Need help choosing DVD player

drew spelts
drew spelts Posts: 310
edited February 2006 in Electronics
Ok I have an awsome home theater setup now but I have been using the same DVD player I bought at Wal~Mart about 4 years ago. The only reason I bought it was because it was on clearance for $60 and had progressive scan and all that. BTW it is a philips brand player and I will never be buying one of those again. Any who the thing used to get errors reading discs or just stall up in the middle for some reason so I took it apart to see what was wrong. Well, the laser was pointed at a funny angle, so I pointed it straight up and it has worked about 95% better ever since. But it is time to give it the boot because I can see jaggies all the time and the worst part is that all the black sceens the blacks are like a dark navy blue instead of black. And to me that is anoying as hell.

I use a 32 HD Sony Tube TV. For this reason DVI hookup is not anything I am crazy about because that would require my TV to convert the Digital signal into analog so I am completely happy with component video. Not to mention I have the best monster component cables and would not like to have to invest in different cables for a new player.

I have been eyeing the Denons for a long time but have had no experience with them nor any place to test them at. SACD is not a necesity for me but I guess it would be nice to have. The maximum I can spend on a player can not exceed $400 in any way, however just because a product might MSRP for around $800 does not mean that I can not find it used on the bay for around $400.

Please help me find a DVD player that has no chroma errors, macro Blocking or jaggies so that I may enjoy my HT a little better.
Harman Kardon AVR635
RTi10's Up Front
CSi5 Center
RTi6's Rear Surround
Furman RA-1210:rolleyes:
Post edited by drew spelts on
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Comments

  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited January 2006
    Look at the Secrets to Home Theater Hifi web site. They publish test results of everything related to PQ.

    I think this is part of it:
    http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=all
    Never Forget
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited January 2006
    Glad you're looking to upgrade the DVD player. It's definitely the weak link in your system. Once you change it out, you'll obviously get better picture quality, and the sound quality will also improve. For a good all-around DVD player, consider the Cambridge Audio 540D.

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=CAMB540D&product_name=Azur%20540D%20DVD%20Player

    Nice HT setup, BTW.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2006
    Early B. wrote:
    Glad you're looking to upgrade the DVD player. It's definitely the weak link in your system. Once you change it out, you'll obviously get better picture quality, and the sound quality will also improve. For a good all-around DVD player, consider the Cambridge Audio 540D.

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=CAMB540D&product_name=Azur%20540D%20DVD%20Player

    Nice HT setup, BTW.

    A good choice. You might also want to consider Cambridge Audio's newest universal player coming out, the DVD89. At $269 the price almost seems too good to be true. We had a thread about it a few days ago HERE.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited January 2006
    I would get this one instead. It has both DVD-A & SACD.

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=CAMBDVD87
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited January 2006
    I gotta agree with the newer, lower priced universal model. They're pretty in silver, aren't they cfrizz?
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited January 2006
    Yup very pretty, and covers all bases regarding audio for right now.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • dudeinaroom
    dudeinaroom Posts: 3,609
    edited January 2006
    I had a philps "all in one player" it played dvds,svcd,vcd,divx,mp3,and wma well it was suposed to any ways. no sacd or dvd-a. Put a divx movie in it after 10 min. locked up then powered down. I then hit the power on the remote and it would not come back on. I called tech help the said unplug it for ten min. I did it worked fine for ten min. I took it back didn't want to watch ten min. then sit and wait ten all the time, I mean come on a 2 hour movie would take four hours. Any ways my point is don't buy another philips. I am also lookinf for a new player and I like the looks of the h/k dvd 31. Also thing of a toshiba, or a pioneer(has to play dvd+r/+rw would also like it to be able to play dd-cd, and dts-cd). any ways good luck with what ec=ver you decide on

    Later
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  • drew spelts
    drew spelts Posts: 310
    edited February 2006
    So which one sounds better, the Cambridge Audio Azur 540D DVD Player or the Cambridge Audio DVD-87 DVD Player.
    Harman Kardon AVR635
    RTi10's Up Front
    CSi5 Center
    RTi6's Rear Surround
    Furman RA-1210:rolleyes:
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  • drew spelts
    drew spelts Posts: 310
    edited February 2006
    So which one sounds better, the Cambridge Audio Azur 540D DVD Player or the Cambridge Audio DVD-87 DVD Player.
    Harman Kardon AVR635
    RTi10's Up Front
    CSi5 Center
    RTi6's Rear Surround
    Furman RA-1210:rolleyes:
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited February 2006
    My guess is that they will both sound the same. What you want is the flexibility the 87 will give you.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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