plays DVD-Video, DVD-R & DVD-RW, DVD+R & DVD+RW, and Video CD * plays SACD, DVD-Audio, CD, CD-R & CD-RW, and MP3 and WMA CD-R & CD-RW * plays digital picture CDs (JPEG) * 54MHz/10-bit video D/A converter * built-in scaler upconverts signals to 720p/768p/1080i (DVI output only) *
Samsung's DVD-HD841 delivers scintillating video and audio performance at an eye-popping price. Between the unit's progressive-scan component-video and DVI digital-video outputs, sophisticated high-definition upconversion (from 480i/p DVD-Video to 720p, 768p, or 1080i, depending on your HDTV), and processing abilities for the audio-only SACD (Super Audio CD) and DVD-Audio formats, this player quite nearly does it all.
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| The DVD-HD841 has a built-in video scaler that permits output to a HDTV. |
Samsung's video upconversion technology eliminates visible scan lines and artifacts arising from interlaced video and the 3:2 pulldown process required to render film-based movies as NTSC video. The result: higher resolution from conventional sources and sharper images with few motion artifacts. The player's DVI digital-video output may be used for lossless video transmission between the player and compatible TVs and computer monitors.
Superior Sound
SACD and DVD-Audio media both offer super-high-fidelity sound. DVD-Audio discs provide 192 kHz/24-bit multichannel and stereo sound, high storage capacity, and unique bonus materials not available on regular audio CDs. These discs often have compressed Dolby Digital soundtracks for listening on standard DVD players, but true DVD-A decoding is required for full sonic appreciation. Depending on the disc, Sony's proprietary SACD format provides multichannel and/or stereo sound, often presented in a dual-layer format compatible with both standard CD players (at standard resolution) and SACD-equipped players like the DVD-HD841 (for full-resolution playback).
As an antipiracy measure, the DVD-HD841 performs its own decoding of both DVD-Audio and SACD signals, passing high-resolution analog, not digital, audio to your integrated amplifier or surround receiver. This means you'll need an audio/video receiver with multichannel analog-audio inputs to appreciate multichannel DVD-A and SACD releases.
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| Enjoy peerless multichannel, surround-sound audio from DVD-Audio and SACD media. |
A set of stereo and a set of multichannel analog-audio outputs route audio from DVD-A/SACD media as well as from Dolby Digital- and DTS-encoded DVDs to your AV receiver. If you're not planning to use the DVD-A/SACD capability for multichannel programming, both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for simpler connection with your receiver.
Another handy feature is the player's EZ View letterbox eliminator, which lets you enjoy full-screen pictures on 4:3 aspect-ratio TVs--even when you're watching widescreen DVDs. Composite- and S-video outputs bring compatibility with nearly any television.
What's in the Box
DVD player, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, DVI digital video interconnect, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, and warranty information.
1 DVD-HD841
Forget DVI. RGB output gives you a stuning picture. Period. Like some of the other post,I got this player to watch movies.The remote although a little tight on the beam works fine.I like an other post have 5 Dvd players none of them matched output inPRO scan or audio output.I even use DVD-Audio using the multi chan outputs "Outstanding warm well seperated sound.In fact got a JVC DVD-Audio disk free with purchase. Easy setup on all functions. But I suppose you could buy something else if you are not satisfied with this unit
2 Problems- yes. Worth it? that depends
I just want to confirm some of the issues I've read here and offer my own 2 cents, after hooking this unit up yesterday.
1- Lack of detail in blacks is definitely a problem when connecting DVI, at least on my new 30" Sceptre LCD TV (granted it's a pretty "cheap" TV). Using RGB (aka component) instead makes movies look stunning. I don't have any other DVD players to compare against, but I couldn't be more pleased with the picture.
2- I had no issues with getting any of the connections to display properly. I followed the samsung.com instructions and updated the firmware just for the heck of it, but I don't think I needed to(?)
3- It comes with a built-in dolby decoder, which in my case is a big plus. I am able to use some very inexpensive Logitech 5.1 speakers that _don't_ have a decoder, and get great surround sound (requires several little inexpesive cable adapters) without a receiver.
So, to those that say "since the DVI sucks, you might as well get a standard progressive DVD player," I say consider the decoder, the excellent component connection quality, and the fact that this player can be had for an incredible price (sorry Amazon- I buy most of my stuff from you guys, but not this time). For overall value, I'm giving it 4 stars. If I were really dead-set on using the DVI connection, I'd have to give it no stars.
3 What do you expect it to do?
This is a DVD player, and while some may have let you turn off the power and then resume where you left off, or skipping through the FBI warnings really has nothing to do with the quality or performance of the player. All these negative reviews because of a missing feature are unfair to the product. You want more bells and whistles go buy them. If you want an excellent picture at a great price, get this player. It is a matter of priorities and the rating of the product should be hurt because you put more weight on a menu feature than on the picture. We buy DVD's and HD t.v. because we like the picture. That is the first function of this device, and it does it quite well for the money!
4 where to begin...
This is a frustrating piece of gear. Setting up DVI is not a problem as other reviewers have noted, however. It *is* documented in the manual (on the bottom of the "choosing a connection" pages). Samsung is also now including a large card that describes how to set up DVI.
That's the end of the good news. The remote is as unresponsive as everyone has said it is. Virtually unusable. Even if you can adjust to pointing the remote in a magic direction (directly level at the player, straight up off the ceiling, and off the wall opposite worked for me, but 20 degrees off horizontal pointing right at the thing did not), the machine responds slowly to track changes, does not respond to every key press, does not give on-screen indication of what chapter it's thinking about selecting, etc. All scan modes in reverse are choppy at best, and once it is moving in reverse it's impossible to resume play at a predictable time, and only slightly better behaved scanning forward. You *will* over-shoot your target. Step mode does not operate in reverse at all. Turn the jog/shuttle wheel backward and you'll get a circle-slash icon.
