | |
Customer Reviews:
Beware - don't buy.......2007-12-26
Do not buy a Samsung Player. We bought one, had to upgrade it to see 'Rise of the silver surfer' and it broke. So right now we have a player that has a Blu-Ray disc stuck in it and the only thing it ever does is greeting us with 'Hello' on its display when powering on and saying 'goodbye' when powering off. We tried to got support but unfortunately all they said is, that it is all our fault. Actually we have been accused very badly for doing something illegal. We got the feeling that they would have loved to put us in prison for trying an upgrade....
Nice player with stunning picture and sound still needs to have some kinks worked out (probably with further firmware updates).......2007-12-26
The Samsung 1400 has become one of the popular selling Blu-ray devices because of price and the general quality of the picture for the device. Overall, this unit is a good, solid performer but it does have its drawbacks and some of the firmware fixes that Samsung has posted lately haven't completely eliminated some of the problems. I wanted a secondary player that was relatively inexpensive, easy to use and could play most of my discs whether they be audio or video. The Samsung 1400 lives up to that need delivering a stunning picture and audio. I'd give the unit 3 1/2 stars and will reserve the right to upgrade (or downgrade)the ranking based on the firmware updates that come through. The price is certainly right for this unit and if you are just diving into Blu-ray this is a solid little performer that has some issues you should be aware.
The picture is truly stunning in both 1080i and 1080p. The picture can be adjusted to a variety of settings depending on what you prefer. The remote is clear and easy to use and any adjustments you want to make to the player are also petty easy to do as well. Audio sounds terrific and there are jacks in the back for 5.1, 2.0, an HMDI cord is included as well. The True HD sound comes across with remarkable clarity as well. The 1400 played DVD-R's, DVD-RW's, CD's, DVD's and Blu-rays with equal ease and did a stellar job with all of these formats. It does take a bit for the 1400 to start the movie but once it does the operation was pretty smooth and quick.
There is also a internet jack in the back for firmware upgrades something that some other models (including the Sony model currently nearest in price and comparable features)doesn't have which means you should be able to upgrade as needed should you have any problems.
There are a few negatives that consumers should be aware of as well. I haven't had any problems with jitter (unlike some folks here)but even after the firmware update (as of 12/24/07)I still do have occasional problems with audio/video synching (where you have lip flap because the lips don't match the audio). Usually this is pretty easily corrected (I push stop and then push start again) but it shouldn't continue to be a problem AFTER the firmware upgrade. I'm hoping that Samsung will have this issue fixed fairly soon. It's only happened on two discs ("Ghostrider" and "Star Trek: The Original Series" when I wanted to watch the non-HD-DVD side of the disc on this player)so far but it is annoying. It's not an isolated problem related just to the 1400 as it has happened with other players (and HD-DVD players as well)but it wasn't a problem that I ever experienced with a DVD player. Keep in mind, however, that any Blu-ray or HD-DVD player has more in common with a computer hard drive than it does with a DVD player). It's a minor annoyance but, again, something that shouldn't be occurring on even an irregular basis.
The booklet that Samsung has included reminds me of a poorly edited Reaader's Digest version of a novel--you get something of the story but miss the significance because so much is missing from the story. For example, when I had problems updating the firmware, there wasn't enough information to help me problem solve the issue. I figured it out on my own just fine but it could have been resolved much more quickly if there were more information on how to deal with firmware issues.
The update for the firmware took about 30 minutes from the moment it began downloading the changes until it asked me if I wanted to update the firmware. I suspect that most of that had more to do with internet traffic than with the firmware update itself (or at least I hope so). When I did have questions for Samsung and elected to call them vs. accessing them via their website, I couldn't get through at all. It seems to me that it would behoove Samsung to have more information with easier access outside of going to their website and struggling through the large variety of options.
Overall, this is a solid performer that has its quirks. I say quirks because most of the minor problems can be fixed up with competent updates to the website for download. I like the ease of use and the image/sound quality beat out the Sony that I used for comparison. Also, it had some nice bells and whistles missing from the Sony (for example the internet port in the back for updates). I'm pleased with the performance so far although I would like to see the firmware issue with synching audio/video (a big issue for me)be resolved asap.
Sending it back to Amazon.......2007-12-25
I don't think this is the worst Blu-ray/DVD player, but I have experienced inexcusable problems during playback in which a player of this price range just shouldn't have. Every five to ten minutes, the frame rate would unexpectedly slow down for a second or two, causing the video to become very jittery. It also had a really hard time playing back a slightly scratched Blu-ray disc from Netflix. When I tried the disc on my Playstation 3, none of the playback problems were apparent.
The Samsung BD-1400 definitely needs to go back into the oven for a while longer because it's just not done yet. Hopefully a software update will be issued soon to address the technical problems this player has. I advise any potential buyer to be aware this player is not going to offer 100% trouble free performance. For the price and value, I would still recommend the Playstation 3. It offers better Blu-ray playback, as well as future proof updates to upcoming Blu-ray software profiles.
AWESOME BLU-RAY PLAYER.......2007-12-24
I just can't believe the picture this baby puts on. I have tries several players including the Sony. Samsung is clearly the winner of the Blu-Ray war..
samsung bdp-1400 blu ray player.......2007-12-21
this is a excellent blu ray and i am very happy with my purchase, i recommend this player to everyone ,little slow to load but the price is great.
