Wow, now I understand the differences. The only question I have is my tv, I'm not sure if its best to feed my Toshiba 50hdx82 720p or 1080i because I have no idea what the native is (can anyone tell me?) I'm deciding between the oppo 981 vs 971. Currently I have the denon 1600 dvd player 420p through component and the picture is great, but now its time to upgrade. Also I noticed I have only DVI on my tv, no HDMI. So would it be best to use the cheaper 971 since it has dvi already, or best to use the 981 which has HDMI but can use the HDMI to DVI cable? Is it the same quality or best to use direct DVI to DVI without HDMI to DVI? I'm just upgrading my home theater from few years to get better picture from my dvds the best as possible. Its hard to explain, just trying to find the best combo for my tv in the meantime.

Axiom M60s, VP150, QS8s, EP500 -- Rotel 1075 & 1068 -- Panasonic BDT500 -- Panasonic 60S60