I connected my Denon 1920 after only changing HDMI output to 720p and aspect ratio to 16x9. What else can I do to optimize the signal output. My Pioneer plasma takes 480i, 480p, 720p & 1080i.

Mike

I have not noticed macroblocking occuring on any of the other 10-12 movies I've watched since SWEPII and LOTR snippets. In fact, the picture has looked incredible and detailed on most everything....
I don't see it either. Maybe just me. Your 2nd sentence seems accurate to me.

I will be auditioning some DVD-A and SACD, as well as trying the component 480p out, shortly.
I've listened to several DVD-A's and SACD's now and I'm very satisfied with the result.

BTW -- my player does NOT have the power-off bug noted throughout most of this thread. I've repeatedly tried using the setup mentioned by previous posters and it has yet to do it. I guess Denon fixed it....:)
Mine doesn't either.

Probably because I'm just not picky enough but I'm not only not dissappointed with the player, I'm extremely pleased with it. Two niggles:

1. The drawer is really flimsy.
2. The JPG/MP3 file playback from CD uses some strange sorting that I can't figure out and really limits my use of the "slide show" mode for digital images.

That's it -- for DVD's its great! Guess I'm just not that hard to please.

Has anyone tried this machine with a Panasonic TH42PX50U or similar? I've waded through many long pages trying to find an ideal match and have determined that there isn't one. Granted, my needs are pretty darn specific: I'm looking for a universal DVD player (DVD-A & SACD) with a great picture quality, great sound quality, and that isn't insanely expensive or gigantic (preferably below $800 and shorter than shorter than 4 1/4"). The Denon 2910 and 1920 are at the top of my list but I'm concerned about macroblocking with the Faroujda processing (heard this one before?).

I'm leaning toward the 1920 just because the 2910 seems to have a lot of possible problems for a $700 piece of equipment, although what I may have to do is buy from a dealer with a liberal return policy and give it a whirl. The Pioneer Elite models people have suggested as an alternative are hard to find (buying from eBay voids the warranty, I believe) and the Onkyo DV-SP800 is nearly impossible to find. Reviews of the Samsung and Toshiba players have not impressed me. So it's pretty much a matter of waiting to see if new products come out or testing the Denons to see if they'll work for me.

Spending more (3910, 5910, SP1000) or getting separate DVD and SACD players aren't an option at this point.

Any thoughts, experience, or alternative suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I have a quick DVD-A question. If I turn off the TV while listening to a DVD-A the volume suddenly drops way down through the receiver (yes, the TV speakers are turned off).

If I turn off the 1920 and turn it and the TV (Hitachi 55HDT51) back on again, the volume is fine.

The 1920 is connected to a AVR-3803 via optical and the six wire analog rca connector and the TV via HDMI. The external in on the 3803 is selected.

IRA,

Check your audio settings for hdmi and make sure you have them to the setting in the manual that turns them off if you have optical and 6 rca for dvd-a hooked up. It sounds like your hdmi audio setting is on and causing this. In AUDIO MODE your setting should be on ANALOG and this turns off hdmi audio. IN HDMI AUDIO the setting should be to MULTI-CHANNEL. Not sure if this is your problem but check these two settings.

<><

Has anyone tried this machine with a Panasonic TH42PX50U or similar? I've waded through many long pages trying to find an ideal match and have determined that there isn't one. Granted, my needs are pretty darn specific: I'm looking for a universal DVD player (DVD-A & SACD) with a great picture quality, great sound quality, and that isn't insanely expensive or gigantic (preferably below $800 and shorter than shorter than 4 1/4"). The Denon 2910 and 1920 are at the top of my list but I'm concerned about macroblocking with the Faroujda processing (heard this one before?).

I'm leaning toward the 1920 just because the 2910 seems to have a lot of possible problems for a $700 piece of equipment, although what I may have to do is buy from a dealer with a liberal return policy and give it a whirl. The Pioneer Elite models people have suggested as an alternative are hard to find (buying from eBay voids the warranty, I believe) and the Onkyo DV-SP800 is nearly impossible to find. Reviews of the Samsung and Toshiba players have not impressed me. So it's pretty much a matter of waiting to see if new products come out or testing the Denons to see if they'll work for me.

Spending more (3910, 5910, SP1000) or getting separate DVD and SACD players aren't an option at this point.