Average customer rating:
- little better than regular DVD player
- Excellent For the price.
- Nice little player
- seems pretty good !!
- Excellent for SACD, so-so for video
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OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio
Manufacturer: OPPO Digital
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics
All
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DVD Players & Recorders
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Audio & Video
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Categories
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Electronics
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Onkyo HT-SR800 7.1 Home Theater Entertainment System (Black)
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Onkyo TX-SR705S 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Silver)
Product Features:
- High definition up-conversion up to 1080p Full HD resolution from standard DVD video discs. 480i/480p/720p/1080i also supported over HDMI
- Outstanding audio performance with 7.1-channel output and Dolby Digital Surround EX decoding
- Multiple playback formats, including DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD with DSD, Audio CDs, HDCD, WMA, DivX and more
- High resolution picture slide show (HD-JPEG); USB 2.0 interface for video, picture and music playback
- Connections include HDMI, Component, Composite, S-Video, 7.1CH, 5.1CH, Stereo, Coaxial, Optical. Includes an HDMI cable
ASIN: B000UIA6YM
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Product Description
Prepare to be impressed by the OPPO DV-980H universal DVD player. Continuing the OPPO tradition of exceptional audio/video performance and great value, the DV-980H delivers a stunning picture and immersing sound for today's home theaters. Advanced video upconversion technology brings standard definition DVDs to life with 1080p "Full HD" clarity. Precision rendering from Super Audio CD, DVD-Audio, HDCD and regular CD creates enveloping acoustics with high fidelity. Complemented with 7.1-channel surround audio, high-resolution picture slide show and a convenient USB 2.0 port, the DV-980H helps you rediscover the treasures in your home theater.
Customer Reviews:
little better than regular DVD player.......2007-12-24
My OPPO 980 seems to have bit problem, it is freezing for 2-3 seconds for 2-3 times during one movie, last movie completely froze and have to restart player. Not sure if it is general problem or i got lemon.
But DVDs do look little better than my regular player, plus it plays PAL and NTSC both.
I do not think it is worth such high price, when you can get HD DVD player with as good upscaling for few more dollors (you also get 10 HD DVDs for free).
Excellent For the price........2007-12-23
I've tried many DVD players and this is the best one so far. Easy to use, excellent picture quality; and finally a decent remote.
Nice little player.......2007-12-23
This is a nice little player that will enhance the quality of your 480P DVD's. My TV is full 1080 and the Oppo enhances the picture with it's upscaling software. A breeze to use and set up.
Remember though that this player will NOT play HD DVD's. But it's useful for upscaling the image on those old movies.
seems pretty good !!.......2007-12-23
About to buy this soon...from all the reviews here and what I have heard from others it looks great...Oppo recommends the the 970 for a 32 inches tv (720p) but when I go to theier website it replaces with the 980H which I am not sure is good for my sony 32 inches (720p) tv or not..
also only the 981 seems to use the Faroudja chip...so is the 980 good ?
will call them on monday and find out...-:)
Excellent for SACD, so-so for video.......2007-12-20
Pros:
Bought it to play SACDs thru HDMI 1.2a ( with DSD support) and very happy with it for the purpose. Excellent quality of audio (24bit/192KHz DAC) cannot be obtaned elsewhere for the price.
Very nice packaging, good remote. Overall, great build quality for the money.
Cons:
I get noticeable artifacts on 40" LCD TV in 1080p. My 65-dollar Philips upscaling DVD player gets the job done better. I would not recommend this model if you do not care about audio features this player offers.
Product Description
Philips HDMI DVD Player - This home DVD player is a great way to get the most out of your current DVD movies. It features video upscaling, which boosts the video quality of your movies for high-definition displays. This higher definition signal can be passed digitally to your HDTV via the HDMI port. HDMI also offers you audio transmission via the same cable, giving you an easy one-cable connection to your TV or receiver. Picture CD Playback - with JPEG pictures Picture Enhancement - flip photos, rotate, zoom, slideshow with MP3 playback NTSC & PAL Playback (PAL playback requires a TV that also supports the PAL format) Aspect Ratio - 4 - 3, 16 - 9 Dolby Digital USB Port Ports - RCA Composite Out, HDMI Out, Digital Coaxial Out, Component Video Out Parental Control & Child Lock
Customer Reviews:
good deal.......2007-12-25
this product works well, DivX movies look good, but not as good as a normal dvd. I like the USB port, but it won't read a NTFS formated drive, only Fat 32 I think.
Upscaling doesn't work with component output.......2007-12-25
It's unclear in the description, but this DVD player *only* supports HD-upscaling using HDMI, not component cables (which many HDTVs depend on for HD signals). Just FYI.
Other than that, it seems to be good. I barely noticed any difference between 1080i (upscaled) and 480p (normal), but the quality's good either way.
DivX also works just fine, but there's definitely no post-processing (image enhancement); it's all "as is".
DVD Player review - not so great.......2007-12-24
There's a red line that goes through the screen when using this DVD player - it is pretty bad, and I wouldn't recommend getting it.
Its difficult to pay attention to the movies when you see this red line going through the screen...