I never did figure out how to change chapters with the number buttons, short of going into chapter mode using the display function. To do that, press the info button, press the down arrow, press enter. *Then* you can select a chapter. Simply pressing the '5' button while you are whatching chapter 12 will not switch to chapter 5. It will instead give you the circle-slash icon, indicating you tried to do something not allowed. Not allowed to change chapters with fewer than five button presses, apparently.
I bought this player to use with the DVI connector in progressive scan mode using upconversion, thinking this would give me a better picture than my cheap non-progressive Sony. It doesn't. In fact, the Samsung looks better in interlaced mode than it does in progressive scan mode. It does fine with anamorphic mode wide-screen movies, and with standard 4:3 content, but looks no better in progressive than in non-progressive. Perhaps this is because my TV de-interlace just works really well, but I thought this would work better with the DVI connector. It doesn't. And if you want to use one of the zoom modes to view non-anamorphic widescreen content on a widescreen TV, it looks *worse* in progressive than in non-progressive mode. In all modes but vertical fill (standard 4:3) it looks out-of-focus.
Some discs will not let you skip FBI warnings, logo screens, etc, but some will. On the Samsung, some discs that seem to allow skipping these things (you don't get a circle-slash icon) it simply does not respond to track changes. For example, the ST: First Contact disc will not let me skip the copyright warnings, not even the French ones that I can't read. On the Sony I get a "not allowed" message and on the Samsung I get a circle-slash icon. Okay, but on a Buffy disc in the Sony I'm able to skip through all the introductory nonsense, while on the Samsung I don't get the circle-slash, but it also ignores the track skip button. It says it's skipping but doesn't. So the disc seems to allow it but the Samsung doesn't do it. Pretty annoying.
5 Excellent Performance
Yes, the set-up is a little tricky but it is well worthed. I first did the firmware upgrade going to Samsung website support which gave clear instructions that worked. This only allows the DVD player switch itself to DVI output whenever you plug the DVI cord. That by itself did not allow me to watch DVDs through the DVI connection. I called the support phone # which came with the product. The first tech I spoke quickly connected me to a "product specialist" who was very knowledgeable, kind and helpful. Merely by entering a code through the remote, my HDTV (another Samsung) was able to show DVDs at 720p! And, boy, what a difference! I feel like every penny I paid was worthed. Sound is great, through a coaxial connection to my home theater system, as well. I am very happy with the product.
6 Some good, more bad
I hook this up to a 44-inch LCOS set via the DVI cable. Good picture but it was very dark (was correctable with adjustments to the TV). Remote is horrendous and this is a real showstopper for me.
7 Price was right, but Samsung was wrong
At $149, Samsung 841 with its features were hard to pass up. Just like everyone else, I found setup to be terrible. Had to call support as well.
I also found remote to be awful, where you have to be within 5 feet and at line of sight to player.
At $149 with included DVI cable, however, I would rate a 4 and be happy.
But..
Showstoppers for me:
* When Unit is turned off, player does not resume--it starts DVD over. I called Samsung and was told this is due to meeting specs related to power. My wife was not happy that new system was worse than old Pioneer that can resume. Manual is vague, saying it can resume when you press stop once.
* Time Remaining. This is a real pain. You can't see how much time remains on the DVD. It only shows elapsed time, which is worthless when seeing if the kids can continue to watch a movie before bed or stop and continue later. Oh yeah, then I'm back to my first issue, where the DVD starts over! We have to right down what chapter we're on. Unacceptable, compared to other players.
I'm returning Samsung 841 for Denon 1910. Will need to buy pricey DVI cable, too. But it's the classic get what you pay for syndrome.
8 Made a Cheap LCD Spectacular!!!!!
I recently purchased an Olevia Syntax 27" LCD TV/Monitor. DVD playback on component input was marginal at best. I thought I give this Samsung DVD player a try because of its DVI interface and because I got it really cheap from our local Circuit City. This player improve the quality of the picture from my DVD's SIGNIFICANTLY. I have not had all the problems other have experienced here. Just use the quick setup insert. I had this thing setup and running in 5 minutes. Also, the picture from the component inputs were better than any other player I have and I have 5 of them. First thing I noticed was that the blacks actually looked blacker. Fantastic! Remote is easy to use and the unit looks sleek and minimalist. This was a good first Samsung buying experience...Now let's just see how long it continues to operate.
9 twice the price half the player
i don't rate many products but this needs to be said.
the setup on this dvd player is stupid. i've had to call into tech support three times to resolve issues. worse, the tech agent himself told me how stupid the setup is and that they should atleast put the instructions in the manual.
beyond that the remote is a horrid. i've only had one other dvd player and perhaps i'm spoiled, but this remote doesn't work unless pointed directly at the dvd player at the exact height. again, maybe i'm spoiled but my last remote could be bounced off almost any wall in the house. on one of my 3 calls the "tech" told me to buy better batteries which ofcourse didn't help at all. the only reason i gave this thing 2 stars is because i have noticed a better picture with SOME, but not all dvds. Samsung best get their act together because this is the second bad product i've owned with their name on it.
10 Geat DVD player for the price
I have had this DVD Player for several weeks now and only had one major problem; that was the setup issue that several have had. However, I was aware of this problem and knew how to solve it. But, it should be noted that Samsung has a firmware updated available that solves this problem. I am guess that Samsung will have this firmware updated preinstalled in the near future.
I rent movies from Netflix, the 5 at a time plan, so I watch a lot of DVD's maybe too many. I have not had any problems with a DVD skipping. In fact, I haven't had any problems at all with the playback of DVD's. The sound is great and the picture is perfect displaying the finest detail and the full range of colors. I am using the DVI output set at 1080i. I only wish that I could get the picture to look half as good when watching standard definition TV stations. I have spent hours finessing the color of standard definition (S-Video) and only a few minutes adjusting the DVI settings.
The only gripes that I have are with the remote. You do have to point the remote almost directly at the DVD player for it to receive the RF signal. And the buttons on the remote are somewhat close together making it difficult to press the correct button sometimes.
I am giving this item 4 stars because of the remote control issues. Other that these two issues with the remote, I have had no problems with this DVD player. And the price of this DVD player when compared to the others with the same features almost overcomes these minor problems.
