I just purchased a panny plasma which should be arriving next week. I'm looking to buy a budget upconverting DVD player, since I don't want to spend the money now on a blu ray player. Does anyone have any recommendation?

I was looking into the Philips DVP5990. Any advise?

I just purchased a panny plasma which should be arriving next week. I'm looking to buy a budget upconverting DVD player, since I don't want to spend the money now on a blu ray player. Does anyone have any recommendation?

I was looking into the Philips DVP5990. Any advise?

What is your budget?

Perhaps the Toshiba XDE-500 at $150 which just came out -- pretty good reviews so far. Otherwise, if you have an old non-upscaling DVD player around, try it with the Panny and see how well the Panny itself upscales the image.

What is your budget?

I'm trying to stay under $100. It's really something temporary until I get a blu ray player in a couple of months.

Otherwise, if you have an old non-upscaling DVD player around, try it with the Panny and see how well the Panny itself upscales the image.

Didn't know the TV could upscale it. How is the quality?

I got an Oppo recently for a new Panasonic 1080p plasma and its excellent, I recommend it.

I'm trying to stay under $100. It's really something temporary until I get a blu ray player in a couple of months.



Didn't know the TV could upscale it. How is the quality?

Sorry to keep asking questions.

How many DVD's do you own?
Does your HDTV support 1080p/24fps?
If you are planning on buying a BD player anyway in a few months, why not just wait?

Honestly? I am tempted to tell you to go pick up a used (or new) Toshiba A2/A3 player off Ebay. Used ones are going for under $50 (sometimes with movies included in that price) and I have seen new ones going for $60 or so. They are pretty good upscalers, and you would be able to watch movies on HD DVD as well for cheap. I am quite happy with the upscaling of my A2 player as well as my PS3.

I'm getting a Panny 42PZ800U


How many DVD's do you own?

Not many, but I subscribe to netflix so I get lot of DVDs all the time.

Does your HDTV support 1080p/24fps?
Yeah it does.

If you are planning on buying a BD player anyway in a few months, why not just wait?
I watch movies all the time, so I wouldn't wanna wait a few months.

They are pretty good upscalers, and you would be able to watch movies on HD DVD as well for cheap. I am quite happy with the upscaling of my A2 player as well as my PS3.

How good is the upscaling with the Toshiba A2? How does it compare to the upscaling by DVD players like, let's say, the Philips DVP5960?

Thanks!

Didn't know the TV could upscale it. How is the quality?
If its a new Panny, I'd guess it might be good enough until you upgrade. The best way is just to try it -- connect your old dvd player (preferable via HDMI) and send a 480i signal to the Panny, where the Panny will then upconvert the image to its native resolution.

I'm getting a Panny 42PZ800U



Not many, but I subscribe to netflix so I get lot of DVDs all the time.


Yeah it does.


I watch movies all the time, so I wouldn't wanna wait a few months.



How good is the upscaling with the Toshiba A2? How does it compare to the upscaling by DVD players like, let's say, the Philips DVP5960?

Thanks!

Okay that helps. Since you are moving to BD soon, I would not spend too much on a DVD player as you do not own an extensive DVD collection.

I previously owned an upscaling $100 Samsung DVD player (1080p etc) and feel that the Toshiba HD-A2 was a better upscaler. From what I have read in the HD DVD forums the HD-A3 is slightly better than the A2 so you may want to go that route. If you can pick one os these up for $40-50 I really think you would be very happy with the picture. In addition, you can still rent HD DVD's (and buy them very cheap online) so there is an added bonus. I am not sure why more people looking for a good upscaling DVD player do not go this route as you are basically gettting a player that costs hundereds of dollars to manufacture for less than $50.

Let us know what you do. And I would also second HD_Lantern's recommendation of testing your current DVD player on your Panny first.

OK, thanks a lot for all your recommendations. I'm really surprised to hear that it wouldn't be much of a difference going from a normal DVD player to an upconverting one. In any case, my old DVD player is half broken so I've already decided I'm dumping it.

The HD DVD player sounds like a pretty attractive deal. I saw it online going for under $100. Since you guys say it'd upconvert as good as an upconverting player, I may as well go for it.

By the way, where do you guys rent HD DVDs?

OK, thanks a lot for all your recommendations. I'm really surprised to hear that it wouldn't be much of a difference going from a normal DVD player to an upconverting one. In any case, my old DVD player is half broken so I've already decided I'm dumping it.

The HD DVD player sounds like a pretty attractive deal. I saw it online going for under $100. Since you guys say it'd upconvert as good as an upconverting player, I may as well go for it.

By the way, where do you guys rent HD DVDs?

Netflix or Blockbuster online. I have had better luck with Blockbuster.

OK, thanks a lot for all your recommendations. I'm really surprised to hear that it wouldn't be much of a difference going from a normal DVD player to an upconverting one. In any case, my old DVD player is half broken so I've already decided I'm dumping it.

The HD DVD player sounds like a pretty attractive deal. I saw it online going for under $100. Since you guys say it'd upconvert as good as an upconverting player, I may as well go for it.

By the way, where do you guys rent HD DVDs?

if you're going this route, be aware that the 3rd generation of tosh hd dvd players (a3, a30, a35) can have more issues playing scratched hd dvds (many rental hd dvds) than the 2nd gen players (a2, a20, xa2).
try to find an a2 to get started with. they are quite reliable and robust in build. and put out a very good picture, both sd and hd dvd.

however, a 3rd gen player should do ok with just sd dvds.

I am not sure why more people looking for a good upscaling DVD player do not go this route as you are basically gettting a player that costs hundereds of dollars to manufacture for less than $50.Can't speak for other folks, but I passed on the A2 because it was extremely sluggish to operate, had a noisy/windy fan, and used more juice than a standard HDMI DVD player. The picture was a little sharper than my Sony 77H though. (There may also have been an issue with the color decoding on the A2, but I don't really have a reliable gauge for that on HDMI players. And if there was a problem, it could possibly have been fixed via firmware.)

Can't speak for other folks, but I passed on the A2 because it was extremely sluggish to operate, had a noisy/windy fan, and used more juice than a standard HDMI DVD player. The picture was a little sharper than my Sony 77H though. (There may also have been an issue with the color decoding on the A2, but I don't really have a reliable gauge for that on HDMI players. And if there was a problem, it could possibly have been fixed via firmware.)

It is a little sluggish, but not too slow when playing DVD's. As for the fan, mine is silent. But my PS3 is silent as well and I keep my players well cooled and ventilated.

Normally I would recommend an Oppo player but since the OP (or perhaps the new Toshiba XDE player) is buying a Blu-Ray player over the next few months it seems crazy to drop $150-200+ on an upconverting player when he does not own an extensive DVD library. I have always been impressed with the upscaling in all the Toshiba HD DVD players, and for $40-50 you really cannot lose.

You can buy refurbished Oppo 980s for 135 bucks.

http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Zdv980h