Quote Originally Posted by Monstrous Mike
Here is my opinion. There is no need to "match" a Denon DVD player to a Denon receiver other than perhaps for a common and/or duplicate remote. I would get the following features in a new DVD player:

1. Progressive scan
2. Five tray (you can sell your CD player)
3. Multimedia capability (MP3, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, etc.)
4. Pick one of DVD-A or SACD (You're going to want it in the future and it doesn't cost much more)
5. Good remote
6. Check what type of digital output you would need if you are getting low on digital inputs on your receiver
7. Karaoke feature perhaps??

You can get the above features for much less than $500.
How about...

1. Picture Quality
2. Sound Quality
3. Build Quality...

I've had the Denon DVD2900 for about 5 mos now...VERY happy with the picture quality over my Pioneer Elite DV47A. I've also used or owned a Yamaha with the dcdi (never had luck with the Yammies), a progressive regular-line Sony (not happy with picture), a progressive-scan Panasonic (extremely cheap and light-weight, had a couple break within a year, more or less), and a Pioneer progressive DVD-Recorder (probably the weakest of the pictures). Granted, I'm comparing these on a calibrated 55" Mits Diamond, but I saw many of these same differences on my 30" samsung widescreen HDTV that I use in my second system (and the sammy is much weaker video-wise for reasons I won't go into). So keep in mind what kind of equipment you have or what you will quickly be getting before you spend any kind of money, either too high or too low...! Hope this helps!