11 Has a low Amazon Customer Average Rating for a reason
Another reviewer here mentioned a problem with discs skipping with this player. This is a problem Samsung has been having with their players FOR A LONG TIME and apparently have still not fixed. I actually have an earlier model Samsung DVD player (from 1999 or 2000), and it, along with other Samsung models at the time, had a horrible skipping problem on many DVDs. About HALF OF ALL DVDs I PLAYED ON IT SKIPPED. Samsung's support was almost non-existant -- I found out there was a firmware upgrade for the player, but not through their website (where I couldn't find any help whatsoever), but through a friend with the same problem. HOWEVER, the firmware upgrade did not resolve the problem, and the last I heard, there was a class action suit filed here in Pennsylvania (which I received an invitiation to be a part of, but could not participate in, I think because I no longer had the receipt). Considering their lackluster customer support, I would advise anyone against buying any DVD player from this company. Players are much cheaper nowadays anyway, and you can get an excellent Sony or Toshiba for a modest price.
12 Some thoughts in defense of the player...
This is from my own experience with the player as I have had it for about 8 months now. I have only used it to watch DVDs and have not used the DVD-A features. I have it connected with both component and DVI cables to my Hitach 57" RP HDTV model 57G700 and do not use the optical out.
I purchased this DVD player for 3 main reasons:
1.) My Panasonic S35 crapped out after 4 months
2.) It was the only player in this price range that had 1080i and 720p outputs that I could find as the HD-941 with DCDi is apparently not coming out.
3.) I did not want to spend 1000~2000 on the denon players that I really wanted and figured this would be an okay holdover.
When I initially setup the player I was able to get the DVI connection to work fine following the instructions in the manual and did not have the reported problems of the player losing the settings but this may have something to do with the fact that I have the components and DVI connected all the time, I am not sure. In the 8 months that I have used it (and I watch DVDs on this pratically everyday) I have had to redo the DVI settings twice probably from the issue that everyone else is reporting.
There is a noticeable difference in the 480p, 720p and 1080i modes that I can see especially in certain DVDs on my setup but since this is the first time I have seen 720p and 1080i pushed across on my TV I have nothing else to compare it to so I cannot comment on the quality of the upconversion. I did notice that TV quality DVDs ie, friends and X-files look best in 480p mode whereas movies with a a lot of motion look best in 720p ie, Superbit Spiderman 2 and LOTR:ROTK. All modes show a definite increate in quality over my last DVD player but again that was a Panny S35 which is not that great and only did 480p.
According to the DVD Shootout guide the player appears to have better picture quality through the components as opposed to the DVI but I have not tested this extensively yet.
The remote does have a finicky angle but once you get used to it it works fine and the jog dial works especially well for stepping.
After reading about the problems people are having I am wondering if cetain features were broken in a later firmware release? How do we check for the firmware versions on the player?
Overall I an satisfied with the player as it is much better then my previous one that suffered from disc read errors and stalls all the time whereas the samsung has gone through so many DVDs without a single read hitch. I am about to test the player with a full 5.1 sound system so I will comment again when I test with the sound features.
Would I pay 200 bucks for this again? No,not really but with a limited selection this player suits my needs for now.
UPDATE:
I hooked up a set of Logitech Z5500 to the player to test DTS sound. DVD-A and SACD discs. One thing I immediately noticed was that there was skipping during the dts playback as noted by Psymon JC in a an earlier review. This was easily remedied by turning off the PCM downsampling option. This sends the audio data at 96KHz instead of the default48KHz which seems to cause skipping in the tracks. Doind this easily eliminated the skipping, so if your Dolby decoder can accept 96KHz make sure to turn this option off.
I am purchasing some DVD-A and SACD units to test.
13 Component Colors Dead
On arrival, this thing only put out red signals. Only has a DVI output, not HDMI. BUYER BEWARE!
14 There is a reason why this unit is so cheap!
I recently purchased the Samsung 841 for the price and for the fact it was one of the few DVI dvd players out that was under $200. Needless to say I will be returning it today. Unfortunately I read the feedback forums on this model after buying, and if I had read before purchasing, I would have never got this model. Here are the issues (some are already known):
1) Manual is horribly lacking - in order to configure the PSCAN - DVI feature, you have to hook up either component, s-video or composite connection first in order to even get to the dvd setup menu to choose this option
2) DVI hookup never did work - I have a 42" Sony PFM42V1S plasma that I was able to get the component working to change the dvd setup menu, however the DVI output would never sync at any resolution. All I kept getting is a solid blue blinking screen (this after using Vid Sel and DVI sel on remote). I tried both HDCP and non-HDCP disks to eliminate the possibility that my tv may have the issue - same results.
3) DVD's skip - I tried this with several dvd's that I know play fine ( I also own a Sony DAV-FC8 home theatre) and each one skips periodically through out. I have read previous forum reviews on this model and this is a known problem.
NOTE: Samsung has issued a firmware upgrade for the 841 model that will auto-detect DVI input. I applied the firmware upgrade (which was very simple) but it made no difference.
As far as looks go for this model, it is very appealing, smooth lines, not alot of clutter and I love the silver finish, however the thing simply just doesn't work. The picture with RGB component cables is satisfactory, but I get better quality picture thru my digital cable box on HD channels. The skipping of dvd's is unacceptable, and the only reason I bought it was for the DVI output, however since that doesn't even work properly, this unit is going back.
15 Samsung DVD-HD841 = So Bad
I very rarely write a negative review, but this player is so bad, I felt compelled to write this. I just don't want anyone else to waste their money on this unit like I did.
I have 4 DVD players (accumulated over several years) in addition to the Samsung DVD-HD841: a Sony DVP-NS700 (old, but great progressive scan), Pioneer DVD-563A (universal SACD/DVD-A, prog. scan), and the Toshiba SD-5970 (HDMI, 720P/1080i upconversion), an XBox with the DVD dongle (480i only).