Any thoughts, experience, or alternative suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I have a Panasonic THE42PX50U and the 1920 hook into it via componts. The 1920 has optical going into the Denon 3805. Works very well and it is a keeper. Music sounds very good and I would keep it just for that on it's own. Watched the Superbit Cliffhanger 2 nights ago it looked great.

I have a Panasonic THE42PX50U and the 1920 hook into it via componts. The 1920 has optical going into the Denon 3805. Works very well and it is a keeper. Music sounds very good and I would keep it just for that on it's own. Watched the Superbit Cliffhanger 2 nights ago it looked great.

Great! This is good to hear. Just curious: Have you tried connecting them via HDMI? Have you used any other DVD players with this display?

Great! This is good to hear. Just curious: Have you tried connecting them via HDMI? Have you used any other DVD players with this display?

Had wanted to go HDMI and my salesman said just try this first. I thought what the heck I will. I really do not think it could look any better, but will no doubt hook it up via HDMI and tinker around. Buy from a place you can return it to and try some thing else if you are not happy with it.

Buy from a place you can return it to and try some thing else if you are not happy with it.

That's gonna be the way to go. I've bought a few refurb units lately and had good luck with that, but I don't want to risk getting stuck with a disappointing DVD/DVD-A/SACD player since I suspect I may have to try a few before I'm satisfied. It's tough, though, 'cause with, say, the Denon 2910 I could get it for about $150 less than MSRP if I bought a refurb unit. I'm also looking at the pricier Marantz DV6600 and 7600. But this is encouraging, maybe I don't have to spend that much if the DVD-1920 works out for me.

Cap'n Jazz,

I have a 1920, and I am very satisfied with it. The audio quality is very good, better than I expected for it's price. At the time I bought this unit I was looking at buying a 2910, but decided to save some money and try the 1920 ( which had just come out, and there were no reviews on it at that time). I will caution you that the build quality is cheaper than the 2910. The unit weighs hardly anything, and the build isn't quite there. However, the unit still looks good and the performance is great, and that's what really counts. By the way, I have owned the unit since this past summer, and I haven't had any problems. I hope this helps.

Cap'n Jazz,

I have the 1920 hooked up to a Panny 42PHD8Uk, and the picture quality is superb using either HDMI (@720p) or component (@480p). I'm using YPbPr colorspace with HDMI as there's too much red push over RGB. I actually think the component signal is a little smoother, more filmlike than the HDMI signal.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. The 1920 (or, more likely, the silver 756) is at the top of my list, now. I looked more closely at the Marantz DV6600 and it appears to be nearly identical to the Denon (and costs about $150 more). Also, I really want a resume play function which the 1920 has and the 2910 does not.

Build quality isn't such a big deal to me, although I am amazed when I compare an old JVC VCR I owned to a new, cheap Sony unit I bought. The Sony is nearly weightless and the JVC is nice, heavy, and metal. It only has a mono audio output, though, which drove me nuts.

Does anybody know something about the new Firmware 1.20 ??
My Player has 1.17 and i don't know what has changed to 1.20 ?!

What key sequence do you use to find out the firmware version?

1 2 3 4 Display

Thank you for the key sequence.

I'm at firmware version 1.13. How can one get an upgrade?

Been here for a while, but never really posted before. Anyhoot, I have a 1920 and I am very disappointed in the video quality with the HDMI output. The player is hooked via Tributaries HDMI to a Hitatchi 50VX915. I played Dark Water the other night and the macroblocking was terrible. I understand that this is a dark movie, but in most scenes, the entire picture would flicker as if the player was trying to make the scene lighter or more bright. It also gave off a reddish hue during most of the darker scenes. I hooked the player up component and the macroblocking and video flicker were gone.

I also tested this with a Sony DVP-NS70H (don't even get me started on the HDMI out issues with that player) and the picture was much better regarding the flicker and macroblocking then the 1920. Too bad the vertical shift is "not an issue" to Sony as of yet...allthough the DVD technical rep admitted to me that the HDMI output is "within the guidelines", but that is their excuse for the faulty vertical shift. In a nutshell, they are aware, but won't admit it.

Just wanted to put my 0.4 cents in and ask the fellow forum members to try this title when you can.

Thanks,
oxonce

Been here for a while, but never really posted before. Anyhoot, I have a 1920 and I am very disappointed in the video quality with the HDMI output. The player is hooked via Tributaries HDMI to a Hitatchi 50VX915. I played Dark Water the other night and the macroblocking was terrible. I understand that this is a dark movie, but in most scenes, the entire picture would flicker as if the player was trying to make the scene lighter or more bright. It also gave off a reddish hue during most of the darker scenes. I hooked the player up component and the macroblocking and video flicker were gone.

