OPPO OPDV971H Digital HD-Ready Up-Converting DVD Player
Beyond my wildest expectations!
Let me say, first off, that I've been using a region-free upconverting Toshiba SD-5970 until a few days ago when it finally konked out on me.  So after reading about this OPPO player, I splurged -- I mean, for $199, you can't go wrong.  I don't know if it's the Faroudja chip or what, but I just watched \\"Underworld: Evolution\\" in the 720p mode, and I was looking at a picture so crisp, so clean, and so beautiful, that it was like the movie was being broadcast in high-def.  The picture quality is a noticeable improvement over my upconverting Toshiba unit, and I really didn't think it got better than that.  I used the DVI->HDMI cable to run the dvd player into my Sony Wega 50\\" LCD tv, and I am stunned at how beautiful the picture is.  I feel like all of my DVD's will be brand new viewing again!