Thought some of you might want another
opinion on the OPPO 981HD upconverting DVD player.
OPPO I recently (finally) bought an HD TV (Westinghouse 32" 720p LCD), and was quite pleased with it. Couldn't resist when it went on sale for $700, and it just fits into the cabinet the wife insists we use. (I insist, however, that the speakers are properly placed...) However, playing DVDs on my Marantz DV4400 resulted in a less than full screen picture because of the SD -480i - output, even though the TV would stretch it from side to side but not up and down. Figuring I should 'future proof' myself, I decided to get the OPPO 981 since it would handle upconversion to 1080p. It's quite reasonable at only $230.
It has the HDMI jack for all the upconversion to HD resolutions (digital), and also has a composite and S-vidio jacks at 480i (analog); but no component out jacks. There's also a bunch of audio outs (5.1) for those who are also using it for SACD and DVD audio. Of course, there's the usual digital audio out (coax and fiber optic). There's a ton of menu choices for customising your output, both video and audio, but most of them are fine at default.
I was hoping for a faster load on the DVD, since it is a new piece of equipment, but it seems to load about the same speed as my other DVD players. Now, the picture is absolutely awesome! Of course, I'm comparing to my former smallish SD TV (21"). Transition speed from layer to layer isn't noticeable, whereas the older players the picture sort of froze for a couple of seconds. Detail is beautifully fine, without seeming grainy. 'Course, that could be partly the TV as well.
I guess you could say I'm pleased
with my recent acquisitions..... Hope this is helpful to those of you looking for a new DVD player.
