Which Player?? Dumb Newbie

My Onkyo DV-CP702 DVD Changer just bit the dust and I need to replace.

Money is tight so do not know if I should spend on a true HD player or get something I see in the big box stores called "upconverter" players.

Sending this to my Samsung 42" HDTV.

I am so confused; between upconverters, HD players, Blue Ray, etc.

Any help and specific brand/model recommendations are appreciated.

Jeff

Blu-ray is the only true HD format with releases you can find and rent in video rental stores and purchase at retailers like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and others now. If you want true HD, I suggest Blu-ray, there are modestly priced players such as the Magnavox you might find at Wal-Mart or Insignia at Best Buy and Target probably has a couple of models. More expensive players made by Sony and Panasonic are available at those stores as well. You can get a very nice player for under $300 now and a modest player for under $200. If you just can't or won't pay for a Blu-ray player, almost any modest upconverting player will work well with your Samsung HDTV.

Let us know whether you want Blu-ray or DVD and what you will use to handle audio and I can give specific recommendations as to models. Some Blu-ray players require audio processing over HDMI while others can handle all audio codecs over analog audio connections.

Chris

Blu-ray is the only true HD format with releases you can find and rent in video rental stores and purchase at retailers like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and others now. If you want true HD, I suggest Blu-ray, there are modestly priced players such as the Magnavox you might find at Wal-Mart or Insignia at Best Buy and Target probably has a couple of models. More expensive players made by Sony and Panasonic are available at those stores as well. You can get a very nice player for under $300 now and a modest player for under $200. If you just can't or won't pay for a Blu-ray player, almost any modest upconverting player will work well with your Samsung HDTV.

Let us know whether you want Blu-ray or DVD and what you will use to handle audio and I can give specific recommendations as to models. Some Blu-ray players require audio processing over HDMI while others can handle all audio codecs over analog audio connections.

Chris

Thanks Chris.

I have a 40" Samsung LNT4053H LCD HDTV and use an Onkyo TX-SR603X AV Receiver (5.1 with sub woofer) for sound. I would appreciate your advice on a Blue Ray and on an upconverting DVD player. Then I could price each option and make a decision accordingly.

Appreciate the help.

Jeff

Thanks Chris.

I have a 40" Samsung LNT4053H LCD HDTV and use an Onkyo TX-SR603X AV Receiver (5.1 with sub woofer) for sound. I would appreciate your advice on a Blue Ray and on an upconverting DVD player. Then I could price each option and make a decision accordingly.

Appreciate the help.

Jeff

With that amplifier you are going to need to either use the Blu-ray legacy DTS and Dolby Digital formats (as good as or better than DVD) over optical/coaxial digital audio or get a Blu-ray player that decodes and outputs analog audio for the advanced 5.1 audio soundtracks. Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA and uncompressed lossless LPCM would all require analog 5.1 to hear with that older receiver. For that purpose, I would recommend the Sony BDP-S550. If you want to continue to use audio over optical/coaxial with Blu-ray, I would recommend the Sony BDP-S350/BDP-BX1 or Panasonic DMP-BD35A. All of those Blu-ray players are Profile 2.0 and as far as I know play all discs with current firmware versions. I purchased my BDP-S550 for around $270 delivered, purchased online.

If you want to stick with DVD and wait on true high definition, then there are many budget DVD players that work well for that purpose. I don't own a recent model budget DVD player that I could recommend for a 720p LCD display. If you need many of the formats it handles, SACD/DVD-A/HDCD and all-region DVD-V, the Oppo DV-980H is my favorite DVD player. I have seen the Onkyo DV-CP702 and believe the Oppo player easily beats it for image quality but it and all other players I have mentioned so far are single disc players. If all you need is region 1 DVD-V, then the Oppo player is more than you need. Someone here can offer a recommendation for an inexpensive DVD-V player, including DVD changers.

Chris

Jeff and Chris,

Sorry for chiming in on this thread, but my needs are somewhat relevant to what Jeff is asking. I just bought my first HD TV and upgraded my cable service (wow, am I late). My current dvd/audio electronics is a Technics AX-SA720 receiver (5.1), SH-AC500D digital decoder, and Panasonic A110 DVD player. I am interested in adding a Blue ray player. The problem is that the receiver does not have HDMI inputs. The SH-AC500D has the capability of additional audio digital inputs via optical/coax terminals, but I have a feeling that it will not properly decode the output of a blue ray player. Do you have any recommendations on the most efficient way to upgrade my audio system. My thought is to sell the Technics/Panasonic components and start new with a receiver with HDMI inputs and the blue ray player. Any thoughts on this? Thank you!

Ed

jeff I would probably go with the Panasonic BD60 or the Sony BDP-350. Both are excellent players and have timely firmware updates.

Jeff and Chris,

Sorry for chiming in on this thread, but my needs are somewhat relevant to what Jeff is asking. I just bought my first HD TV and upgraded my cable service (wow, am I late). My current dvd/audio electronics is a Technics AX-SA720 receiver (5.1), SH-AC500D digital decoder, and Panasonic A110 DVD player. I am interested in adding a Blue ray player. The problem is that the receiver does not have HDMI inputs. The SH-AC500D has the capability of additional audio digital inputs via optical/coax terminals, but I have a feeling that it will not properly decode the output of a blue ray player. Do you have any recommendations on the most efficient way to upgrade my audio system. My thought is to sell the Technics/Panasonic components and start new with a receiver with HDMI inputs and the blue ray player. Any thoughts on this? Thank you!

Ed

Starting anew with HDMI audio processing is my recommendation, there are a lot of inexpensive options now. The Yamaha RX-V665 is one to consider but there are many others from Onkyo, Sony, Pioneer, etc. I have the older Yamaha RX-V663 and like it well enough. As far as a Blu-ray player to go with a new receiver, again, there are many choices and the Goofnut recommendations are two good options. If you need additional formats, not just Blu-ray and DVD, then we need to discuss what players can cover everything you need, there are a lot of varities in features among Blu-ray players now.

Chris

Thanks Chris,

What I would like to do is to simply take advantage of the improved video and audio capabilities via HDMI using a blue ray player. My Panasonic doesn't even have component outputs, and I'm using S cables for video. As long as the player I choose plays both DVD and blue ray, and the receiver has HDMI inputs, I should be fine. I have been looking up receivers such as the Onkyo TX SR-507. 5.1 is fine by me, and the Onkyo is inexpensive enough. If you have other suggestions, I will certainly consider them, as well as blue ray players.

Thanks again for your assistance on this matter.

Ed

I have these 3 items, and they do the job perfect.
No cable hazzle, just HDMI. :)

All SONY, STR-DG910, RDR-HXD1070, BDP350.

I would look into a PS3 to use as your Blu-ray player. Since the price drop, it's a steal for $299, since it's one of best players out there, especially at the new price..