Ideal to go with your HDTV display, the OPPO OPDV-971H is the first and only pure digital (DVI) HD DVD player to feature DVI, MPEG4/ DivX and a Faroudja technology all in one. This unique implementation of advanced video features gives DVD movies a sharper, deeper, more lifelike picture on your HDTV display. The DVD-971 also delivers richer, more finely realistic sound by virtue of its wider frequency range. **Video: The built-in, top-of-the-line FLI2310 Faroudja DCDiTM analyzes video on a single-pixel granularity to detect angled lines and edges and select optimal filtering to eliminate motion artifacts. In film mode, DCDi handles 3:2 and 2:2 pulldown as well as correcting bad edits. With video-based material, the FLI2310 removes coloration artifacts produced by conventional video decoders. The OPPO OPDV-971H features DVI connection to HDTV/ Projector/ Plasma monitors that support HDTV or PC-type DVI connectors. DVI reproduces original digital signals without signal loss, since it does not need to convert from digital to analog and back to digital like conventional DVD players. It reproduces the highest-quality upconverted images in 480p, 576p (PAL), 720p or 1080i. The loader features Sanyo Super Error Correction with Twin Laser and Intelligent laser Wavelength Control, so the OPPO OPDV-971H loads and reads virtually any DVD DVD +/-R and DVD+/-RW with no problem at all. **Audio: Full Dolby DigitalTM and DTSTM decoders are built in with full DSP menu and setup controls. **Whats in the box: This player comes in a slim and stylish chassis. A remote control with illuminated buttons. Remote batteries (2 AA), 5-feet DVI-I and audio/vieo cables, and a users manual.
1 Sets a high-level for customer service
The excellent performance has been well documented. You may know it scored a 94, second to the Denon 5901 which costs a bit more, in very techical evaluation of DVD players:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=122
What is not well documented is the unexpected superb customer service.
* Emails are replied to quickly even in the evening.
* Phone calls are answered by a real person.
* Firmware upgrades are released online very quickly and easy to apply. So, you don't lose the opportunity to use the player.Unlike others that require you to send in your unit to a service center to apply a firmware upgrade.
* Warranty problems are fixed very quickly even when it's clearly not the fault of the player. During this past weekend, I accidentally bumped the tray as it was opening with a center channel speaker, Adire LCR... heavy... big. The speaker did not give. The tray did, throwing it out of alignment. I could not get the tray to load again. It was jammed. Distraught! Panic! I called Oppo, explained what happened and it was clearly my mistake. I shipped it to them on Tuesday. They sent me an e-mail today (Thursday) that they fixed the tray and applied the latest firmware upgrade and are FedEx'ing back to me. I should have it by this weekend. Less than a week turnaround. And they didn't have to fix it since it was clearly my error.
That shows me that Oppo is very serious about establishing a high-excellence for customer service. And this is for a player that has excellent picture quality (with DVI) and sound quality for $199. There is little risk since they provide 30/31 day trial when buying directly or through Amazon.
For those who have HDMI displays, you can buy an DVI-HDMI cable for the cost of a lunch from:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&style=
I wish Oppo would release a HT preamp processor.
Highly recommended!
2 An excellent multi region multi voltage main with lots of fe
There is confusion about whether this player is multi region and multi voltage. The web site says 100-250V 50-60~. The player says 110v 60~, support says multi voltage. The support team were so helpful I decided to plug it in to a 250v supply. It is multi voltage.
There is also a multi region hack on videohelp which is:
Press Setup on remote control to access the setup page
* Enter 9210 on the remote
* A secret menu will pop up
* Select 0 to 6 in region code. 0 is multi region
* Press Setup on remote again to exit
After setting region 0 I've tried region 1 and region 2 discs and both work.
It also pays DIVX and Xvids written to a DVD RW and is the only player I know which has smooth forward and reverse search for these. I strongly recommend this player.
With all its features, a goodprice and active support this is an excellent player for all including international travellers.
3 Outstanding with Syntax HDEF TV's
Bought a Syntax Olevia and the OPPO. Perfect plug and play using DVI. Scaling of DVD's to HDEF is incredible. At $1200 for a 27" HDEF LCD TV and a scaling DVD player, the combo can't be beat.
4 oppo dvi upconvertion
I just got this player thru Amazon, and ran two region1 DVD disks: LOTR Return of the King Platinum and Dying Young. The short review: The wife is so impressed with the Oppo's picture quality (that's probably the most important consideration when buying anything like this). I was expecting the quality, since I was able to demo a Samsung earlier that could do DCDI/Faroudja/upconvertion. ADDED: I also tried Star Wars DVD. WOW!! The picture quality really blew me away. I can see details in the movie I have never seen before on a TV.
Our Oppo/HT setup: Panasonic AE700 widescreen lcd projector hdmi, ht=61" x wd=108" diy "blackout" screen (viewing distance=3.5meters), Yamaha RXV2095 receiver, Pioneer DV515 (old non-progressive dvd player via 12meter sVideo, 1.5meter fiber optic audio), Oppo DV971H (via dvi-to-hdmi adapter, 5meter hdmi cable, 3.7meter 75ohm component video cable, 10meter 75ohm coax audio), Speakers: Wharfedale Diamond 8.4 L/R/C and Bose AM10 L/R/C/Surr, Wiring AWG12. Home Theater PC setup (6meter VGA output, 1.5 meter fiber optic audio, Asus Pentium 4-2.67GHz notebook, ATI Radeon 9000-64MB, 512MB, 40GB HDD, ZoomPlayer, FFDShow, PowerStrip, WinDVD6, PowerDVD6). (1meter = 3.28ft)
I have observed a significant video improvement over our old pioneer DVD player. I also tried a 1970's movie (I won't mention the title) that was so poorly transferred to DVD (region3), and I noticed a significant improvement in the video playback over the old player. The noise artifacts were minimized, and the sharpness had a significant improvement. I guess that was the DCDI/Faroudja chip doing its work.