I'm not joking when I say the Samsung is by far the worst player (in every way) that I have ever owned. Here's why:
1. DVI output (any resolution) is terrible. No shadow detail regardless of the brightness setting on my high-def front projector (projecting onto 92" screen). Horribly soft picture which results in very little detail, like looking at the image through a steamed up lens. The DVI output is actually the worst video connection on this unit, and yet most people will buy this unit (as I did) to experience the 720p/1080i upconversion. The Toshiba unit's HDMI video output is wonderful and shows how upconversion should be handled!
2. The Samsung keeps skipping audio when playing DTS soundtracks. I thought it was a dirty disc at first, but this happens with every single disc, regardless of how I clean them, and none of my other players have this issue.
3. Really bad response to the remote control, and limited angle of control. It's tough operating this player as it is slow to respond to its remote control and you really have to point it at the unit.
4. Forgettable sound quality with SACDs and DVD-As - the Pioneer is much better (and it's cheaper too!).
5. As documented by several Amazon.com reviewers (and elsewhere on the internet), the Samsung forgets its settings each time it's turned off, so you have to re-configure its DVI, Dolby and DTS settings all over again. Such a pain.
My advice to you is please do not buy this unit, and save yourself the money! If you're looking for DVI or HDMI 720p/1080i video upconversion, go with one of the other players with this feature that have great reviews (e.g. the Toshiba, Panasonic, Sony, Denon). If you're looking for a DVD player which plays SACDs and DVD-As, there are now many low-cost alternatives too.
I can't believe Samsung could release such a poor product.
16 I'm glad I bought this before...
reading some of the reviews. I bought the player from Best Buy for $199. I have it hooked to my Sony 65 inch wide screen, via a 6-ft DVI cable I purchased at the same time. For the audio I have it hooked to my Pioneer VSX D-912 with a passive subwoofer and B&W speakers.
I have to say that this is the absolute best picture I have seen in a player- and I have seen many. I am very anal when it comes to picture and audio quality, or so I'm told. I am using the 1080i setting but really do not see a difference when compared to the 740p. I do not see any problems with black colors or dark settings. I watched I Robot, The Matrix (one and two), Finding Nemo and The Manchurian Candidate. Every one of these were top-notch.
The audio is superb as well. I've played a number of cd's from country to jazz to rock and all sound great.
I can't say this looks as good as my HD picture from Brighthouse Network cable but it is phenominal. Absolutely 5 stars.
17 Up-conversion seriously flawed
I recently purchased this unit keeping in mind others' concerns with the black crush issue. For those that don't know, the DVI connection mangles dark blacks into a single color, rendering darker scenes nearly impossible to distinguish. I viewed the Return of the King when Frodo was in Shelob's lair and nothing was discernible. Even in Shrek 2, a colorful movie, the backgrounds were so dark that all you could see at some points was the characters themselves. Both movies were viewd on a Sony 42" lcd projection tv. The component outputs work fine, but you might as well by a regular progressive scan if you intend to use those. Basically, for what this player is intended to do, it fails. For a much better unit, for a cheaper price, try the Toshiba SD-5970. It upconverts through HDMI, but I bought a HDMI-DVI converter for $30, it works great, and it's still cheaper than the Samsung 841. Take the advice of others listed here as well and stay away from the 841.
18 DVI not all it's cracked up to be
Don't buy this player just because of the DVI. When you use the DVI, the Samsung doesn't render all gradations of black. You can clearly see this in the THX contrast test or by noting how dark the interiors are on the first few minutes of Star Wars Episode IV. Sound & Vision magazine noted it too (January issue). It's a critical flaw, very noticeable, and for me renders DVI unwatchable. That said, the component video output delivers a good picture and I'm happy with the sound, but don't be like me and buy this player because you wanted to check out DVI.
19 A really good DVD for the $...why the negative reveiws?
I honestly do not understand the negative reviews of Gagetster & Savartstik unless there is a little (at least in the case of Gadgetser) anti-Korean bias here. I have now bought 3 of this units, the first for work, in which we used it for a professionally conducted focus group comparing 40+" LCD, DLP & PDP under a variety of source material. I thought the frequency doubled HD841's signal compared well with professional digital 1/2" HD videotape. I subsequently bought with my own money two more HD841's, one now hooked up to a 50" CRT projection, the other for my new 32" Aquos LCD. Both look wonderful. My only beef is that it still is tricky to get it set-up for DVI output, you have to hook up component video as well to run the set-up program. One say I can say about Samsung is they make great products (and no they do not just copy other people's) but lousy manuals. They added an insert page for DVI set-up...follow these instructions exactly. The other thing is it's slick monolithic brushed chrome design makes it a perfect heat reflector. Do not put it on top of other components...I almost cooked my cable company HD-DVR.
20 A player that manages to make your DVDs worse
Samsung has made a name for themselves by mass-copying other people's ideas and selling them at deep discounts. Unfortunately most of their efforts come up half-empty -- but their wares are cheap enough (and stylish enough in some cases) to fool many low-end consumers. The DVD-HD841 is one such example.
If you search on teh web, you'll see this player got very low ratings from professional reviewers (e.g., New York Times). My own testing confirmed the negative reviews: surprisingly, instead of "upconverting" your DVDs, this player can make your DVD image quality go down when you hook it up (via DVI) to an HDTV monitor. Picture output from the DVD-HD841 tends to be dark and the details tend to be muddy. Also, red is over-emphasized and leads to bleeding in many cases, especially if you have a "low-quality" DVD movie where the producers did a poor job of transfering film to DVD. If you try the same discs on the superb Panasonic DVD-S97 (a DVD freak's dream machine in terms of quality), you can see the HUGE differene in video quality. The Samsung is just a POS in terms of image quality, period. In fairness, it's probably as good as your $20 Apex or Norcent DVD player, but the latter players cost less than 1/10 of this one, not counting the price of the DVI cable.
If you want a real, high-quality upconverting DVD player, steer clear of this poor choice. Consider the Panasonic or, like an earlier reviewer recommended, the Toshiba, which is very good and cheaper, too. I also liked the Denon 1910 (and its Denon 755S twin) which is also much better and somewhat cheaper.