I also tested this with a Sony DVP-NS70H (don't even get me started on the HDMI out issues with that player) and the picture was much better regarding the flicker and macroblocking then the 1920. Too bad the vertical shift is "not an issue" to Sony as of yet...allthough the DVD technical rep admitted to me that the HDMI output is "within the guidelines", but that is their excuse for the faulty vertical shift. In a nutshell, they are aware, but won't admit it.

Just wanted to put my 0.4 cents in and ask the fellow forum members to try this title when you can.

Thanks,
oxonce

What for a HDMI-Setting on DVD-1920 you have used ? RGB or YCbCr ?? Try YCbCr !

On my Beamer its a big difference! HDMI-RGB is NOT as good as YCbCr !

hi y'all, newbie here, read whole thread and think i'm going for the 1920 to use w/ toshiba 65hdx crt rp tv (3yrs old 480i,480p, 1080i). only 1 dvi connect and thats used by dish h-d stb. Has anyone tried a video splitter 2 into 1 as long as there is only 1 powered source at a time or is this even possible? mono price has a $100 hmdi switcher but i'd like to try a cheep out til after xmas visa crush...lol . with the 1920 having the1 hmdi out for upscaling to 1080i I need a fix. Onkyo txs600 6.1 will handle audio thru toslink &5.1analog. any help on this will be appreciated as wife will not let me spend daughters college tuition to upgrade everything all at once lol

You'll need a proper switcher.....but why don't you just run component cable from the set-top box? Either that or just run component out of the 1920 and just run 480p from it.

Interesting about the firmware versions. Apparently I've got version 1.17 on my US model. I wonder what fixes each firmware version includes...

You'll need a proper switcher.....but why don't you just run component cable from the set-top box? Either that or just run component out of the 1920 and just run 480p from it.
I belive the rptv's native resolution is 480i and will only present what is sent to it. I got a huge increase in resolution by using the dvi link from dish h-d stb to tv as opposed to the component input, and would want the same result w/ the1920's ability to upscale to 1080i.














doe in s the difference inpq mean that the tv needs to be adjusted( tweaked w/ tune up disc) to component input to get maximum pq? Why should the picture be so different between 2 digital inputs ( AR component cables)?. I have a S&V tune disc but my only other dvd player is kids walmart crap, so i'll wait til 1920 comes in and play with it. Gettin
g a good pq on component would be the best solution (and cheeper too) thanks for the leg up rynberg P.S. sammy 841 thats going back to store,(wont play audio or engish tracks only alternate languages..lol) sacd section worked fine Dire Straits Brothers in Arms in discrete surround.....WOW!!!!!!! and thats out of a cheapie. Hope I have better luck w/ the 1920 merry Xmas

Anybody find a way to delete the "Denon' (Comedy!! Drama!! Musical!) screen when playing a audio disc which being able to access on screen info??? Look pretty hokie on my 67" screen....

do you think the PQ is equal either using component or hdmi. So many people state the PQ is far better using hdmi because of the upconversion. I will have the same combo as you PANI-DENON. Thanks.

Finally picked up this player and I'm a happy customer. Since I'm only using it on my 27" Panny CRT, I couldn't give a meaningful opinion of the video, only to say that the colors are way better over component 480i than my old Sony S360.

I popped in a Blue Man Group DVD-A and it sounds incredible! Much better than I would've expected from something at this pricepoint. My catalog of multi-channel music is only two Blue Man albums and Metallica black album, but I look forward to more (whatever little there is available).

Also, I picked up a 2 meter 5.1 400MKII Monster cable from one of the box stores (the red one, not the blue one) on clearance for about 1/3 of the original retail. Not a good sign for the format, unfortunately. :(

Finally picked up this player and I'm a happy customer. Since I'm only using it on my 27" Panny CRT, I couldn't give a meaningful opinion of the video, only to say that the colors are way better over component 480i than my old Sony S360.

I popped in a Blue Man Group DVD-A and it sounds incredible! Much better than I would've expected from something at this pricepoint. My catalog of multi-channel music is only two Blue Man albums and Metallica black album, but I look forward to more (whatever little there is available).

Also, I picked up a 2 meter 5.1 400MKII Monster cable from one of the box stores (the red one, not the blue one) on clearance for about 1/3 of the original retail. Not a good sign for the format, unfortunately. :(

I too have the Metallica black album..it does sound good.

