Best DVD player for the money?

"Kitchener":

You still sort of left us in the dark as to what exactly you are looking for when it comes to what you want in a DVD Player.

Like for example, what kind of system will this player be used with???? I ask this very question because I don't want to make a recommendation and then it turns out to be the wrong one after the fact. I don't want to recommend a cheap mass market player when in fact you're going to be putting together an all assault expensive system. On the other hand, I don't want you to overspend on a DVD Player when you are in fact going to put together a budget system either.

For example, if you are going to do a budget system, then a $90.00-to-$300.00 player makes better sense. On the other hand, if you are going to put together an expensive system, then you should probably spend a considerable amount of money on the DVD Player (I'm going to say $1,000.00 and up), especially if you are going to be using a HDTV display like a plasma TV or a DLP or LCoS display to take advantage of the capabililties that a $1,000.00+ player tends to offers.

My picks would be the following:

For a budget player ($90.00-to-$300.00):

(01). Toshiba SD-4900
(02). Toshiba SD-4960
(03). Denon DVD-1910
(04). Samsung DVD-HD931

AND

For an expensive player ($1,000.00 and up)

(01). Denon DVD-5900
(02). Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi
(03). Any Arcam Model (DV78, DV79, FMJ-DV27 (or its replacement..... the FMJ-DV29))
(04). Meridian 800 Reference (and THIS baby will run you about $16K)

Hope I helped you a little bit........

--Charles--

Charles,

The germ of thinking about upgrading my consumer-grade Sony DVD player comes from my recent purchase of an HD 30" wide-screen TV with HDMI inputs, etc. My Sony DVD player doesn't have progressive scan, for starters (though it does have an optical digital out).

Now, I view the new TV as a 2-3 year stop-gap necessitated by the death of my old 4:3 tv -- it will ultimately become our bedroom TV when HD plasma tvs drop in price in a few years. I'll wait.

I'm actively working on upgrading other items. What's set now is I'm driving five NHT VS-2s with B&K 200w amps (based on recent purchases).

So my upgrade path now looks like this:

1. I need a sub.

2. I have to upgrade my old Fosgate pro logic processor (a Lexicon DC-1 v4 sounds like the way to go but I need to look at the whole DVI/HDMI variable) -- right now, I can't even take advantage of the optical digital outs of both my satellite box or my consumer-grade dvd player.

3. I need a better DVD player.

4. HD/Tivo satellite tuner -- maybe a year off -- the TIVO variable has that price way up there right now.

That order isn't fixed -- finances and used item opportunities will drive that game-plan along, but I'm thinking the sub is going to be next (since my Fosgate does work and I do have a DVD player). But, concurrently, I need to start thinking about what I want in a DVD player and what I want in a processor.

I really don't want to spend more than $500 - $750 on any one thing in the chain, and going pre-owned wherever I can will go a long way. Going used with the amplification was easy, the speakers, too, and I'm confident the sub will be that way, too. I'm worried I won't get off so easy where the processor and DVD player are concerned -- have to learn more about the HDMI/DVI issue.

The optical outputs are crap anyway. Get soemthing with coax! If ya want a good player for your price range, I would tend to agree with my associates here - Toshiba, Denon, Pioneer Elite (used) are all good choices for you. I would suggest that if you were planning on using the player for multi-channel high-rez playback, i.e, SACD, the Pioners tend to be a bit edgy and bright, in my own personal experience.

j