Feel free to e-mail me with any DVD player or HDTV questions.
21 Gotta Use DVI or Don't Bother....
Reading some of these reviews is kinda funny, folks want perfection for $180. It's not going to happen. The Remote is poorly thought out, true.
But otherwise, this thing is flawless so far, plays everything I feed it, has a simple clean face, and the quality of the image through the DVI cable into my 50" DLP is amazing. Sharp, Bright and clean. Monsters Ink looks sweet.
So try it for yourself, figure out how to hook it up properly NOT ALL THAT HARD, and I think you will be pleased. If your just after a Progressive scan DVD player with Componant outputs or S-video, there are prolly better options. But for those with a DVI Connection, you gotta try it...
22 Not ready for prime time.
I was initially drawn to this player because of the sleek design and the upconversion functionality, and i decided to buy it because it plays DVD-Audio as well as SACD. I've owned this unit for about 3 or 4 months now, and i'm not entirely thrilled about it.
For the first months, i used it mainly as a SACD player, and it did an OK job. The sound really was no more lively than a standard CD, and it didn't have the same OOMPH as my DVD-A player. I figured it was a difference of the individual recording, until i played the same DVD-A titles. For some reason, the multi-channel outputs aren't as "hot" as my other DVD player, and the sound was the same as the SACD playback - pretty thin. Obviously there's going to be a difference between this and a player with Burr-Brown processing, but i didn't think it would make THAT much of a difference. It does.
So, a month ago, my primary DVD player decides to die on me and i have to use this as my main DVD player. Well, to be honest with you, if i had watched DVDs on this the first day, i would have returned it and saved my money for something with Faroudja. One very annoying issue i have with the DVD-A playback is that there's a colored bar that blocks out the upper portion of the screen on my Porcupine Tree and Beck discs - something that wasn't there on the other player and is really irritating me because it's blocking out the menu on the Porcupine Tree disc.
THIS PLAYER HATES DVDS.
It's incredibly annoying to be watching a movie, and then have the screen to freeze for a second in two-minute intervals. This happens on a hundred percent of my movies, new, used, rented or whatever. Also, as other people have noted, the upconversion is fairly useless. I can see no difference in all the DVI modes compared to component output on my 61" DLP. I really WANTED to, but i can't say there's anything remarkably different. The picture quality IS different compared to my other unit, considering that my other unit is a standard progressive scan with Faroudja and clearly outperforms this unit in all the DVI modes.
Granted, this player will play almost anything you put in the tray, in fact, it will even play .avi files and show you the folders of the disc you burned. This player will play everything except DVDs.
I can't recommend this player, as any functions that justify its price point are either mediocre compared to a more conventional setup, or are just plain poor.
23 DON'T BUY THIS. GO WITH THE TOSHIBA.
I'm 35 and reasonably electronic literate. I bought this piece of [...] at Best Buy and in short I packed it up and took it back the very next day. The only other dvd player with HD capablities at Best Buy was the Toshiba SD-5970 and the sales floor rep actually told me to go with the Samsung. I couldn't have been more dissapointed with anything I've ever bought electronics wise and it's even more expensive than it's Toshiba counterpart believe it or not. To sum it up I bought this player obviously for it's HD upgrade capabilities. I wanted my dvd's obviously to be viewed in their optimum picture quality and thankfully I did get just that, once I switched out my Samsung for the Toshiba after a trip back to Best Buy that is. The Samsung's picture actually was barely an improvement on the Progressive scan Sony that I already have and for me that was enough. The Toshiba not only didn't have the screen flicker that the Samsung revealed but it has a near true HD signal and the clearness in picture compared to the Samsung is like night and day. Great picture, crisp and clear and truly HD like and it's DTS compatible as well. If you're a fan of the fact that the Samsung can play SACD's then don't let the only difference between these two sucker you into buy it like it did me along with the bad advice I received from the Best Buy representative also. If you're like me and are all about optimum picture quality do yourself a huge favor and do not buy this product. Save a few dollars and get the near true HD picture that you and your HDTV deserve and go with the Toshiba. The difference was huge and don't let their prices fool you either as the Samsung is actually the more expensive of the two. Bottom line; If you care about picture quality and are picky about this sort of thing and want your dvd's to look the very best they possibly can on your HDTV then buy the Toshiba. Enough said.
24 Entry-level upconversion player
I bought this yesterday and connected to my new HDTV. The installation was quite challenging as the picture never came. The audio was fine. After reading Amazon reviews, I realized that I need to connect my component cables first and make sure that the picture comes properly, change the setting to 720p AND THEN connect DVI cable to TV. This is an undocumented setup procedure.
Besides that glitch, I did not face any issue while playing the movie. The remote that comes along has very poor signal strenght. Even from the couch opposite to the TV, it did not work.
REgarding the picture quality in 1080i or 720p, I couldnt tell a difference to appreciate the HDTV signal. I dont know if there is an easier and simpler way to see if the upconversion is working fine.
I originally considered two more DVD players - Dennon and Philips. I dropped the first one due to the price factor. I rated Philips and this one the same.
I am not very happy about this product, although I have not seen any issues with this yet. I am not sure if I am going to keep this product with me.
Mahesh
25 A real Dog
Skip-Stall-Skip-Stall-Skip-Stall after trying two units with my optical audio and DVI cables connected, this second unit is going back to the store. Stereo sound only - multi-channel surround sound a no go!! Can you believe it? A very frustrating and disappointing DVD player. Everything the other reviewers have said about this unit's problems is true - buy something else-I am.
26 Please don not buy this product...
I had given 2 star because it works fine with Progessive scan (420P), I have JVC Progressive(bouught for $89.00) scan DVD player and compared picture quality with ths DVD player using DVI input in Hitachi Plasama tv, but surprise not at all found any difference. The only is TV signal shows 1080i, But you can not get the quality the one which you get it from HD cable Telivision (HD Discovery or HD Hbo).They are really 1080i resolution.
I am going to return this DVD player today and happy with my JVC DVD Player.
Please away from this product better use low cost Progressive scan.
