Dusty Chalk
01-23-2007, 08:26 AM
Okay, my short list:
Oppo 981
Oppo 970
Helios H4000
modded Denon or Pioneer, E.G., DV-47Ai (http://www.110220volts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=DV-47Ai)
anything else I should be looking at? It needs to play them all, I'm turd...that's, tired of having multiple players, I'm going to reduce to two things: a carousel CD player, and a universal DVD player. I want to be able to listen to DVD-A's and SACD's; don't care about HDCD; needs to be region free or code free (I have several imported movies such as the Japanese cut of Kill Bill Vol. 2); needs to be able to play PAL on a NTSC set (Depeche Mode DVD's that came with the SACD's). Anything else I should add to the list?
What the heck is SDI? Do I need it? My current set only has composite and S-Video in, so I'm not too worried just yet. Will probably upgrade in the future.
Are there any companies that do code-free/region-free mods (plus the PAL->NTSC conversions) that you'd recommend?
Price range is under a thou.
If you have specific feelings on audio quality, I'd be especially interested in hearing them. I just heard from someone that they weren't particularly impressed with the audio quality of the Oppo (970), otherwise that would have been a clean sweep. I'm hoping the 981 is better, I'm still considering chancing it. The Pioneer linked to above is particularly appealing because I could eventually get the digital linkable corresponding receiver, and get the best sound at my price point. Then I don't have to worry about the sound quality of the DACs on the player.
Is the same true for video? I know not all upscalers are the same -- Faroudja, my friend told me, has about 20 different levels, from the cheap ones that are built in to the entry level players, to professional ones that some of you probably have never seen. But if you use the digital link, and the upscaler is sufficient quality, then you don't care about the picture that the player produces (for example, out of composite), only the picture (DACs) in the television. Right?
Oh, and: it's possible I will want to end up with two of these. The reason being, I am slowly setting up a DVD-watching system by my computer -- using my monitor as a display -- am eventually getting this one (http://accessories.gateway.com/AccessoryStore/PC+Accessories_316441/Monitors_316684/LCD+_Q1_Flat+Panel_Q1_+Monitors_316694/22_PL1_+inch+LCD_381956/1535923R_ProdDetail?seg=hm), will use composite or S-Video now, probably DVI later -- and my (sweet) headphone setup for audio. So perhaps the outputs of this player are important. If it's a Denon, I can always get it modded by RAM or somewho.
Oppo 981
Oppo 970
Helios H4000
modded Denon or Pioneer, E.G., DV-47Ai (http://www.110220volts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=DV-47Ai)
anything else I should be looking at? It needs to play them all, I'm turd...that's, tired of having multiple players, I'm going to reduce to two things: a carousel CD player, and a universal DVD player. I want to be able to listen to DVD-A's and SACD's; don't care about HDCD; needs to be region free or code free (I have several imported movies such as the Japanese cut of Kill Bill Vol. 2); needs to be able to play PAL on a NTSC set (Depeche Mode DVD's that came with the SACD's). Anything else I should add to the list?
What the heck is SDI? Do I need it? My current set only has composite and S-Video in, so I'm not too worried just yet. Will probably upgrade in the future.
Are there any companies that do code-free/region-free mods (plus the PAL->NTSC conversions) that you'd recommend?
Price range is under a thou.
If you have specific feelings on audio quality, I'd be especially interested in hearing them. I just heard from someone that they weren't particularly impressed with the audio quality of the Oppo (970), otherwise that would have been a clean sweep. I'm hoping the 981 is better, I'm still considering chancing it. The Pioneer linked to above is particularly appealing because I could eventually get the digital linkable corresponding receiver, and get the best sound at my price point. Then I don't have to worry about the sound quality of the DACs on the player.
Is the same true for video? I know not all upscalers are the same -- Faroudja, my friend told me, has about 20 different levels, from the cheap ones that are built in to the entry level players, to professional ones that some of you probably have never seen. But if you use the digital link, and the upscaler is sufficient quality, then you don't care about the picture that the player produces (for example, out of composite), only the picture (DACs) in the television. Right?
Oh, and: it's possible I will want to end up with two of these. The reason being, I am slowly setting up a DVD-watching system by my computer -- using my monitor as a display -- am eventually getting this one (http://accessories.gateway.com/AccessoryStore/PC+Accessories_316441/Monitors_316684/LCD+_Q1_Flat+Panel_Q1_+Monitors_316694/22_PL1_+inch+LCD_381956/1535923R_ProdDetail?seg=hm), will use composite or S-Video now, probably DVI later -- and my (sweet) headphone setup for audio. So perhaps the outputs of this player are important. If it's a Denon, I can always get it modded by RAM or somewho.