You might like Queensryche's Empire ..its very good also

I read on this thread that in order to take advantage of the Burr-Brown DACs in this unit, you must use the 5.1 analog outputs. Is this true? I realize what a DAC is, and what it does. So, if I am using the coax output on the player, there is no conversion done to the signal? It is all done by my AVR? How many peope with this player are using 5.1 outputs? If I use them I still must have a coax running to my AVR for DTS audio, correct? I want to hear from you guys how you have this thing connected...... I just want to make sure I am getting the best possible sound from this player. It already sounds a lot better than the Sony I had....Thanks.

guys.....does the 1920 upconvert on the component output or just the hdmi.....thanks

HDMI upconversion only.

I've read about 1/2 of this thread and found most of what I was looking for. The main thing I was searching for was info on "Power On/Off" bug. I've only got my HDMI cable connected to compare PQ vs. component to my CRT HDRPTV. Since I prefer component, I'll probably just disconnect the HDMI to alleviate this problem.

I checked my FW version, and it's 1.13. I also checked the Denon website and didn't see the 1920 listed in the upgrade list. Does anyone have any info on an update?

Finally, the only thing I haven't seen addressed yet is an issue I have w/ the "HDMI Audio" setting. I can NOT get mine set to "Multi-channel". It's a non-issue right now because my receiver doesn't support HDMI. However, it may become an issue in the future and I would like to find out if my unit is defective while I can still return it.

Thanks for all the great info,

John

Reading the user manual, I understood that if the HDMI output is connected to a non HDMI device, like a DVI input, then the HDMI audio option is off automatically. So you can not set it. I believe it will work as soon you receiver will be HDMI compliant.

I'm hoping one of you 1920 owners can answer another question for me. The manual has an incomplete sentence regarding resume play:

"The resume information be saved even when the power is turned off."

Which looks to me (assuming there's a "will" in there) like you can watch a disc, press the stop button once, turn off the machine, and you can pick back up where you left off next time you start it up. However, Crutchfield has this statement on their website:

"Resume Function: The Resume function allows the player to remember the
point where you stopped play as long as the unit is on. Playback will
resume from the point stored in memory. ***The stopping point is
cleared if the tray is opened*** or the stop button is pressed a
second time."

Is this true? I know some players will store the resume point even when you take a disc out and/or turn the machine off. The manual isn't clear on this point.

The 1920 will resume play after power down, if you only hit the Stop button once.

jimed1: If you understood what a DAC was, you wouldn't be asking that question....:)

IMO, you should run both 5.1 analog and coaxial/optical connections. I use the coaxial/optical feed for DVD/CD use (Dolby Digital/DTS and PCM), and use the 5.1 only for DVD-A/SACD playback.

The 1920 will resume play after power down, if you only hit the Stop button once.
Thanks! That puts me choosing pretty much between this and the Onkyo DV-SP1000. $350 vs. $1000-2000! I don't understand why a true resume function is so hard to come by (most of the Denons, Marantz, and Pioneer Elites cancel the memory when you remove the DVD from the player).

..... (most of the Denons, Marantz, and Pioneer Elites cancel the memory when you remove the DVD from the player).


I'm pretty sure most if not all of the current Pioneer models do not cancel the memory when you remeove and power down, they retain the last 5 titles...Multi disk units usually keep track of more....

Another thing I like about the resume feature of this player is that it will resume on a CD also. My old player started CDs at the beginning.

John

EDIT: Has anyone heard about an update for this player?

Similar experience that oxonce had:

I bought the 1920 in November after much research. Thought I would be sitting pretty until I hooked it up via HDMI to my 60 inch SXRD in my downstairs HT room. MB was very evident and unnacceptable.

I tried all the different resolution settings 480p 720p 1080i. No real change in the quality of the video. The SXRD would display that I was operating in the upscale modes so the DVD player was making the upscaling properly. I stayed in cinema mode.

I just couldn't live with the MB, so back it went to Ultimate Electronics. Hooked my trusty Pioneer DV-440 via S-video and the picture quality was vastly improved -very stabile and very crisp. The SXRD does a great job at upscaling on its own.

Im not trying to turn this into an SXRD rave or a rant on the 1920, just sharing my experience with this DVD player and this exceptional TV.

For what its worth, I also thought that since my old Pioneer worked so well, I would try a cheapo Sony DVPNS50P in Black, but still got MB and a fuzzier pic than the Pioneer. I need a 2nd DVD player for my upstair family room set-up so the Sony now goes to that set-up.

