Anyone input on this latest Universal player from Denon?

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber=14721780

looks interesting but I'd rather see a multi-disc player with the same features.

I've heard a little about it -- supposed to take most of the features from the DVD-5900 and make them available at a lower price ($1300 instead of $2000). It's apparently not a replacement for the 2900 since there's a 2910 on the horizon, but it's also not a replacement for the 5900, which while apparently about to be discontinued is slated to be replaced by the 5910 by year's end.

In non-universal matters, there's also the Denon DVD-1910, which will include a DVI output with upconversion to 720p and 1080i and will retail for $270.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

Gonk,

I checked out the 1910's specs from the Denon USA site.

The way they've bulletted the 720p / 1080i upconversion, it almost looks as if it's only available through the DVI output.

Have you heard different (ie. will the upconverted signal be passed through the component video outputs?).

Regards.

Jeff Mackwood

I believe that you are correct, Jeff, and I think that aside from a few exceptions (Zenith is the only one that comes to mind at the moment), this looks to be the case with all upconverting DVD players. From what I've seen online, it's the result of pressure on the consortium of hardware manufacturers from MPAA - DVI has copy protection, but an upconverted composite video signal (which is analog and lacks the strong copy protection found in DVI) could allow high resolution copying - even though it would be an impractical signal medium for any sort of meaningful piracy.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

Gonk,

Thanks Gonk.

Not to mention that any serious significant criminal pirates are going to be able to duplicate whole discs anyhow, and even your average home enthusiast could easily invest in gear to strip the DVD copy protection (Sima Color Corrector) and upconvert the 480i signal to 1080i (iScan HD) and provide a component signal to feed to an HD monitor.

I'd just like to have a DVD player that does it all in one shot. It's a shame that yet again, we the consumers are getting the raw end of the deal in what is supposed to be an ever-increasing availability of new technology. (Don't get me started again on analogue-only connections for DVD-Audio and SACD!)

I guess I'll keep my dollars in pocket for now.

Jeff Mackwood

I agree entirely - it struck me as absurd when I first saw rumors of it a couple years ago (suggestions that DVI would become the industry standard HDTV interface and that future HD receivers would limit component video outputs to 480p in spite of the large user base of HD sets without DVI inputs). It looks like that idea is being rather quietly extended to all source devices offering HD resolution outputs. Barring an unlikely change from hardware manufacturers, there are going to be a good number of disappointed HDTV owners in a couple more years. Already, the lack of 720p and 1080i at component outputs on most upconverting DVD players is creating a little fuss and a lot of business for Zenith - merc (long-ago member of the 950 best test group) recently started a thread at AVS complaining about this very issue. It's very possible that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will be limited to 480p at the component output, even though component is proven capable of handling HD signals. It's also possible that future HD receivers for OTA, satellite, and cable will begin to phase out HD output to component video, although that at least hasn't happened yet - my Pace DC-550 still allows 720p and 1080i at the component output, even though it also includes a DVI output. I don't agree with it, but it's part of the reason that I was content to wait on upgrading my TV until recently - when the opportunity finally appeared earlier this year, I found a set with DVI-HDCP just to be safe.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

Early adopters are always at risk of further developments by ‘the industry’ and ‘the market.’ Some developments are touted ‘to benefit consumers’ but are almost always in self-interest for all or part of the industry. Sometimes it’s one industry conglomerate competing against another for dominance, as was Betamax versus VHS. We can lament and assign blame all we want, but these kinds of uncertainties will be with us for the foreseeable future.

I wanted to adopt SACD and DVD-A earlier than I did, but didn’t due to the cost. When it became more affordable earlier this year I did buy in, but I am still disappointed in the availability of good material that makes full use of the potential in these formats. SACD and DVD-A source materials are out of the infant stage and muddling about somewhere between toddler and elementary, in my view. If these flop in the consumer market or are replaced by something better, which succeeds in the marketplace, I haven’t lost much.

HDTV, while very nice, I consider in the toddler stage – up and walking, yes, but without sure footing in some respects of both technology in the marketplace and with regard to source material. We’ve seen HDTV demonstrated for years, and some of us have already taken the plunge to see a few hours here and there in the lower to middling HDTV standards, but for me there is still too much yet to be determined, developed and delivered in the HDTV universe to warrant the gamble. It’s close, but for my dollars versus the remaining uncertainties, not quite there yet.

I just home trialed a LG 3510A ( HDTV Tuner DVD Player combo). The up conversion of DVD to 1080i nor 720p, to me and my families eyes was not enough difference to justify the purchase ($400). The of the air HDTV tuner was no better than my 7 year old RCA DTC100 Directv/Off the Air HDTV sat receiver. I will continue to use my Pioneer 563A,purchased last week at Best Buys for $79.00, the picture is great and having DVD-A and SACD is icing on the cake. DSOM never sounded better and Eagles Hotel Calif in DVD-A is Awesome.

My two cents....and a question:

I use the Pioneer DV-655A universal player which I read is an overseas version of the Pioneer Elite 45A. I think the 655A is region free, though I have not played any DVDs from outside the US, nor do I have a PAL system TV to watch them even if I could. I paid about $170 for it at a Army Exchange store about a year ago. I think the Elite version was much higher in price during the same time I was shopping around. Pay more $$$ for the word "Elite" in the front panel? The 655A is discontinued now.

Now the new Universal players with IEEE 1394 for SACD and DVD-A (like Denon's) sounds tempting. Any justification for upgrading to a IEEE 1394 universal player and a receiver or pre/pro that has an input for it?