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 product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD
Customer Review: This DVD player has excellent high resolution audio for audiophiles
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought the OPPO DV981HD player solely because it can play DVD-Audio and SACD. DVD performance was secondary. I wanted to enjoy the enhanced audio resolution that these formats offered. I am completely satisfied with the purchase, and then some.
DVD-Audio and SACD never achieved the popularity that CD did and are now essentially niche offerings for fussy audiophiles. Titles in either format are few and far between.
Yet I would still recommend this player for the mainstream audio CD listener. Why? Something wonderful happened when I started listening to my standard Redbook CDs. That harsh "CD sound" was greatly reduced. Detail and imaging were noticeably improved. Clarity and crispness in the essential midrange allowed vocals to come through without being shrill or bright. I began to enjoy my CD collection to a degree I had not anticipated. On well-recorded and well-mastered CDs I found the differences between DVD-A/SACD were less than expected. I believe it is the high-performance digital-to-analog converter made by Cirrus Logic that has created such good sound.
I am still a believer that DVD-A/SACD offer quantum improvements in sound quality, but now I find that CDs can satisfy me enough so the I can wait until a new audio high-res format comes along. As for the DVD side of the player, I love it, but I'll let you read the reviews from all the dedicated videophiles out there. And I refuse to engage in the current HD-DVD or Blu-Ray high-def video format war. I expect the victorious format can then devise an audio high-res format that will compliment the high-def video format.
Customer Review: Solid Quality, Just don't expect miracles
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been through several DVD players over the years, including a few HomeTheater PC's and I've owned or installed every major brand available and I can say with certainty that the Oppo ranks at the top of the list. Build quality is very good, the tray is a little flimsy but your not getting tungsten steel at this price. It's also very well packaged from the factory as many have mentioned
The audio quality is top-notch, nearly matching the performance you'd get using a separate pre-processor. The video is....very competent, It doesn't really challenge HD-DVD's(1080p) ability to show detail, but it does make standard DVD's(480p) look the way they should, clean and sharp, and if by chance you prefer an overly sharp picture the custom picture options menu is more than adequate for tweaking. The remote is a tad clunky, but nothing that I'd call a deal breaker and it's solidly built as well. Also, the included cables are surprisingly well made...usually the "out of the box" cables are a joke.
Overall I am very satisfied with this unit. While I wouldn't go as far as saying it makes standard def look like HD-DVD, it is what I would call a reference player for 480p DVD's. Bottom line, if you must have the best upconverted standard dvd video available then you'll want either an Anthem Statement D2 pre-processor that uses the Gennum VXP chip or a Denon 2930/3930/5910CI player that uses the Teranex Realta HQV chip, just be prepared to spend anywhere from $700 to $7000 to get it. For a sub $250 dvd player, the Oppo is the best money can buy
Customer Review: Clarifications, a little instruction and admonishments
Summary: 5 Stars
The Oppo 981 is a standard dvd player that also happens to play every type of audio format available. No where in the ads or on the box does it state blu-ray or HD-DVD player. So.....point one settled. Know what you are buying. What this unit does is "up-convert" a standard format dvd (480p) to 1080p. What does that mean.....clearest sharpest picture possible from your existing dvd collection. You must have the TV to support it! Near hd-dvd quality for discs you already own or rent.
Difference IS like night and day. To receive this benefit you must use the HDMI output. This unit is not recommended for rear projection tv's. Oppo will tell you to purchase the 980. The 981 uses the Farouda-dci chipset and will cause black blocking in the picture. (the black blocks you see in dark areas of the picture. Sorry....this is the newest technology already out pacing TV's produced just two years ago.
Blu-ray or HD-DVD? Don't do it......wait until the format war is over....I suspect a new format introduced within the next 2 years....wait and see which format takes the cake......kinda like VHS or BETA, SACD or HDCD, Cassette or 8-track.....remember that!? Until then.....you can enjoy up-converting your existing discs, listen to SACD or redbook cd's (standard format)or MP3's.
Stereophile class C recommendation......so, somebody has taken notice!
Recommended for ease of use, fantastic picture and sound quality, great customer service.....and the cheapest extended warranty plans from Oppo I have ever seen! A no brainer purchase.
Customer Review: Great product and a good deal
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought a few upscaling dvd players @ BB before I bought this one.They both costs about $200. I had the Sony which was not accpetable. Then I bought the Samsung because the BB guy said that was the one he had. I returned that one as well. The Samsung was the better of the two, but The quality of the upscaling was not there.I was not happy. Then I saw all the reviews for the Oppo and I noticed it came with the HDMI cable. BTW, BB wanted to charge $60+ for the cable alone.
Everyone on here is right about the cables.I researched and asked a electrical engineer about HDMI cables. Long story short, HDMI is digital. It does not matter as long as your cable is under 6'. If you go over 6' you do need to pay attention to the quality of the materials, but that still shouldn't break the bank. What is important for any size of cable is the connections. Good connectors that stay in the inputs are a must.The price that BB and some companies are charging is a joke.
The Oppo cable that is included is fine. The device itself is excellent. The quality of the images is really good. The upscaling is the best I have seen. Blows away the Samsung and Sony. I am very satisfied with this product. The only criticism is the remote. It seems like a after-thought. Like some cheap after-market remote you would buy at Radioshack. It works fine, but seems mis-matched with the player it's controlling. Big deal. You get a great player, a HDMI cable and a crappy remote. I can live with that. Afterall, it's all about the image and the Oppo really delivers on this one.
Customer Review: Worth every penny!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this DVD palyer to go with my Samsung 46" Slimfit DLP tv. Now my tv is only capable of going up to 1080i, however the inclusion of an HDMI connection and an HDMI cable convinced me to go with the 981.
Now that you have the background onto the results.
Simply.... AMAZING!
There was 2 things that really annoyed me about watching standard definiton DVDs on a large widescreen tv: first thing was the annoying black bars at the top and bottom of widescreen movies... I paid for 46 inches of tv and I want to use every bit of it. The other annoying aspect of going big was how dark some movies looked, that and how lacking standard definition. Going large just amplified the total lack of quality picture.
None of this a concern now.
The zoom function will focus in on the picture in small acceptable increments to get the best viewing. Some dvds are auto scaled to fit the screen.
The picture quality is outstanding.
While results very from DVD to DVD, overall it has been amazing. For live action I prefer the 720p setting, and 1080i for animated movies. I will agree that this is not true high definition, but I don't have to chose sides in the current format war (blueray or hd dvd) or spend alot of money. Instead I went with this affordable alternative and get to still enjoy the DVDs I already have.
In summary, to enjoy the DVDs you have now at their fullest potential without spending a fortune, buy this DVD player.
You won't be disappointed.