I hate to disagree, but I do. I have the Sanyo Z3 and the Panny S97 connected via HDMI (and component through my receiver).. Anyway, if I run regular DVD through to the projector with my cheap Memorex DVD player that I can switch progressive can on and off, I notice a big difference in the picture quality. With my nice Panny S97, I see an even better improvement from progressive scan to upconverted progressive scan. It is not just marketing trickery. At least with the Panny S97. When I was looking for a nice DVD player, I have heard of mixed results with many of the upconverting DVD players not showing much better of a picture than over regular progressive scan, but (at least with the S97 and Z3 combo) it is significant. I only use regular DVDs at this point. No plans for a VCR or D-VCR, and at some point I will hook up over-the-air HD content, but not yet. HD DVDs will have an impact in the future, but at a starting price of $1000 for a HD-DVD player, I will wait.
Have you seen a different set up that wasn't better? If so, please share so that others know to be aware of it.
cgolf, now be sure that you really mean 1080p and not 1080i... I don't know about 1080p as far as inputs and so forth since my Z3 is 1080i, but for the level of technology, and the lack of input devices that can feed it (from what I have heard), you may be paying too much to be on the "bleeding edge" of the technology. Now if it is 1080i, I would stick with 720p. Alan from Axiom has even gone into it before about the 720p signal feeding more data to the display that the 1080i and it many times gives the appearance of a higher quality image since the 720p imapge is progressive and the 1080i image is not.