Somewhat puzzled at the next move. Ill be using my Pioneer until it fails or the next great thing comes out at a reasonable price.

Brent....

Similar experience that oxonce had:

I bought the 1920 in November after much research. Thought I would be sitting pretty until I hooked it up via HDMI to my 60 inch SXRD in my downstairs HT room. MB was very evident and unnacceptable.

I tried all the different resolution settings 480p 720p 1080i. No real change in the quality of the video. The SXRD would display that I was operating in the upscale modes so the DVD player was making the upscaling properly. I stayed in cinema mode.

I just couldn't live with the MB, so back it went to Ultimate Electronics. Hooked my trusty Pioneer DV-440 via S-video and the picture quality was vastly improved -very stabile and very crisp. The SXRD does a great job at upscaling on its own.

Im not trying to turn this into an SXRD rave or a rant on the 1920, just sharing my experience with this DVD player and this exceptional TV.

For what its worth, I also thought that since my old Pioneer worked so well, I would try a cheapo Sony DVPNS50P in Black, but still got MB and a fuzzier pic than the Pioneer. I need a 2nd DVD player for my upstair family room set-up so the Sony now goes to that set-up.

Somewhat puzzled at the next move. Ill be using my Pioneer until it fails or the next great thing comes out at a reasonable price.

Brent....

Brent,
Mind telling me what movies you noticed the MB on. I have the 50" SXRD and have not noticed anything but, I am not really sure what I am looking for. I think I read somewhere that the SXRD didn't show MB with most players and that this player didn't show MB with the SXRD so, I bought it... I think however that I want to get a Pioneer Elite player while good progressive scan and upconverting universal dvd players are still avalible. I am afraid blue ray and hd dvd will take over and there won't be much to chose from that. It may be awhile before there are universal players for the high definition formats.

I'm pretty sure most if not all of the current Pioneer models do not cancel the memory when you remeove and power down, they retain the last 5 titles...Multi disk units usually keep track of more....
Looking through the manuals (online) for the 59avi, 79avi, 2910, 3910 and 7600, every one said that the playback point would be cleared if you opened the disc tray. Now, knowing manuals are frequently full of errors, I'd love to know if that's wrong. Have you had any experience with these models?

I recently got a Sony 50" SXRD & am looking to upgrade my DVD player.

My current player is a older non progressive DVP-NS400D & I've been looking at the Denon as a replacement till I see who is going to win the Blueray-HD-DVD war.

Any one that has this combo have any comments?
I'm seeing both good & bad in the other posts I've read but no consenus.

I'm really happy with my 1920 that I've had since Boxing day. I have it hooked up to my Hitachi HDPJ52 upconverting to 720p on a 108" Draper. Good DVD's look great, bad one's look pretty average but that's to be expected. No sign of macroblocking whatsoever. What really impressed me was DVD-A & SACD's. I bought Dark side of the moon and Streely Dan's Gaucho. Wow, what awesome sound coming through my Paradigm Studio's. I'm lucky enough to have a dedicated room so I have full size speakers all around. Now if we could just get some more content. I can easily recommend the 1920 as a good fill in DVD until the whole HD-DVD/Blu-ray gets sorted out.

I jumped on the great boxing day sales on the Denon DVD-1920 because I just sold my Sony 9000ES and I needed a new SACD player and I was hopeful that it could also replace a great Panasonic XP-30 that I use for DVD playback.

On my Sharp Z9000 projector movies like Nemo have bad MB on some scenes but look beautiful on others. Good looking live action DVD's look great with an occasional MB scene here and there.

SACD/DVD-A and other 5.1 music disks sound great though. I guess I'll have to keep the Pani XP-30 for video playback and the Denon 1920 for audio.

just picked up a 1920 after months of going back and forth....so far i'm very happy with the picture and sound quality. I have a few questions though, apologies of they have been addressed before :

this player does not automatically scale non-anamorphic discs, does it? i noticed that 4:3 dvd's and nonanamorphic dvd's are all stretched to 16:9. I can adjust the aspect ratio with my projector but i've always liked dvd players that do it themselves.

with the HDMI settings I see no difference between RGM and YcPbr...is there a "right" setting for this (i use an infocus projector, 7200)?

