What is The Best DVD player for VIDEO?

I have both a Sony (DVP-NS999ES) and an Arcam (DV-87). From a purely video-centric point of view, they both have advantages and disadvantages.

Sony Advantages

- provides best picture I've seen for videotape-sourced DVDs
- all kinds of options to tailor video output, probably more than anyone needs
- does not exhibit chroma bug (this only matters if you're sensitive to it)
- front panel display can be turned off
- has more bells and whistles than most people will ever use

Sony Disadvantages
- US model will not play anything but Region 1 NTSC discs
- picture not quite as "filmlike" with film-sourced DVDs
- has more bells and whistles than most people will ever use

Arcam Advantages
- provides the best picture I've seen for film-based DVDs, very cinematic
- plays PAL discs, even on an NTSC-only television
- can change regions or make region-free from the remote, no hacks or hardware changes necessary
- very simple menu structure

Arcam Disadvantages
- the remote control is very poorly laid out
- exhibits chroma bug; however, the effect is very mild and is less noticeable than most other players with the bug
- front panel display is bright and cannot be turned off
- very simple menu structure means not much fine-tuning control (although I don't think the player needs it)

From a sonics standpoint, the Sony plays SACDs and the Arcam doesn't. This may or may not matter to you. The Sony decodes DD and DTS, and can output decoded DVD-Vs through its 5.1 analog outs (with bass and speaker management). So, for someone with a pre/pro or receiver that doesn't decode DD or DTS but can accept a 5.1 analog output, this is the player. The Arcam decodes DD and DTS, but does not have 5.1 analog outs. The Arcam sounds substantially better than the Sony via two-channel analog outs. Arcam sounds marginally better on DVD-Vs through the coax digital out than the Sony. Arcam is substantially better on CDs, both via analog and digital outs. Arcam decodes HDCD.

Note - this is the cheapest Arcam DVD player. The more expensive ones are even better.

i'm not sure. i've been spending all of my time enjoying my 2 channel highend system to watch a movie. my friends that do watch movies say that get a cheap newer model with progressive scan.

dave

"Vegasgreed":

The "BEST" DVD Player for video only???? And what would I get if I had about $2,500.00 to spend???

If I am going to put together an all out assault video rig for about $10s of thousands of dollars, and if audio isn't going to be an issue (and by audio being an issue, I mean that the player will then be required to playback SACD's and DVD-A's as well as regular movie DVD's), then I would have to take a VERY hard look at the TOL Arcams. I have read many times (and has comfirmed sometime later) that at the steep prices these players seem to command, the picture quality coming from these players is something that must be seen to be believed. The Arcams are THAT good. And it's not enough that they are very good in video. They are very good audio players too. That's what I would look at if I had about $2,500.00 to spend on a DVD Player. The Denon DVD-5900 would come into a rather distant second (but would be the first player I would look at if I am going to going to do high resolution audio as well as state of the art video).

But then again, as I have read in an earlier issue of "The Perfect Vision" this year, you don't even have to spend that much money to get a VERY good DVD Player. Arcam also makes the DV-78 (which also produces a top drawer picture, and superior audio as well) which retails for just $1,000.00. And then, I also believe that Sony might be closing out the DVP-NS999ES. And if that's the case, then you could go ahead and get a DVP-NS999ES for a great price (brand new, at Crutchfield....... at about $800.00). That's a player that's worth looking into as well. Their ES players have always been excellent players.

My two cents worth on the subject.

Good luck with hunting down your player.

--Charles--