Panasonic DVD-S77S DVD Player
Good Up-Converting DVD Player - Poor Manual
I have had my Panasonic DVD-S77S unit for about 3 weeks now.  I researched upconverting DVD players for a month before deciding to purchase this unit.  Originally, I had my heart set on buying a Toshiba unit, but after reading all of the horrible experiences so many people had with the Toshiba SD-59xx units (from several sources), I settled on the Panasonic.  As previous reviewers have stated, the manual is TERRIBLE.  The default settings for the player is 480p (progressive) and trying to find where to change it to 720p or 1080i (interlaced) was quite a challenge.  (Read the May 19, 2005 review listed here for details.) <br /> <br />I have a 32\\" Sony HDTV and the jury is still out on whether I get a better picture with 720p or 1080i.  Regardless, both are excellent.  I also agree with a previous reviewer in that the blue light bar on the front of the unit is VERY bright and annoying. <br /> <br />This unit comes with a 6.5 foot HDMI cable and a 3-connector RCA-type cable (Left, Right, Video).  I did not know this unit came with an HDMI cable, so I had purchased one from another source.  My suggestion is NOT to buy another HDMI cable until you try out the one that comes with the player.  I doubt that you will notice any difference in quality between the original and an overpriced Monster cable ($50-$80). <br /> <br />I gave the Panasonic DVD-S77S only 4 stars because longevity is an important factor for me and I won't know that for another 2-3 years (hopefully).