Upconvert DVD player help

[Kwaipie]

I have a Toshiba 50" HD RPTV that doesn't have HDMI inputs. I would like to get an upconverting DVD player. The TV has DVI inputs if that will be enough.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Fiat1]

OPPO 971H

 

[pennylane]

DVI will look great. That OPPO will probably do a fantastic job.

 

[funboy6942]

Why not a cheap computer with a DVI output card? Who says it needs to be a dvd player? A Upconverting Sony 400 Disc dvd player I once had hooked to my 65 Toshiba HD tv looked worse (an it went through the HDMI cable set at 1080I) then my computer running the same movie using a HDMI to DVI cable with a x1800xt card and the free VLC media player. There was a HUGE diff in picture quality between the two and my pc pumped out a picture with standard dvds that you would of sworn was HD.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: funboy42
Why not a cheap computer with a DVI output card? Who says it needs to be a dvd player? A Upconverting Sony 400 Disc dvd player I once had hooked to my 65 Toshiba HD tv looked worse (an it went through the HDMI cable set at 1080I) then my computer running the same movie using a HDMI to DVI cable with a x1800xt card and the free VLC media player. There was a HUGE diff in picture quality between the two and my pc pumped out a picture with standard dvds that you would of sworn was HD.

Apples to oranges? A <$150 upconverting DVD player and a HTPC are different animals entirely.

 

[Sphexi]

Most current video cards only output in 720p anyways, although newer HDCP compliant ones are starting to support 1080p. A simple upconverting player will work fine.

 

[pennylane]

You can get good looking upconverting DVD players and good looking HTPC's. If you have a PC you can use as an HTPC that could be the easiest and cheapest option. But if not, an upconverting DVD player will look great too. It'll also be much cheaper than having to assemble a whole other computer.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Also, upconverting players themselves vary wildly in quality. The cheaper ones look horrendously awful (generally). It almost seems like they DOWNconvert. Then there's others that upconvert beautifully. I don't know much about the Oppo's, but I can tell you that the Denon 1930CI I have is insanely sharp and crisp. That's my recommendation.

If you don't have HDMI on your TV, you can get an HDMI-to-DVI cable to connect the DVD to your TV that way, and I believe they have quality equal to a straight-up HDMI connection as DVI is also digital.

Edit: Just studied the Oppo that FIat1 posted up there, and it has the same upscaling process as my Denon (Faroudja technology) plus it has a DVI output it seems... that might be your ticket as well.

 

[pennylane]

Also, check out

avsforum

and

secrets of home theater

for advice and reviews.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Originally posted by: Fiat1
OPPO 971H

$200 for something that still takes garbage(480p) in? No thanks.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Jack Ryan

Originally posted by: Fiat1
OPPO 971H

$200 for something that still takes garbage(480p) in? No thanks.

That's 480i dude

And for the quality of that player, that's a bargain compared to what people used to pay for a player that was of similar quality.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Fiat1
OPPO 971H

I can second that and my brother will third that. btw DVI = HDMI, HDMI just has audio

 

[Sphexi]

This is a great one

Samsung players have always been great quality, and from what I've read this one does a good job upconverting to 1080p. Comes with an HDMI cable, which although nice, doesn't help you much unless you find a DVI/HDMI adapter or something.