27 Nice Unit
Giving in to the concept of convergence, I decided to retire my my beloved Adcom CD player (my one and only) for a DVD player (my first) which could perform double duty. After over-shopping the market I settled on this unit based on styling, output options, and reputation.
I found the video quality perfect through my Sony XBR using component connections. Controls are slow and clunky, especially using the unit's remote. So far it's been able to read, and play every disc I've thrown at it.
But, the sound. I realize not every user is going to use this (or any other) DVD player in an audiophile capacity, but I really thought technical advances would have brought this $200 DVD player equal, or past, the sound quality of my sixteen year old CD player. Not. The tonal balance of the Samsung is okay, but it's output projects very little image, and zero soundstage. With time my dissapointment was so great that I needed to remove sharp objects from the listening area.
Relief came in the form of a California Audio Labs Alpha DAC attained through eBay (when in doubt spend more money). Connecting the Samsung's digital coaxial output via a low-end Kimber Kable, suddenly the world was, again, a beautiful place.
Not to get all two channel on ya, but audio wise, if you strive for more than car chases and explosions, you might consider alternatives to this unit's lack luster DACs.
28 Had to watch Green Movies
We were not pleased with this machine. Colors were off. Anytime there was black (night scenes, black suits, black hair, etc.) the picture either disappeared into the background or all black areas were bright green. We don't have that problem with cable shows or videos - only on this DVD player. We tried to work with the settings, but it was only a choice of bad or worse. We called the manufacturer who said the machine needed to be serviced. We took the machine back to the store and exchanged for a new one, but we had the same problem. We are exchanging for a Toshiba player today.
29 I GAVE THIS PIECE OF TRASH 1 STAR--NO CHOICE FOR ZERO
Samsung's R&D dept needs to be fired--if using HDMI connection, you have to hook up the standard cables first, run set up on the 841 to set the video output default to HDMI, and then (on the Sony HD XBR960)switch to a different video channel to choose "yes" on the 841's set up, because now, you've switched video outputs, then it doesn't even have a cable to hook to the HDMI input on the TV; you have to buy a DVI to HDMI conversion cable (which doesn't come with it) and the cheapest one on the market is about $120! The Samsung has an extremely unresponsive, ugly remote--sometimes even the buttons on teh unit itself don't respond--grainy picture laden with artifacts, very poor upconversion quality (compared w/ it's equal the Toshiba S5970), and extremely poor audio processors--both the Dolby Digital and DTS decoders are TERRIBLE sounding (poor treble and muddled mid-tones), even when run through my Harman Kardon 630 receiver. If you don't need the upconversion and want beautiful sound and color/picture, whether or not you want the ability to play SACD's or HDCD's, get the Harman Kardon DVD31--just released last month--or if you want the upconversion, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Toshiba S 5970--it even comes with the $100 HDMI cable and is cheaper than the Samsung 841 at most stores (i.e. Circuit City and BestBuy). And contrary to popular belief, with the Toshiba you can notice a world of difference between the 480p, 720p, and 1080i on a non-LCD or non-plasma tele, as long as it's HD compatible. DO NOT BUY THIS PLAYER--BUY THE TOSH 5970!!!
30 Stunning Picture
While it took me a few attempts to get the whole video configuration set up properly to use the DVI cable, the results are well worth it! In the package, I found a special page of instructions on how to hook up to DVI-capable televisions, which helped a lot. Another hint for Sony LCD/DLP Projection TV owners: The DVI signal came through on "Video 7" channel for me. Once I found that detail out, the rest was a snap.
Once it was all hooked up, the first movie we watched was Shrek 2. The picture was what I'd hoped for from an HD system, with details showing that a VCR could never imagine, and few DVD players could replicate. I finally feel like my Sony LCD TV was worth the extra money for high definition!
The remote is overly busy and will take some getting used to. But, now that we've got the Samsung DVD player configured, all we really need to do is slip in a disk and press play!
31 If it worked...
I would have given it 5 stars. The sound was some of the best sound I have heard from a DVD player. The Picture was brighter and clearer. It was not true HD, but the nest that we can have until it comes. That is why I would not recomend spending more than $300 on one of these HD-DVD players.
The problem was that it was not compatible with my HDCP compliant TV (JVC 34" HDTV). I would have to hope that it worked. I would have to keep plugging and unplugging the DVI cable in order for the picture to come on. The same thing after deparately trying to test three of them.
I am STILL waiting on the elusive Panasonic DVD-S97S. What's up with that one? I am a second away from just not waiting anymore and going with a Denon.
32 Don't get one of these
I was so excited to get my Samsung HLN507W 50" DLP and the Samsung DVD-HD841. Now that I have had them for a week, I could not be more disappointed. I will start with the good things. The picture. The picture is incredible. I am using the DVI video and optical audio interface for the DVD player and component video/optical audio for the HD Digital Cable. Both look stunning. I do get surround sound from the DVD player with the optical cable. So much for the good stuff.
The audio and picture are not in sync on most of the regular cable channels when listening to the TV speakers. The HD channels seem to be OK. Most of the time. I called Samsung the first day I had the TV and they told me it was a known problem with this model and when can they send someone out to fix it. The local repair guy said the "lip sync kit" (on backorder) has not corrected the problem on other units he has worked on. Even the DVD audio is not quite in sync on the TV speakers.
It was very difficult to get the DVD - DVI picture on the screen. You have to connect the component cables and go through the menu to change to the DVD output, and then complete the process on the DVI output. That took a while to figure out.
The DVD player freezes, then continues, freezes, then continues, freezes, then continues, freezes, then continues, many times on DVD's that play fine on my older players. It is going back tomorrow.
I guess they haven't quite figured out all this new technology. I really hope someone out there is having better luck than me.
I returned the DVD player to Circuit City and got an identical unit. It seems to be working fine.
33 Doesn't meet the hype
You must be joking. I hooked this product up to my Sony 50" Grand WEGA LCD HDTV and the picture quality was mediocre at best. Use of the DVI connection results in the infamous "black crush" problem where black is just too black -- anything with any black around it is rendered black as well. So bad as to be unwatchable. When I switched to using the component inputs instead, it plays only at 480p, and this was only marginal.
