Hi,
I'm back. Yikes, well that post of mine certainly stimulated discussion. Perhaps "obsess" wasn't the best word choice, but I obsess over video differences as many of us do. What I was saying is that in terms of DVD picture quality, the differences between many good, inexpensive Universal and non-universal players (Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, V Inc., Panasonic), are a matter of nuances, sometimes only visible with test signals and not apparent with full-motion video.
It's also a question of adjectives. Using terms like "vastly better" is just silly with the current state of high-quality DVD playback. Yes, the Faroudja/Genesis chips ARE superior, but NOT "vastly" superior. If those nuances matter to you--and they do to me--then by all means spend the bucks on an expensive Universal model.
At the Toshiba prototype introduction of the original DVD format, which I attended, the term "vastly superior" would apply to comparisons of the DVD picture quality to existing VHS or Super VHS. But it's misleading to use such exaggeration to describe small improvements in DVD video playback quality.
Spending a lot will also get you better bass management and other video tweaks in a Universal player.
Regards,
