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What is best DVD player (I will only use 2 channel) for around $500-1000 new or used?

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rich121

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Getting ready to purchase new big screen, would like to also replace DVD player. DVD-A capability would be nice, I already have SACD/CD covered with my Sony SCD-1.
I won an auction on Ebay for a new/in box ($165.00), Denon DVD-3300, but was advertised as having Progressive Scan, and this model does not, so I won't be getting that.
Richard

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progressive isn't always the answer - chris e. 03:08:23 10/31/05 (0)
An alternative is to get a decent player (toshiba, sony, etc.) without progressive and then buy an inexpensive Runco processor to deal with the picture. I bought a Runco on videogon and couple it with a modest samsung dvd player (sharp z10000 projector on an 8 ft screen) and the picture is really impressive. The advantage of using the Runco is similar to the idea of hifi separates in my opinion -- specialization lets each component do its best versus the all-in-one box approach.
That said, there is an added convenience of the one box solution and the dvi connection is a very good alternative. I've been tempted with the new high-end Denon that everyone raves about but I'm waiting for it to come down just a bit (around $3K right now I think).
Re: What is best DVD player (I will only use 2 channel) for around $500-1000 new or used? - monk 03:18:43 10/29/05 (4)
Denon 3910 has extremely good everything, sound and video (dvd-a too,...*and* sacd?). It can also be easily changed to play all-region discs, PAL etc..
Make sure your new TV can take the hdmi hdcp connection to get the best out of the Denon (hdmi is like a dvi video connection, but the new standard can carry copy protection, hdcp, and sound).
If you are happy enough with your sound and just want a stellar picture, you could get an Oppo dvd player,...or a Denon DVD-1600 (this Denon has great analogue component video output, very very good - close to the Denon 3910 for picture, though not as good with everything else.)
The DVD-1600 is about $250 used, the DVD-3910, under $1000 new (Ebay for example, list is higher) and a little less used. And there are likely plenty of other choices in between (though these too would be hard to beat, especially the 3910)
- Re: What is best DVD player (I will only use 2 channel) for around $500-1000 new or used? - townsend 12:59:43 10/30/05 (3)
  Is the "all region" hack that which is posted at www.videohelp.com, or do you have something else in mind?
  Since I will someday have to buy region 2 "Heimat" (and live in North America), this would be useful info for me. Thanks.
  townsend
  - FYI - racerguy 07:20:52 10/31/05 (2)
    "Heimat" is available as a region-free NTSC release. I have it.
    - Re: FYI - townsend 16:39:50 11/01/05 (1)
      Thanks for the info . . . where did you buy it from?
      How does the video compare to the region 2 version? According to www.dvdbeaver, the region 1 is plain awful . . .
      townsend
      - Re: FYI - racerguy 07:01:22 11/02/05 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Re: FYI posted by townsend on November 1, 2005 at 16:39:50:
        
        I bought it from Amazon.com.
        The NTSC version shows the typical effects of conversion from PAL to NTSC (some blurriness, stairstepping, that kind of stuff). I don't think it's awful; OTOH it's not fantastic either.
        When it comes to European releases, in most cases the PAL version is better, IF you have a display AND a DVD player that are PAL-capable. If you're doing a conversion anywhere (i.e. PAL-to-NTSC disc, or a PAL-capable player converting to NTSC for an NTSC-only TV) you're not going to get the benefits of a straight-through PAL path anyway.

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