Yet To See.......2007-12-21
This is perhaps the 11th or 12th DVD players that I have purchased. Each player lasts an average of about 2 years. This is the first Philips player I bought because I had good experience on other Philips brand electronics.
The player operates very quietly and offers good output quality. Its durability is yet to be proved by time.
However, this unit surely lacks of certain useful functions:
(1) It does not have play resumption. Once the "stop" button is pressed, the player returns to the beginning of the disk;
(2) The unit has no fast forward;
(3) I have players in three different rooms and I have a habit to turn off the player completely for energy conservation, even though it means very little. This unit only allows "play" and "standby" unless it is unplugged.
For the price and the easiness of setting to all region operation, it is a worthy buy!
ok for the price.......2007-12-17
I have been using it for one month. Does the job. The quality of the unit exterior seems very flimsy.
Average customer rating:
- Loving It!
- Oppo DV 981HD DVD Player
- Clear upscaling with no blocking or edge problems
- My experience is different....
- Superlative unit
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Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD
Manufacturer: OPPO Digital
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics
All
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DVD Players & Recorders
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Audio & Video
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Categories
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Electronics
Upconverting DVD Players
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DVD Players & Recorders
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Audio & Video
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Categories
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Electronics
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Accessories:
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Gold-plated HDmi (f) To Dvi-d
Product Features:
- Offers HDMI interface, with Farudja HD upconversion output up to full 1080p
- Multiple playback formats, including DVD-Audio, Super Audio CS, Audio CDs, HDCD, WMA, and more
- Outputs in stereo, or in 5.1 surround sound
- S-Video out, digital coaxial, and optical audio outs--no component out
- Built-in equalizer, channel trim, and channel delay functions
ASIN: B000LU8A7E
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Product Description
The OPPO DV-981HD is the upconverting DVD player for the ultimate home theater experience. Built upon the highly regarded OPPO OPDV971H, the DV-981HD is ideal for high definition TV's and home theater projectors. The DV-981HD excels at making standard definition DVDs look great at high definition resolutions through the use of advanced upconverting technology that outperforms most TV's built-in upconversion capabilities. The DV-981HD makes it possible for you to enjoy your existing collection of DVDs as well as new DVD titles that will continue to be released for years to come.
Amazon.com Product Description
The DV-981HD is the latest incarnation in Oppo's highly aclaimed line of upconverting DVD players. It offers an HDMI interface (HDMI Specification 1.1), with HD upconversion ouput resolutions of 720p, 1080i, and full 1080p. This is Oppo's most full-featured player yet, and as such, it's not a DVD player for people with regular analogue sets. While the DV-981HD doesn't offer component output, and doesn't output standard or native resolution, it does represent one of the best (if not the best) upconverting DVD players out there, and it's perfect for people with HDTVs up to full 1080p who aren't ready to jump on the HD DVD or Blu-ray bandwagen. In addition to excellent upconversion, the DV-981HD offers playback of a whole host of formats including DVD-Audio, Super Audio CS (SACD), Audio CDs, HDCD, WMA, Kodak Picture CDs, all version of DivX including DivX6, as well as Xvid, .SRT, .SMI, .IDX, and .SUB file formats.
Audio Features
The DV-981HD outputs audio in stereo or in 5.1 channel surround, either via HDMI, or through the included 5.1 analogue outputs. Other connections include S-Video out, and digital coaxial and optical audio outs. It features 24-bit, 192 kHz high resolution audio D/A converters, supports virtual surround in six settings, and has built-in equalizer, channel trim, and channel delay functions.
Farudgja DCDi Technology
Rather than trying to build their own upconversion technology for this machine, the Oppo DV-981HD the DCDi Faruja technology from Genesis Microchips. In addition to upscaling a DVD's native 720x480 interlaced video to 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, Farudja technology also detects content that has gone through 3:2 pull down to convert film content to NTSC for video, and recreates the original frames by blending the fields back together. It then processes for any edit mistakes and reconstrucs an accurate signal, producing an image free of motion artifacts. The unique DCDi algorithm can also identify moving edges within an image and adjust interpolation at a pixel level to create smooth edges for on-screen objects, eliminating the jaggy edges that commonly result from other upconversion techniques. Farudja processing also uses a proprietary "TruLife Enhancement" technology to identify transitions in the image considered to be details such as skin texture, freckles or hair, and enhance those to bring more detail in an image to life on the screen. This approach avoids image artefacts common with the peaking filter approach used by other systems for detail enhancement. The Farudja system uses temporal filtering for noise reduction, and can achieve 6 to 10 dB of Noise reduction without introducing artefacts or losing sharpness in the image.
Connections:
- HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface: 1
- Analog Stereo Audio (Mixed 2-Channel Left/Right): 1 group (2 connectors)
- Analog 5.1 Channel Audio: 1 group (6 connectors)
- S/PDIF (IEC-958) Coaxial Digital Audio: 1
- S/PDIF (IEC-958) Optical Digital Audio: 1
- Composite Video: 1
- S-Video: 1
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No Component Video (YPbPr/YCbCr) on the DV-981HD model. This model is designed for use with a display device with HDMI or DVI digital video input.
