Video Asylum

Should I upgrade to the latest Oppo 983H player?

75.45.160.144

Funky Bob

I'm currently using the Faroudja chip based Oppo 971H via HDMI and 1080i only 42" plasma. Will I get better picture if I upgrade to the latest 983H with the Anchor Bay chip? Thanks!

Follow Ups:

Oppo is making a Blu-ray player. I'd hold out for that, as the format leaves DVD in the dust - Jazz Inmate 17:41:35 09/13/08 (0)
I just watched Iron Man on Blu-ray. Amazing picture. I don't know why anyone would buy the DVD version.
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Call it, friendo.
RE: Should I upgrade to the latest Oppo 983H player? - Sondek 10:50:07 09/13/08 (0)
Had the 970HD hooked up to my Pio 1150 (720p) via HDMI in the family room and results were very, very good. I've since moved that player to the bedroom system and put a 983H in its place. The 983H is without doubt the better performer. Is the step up worth the $250 price difference? Only you can decide for sure. But I needed a second machine and this will be the last one I buy for a very long time, so I figured might as well get the best. Do I feel like I got my moneys worth? You bet! The build quality is exceptional. Hell, just opening the box and unpacking it is a treat in itself, and the Anchor Bay picture is truely awesome.
I did and . . . - GHM 04:00:04 09/13/08 (0)
I'm glad I did.

While the 971H was (is) superb the 983H is clearly superior.
Picture quality seems a little better, but it's hard to judge because so much depends on disc quality.

Other qualities justified my decision to upgrade from the 971H:
1. Audio format capability and quality - Hi-end all the way.
2. Continuous Side Bar brightness adjusability - eliminates burn-in worries.
3. Better (and more) image adjustment features.
4. The look, feel, and finish of a truly hi-end product.

IMO the OPPO DV-983H is probably the best DVD/Universal player ever made.

GHM
I have both Oppo players, but all of my viewing is 1080P. - Audiophilander 23:44:58 09/12/08 (2)
Normally I would recommend the 983H without reservations, but since your monitor maxes out at 1080I then I suspect the improvements might not be substantial enough to warrant the additional cash outlay. The biggest advantages the 983H has over the 971H are it's frame sizing adaptability, more film-like image and build quality; that probably CAN make a modest difference on a 42" plasma monitor, but it's much more impressive on a WS projector or a 1080P monitor, so I'm not sure that it's worth the added cost.

Perhaps someone who has a monitor similar to your own can provide a bit more advice along these lines, but if I were in your situation I'd probably hold off until I upgraded to a 1080P device or started looking at a projection system. Otherwise, you already have great PAL/NTSC conversion in the Oppo 971H. If you must buy a new player why not opt for a new Blu-ray player or heavily discounted HD-DVD player (that way you'll get the best out of your 1080I and scaling of NTSC DVD)?

Cheers,
AuPh
- RE: I have both Oppo players, but all of my viewing is 1080P. - Funky Bob 03:29:34 09/14/08 (1)
  What exactly does the frame sizing function do? Does it mean you can fill up the screen when you see those black bars without any loss in picture quality?
  
  BTW, does 1080p really make that big of a difference over 1080i?
  - You can resize non-anamorphic letterbox and scale up. - Audiophilander 00:47:24 09/15/08 (0)
    Where this is beneficial is that you can take 480I/P material (4:3 Academy) and then convert it up to 1080P or in your case, 1080I without it being artificially stretched to WS (since HDMI automatically reframes everything in 16:9). The Oppo 983H has Anchor Bay processing that provides remarkable flexibility. I use mine with a 1080P projector where the benefits are optimized and it's superb, but it should improve your scaling quite a bit even on a 42" plasma that's limited to 1080I.
    
    The decision you have to make is whether it is worth the investment in a 983H now or perhaps later on. Maybe you'll decide to upgrade your viewing device or step-up to high definition disc (Blu-ray) in the interim. In any event, the Oppo 983H is an excellent player and worth the price, so while it may or may not be the most well suited choice in your situation, I'd be loathe not to recommend it on it's virtues.
    
    Cheers,
    AuPh
    - Oppo's site can probably explain this better than I can... (Open in New Window)

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