I've tried the 480p,720p,1080i upconvertion using the "dvi" button on the remote and although I couldn't really notice the difference in quality between the three modes even on such a large screen, the lcd projector saw the difference and reported the corresponding "input source signal". I may have to observe some more and change the projector's picture mode, we usually leave it at "Cinema1 mode".
ADDED: okay, I've now looked A LOT closer using Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon r3 DVD. Basically, as I move up the DVI resolution from 480p to 720p to 1080i, I did noticed that less and less horizontal lines were becoming visible (a good thing).
BUT, since our projector uses hdmi, the picture does suffer from hdmi cropping issues (varies with the resolution being used). Using component/analog gives the largest picture that can occupy the screen (unfortunately there is no upconversion using component, only the Oppo's DVI output has the upconversion). At the projector side: Using hdmi input, the picture appears cropped (black bars at the left and right, sometimes at the top and bottom, sometimes a combination of both). I also cannot change aspect ratio using hdmi, while you can using component/analog inputs of the projector.
ADDED: The Oppo I have can play DVD-Audio, something not stated in the manuals or the unit's array of logos. The DVD-Audio sampler disc I used came from Creative Lab's Audigy 2 for the PC.
ADDED: I also compaired the Oppo's component output vs. the dvi-to-hdmi output, basically, there's a big difference in the picture quality, you should connect using the dvi output if possible.
I also noticed that the subtitles on the movies are much easier to read now when compaired to the old dvd player, but on one brief moment the subtitles on Dying Young were garbled -that's never happened before on the Pioneer.
ADDED: Okay, this has now happened to a bunch of other DVDs, sometimes it garbles one single line of subtitle per entire single dvd I watched. That is still an acceptable problem to me.
I also heard no apparent difference in audio quality between the Oppo and the old Pioneer despite the length of the coax. Naturally I set all audio sound effects to off when compairing audio CDs.
I also compaired the Oppo to our HTPC. Basically, the HTPC could output better video than the old Pioneer, but when compairing with Oppo, I prefer the Oppo. I don't want the hassle the HTPC is giving me. I saw no significant video quality difference between the HTPC and the Oppo. So my take on this is if you're happy with your HTPC, stick to it. If you want convenience then Oppo is something to look at. If you can't demo an Oppo, try looking at anything with DCDI/Faroudja.
Bottom line: I am happy with the purchase. Good value for the money. It's region free and can upconvert, and that's what's important to me. I chose Oppo vs. Momitsu V880 because I prefer Faroudja over Sigma Designs. BUT, BUT, here are my Oppo gripes....
1. I don't like the remote's key layout, it also seems flimsy, it could use a backlight.
2. I don't like the el-cheapo plastic disc tray. It looks like it will break easily. It's weird having to insert a disc if the tray doesn't comeout 100% all the way. I just hope this is the design, not a defect.
3. I don't like the bright blue light which is distracting in a completely dark home theater room.
4. The player's buttons are a little hard to press, well, maybe because it's still new. As with other players, not all remote functions can be found on the unit itself. So take care of the remote.
5. I wish the unit was color black instead of silver.
6. I don't like the OSD font, could use a better readable font.
7. The setup menu could be more descriptive, the manual helps but not enough...
8. I wish it was HDMI rather than DVI, but the adapter solved that issue.
ADDED: 9. Subtitle display is sometimes garbled (sometimes happens once on a single line per DVD watched).
Eric Gutierrez
Manila, Philippines
5 Overall good performance.
I have my OPDV971H connected to a 56" Samsung DLP HDTV using the DVI cable and fiber optic audio. The picture looks best using the DVI cable with a significant reduction in motion artifacts compared to component and composite connections. I don't really like the feel of the remote and wish I could use my receiver remote but Oppo is not listed on my Yamaha receiver manual so I don't know which code to input. The picture does jitter when viewing in the 1080i mode only when using the DVI cable. But the picture is still better at 720p using DVI connection compared to 1080i using the component cables. The upconverting may be adding data that is not originally there but the extra interpolated data undoubtedly gives a better picture quality.
6 Nice DVD player plays anything I threw at it.
I got this player about a week ago. I was looking for a DVD player to use with my Samsung HDTV and to play both NTSC and PAL DVD programs. Occasionally I need to view Divx programs that my friends share with me. This player meets all my expectations - good picture quality with HDTV up-conversion, Divx and Xvid MPEG-4 support, NTSC and PAL auto adapting.
So far I tried original NTSC and PAL DVD and VCD, home video on DVD-R and DVD+R, SVCD, Dvix movie on CD-R, and pictures on CD. It played everything without a glitch.
I am connecting it to my Samsung HDTV with component output. The audio is connected to my receiver using an optical fiber cable. The picture and sound quality is really good. I also tried it with a computer monitor (Viewsonic VP181b) using the supplied DVI cable. The picture in 720p mode is amazing. This DVD player may eventually force me to bite the bullet and upgrade my HDTV again.