Compared with Other Oppo DVD player models
At the time of this writing, Oppo also has the DV-970HD upconverting player, and their original OPD971H model. Of these three models, the DV-981HD is the only that upconverts to full 1080p, the other models offer upconversion to 720p or 1080i only. Both the DV-981HD and the DV-970HD offer Super Audio CD (SACD) playback, the OPDV971H does not. The other major difference to consider is that the DV-981HD and the OPDV971H both use Farudja processing for video upconversion. The DV-970HD uses a different upconversion system that may not be as full featured as the Farudja. For this reason Oppo recommends the DV-981HD, or the OPDV971H for use with larger screen HDTVs 50 inches or greater, while the DV-970HD is only recommended for HDTVs smaller than 50-inches. Oppo recommends the DV-970HD for use with external video processors or scalers, and suggests careful calibration of both the DV-981HD and the OPDV971H when used with DLP HDTVs. Both of these players are good for use with DLP HDTVs, but for the best picture, some setup time is required. For disply with a DVI input on your HDTV, an HDMI-DVI adapter is required with both the DV-981HD and the DV-970HD models.
What's in the Box
Oppo DV-981HD upconveting DVD player, a High-quality certified HDMI cable with gold-plated HDMI connectors, Remote control with "glow in the dark" keypad (batteries included), Stereo audio cable, Composite video cable, and User manual and warranty information.
Customer Reviews:
Loving It!.......2007-12-21
After my mother-in-law bought my family a Sony 40" Bravia, I knew I needed to purchase an upconverting DVD player for all my many standard Def. DVD's. At a friends recommendation, I went with a $99 Sony machine and right from the get go was not impressed. It was alright, but I was expecting more and some of the DVD's were rather fuzzy actually. After a lot of research I went with the Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD and man is it great. First, it arrives in just a couple days from Amazon...and that is with the free shipping offer and at Christmas time! Then as soon as you open the box I was impressed with the cloth wrapping of the machine. Nice! Then I am impressed with it's sleek look and then its easy set up and then the blue light for the open button is nice when viewing in a dark room. Then I tried a sampling of about 5-6 DVD's...some old some new. Great! I even had my wife come compare a recently watched one on the Sony...she agrees. Much better. I have a 720p native resolution TV and I will say be sure to set the DVD player to whatever your's is, but after that just watch the obvious upgrade. And a bonus, the sound. The sound on movies and then last night I played some music CD's. Wow! Great sound, too. I know this machine costs more than some, but it is worth it.
Oppo DV 981HD DVD Player.......2007-12-21
This unit is as good as advertised. Near HD quality from regular DVDs. The price is a bargain for the quality of player. Highly recommend to those looking to upgrade but not ready to sink a fortune into Blu Ray or HD.
Clear upscaling with no blocking or edge problems.......2007-12-17
Just got the OPPO 981 and instantly my standard DVD's took on new life.
I can't tell much difference between HD SAT at 1080i and an OPPOlized DVD upscaled to 1080P.
Easy HDMI set-up with my Onkyo 705 as the switcher going into my Sharp Aquos 52" 92U LCD. No need for component outs.
Also has many sound and picture configuations. The audio is clean and lifelike.
Best DVD Upscaler on the market for the price!
My experience is different...........2007-12-12
I bought the Oppo after reading all of these great reviews. I own an uoconverting DVD player (1080i) which gave did ok with my 1080p TV set, but obviously there was room for improvement. So I hooked up the Oppo....huge dissappointment. The image WAS NOT as good as the one I had with my $70 upconverting DVD player. In fact, it was markedly inferior. Yes, I did hook it up with the HDMI cable....yes, I adjust the settings to 1080p....yes, I tried several different DVDs....I read the manual over and over....same result. I had no choice but to send it back.
Superlative unit.......2007-12-10
As other reviewers have so eloquently written, this is indeed an excellent DVD player. It is also a great CD player, with a smooth, neutral sound. As an added bonus, if you own any SACDs (Super Audio Compact Discs), the unit has the necessary circuitry to decode these, and the results are a revelation, providing that you have a modern A/V receiver and decent surround-sound speaker system. Pay careful attention to the setup instructions on pp 10-11 in the Oppo User Manual.
Product Description
Plays HD DVD and Standard DVD Discs / Also plays CD - CDRW / HDMI / Upconverts DVD to 720p or 1080i through HDMI
Customer Reviews:
Lacking storage!!!.......2007-12-23
I have had the HD-A2 for a few months now and have found a fault. When more HD-DVD's come out with downloadable web content you will not have space to download it. I have Transformers and cannot download all of the stuff to my player and you have to delete it before trying to get something for another DVD. It seems that they should have added the ability to plug in an external drive so that you can download and watch all content for the discs you own instead of having to download and then delete after watching. maybe a future update will help.
Buggy, unreliable, noisy........2007-12-18
Don't believe the free HD-DVD offer. After you wait the 8-10 weeks and call for info about your discs, you will receive the same answer over and over again - "Your DVD's are ready and will ship very soon". I have been waiting for nearly 4 months and have heard that reply each time I have called. Went through this a few years ago with a different manufacturer and never got anything per their agreement. Don't look to Amazon to help you resolve the problem, you will have to go directly to your credit card company and have them force a return/refund of the product. Believe me, $240 for a unreliable HD player (only plays 3 out of every 4 discs on a good day) and no free discs is not a very good deal. Shop elsewhere and ignore the free disc bait. A friend went the free disc route with a another HD player earlier this year and by the time he got his discs, they were out of the ones he wanted, so they sent "alternates". AVOID. AVOID. AVOID. Nuff said.