My Pioneer Elite DV-37 has a *much* better picture than this Samsung, even at 480p. I know I shouldn't have expected the $199 Samsung to compete with my $1000 Pioneer DV-37, but Samsung has really hyped this player beyond reality.
This was my most disappointing electronics purchase of 2004 thus far.
Kevin
34 Great player for the money - excellent 5.1 music
I bought this unit for it's DVD-A surround capability (as well as SACD) and upon hooking it up and comparing it's sound to my previous Sony unit (older model) that played SACD's, I was quite surprised at the improvement in sound. Only problem I've ran into with this player is playing regular CD's - after I've played surround discs and then I put in a conventional compact disc, there is a terrible distorted sound. I then stop the player and press play again and the distortion is gone. Not a big issue since I've got other CD players around and I bought this for movies and high resolution discs anyway. The couple of people who said that this player doesn't play DVD-A's or SACD's in 5.1 are wrong - it plays them in full surround and plays them wonderfully.
35 what a difference!
I own a Panasonic HD 57in wide screen. I bought the samsung HD-841 from circuit city and have been watching DVDs like a mad man ever since. The picture quality is about 30% better from my non-progressive scan DVD player that I owned prior. The only complaints I have about this player, is you have to aim the remote right at it for it to work and the >> and << work kind of out of control.(it might just be me) I can't believe I have gone so long without this DVD player! Buy one, it's totally worth it!
36 Decent Player
For those that are considering buying this DVD player please understand that I believe the quality of picture you will get depends on what you are hooking the player up to. I have a Hitachi HD 50v500 widescreen LCD. This television has a processor inside that upconverts a normal analog component input (for example a 480P signal) to virtual HD. Therefore on my previous progressive scan player, the picture was pretty good. It was still not as great as a true 760 or 1080 signal, but definitely better than SD signals. This is where you need to know what is happening to a sub-HD signal inside your t.v./monitor. This DVD player upconverts the 480p signal inside and passes this signal digitally via the DVI cable. This player is basically completing the same job that the Hitachi would be doing inside the t.v., resulting in a similar picture quality, which again is good but definitely not HD. If you have a t.v./monitor which doesn't upconvert a sub-hd signal to virtual hd, then this player will noticably improve your picture quality. But what it comes down to is this, how can you create more pixels when the pixels aren't there on the DVD to begin with? There is no such thing currently in the U.S. as an HD-DVD, therefore we are stuck with a computer to approximate and fill in more pixels.
Bottom line, check with the manufacturer of your t.v./monitor to see what it is doing with a sub-hd signal before investing in this player. For me a progressive scan player will suffice until the HD-DVD's come out.
37 It DOES do multichannel audio
Just FYI for fellow readers, the SACD/DVD-A multichannel audio is provided through its analog outputs - it will only do stereo through its digital outputs. Therefore it does do multichannel audio, just not through the digital outputs.
38 Good Stuff here
I got this Samsung mainly for DVD-Audio and SACD and it sounds very good playing through my Yamaha HTR-5650. I have only one DVD-A "Buena Vista Social Club" thus I've listened to it many times in stereo, but it was just jaw dropping in surround.
I watched two seasons of Futurama and it looked very good no artifacts or nothin, maybe a little slow between menus maybe. But without any picture controls it looked too dark compared to my Panasonic which did have them. My aging RCA's tube is dying but hopefully that's where the DVI comes in. :)
The front panel looks cool and simplistic which I like a lot. But a black version would have looks as good. Black body with red power button and orange lettering would match my receiver but oh well.
39 Great player but a word of warning
I really liked this player, I wanted the DVI to HDMI to go with my new Sony TV but after some real hair pulling investigation I spoke with tech support for both companies.
It turns out that for some reason the TV that I chose does not see the audio input from the DVD player when the HDMI input is used (video 7).
I am not sure if the triggering mechanism is not sensitive enough, if the audio output from the player is not strong enough or if the TV just wasn't designed right to work with this sort of interface.
I did a lot of research and Sony even called me back twice to thank me for helping them figure out what was going on.
I know there is at least one poor other guy who went through the same thing I did out there.
I took the player back because I really want the 1080i on the HDMI input but there are no other reasonably priced players on the market that will do it.
I already have my eye on the 941 because it will have the HDMI to HDMI interface my TV needs which I believe will include digital audio to the set and hopefully a nice output for my surround as well.
All in all I really liked the 841 player but be sure not to get the Sony WEGA FD Trinitron 32" flat screen HD ready television.
Everything will work beautifully but you will have no sound with the DVI to HDMI Video 7 input.
I am sure it's a set specific problem so don't shy away from either piece of equipment, just don't buy them together.
I love the set too!
40 Very Good
I' m a little confused. I have this unit and I have no problem getting multi channel output on DVD-Audio. I am using a Denon 3803 receiver with the 5.1 analog inputs for DVD-Audio & SACD. It sounds very good! On the previous comments regarding the audio, I would check your receiver settings as well as the Discs that you are using, and the player itself. Because it works, unless you have a defective unit.
As far as picture goes, it is excellent especially in 1080i on my HD ready TV through the DVI output. Looks better than my previous Denon or Onkyo DVD players. Makes sure you adjust your TV's picture. I recommend using an "AVIA" calibration DVD.
41 Doesn't do Surround Sound for DVD-A and SACD
Got this unit hoping to upgrade from a Pioneer universal player. I couldn't believe it when I found out that it didn't do multi-channel out in surround sound. So, you can only listen to DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD's in stereo, which is just a waste, in my opinion. What's just as confusing is that the unit actually has the analog output for surround. Why it has it when it doesn't use it is beyond me. As far as picture goes, it's great. But when you're looking for a player to play high-end audio at a low price, you're better off with going with the Pioneer DV-578A. This unit does analog surround and costs less than this Samsung.
