Considering purchasing an upconverting dvd player...

[spinksjinx]

Seen several HDTV-Upconverting dvd players...How is the quality in relation to progressive scan? Does it warrant that much respect in regards that I should put it at the top of my list or does it high depend on the dvd itself...I know my Pirates of the Carribean looks a lot better than say my Outsiders dvd....But how much of a difference are we talking about?

[Bud-man]

I concluded.................waste of money,hold off for HD dvd or Bluray

[Robonaut]

I have a Sony DVP-NS70H and, with my Pioneer Elite 1130HD, I leave the Sony in 480p mode.

I don't notice any PQ improvements with 720p or 1080i, and using one of those resolutions limits the stretch modes available on my set.

That being said, what kind of DVD player do you currently have? There was a noticeable difference in PQ going to the Sony from my Panasonic RP-91. I believe that part of this is because the Sony uses a newer and better deinterlacer. I also think that part of the improvement is from going from a component connection to HDMI.

So, if your current progressive scan player is an older model with no digital video output, then it may be worth looking at a new player for that reason. However, I wouldn't get a new player just because it upconverts.

[optivity]

Your observations make a lot of sense... so if I have a "cheap" 3-year-old Philips progressive scan DVD player with component output and I replace it with the Oppo OPDV971H which has a Mediatek MPEG decoder and a Faroudja deinterlacer/scaler... using DVI --> HDMI will I see a "significant" improvement in the picture the Oppo renders?

[spinksjinx]

I am using the Magnavox mrv640 recorder as my player also...Connected using components the quality on that is awesome I am satisfied but always looking for something better...

[Bytehoven]

The OPPO DVI output at 480p, 540p, 720p & 1080i is a significant improvement over both the Panasonic RP-91 and XP-30 via component 480i & 480p.

The main areas of improvement are reduced noise, less ringing around high contrast areas like dark letters/line on a light back ground, and an over all smoothness because there is little or no sharpness added.

May I say the RP-91 480p component is a very close 2nd when some of the sharpness and edge detail controls are used, but it has poor deinterlaing.

The OPPO is worth checking out.