I expected better.......2007-12-13
This player has a lot of options; it can connect directly to the internet via ethernet. Unfortunately, it takes about a full minute (or longer) for the HDVD to turn on and open. You have to download the updates via ethernet or onto a DVD, or else you'll have problems (mine was with the sound.) I've had my player for about 2 weeks and it already needs an update. If you don't have internet access or a DVD burner, you can call support and have them mail the updates.
Best DVD player I've ever owned.......2007-12-12
I have had the HD-A2 for almost a year, and the experience has been nothing but pleasant.
It has been as reliable as can be, and gets better with every firmware release. Mine started off with 1.something. I have run every update over the included ethernet jack (internet) with no problems.
It has played every disc I've thrown at it, without a single hiccup, HD-DVD and SD-DVD.
I've been so happy with HD-DVD that I decided to step up to the next model and just ordered the HD-A35.
Very, very disappointing........2007-12-10
Most of the issues have been covered here, in short, this player is not ready for prime time. The issues that I have experienced include:
- Very long boot and power down times.
- Impenetrable rigmarole to connect to the Internet (I ended up downloading the firmware update on my PC and burning a disk).
- Random lockups that require removing the power cord.
- Display of regular DVDs in an odd letterbox mode. Hard to describe, imagine a letterbox image that does not fill the screen either top to bottom or side to side at the same time. Does not happen for all DVDs. Toshiba Customer Service never responded to my questions.
- Most annoying is the lack of "memory" if you remove a disk without finishing it (or turning the machine off). What happens is that rather than starting where you left off, you have to chapter search. Really a pain.
It really would be worth your while to wait until this machine leaves beta test.
Product Description
When it comes to playing true high-def video on your new 1080p HDTV widescreen, Blu-ray discs lead. The only way to play them is on a Blu-Ray player. It's also backward compatible to play DVD and CD pre-recorded discs but if high-def is the thing you're aiming at this is the player you need. Amazing 24p True Cinema output and cinema-tuned picture presets allow you to see movies exactly as the director intended. Featuring LPCM, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD audio decoding for ultra-realistic sound, this player is also a treat for the ears. And with BRAVIA Theatre Sync, you can control your compatible BRAVIA HDTV and Sony AV system with the press of a button. It supports support AVCHD discs encoded with x.v.Color (xvYCC) technology, an international standard for wide color space. The standard expands the current data range of video by about 1.8 times, allowing the players to output more natural and vivid colors similar to what the human eye can actually see. The players also feature compatibility with an array of video formats, including BDR - - DVD+R/+RW - DVD-R/-RW (Video Mode) - CD - CD-R/RW (CD-DA format) - MP3 and JPEG on DVD media. Likely the format of the digital TV future, you can own and use it today with your new HDTV. Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD / dts-HD Bitstream out over HDMI (v1.3) BD-Java Interactive Capability Quick Set Up FL Off/Dimmer Mode Parental Control Front Slide Down Door Popup Menus
Customer Reviews:
Blu.......2007-12-24
I guess I would have to use to a magnifying glass and get real close to tell the difference between a Blu-Ray and HD-dvd. First I figure I'll let the movies decide....as in which format has the better films....yes films, not movies....there is no need to see Big Mama's House in high definition. Honestly...Do you really need to see all the hairs on Rattatoui's butt? I bought this and love this unit because of the underlying technology which can put more data on a platter than HD-DVD. AND, like the iPOD is not just a media player, there is that element of cool, elegant design with this Blu-ray unit that made both my 3 year old niece and 80 year old Mom go....wow, when the icy blue cover slides down and the disk tray slides out.
I give this player a big thumbs up, two blasts of phaser and a big clashing sound with my Darth Maul lightsaber.
amazing all around.......2007-12-24
EXCELLENT PLAYER,I AM USING THE 5.1 ANALOG OUT TO MY LEXICON MC-4 TO UTILIZE THE NEW SURROUND FORMATS AND LET MR TELL YOU ITS AMAZING,YOU WILL BRING THE WALLS DOWN WITH THE BASS.CLARITY IN DTS-HD IS SOMETHING TO BE HEARD.PICTURE ALSO IS FANTASTIC.SOFTWARE UPDATES ARE EASY TO ACHIEVE.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PLAYER.LOVE THE LIGHT BLUE GLOW FROM THE PLAYER WHEN DISC IS IN =)
fair value.......2007-12-24
though this machine cannot decode dts-HD Master Audio, it's still a value-for-money choice for the time being. Much better than Toshiba E1 (Asian version of A-20 HDDVD) that I bought in May 2007, which only outputs LPCM for DD+, DTHD and dts-HD High Resolution.
Notice on the BDP-S500.......2007-12-11
This model is very good for playing blu ray disc and the picture is perfect , but the sound effect outlet from this model is not as perfect as i expected .it may need firmware update to enhance sound effect .