Also, I am using "enchanced" settings for the HDMI picture, otherwise everything is very washed out. is this normal also?

and finally.....for the high-res audio settings, i am setting all the speaker sizes to large, with a sub, and choosing "bass enhancer". I have full range speakers but use crossover settings in my receiver - will this configuration work?

thanks in advance for any opinions/info

-oleus

just picked up a 1920 after months of going back and forth....so far i'm very happy with the picture and sound quality. I have a few questions though, apologies of they have been addressed before :

this player does not automatically scale non-anamorphic discs, does it? i noticed that 4:3 dvd's and nonanamorphic dvd's are all stretched to 16:9. I can adjust the aspect ratio with my projector but i've always liked dvd players that do it themselves.

with the HDMI settings I see no difference between RGM and YcPbr...is there a "right" setting for this (i use an infocus projector, 7200)?

Also, I am using "enchanced" settings for the HDMI picture, otherwise everything is very washed out. is this normal also?

and finally.....for the high-res audio settings, i am setting all the speaker sizes to large, with a sub, and choosing "bass enhancer". I have full range speakers but use crossover settings in my receiver - will this configuration work?

thanks in advance for any opinions/info

-oleus

If you set it to 4:3 sqeeze it won't stretch the 4:3 dvds, at least most of them it won't. I've read that it doesn't detect True Lies and I know it doesn't detect my copy of Jurassic Park. Most however, it detects and displays it in its proper ratio. You are right, it does not scale.
Look back through the thread but I think "Enhanced" should be off. You should also turn off the black level (bottom of page 24 in the owners manual). This will help your black levels a lot!!. I can't really help you with your other questions because I don't have a FP and and am not yet using the 5.1 outputs (cables should be here this week!!) I think you are correct in having Bass Enhancer on or you can't use the sub for 2-channel audio. You should see what you receivers manual says about wheter or not the crossovers are effective using your receivers 5.1 outputs. That is something I need to check on also..

hey thanks for the info. that "black level setting" is kind of a hidden option, it's not in the main setup and seems to be only a remote function during playback. i'll check that out right now and see if it helps the image so i don't have to use "enhanced" setting in the HDMI options.

from what i can tell (after very cursory tests) is that turning black level OFF and NOT using Enhanced is the same as leaving black level on (as mine was defaulting to without knowing it) and using "enhanced hdmi". all things being equal, i will just leave them off.

i also have the brightness set dead -0, at first i had it at +2 but using Sleepy Hollow as a calibration disc isn't necessarily a good idea (i have DVE, just haven't used it yet).

i'm hapy so far. the colors arent' as vibrant as i was used to with my sony hdmi player, but at least it works (unlike the Sony). I have this running on a hdmi switcher so it's a pain to have different color settings with this player (my other 2 HD sources are set just how i like it). i can create a sub-setting on my PJ but that is such a hassle to go back and forth all the time.

one last thing....i have tried 10 different dvd's on 480p, 720p, and 1080i and i cannot see ANY difference between the three (on a 720p native projector). this is also different than my past experiences with upconverting players. anyone else notice this?

oleus

Greetings to everybody from snowy Moscow! :)
This player seems to be really close to an absolute price/performance leader, BUT! Does anybody have any idea WHY ON EARTH it does not scale the picture to the screen size when playing DivX??? And why there is no other zoom steps except 2x? Why it outputs DivX "dot-to-dot", making my 50' plasma look like 32' or even less?? Is it a "marketing feature" - to make me feel lame for watching DivX and push me to go buy DVD disks instead of free-to-download Divx movies? Or is it just Denon's firmware programmers' laziness?? BTW, does anybody know anything about firmware newer than 1.17?

yeah i really wish this player scaled too.


i have another question - for those of you using the hdmi output, are you setting it to RGB settings or YCB (or whatever it's called).

thanks

UPDATE - i am using a hdmi-dvi cable, so if i am reading this thread correctly it will not matter whether i set it to RGB or not, it will automatically choose that setting (which is probbaly why i am seeing no difference when i switch back and forth).

h_t_t_p://w_w_w.caranthir.de/files/denon1920_r2_123.zip
Region 2 only :(
As far as I heard, no changes in DivX playback neither in scaling nor in AC3 blayback :(

Does the 1920 output a 720p signal to both HDMI and Component at the same time? This would allow the 1920 to be shown on two displays at once?

~Josh

Does the 1920 output a 720p signal to both HDMI and Component at the same time? This would allow the 1920 to be shown on two displays at once?

~Josh


No it only upconverts through the HDMI output. I also believe when a 720p (or 1080i) signal is output through HDMI that the component output is only interlaced (480i).


