OPPO OPDV971H Digital HD-Ready Up-Converting DVD Player
Great picture. Minor disappointments.
I should preface this review by saying that the picture quality thru the DVI connection is amazingly better in my setup than my old analog DVD player thru component inputs was. If your primary purpose is to play DVDs (rented or purchased), then this player will make you very happy. <br /> <br />That said, there are some disappointments. First is the DVI connector. Now is 2005 already, and it should have been HDMI. HDMI is smaller, and it carries audio as well as video. The company offers a DVI/HDMI converter cable, but the cable only converts video. If your TV's HDMI input lacks alternate analog audio inputs, you cannot get any sound with the video. (That happened to me.) <br /> <br />Second is the fact that this player really will not load home-burned DVDs. If that's what you need, do not get this player. (It seems to load CD-R discs without any problems.) Many reviews here and elsewhere have noted this limitation. Believe it. <br /> <br />Third, the disc tray is very flimsy. <br /> <br />Finally, and perhaps most disappointingly, it only plays DivX resolutions up to 720x480. The FAQ at the OPPO website qualifies that restriction with \\"currently\\", which I hope means that a software upgrade for higher resolutions might be forthcoming. But for now, you get audio-only with higher resolutions. <br /> <br />One pleasantly surprising positive is that the support team is very responsive. My questons have received knowledgable and helpful replies within only a few hours of sending a message.