Good Quality.......2007-12-10
I purchased this machine to replace a Samsung BD-P1200 and am quite impressed with the features and quality of its playback capabilities. I did have to update the firmware from 3.0 to 3.1, which took about 20 minutes to complete, but I am very pleased with its performance. The only thing about this machine is that it was manufactured in China and not Japan.
Product Description
A standard DVD player plays DVD media recorded at up to 480p (p= progressive-scan ). By using a component-video or HDMI connection you can upgrade the reception on an HDTV screen. HDMI uses upconversion scaling to deliver HD-like performance. An HDTV or a High-Def TV requires a DVD player that can deliver equally breathtaking visuals and sound. Samsung's DVD-HD870 can take conventional video and audio signals and upconvert them to breathtaking 720p/1080i quality. Through HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) Output technology and HD JPEG playback, this DVD Player can also transfer hi-def video and audio to the HDTV without any perceptible loss in detail. Coaxial/Optical Digital Output For Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM Component Video/S-Video/Composite Outputs 54 MHz/10-Bit Video Digital-To-Analog Converter 192 kHz/24-Bit Audio Digital-To-Analog Converter Full-Function, Multibrand Remote Control Audio Frequency Response - 96/48 kHz Audio Signal-To-Noise Ratio - 110 dB Audio Dynamic Range - 100 dB Video Signal-To-Noise Ratio - 67 dB Component Video Bandwidth - 13.5 MHz Selectable Progressive Scan Mode For Component Output CD/DVD Video Total Harmonic Distortion - 0.004% Zoom Function (2x/4x) EZ View Letterbox Eliminator - EZ View Letter Box Eliminator enables the elimination of the black letterbox bars of 4 - 3 TV screens with the push of a button on the remote control Resume Play Instant Replay selectable mode Instant Skip Bookmark function Parental Control Camera Angle Select Unit Size - 17 W x 1.9 H x 8.1 D / Weight - 4.0 lbs. Samsung USA 1 year parts and 90 days labor warranty backed by Samsung toll-free support
Customer Reviews:
WASN'T EVEN WORKING IN THE STORE!!!.......2007-12-09
Ok, first off lets get the reason why I gave it two stars out of the way, it looks good.
Ok.
Now I was at my local electronics store and I was like, cool, this looks like a great product!
But when I put one of the STORES DVD's(transformers) in it to test it out, and it wouldn't read it.
Put it in another DVD player to make sure it wasn't the DVD, and it wasn't, it was the DVD PLAYER!!!
Wow, even the store model was defective, imagine if someone actually bought this, oops, too late.
Pretty good.......2007-11-02
This is a good DVD player for this price. It does what it has to do. The upconverter doesn't make much difference though. This doesn't play VCD's though.
Awful, did not work any single MPEG-4 movies.......2007-10-18
Don't buy, all things are fake, they don't work for any MPEG-4 format movies which directly converted from Blu-Ray DVD at 720p. I prefer Zensonic Z500 instead, which works good with all my files.
Good quality, good price........2007-10-18
I buy one, few month ago and work really fine, the DivX code work fine, but I think that it need some thing for made DivX upgrade.
Great DVD player.......2007-08-31
Earlier this summer I watched one of my FAVORITE movies on an HD Movie Channel. The colors, scene detail and sound track were 10 times better in quality than my conventional DVD of the same movie. As most of you probably know the format war for
High Definition DVD's (Blue Ray Vs. HD DVD) has not been settled. So, for the past year and a half I have been waiting for some resolution. I decided that buying an upconverting DVD player for less than $100 would be an ideal interim solution.
This player produces superb images and improved sounds. On some of of our favorite DVDS we have noticed sounds and new things that were not observable on our old player.
With some movies it is almost like having IMAX in your living room.
Product Description
Although many DVD discs on the market offer widescreen display, they are not necessarily high-definition. If you want to get optimal video results from DVD on your HDTV set, HD-DVD is the format that's set to deliver resolutions up to 1080p for top visuals. High Definition video requires a tremendous amount of space on a disc, thus a new Blue laser (versus a Red Laser for DVD) is utilized for HD DVD. The blue laser, with its shorter wave length, allows for information to be stored more densely on the disc, thus improving storage capacity by about over 3 times compared to that of a red laser technology. Additionally, more accurate and efficient video compression like MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1. (based on Microsoft Windows Media) compress information to achieve file sizes that are less than half of those of the current standard DVD's MPEG2. Enjoy backwards compatibility and play your collection of standard DVDs on the player. In addition, via the HDMI interface, the HD-XA2 scales the standard definition DVD output to a resolution of 720p, 1080i or 1080p to match your HDTV's performance. Not only does this output the video in HD standard resolution, but because the conversion takes place in the player, the signal remains free from excessive digital-to-analog conversion artifacts. The HD-XA2 has built-in processors to handle the multi-channel decoders for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS HD (core only). Move up to High Definition play with HD-DVD and upgrade your home for true home-theater enjoyment. Includes backlit remote control Unit Dimensions 17.2? x 13.58? x 2.91? - Home-theater component stackable Many movies are now available in HD-DVD format
Customer Reviews:
The BEST HD player on the market.......2007-12-25
Top quality worksmanship for the build of this player. Works flawless with firware updrage 2.7. Bitstreams the newest HD audio codecs direct to your new 1.3 hdmi receivers. SOunds great, looks fantastic.
