dvd player spend $$$ or $

[lomarica]

I am looking for a dvd player that will play dvd r/rw+-, jpeg, mp3, cd r/rw+- any suggestions??

I am interested in a better picture than sound but do not yet have an hd tv.

should I spend some $$$ and get a good one knowing in a "few" years I will replace it with a HD dvd player or just spend $ and live life and upgrade to hd dvd in a few years?

are recordable dvd players an option also that will do above

[sy_lu]

Spend $ and wait for a "few" years when you have HDTV. A cheap $29 DVD player can do what you want for now with decent picture.

[Smokey]

From reliability point of view (and the fact that differences between DVD players are becoming more blare), the best invest might to buy cheaper DVD players. Even the cheapest one is progressive which is compatible with HDTVs :)

[Lensman]

I am looking for a dvd player that will play dvd r/rw+-, jpeg, mp3, cd r/rw+- any suggestions??

I am interested in a better picture than sound but do not yet have an hd tv.

should I spend some $$$ and get a good one knowing in a "few" years I will replace it with a HD dvd player or just spend $ and live life and upgrade to hd dvd in a few years?

are recordable dvd players an option also that will do above

I agree with the others, better to go cheaper. The main reason for the push to HD DVD players is that standard DVDs have become completely marginalized now. There is little difference between most, and none yield decent profits for the manufacturers (in some cases less than $.30 per unit). So there's little incentive to build true quality components into them. You can find players that handle the formats you want and get some user reviews here:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

[shokhead]

You can get something like the yamaha c750 for under 300 bucks that plays just about every disc out there.

[edtyct]

The main difference between the good and the slightly better progressive-scan DVD player these days has more to do with sound quality than PQ, though the method of deinterlacing can make a difference. But in general, if you aren't prejudiced against a player that weighs 5 lb., rather than 12 to 20 lb., and you don't need the latest and greatest in the way of redbook, DVD-A, and/or SACD capacity, then pick your company at your preferred price point.

Another option, however, while you're waiting for the HD DVD war to peter out, which may make the purchase of an HDTV more attractive in the short run, is to get an HDMI- or DVI-enabled, upconverting DVD player. They may have their flaws--I outlined some of them elsewhere: no HDCP (Bravo), macroblocking (Denon, Panasonic), black/white crush (Samsung), and unreliability (Sony)--but if you match them with the right monitor (a microdisplay of some sort; CRT doesn't benefit as much), you can get stunning results nonetheless. Even at the standard 480p, a purely digital feed can be worth the few extra dollars. But you have to do some homework first to satisfy yourself about individual performance issues (the AVS forum is helpful, as is the Secrets of Home Theater site and others). I would never have thought that an upconverting DVD player could provide much consolation before the arrival of HD DVD or BluRay until I tried one.

Ed

[lomarica]

what is macro blocking? I am leaning towards the Denon 1910

[edtyct]

what is macro blocking? I am leaning towards the Denon 1910

Macroblocking, which is essentially an exaggeration of an MPEG 2 decoding defect, consists of blotchy patches on uniformly colored backgrounds. The Faroudja chip that the 1910, and others, use to deinterlace/scale the DVD signal is particularly prone to it, although the severity is dependent to some extent on type of display device. Certain microdisplays that require significant processing to make incoming signals conform to their native resolutions tend to highlight macroblocking. To get a sense of it, think of the false contouring, or creeping moss, on monitors unable to resolve gradations of dark color, like the early plasmas. Apparently, some of the newer plasmas take the worst brunt of macroblocking as well. If the 1910 is on your list, do a little research to find out how well it mates with your TV. I'd be surprised if the AVS forum didn't have a brain dump on it, or at least a few choice posts that would be helpful. The Secrets of Home Theater site has also done a comprehensive review, but I don't know whether they listed specific bad matches for it. Also, keep in mind that a flaw deemed completely unacceptable to one person might fall within the realm of acceptability for someone else.

Ed