FYI...

Originally Posted by beatboy77
Does the 1920 output a 720p signal to both HDMI and Component at the same time? This would allow the 1920 to be shown on two displays at once?

~Josh




No it only upconverts through the HDMI output. I also believe when a 720p (or 1080i) signal is output through HDMI that the component output is only interlaced (480i).


FYI...



So it will atleast still output to the Component output at the same time as the HDMI, just at 480i? Is this correct?

~Josh

So, I bought a Denon 1920 and plan to plug it into my Mitsubishi DLP (73727) and I keep hearing about the macroblocking issue experienced with the Faroudja chip in the 2910 and 1910 models...

Can any 1920 owners attest to the fact that they don't experience any bothersome macroblocking with DLP displays?

i'm running my 1920 on a screenplay 7200 projector and i see no macroblocking. i definitely know what to look for and have used the "problem" discs. don't know if that means it won't be a problem on ANY projector, but on my dlp 720p setup i can say there is definitely no macroblocking.

i DO however see a slight bit more noise than i was previously used to (using other upconverting player and a panasonic rp91 via component). i don't know if i'm just seeing the noise that was always there on some discs (likely), but if that was the case i preferred it hidden. it's not all dvd's, either....it just seems when there is film grain involved it comes across more as noise than grain and i really hate that.

don't get me wrong, it's a great picture, but there's definitely something there i wish wasn't. Also, i see absolutely no change between resolutions (720p, 480p, 1080i) when i toggle the output. and testing the component output looked pretty identical also - not something I have experienced with my other upconverting dvd players i've tried.

the best thing about this player is that it doesn't suffer from black crush and plays both sacd and dvd-a. it's pretty much the only player that fits that bill.

When i need another hdmi input freed up on my switcher (only 3 of the 4 inputs on my gefen switcher work), like when HD-DVD is released and/or PS3, i will definitely be using my 1920 in component mode (which i will probably only use for dvd-a and sacd, or if regular dvd's don't look as good on the next-gen players).

oleus

There was much discussion about power lock-up on the DVD-1920 and the solution discussed was to get an upgrade where a resistor was changed. Well... it seems that this is true for the non-North American versions. For my Canadian version only a f/w upgrade was required. I am now running version 1.20 and the problem is fixed. Looks like a couple of other things were changed but there are no release notes available. Contact Denon to get an upgrade.

has anyone found it necessary to boost the color settings on their 1920? after a quick calibration mine looks a lot better with the color setting at +4. i leave the sharpness/contrast/brightness all at 0, and the gamma correction at +2.

There was much discussion about power lock-up on the DVD-1920 and the solution discussed was to get an upgrade where a resistor was changed. Well... it seems that this is true for the non-North American versions. For my Canadian version only a f/w upgrade was required. I am now running version 1.20 and the problem is fixed. Looks like a couple of other things were changed but there are no release notes available. Contact Denon to get an upgrade.

Radd,

How did you get the upgrade done? Did you have to send the machine somewhere or was it just a quick fix at a Denon repair shop?

Radd,

How did you get the upgrade done? Did you have to send the machine somewhere or was it just a quick fix at a Denon repair shop?


They emailed a new f/w file and instructions. The file is then burned on a CD and loaded in the DVD player and it upgrades. I am not willing to post the file due to unforseen consequences.

UPDATE:

After having owned the 1920 for almost two months now (and now that I can't return it! :( ), I am not satisfied with it. I am getting too much macroblocking on too many movies.

I am running HDMI-DVI to my Mits CRT RPTV. It makes no difference between 480p and 1080i. Component had even WORSE macroblocking than HDMI.

I fail to see how Faroudja and all of these manufacturers can keep selling a product with such obvious, common, and visible picture artifacts. It's just ridiculous.

Looks like I'll try to find a used Denon 2900 now.

I just sold my 1920 (less than 2 months after buying it) and bought a Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi. I didn't think I was getting much MB until I got the pioneer. Wow, what a difference in dark scenes! I found a used one on Audiogon for $600 in mint condition and only 6 months old. You should look for one of those...

i like the picture just fine, but when the toshiba hd-dvd players come out i will probably get one of those and use the 1920 for dvd-a and sacd.

I'm thinking the same thing. I am almost doubting that you will see DVD-Adio or SACD anytime soon on the next HiDef DVD formats. I think those audio formats are all but dead. Personally I like them, but they never did take off.