Excellent reference quality HD-DVD player. A must own for every movie enthusiast with an HDTV.
Toshiba HD-XA2 .......2007-12-24
I don't use all the bells and whistles. I just watch movies. You will need the updated software. Video is awesome. It's what HDTV should be. The audio out setting is not right without the software. The audio played 6 channel PCM till I upgraded the software.
Best H.D........2007-12-24
This is an awsome H.D. player,In my opinion its has far better picture quality than the Blue Ray type players.I like being able to update my player when new updates are available.I have a Sharp 1080p lcd t.v. and with this player even my old d.v.d.s look great!
Toshiba HD-XA2 a Wonderful HD player!!.......2007-12-18
I bought this player to augment my Sony Bluray player and become format neutral in the high definition DVD game.
I originally intended to look at the A30 series, but after reading other reviews, and finding that I could update the firmware, I opted for the XA2. I find it quiet and very fast to load compared to the Sony S301 Bluray. I now use the XA2 for all CD and SD-DVD playback (it does upconvert!!), as well as HD-DVD viewing. (All connections are through HDMI to my Mitsubishi 65" DLP via a Pioneer Elite audio-video receiver.)
From the short time that I have had it, the XA2 has performed flawlessly.
Quite impresive.......2007-12-14
I must admit, I was skeptical of this player's dvd upconversion. I read a guys review about the HD-A35 being a better player and almost bought that one until I read some disturbing things about the frame rate. That being said, a lot people won't notice the the issue and it is still a solid player. Still, I'm quite the videophile and demand only the best.
Let me tell you something...this player rocks!!! After doing a side by side comparison with my PS3 and HD-A2 there was no competition. HD-DVD's looked crisp and clear, DVD's were cleaner and more refined, and the picture options are quite helpful. For those who are skeptical about the upconversion, don't be! I have a 50 inch LED DLP and I definately could tell the difference between the three. That being said, the PS3 is a great blu-ray player, but I use it mainly for games. As dumb is this sounds, I just like the look, design, and name of Hd-dvd better. It's also good to note that the new hd-dvd players are in the top 100 list (the a3/30/35) for electronics.
I got the hd-xa2 refurbished through Amazon. It said there was a cosmetic blemish and damage on the outer box. There was a slight rip on the repackaged box but the player was fine. No blemishes or scratches. Don't be afraid to buy this player refurbished, at least through Amazon.
Product Description
Sony's RDR-GXD455 DVD Recorder creates a high quality picture viewing experience. Enjoy the best in Video performance from your DVDs -- upscaling technology optimizes standard 480p video Output to 1080i on your compatible TV. The HDMI connection delivers high-quality Digital Audio and video through a single, simple cable and is used to upconvert 480 standard recordings for better play on a 1080 widescreen TV. Its included ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner makes it easier to record and burn high-definition TV into a standard 480 DVD format. One-Touch Dubbing preserves precious memories on your Personal DV & Digital8 tapes or DVD discs, to share with your relatives and friends. Record your Programming from any set-top box or other A/V output-equipped video sources. With the Set-Top Box Pass Through you can eatch programming from your cable set-top box or satellite receiver, even when the recorder is turned off. Dolby Digital Decoding & dts output Coaxial Audio output - 1 (rear) RCA Audio - 2 in (1 rear, 1 front), 1 out (rear) S-Video - 2 in (1 rear, 1 front), 1 out (rear) Composite Video - 2 in(1 front, 1 rear) and 1 out (rear) Front i.LINK(R) connection for DV/Digital80 video Rear Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Rear HDMI connection Includes remote control Please note - This DVD Recorder can record analog and digital signals onto standard definition (480) DVD discs. To record in high-definition, you must use a BlueRay or HD-DVD recorder.
Customer Reviews:
OK Recorder but clearly V1.0 for intergrated ATSC tuner.......2007-10-07
I purchased this unit to replace an non ATSC tunered Sony DVD recorder (RDR-GX330). In comparison to the 330 the 455 is perhaps not as well built despite being over $65 more expensive. Both have fans built in and you will hear them if you don't have the unit inside of a cabinet. As a DVD recorder it is functionally very similar to the previous generation Sonys. The supplied remote is basically the same as the 330 uses with one extra button to control analog/digital switching. Also it will record HD programming but downconverts the signal to SD, for HD recording you will need to wait for the Blueray recorders to arrive.
Ultimately I am going to return the 455 because of the ATSC tuners performance. Switching betwen channels is very slow in comparison to analog and the Samsung DTB I have also used. I was unable to get the Sony to go directly to a channel by punching in the channel number. Picture quality is good on OTA digital channels but is perhaps not as clean looking as the Samsung DTB(if only the Samsung put out the menu on composite video I would have kept it). In comparison to the Samsung the Sony lacks a signal strength meter which I consider essential for determining antenna direction. For those used to it the Sony also lacks even the most basic form of TV guide. Due to lack of guide the Sony feels very much like a VCR. As such I would say the 455 would be a good option for those upgrading from a VCR but might be a dispointment if you are used to the advanced features found elsewhere.
To summarise the Sony RDR-GXD455 is merely an ok performer as DVD Recorder. It is definitely a version 1.0 product from Sony as far as ATSC intergration goes. If you are upgrading from a VCR it should be one to consider on your list. If you are considering an upgrade to get the ATSC tuner I would wait for the next years model.
