Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD by OPPO Digital
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List Price: Our Price: $179.00 You Save: $120.00 (40%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Home Theater See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD
Digital camera Review: ...plus an excellent CD player
Summary: 5 Stars
A lot of people have already written some very nice things about this player - it has excellent picture quality, comes with a very nice HDMI cable, good overall finish (except for the tray) etc., so I don't want to ramble on about these features.
The one thing that has not been covered by anyone before is the fantastic audio quality of this player. Simply put, it compares to some of the top line hi-fi cd players out there. So this is more than well worth the price as a stand alone cd player. Of course one needs a good audio system to go with it. My moderate hi-fi system consists of a NAD C352 amplifier and a pair of Monitor Audio S8 speakers. I listen mostly to old Jazz and classical music. One of my all time favorites is Nina Simone. There is a certain richness to Nina's voice that I have never heard before. This player brings out many of the subtleties of the recording that can be so engrossing that it really transports one back to the era. Same goes for many of the classical recordings. In a nutshell, the feeling is very different and it is very difficult to put it in words.
If you like listening to music and have a decent audio system I would highly recommend this player as a cd player alone. That it upconverts regular dvds so well and is a universal player makes this player an incredible bargain.
Digital camera Review: 100% Satisfied
Summary: 5 Stars
What a great DVD player. I purchased this model based on the great reviews that it had received from others. I recently bought a new Sony LCD TV, so I wanted a DVD player that would up-convert my large DVD collection. This player makes movies look fabulous. I am completely impressed and happy that I decided to purchase it. And if you are trying to decide whether to spend the money on this player...do not hesitate!Digital camera Review: A Couple Things You Should Know
Summary: 4 Stars
When I first hooked up my new Oppo 981 to my Panasonic TH-42PX60U plasma, I picked out two DVD's from my collection that I thought would have spectacular visuals: "Titanic" and "True Lies".
Imagine my surprise when "Titanic" only filled about the center 2/3 of the screen! When I zoomed to fill the screen, the image was roughly VHS slow speed quality. I then tried 'True Lies", with even worse results. The image was still small, and the quality was awful.
If you've only been watching DVD's on standard definition television, as I had been doing, you probably payed little attention to whether or not the DVD was ANAMORPHIC, since it really didn't effect the quality of the image noticeably. But on a 16:9 HD set, a non-anamorphic "widescreen" DVD, such as the two I just mentioned, will simply not give you very good quality.
Fortunately, there aren't too many of these, but just be aware that they exist and that there's nothing wrong with your Oppo if the quality is substandard. You'll get the same thing with any player. (Another popular movie that's in this unfortunate format is "Ransom", by the way.)
After going crazy for a couple evenings, I learned about the difference between anamorphic and non-anamorphic, and made my peace with it. There was another problem however, that drove me up the wall for several weeks. This one though, I was thankfully able to correct.
Many DVD's had a greenish tint that no amount of adjustment could get rid of, and I had to set the picture temperature to "Cool" just to make anything watchable. I normally set HD broadcasts to "Warm".
Finally, I called Oppo and was informed that there was a firmware download on their web site that would probably take care of this issue. I installed it, and the green tint has vanished! Apparently, most users don't have this problem, but if you do, install this modification before you get overly anxious as I did.
One other thing. As on a good stereo system, the defects of a poor quality DVD transfer will be exposed by this player. Some movies, particularly older ones, may not look as good as they did on your standard definition set.
I don't mean to sound overly negative, since good source material, which most DVD's are, will deliver excellent picture (and sound) quality. DVD's of the "Back to the Future" trilogy and "Spiderman" are close enough to HD quality that you'll see them as you never have before.
Overall, the Oppo is an excellent investment when it's set up properly. I'm just trying to save you some trouble should you encounter the problems I mentioned above.
Digital camera Review: A MUST for Cinephiles!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this brand (OPPO) while searching the net - had never heard of it before. I have DVD's from Europe and needed something to play them with that didn't demand complex changing of settings each time. This is a GEM! You put in a DVD and the player automatically recognizes the format, and the "up converter" increases the definition and quality of the image....I couldn't be happier!! Wonderful little machine! To top it off, the price is more than reasonable. If you're a cinephile like myself and want to buy and play foreign films (oftentimes much cheaper in the original format - just go to the auction site in that country/language), grab this one!
Digital camera Review: A Real Gem
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased and installed the Oppo 981HD DVD player in my home theater set up. The player was delivered in factory fresh condition and I received it within 2 days from Amazon. I connected the player to my Yamaha 661 surround sound receiver with the supplied HDMI cable. The video image was routed to my Panasonic 42" plasma. The set-up protocol was very easy and the instruction manual clear. After running several of my favorite DVD's I was astonished by the brilliance, clarity, definition and impact that this machine produced both visually and sonically. The Oppo lives up to its reputation and the accolades it has received in the professional media are very well deserved. The Oppo delivers a level of performance that cannot be found in a player in this price catagory. Hats off to Oppo for breaking the price / performance barrier!