Need Help: Selecting a DVD Player...

Hey guys.

This question is not for me, it is for a friend of mine.

He is looking to spend roughly $300. Are there any progressive scan multi-players that will do DVD-V, DVD-A, SACD, and Redbook CD for around that price? He will not be using the DACs on the DVD player for Redbook CD, his Denon receiver will be handling that. He will, however, be using the analog 5.1 outputs for the DVD-A and SACD (unless there is a Denon player for that price that offers some kind of proprietary link.)

Support for SVCD, VCD, and DiVX formats would be a plus, but it is not necessary (although I doubt that any player sold today cannot play SVCD or VCD).

Thanks for your suggestions.

If you make a trip over to ecost and search on Denon, you will find some refurb / B-Stock DVD players available (they go pretty quick). Therre are 2 of note.

The DVD-1600 ( i have one) was discontinued LY and was pretty much the reference palyer in it's price range. Original $480, now $219 at ecost. Excellent PQ and does DVD-A but not SACD.

DVD-2900 is the poorman's version of their 5900 flagship. Excellent PQ . Does DVD-A and SACD and just about everything else on you list . A steal at $507 (MSRP is $999). Little pricier than the budget, but worth considering.

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks for the suggestion, but my friend specifically said that it had to be new. =/

AFAIK the Pioneer DV563a is the only universal player available for less than $300. It can be had for about $150 at Best Buy.

Mark

I think there are some new ones coming out in the third quarter of this year (Jul., Aug., Sept.) If he can wait that long. I'm interested in the Samsung DVD-HD841 which will have DVI output, play SACD and DVD-A, and retail for $249.

Any previews/reviews on the web on that Sammy unit?

I haven't found much, but what little I've found is here, and here

Thanks for the information.

You're welcome. There should be more info available as we get closer to the release date.

The Pioneer 563a is pretty much his only option as far as I know. $175 at Bestbuy.com

The players from Ecost are "new", they're just factory refurbs. He'd still get the factory warantee.

The Toshiba 5960 is also an option. A little more than the 563a but it has HDMI output.

Linkage to a thread at AVS on the Toshiba.

In reply to:
The players from Ecost are "new", they're just factory refurbs. He'd still get the factory warantee.

Actually, since the units are B-stock, you only get a 90 day warrantee. An additional year of protection is available for a price.

Mark

That Tosh doesn't playback multi-channel audio though does it? (DVD-A, SACD)

No, and I don't know why I thought it did either. My bad.

And I would warn against this thing. It is a total POS IMHO. I have a $30 DVD player from WalMart built better than this thing. Mine is going back to BB today or tomorrow.