Nice Recorder ... minus a little.......2007-10-01
I bought this from one of Amazon's partners. I wanted something of quality to get the best display and sound for my HD TV. The ATSC tuner displays a very good picture and has great sound. The recordings to disk from OTA tuner are great. I'm quite impressed. The interface: This unit is very VCR-like. The one minus that truly amazes me though is there is no on screen guide ... not even an 'info' with the call letters of the channel or the show. I know this is broadcast digitally and all other receivers I've seen have it. But I can live with this and the trade off of the rest of it working so well makes up for it.
Seems heavily copy protected.......2007-09-21
My Sony RDR-GX7 began to insist that clean sony +RW's and -Rw's were damaged and kept giving me "error" messages after making only 80 disk copies. So I dumped it and boutght two of these RDR-GXD455's. I set up one to try--hoping that this new model would not have copy-protection gimmickds installed on disks. The 80+ disks I copied from VHS super video sony tapes (containing documentaries --used for teaching) would mount on my brand new MacPro Apple Macintosh computer but would not open nor could I get them to play. So, what happened? This is what I experienced: This RDR-GXD455 made beautiful off air timer recording on a +RW Sony disk carefully finalized. But it would not play on the Sony DVPCX995V 400-Disc DVD Mega Changer/Player. I also tried the Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD and got the same message that the disk could not be recognized. Sony is reported by a number of others in Amazon reviews as being notorious for copy-protection defender and that's causing ordinary, mass of loyal Sony customers heartache. Sony used to champion their customers. Now it seems they are more interested in the industry. What a pity.
Product Description
Toshiba HD-A20 HD-DVD Player takes the performance and convenience of the HD-A2 to the next level. For the highest level of picture quality with today's best performing high-definition TVs, the HD-A20 adds 1080p output. That's twice the resolution of a 720p signal. Ethernet Port - With the ethernet port and persistent storage, you will have the potential to download future studio-provided additional content such as trailers, soundtracks or related merchandise. Also, your HD DVD player can be updated to support future applications and services Ports - HDMI / Ethernet Port / ColorStream Pro Component Video Output / RCA Video Outputs (1); Extension Terminal (2); 2ch. Audio Output; Digital Optical Output; S-Video Output Unit Dimensions - 16.9 x 13.58 x 2.58 (WxHxD) / 8.76 lbs
Amazon.com Product Description
Toshiba's HD-A20 is a great choice for people ready to step up to full 1080p playback in a high definition player without a huge price tag. Offering playback of HD DVD discs with outputs of 720p, 1080i , and full 1080p as well as upconversion of regular DVDs to 1080p through HDMI this is the first high defintion player available to offer a full HD experinece at a price this low. Audio output supports 5.1 channels of surround sound in Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD formats, as well as legacy formats along with legacy formats including Dolby Digital and DTS.
Besides playback of HD DVDs and regular DVD discs, Toshiba's HD-A20 also supports playback of DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs. Playback of MP3 and WMA audio files is not supported.
Connections
The HD-A20 offers a host of connections in the jack pack including:
- composite Video
- S-Video
- Component Video
- HDMI
- 2 Channel Analogue Audio output
- Digital Optical Audio Out
- Ethernet (10/100BASE)
- 2 Extension Terminals
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding but one flaw.......2007-12-24
I purchased one of these with my new 52" HDTV several months ago and am very happy with it especially given it is an early generation HD DVD player (as are all players at this stage). It does an outstanding job of upscaling standard DVDs and HD DVDs are breathtaking indeed especially with the 1080/24p output selected. I've received several CDs with firmware updates and at this stage I am not encountering any glitches. The reason it is only 4 stars is due to it's slow start up time. I'm guessing it takes about 30 seconds from the time you turn it on until it will let you open the door to put in a disc.
Solid player.......2007-12-19
Few criticisms I agree with... start up time and play times are a bit sluggish. Up-rezzing of DVDs is fantastic, almost as good as regular HD. Overall for price and 10 Free HD deal off Amazon, this is worth it. If you have an additional $75 you might want to splurge on the next model up from Toshiba, but for those like myself wanting dependable bare bones 1080p HD player... with some chotsckes thrown in... this is a good buy.
Best little HD DVD player in town........2007-11-29
Vendor claims about HD DVD players can be tricky; but this DVD player delivers and it shows in the quality of video output. I am very pleased. It is easy to set up and operate and will read the old formats as well.
Good Product, needed firmware update.......2007-11-17
Would not play commercial or homemade HD-DVDs out of the box, but did play standard DVDs and looked great on my Aquos HDTV. After plugging the box into my router, and sending it to the 'Net, it found a firmware upgrade, which took about 30 minutes to install. After that, the box works great on both types of HD-DVDs. The only pain was that I did not have a ethernet connection at the HDTV, so I had to disconnect the box and move it into my office to complete the connection. I suspect a less savvy consumer would not know to do this.
Wholely moley!.......2007-11-09
Whoa! Very (extremely) impressive. I see nothing to ding this thing on (save the well-documented start-up delay). Unbelievable picture/sound on my Samsung HLS-5087W 1080p DLP. Very pleased.
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