42 Excellent picture, but it freezes and skips.
I bought this player to be able to see DVDs upgraded to HDTV resolutions on a DLP projector, but the 720p-1080i resolutions are only output via DVI, and my projector only has analog inputs, so the HD upgrade would not work for me. Still, the 480p output via composite produced an excellent picture, but unfortunately the player would freeze and skip from time to time, even on brand new DVDs, so I had to return it. After doing some research on the internet, I found that others have also experienced freezing and skipping problems with Samsung DVD players, so rather than exchanging it for another Samsung that might do the same thing, I got a Sony instead--so far it plays smoothly and flawlessly, with an equally excellent picture. Sound quality on the Samsung was excellent. The remote was rather complicated and not really very responsive.
43 Great Improvement to DVDs
I hooked up my regular Toshiba dvd player to my new HDtv and thought something was wrong, until I discovered that DVD's just aren't that sharp on a big screen. Well, I ran out and picked up this model, and with the 1080i up-conversion I couldn't be happier! The image is SO much sharper. I can't imagine watching a DVD on a HDtv without it.
44 Plays Multichannel SACDs and DVD-audio as stereo only
I just got my HD841 and hooked it up to play some multichannel SACDs and DVD-audio through my 5740 Yamaha amplifier which accepts 5.1 multichannel audio input. Audio only came out of my two front speakers and the HD841 setup menu showed "2 CH" which means only two of the multichannels were being played--stereo. The manual states you can use the left or right arrows on the remote to change the audio output from stereo (2 CH) to Multichannel, but this did not work. The HD841 remained locked in the 2 CH mode. At this point I called the tech represenative at Samsung and was shocked to learn that the HD841 was designed to only play SACDs and DVD-audio in 2 channel stereo. He had learned this at a technical class Samsung uses to teach the techs about the HD 841. When the instructor told the Samsung techs that it would only play multichannel audio in a 2 channel mode, many of them said, "why did they make an SACD player that can only play 2 channel, doesn't that defeat the purpose for even buying this Samsung SACD player?" The Samsung tech also said that Samsung had no plans to have upgraded firmware for the HD841 that would ever allow it to play multichannel audio in any manner but stereo.
This product does have DVI and the video looks nice. I bought mine because I wanted a UNIVERSAL Player so I could enjoy multichannel audio and this player can not do as advertised. I am going to return it and buy a Pioneer which can play multichannel audio.
45 Great Player but No HDMI
I find this to be an excellent DVD player. I almost waited for the hd-941 for HDMI and the DCDi, but I decided it would be redundant as DCDi is built into my DLP. Also the audio features of HDMI would be useless with the 6 channel DVD audio outputs and the DVI offers equal video.
I'm not sure what artifacts Spencer is talking about in Finding Nemo; But Nemo looks incredible on this machine. There must be something wrong with his DVI input or his color settings. Nemo is over the top in detail and clarity. And animation like Shrek is out of this world.
The upconversion to HDTV 1081i makes movies like Return of the King better then the theatre, you have to see this player to believe it. I recommend going to your local video store to see it for yourself. The Picture is simply mesmerizing and the six channel audio almost makes the purchase worth wild in it self. It adds a whole new dimension the true feel of home theatre sound.
All in all a great player with easy set-up and fabulous options for the price. The only fault is no HDMI and no DCDi but that will be out in the HD-941 if you need it.
46 Great Player But No HDMI
I find this to be an excellent DVD player. I almost waited for the hd-941 for HDMI and the DCDi, but I decided it would be redundant as DCDi is built into my DLP. Also the audio features of HDMI would be useless with the 6 channel DVD audio outputs and the DVI offers equal video.
I'm not sure what artifacts Spencer is talking about in Finding Nemo; But Nemo looks incredible on this machine. There must be something wrong with his DVI input or his color settings. Nemo is over the top in detail and clarity. And animation like Shrek is out of this world.
The upconversion to HDTV 1081i makes movies like Return of the King better then the theatre, you have to see this player to believe it. I recommend going to your local video store to see it for yourself. The Picture is simply mesmerizing and the six channel audio almost makes the purchase worth wild in it self. It adds a whole new dimension the true feel of home theatre sound.
All in all a great player with easy set-up and fabulous options for the price. The only fault is no HDMI and no DCDi but that will be out in the HD-941 if you need it.
47 Dark scenes are featureless on DVI; text blurry in all modes
When connected to my HDTV via the DVI cable (on any resolution, including my TV's native 720p), this unit cannot show distinctions in dark colors. Prime example: In Finding Nemo, when Nemo is first dumped into the aquarium and hides among the plants, the hd841 shows the plants as one featureless, monochromatic, dark-gray mass (with 3 or 4 bright green spots where the light hits them). In contrast, my 4-year-old non-progressive GoVideo DVD player (connected over a plain-old video RCA cable) shows the plants as dark green with darker and ligher streaks, stripes, and other details, with subtle highlights and shadows in the dark parts of the scene.
The same problem is apparent on the THX "optimizer" tests that come on several Disney/Pixar DVDs. The "brightness" test, which is supposed to show a THX logo and drop shadow on a blackish background (surrounded by 8 or 9 boxes in various shades of gray) shows NO detail other than 3 or 4 of the gray boxes. The logo and drop shadow are both completely invisible against the background, as are most of the gray boxes. No amount of adjusting the TV (brightness, contrast, etc.) or the player (note that no black-level adjustment is even available in DVI) had any effect--the detail simply was not there.
In addition, I have concerns with the picture quality in general. While bright scenes looked generally fine, text (such as the "warning" screen at the beginning of DVDs) looks like at came from an old typewriter with a worn-out ribbon. Truly blurry and annoying. Again, a night-and-day difference compared to my old DVD player, and the problem exists regardless of output mode (DVI, component, s-video).
By the way, the black/gray problem was largely solved by using the player's component outputs, but then what's the point of paying extra money for the DVI? The black crush really makes it unacceptable. Unless someone can tell me a fix for this problem, I'll be returning the player for a "regular" DVD/SACD/DVD-Audio unit like the Pioneer 563a or 578a and saving fifty or sixty bucks.