You would think that Sony would put SACD capability into their blu-ray players.

Well, I've since picked up a used Denon 2900. The 2900 has the best DVD picture I have seen. While lacking a little bit of the 1920 sharpness, it is a very naturally detailed picture -- and no macroblocking. Very happy.

The sound of the 2900 is quite a bit better as well. Shall I mention the build quality differences? :D

In any case, for a low price, I still think the 1920 is a good player if your display does not show macroblocking. For those whose display does, I recommend picking up a used 2900 for $150 more.

i don't have MASTER AND COMMANDER - are there any other titles that clearly show macroblocking so i can test my setup?

How does the 1920 compare to the 2910 in audio performance
via digital and, more importantly, analog connection?

I especially wonder about its SACD/DVD-A SQ compared to the 2910's.

Anyone AB'ed them in that regard?

i don't have MASTER AND COMMANDER - are there any other titles that clearly show macroblocking so i can test my setup?

The original Bourne Identity DVD with the DTS track.

Well, I've since picked up a used Denon 2900. The 2900 has the best DVD picture I have seen. While lacking a little bit of the 1920 sharpness, it is a very naturally detailed picture -- and no macroblocking. Very happy.

The sound of the 2900 is quite a bit better as well. Shall I mention the build quality differences? :D

In any case, for a low price, I still think the 1920 is a good player if your display does not show macroblocking. For those whose display does, I recommend picking up a used 2900 for $150 more.

Holy cow that's an great machine for that price! Honestly I love the unappreciated Sil504.

My dream machine would be a Sil504 upscaling machine with DVI out. I'm pretty surprised manufacters havent done it yet - given all the FLI23XX headaches. Is the scaler built into the FLI23XX? Is it not feasible to add scaling to Sil504 player?

I guess Si504 chips are selling at a discount now given the machines that have them in retail these days. Talk about irony.

My dream machine would be a Sil504 upscaling machine with DVI out.

The Onkyo SP1000 is your machine then....:) The only problem is that is lists for $2000. You can get a used Denon 2900 for $450-$550.

The Onkyo SP1000 is your machine then....:) The only problem is that is lists for $2000. You can get a used Denon 2900 for $450-$550.

Unfortunately my BenQ 8700 is DVI - if I remember correctly, HDMI->DVI conversion causes black/white crush, but DVI->HDMI is a safe conversion.

1 2 3 4 Display

When and where do you enter 1234 display?

Allen Freeman

Unfortunately my BenQ 8700 is DVI - if I remember correctly, HDMI->DVI conversion causes black/white crush, but DVI->HDMI is a safe conversion.

Not when done properly, it doesn't. I would assume that the SP1000 handles DVI correctly!

I have a real newbie question here, was hoping someone could answer.

Just by turning on "Pscan" does that mean that you are using/upconverting to 720p. My terminology might not be techinically correct.

I am looking for the best possible picture quality on my Sanyo Z4 pj using the 1920.

Thanks!!

hello, anybody has subtitles during DivX movie playing from 1920?
If yes please inform about format of this file.
Rgds

I have a real newbie question here, was hoping someone could answer.

Just by turning on "Pscan" does that mean that you are using/upconverting to 720p. My terminology might not be techinically correct.

I am looking for the best possible picture quality on my Sanyo Z4 pj using the 1920.

Thanks!!

Turning on Progressive Scan only effects the component outputs, which are limited to 480p. The HDMI output is always progressive scan and can output 480p, 720p, or 1080i.

I'm new to all the modern receivers and bass management etc. but I have a question on the best set up option for the combination of a Denon 756s / 1920 used with a Denon AVR 886S / AVR 2106.

I do plan on listening to DVD-AUDIO and SACD.

I understand that if I connect the DVD 1920 to the AVR using optical I will be using the AVRs DAC for all DTS,DOLBY and DVD-AUDIO. My AVR uses the AD1837 DAC, and the DVD Player uses the Burr-Brown PCM-1738.

I noticed the $6000 AVRs use Burr-Brown so I am assuming BB is better. If the Burr-Brown DAC is better than the AD1837 then I'd need to use the analog out from DVD to analog in on the AVR. If this is true then would I need to use the DVD players bass management? OR would the AVRs bass management still work on the analog inputs? I worry about using the DVD players bass management over the AVRs bass managment since the AVR has all the auto set up w/mic for it's auto EQing & delay based on actual room acoustics.

I know that SACD requires the analog connection but should I do both optical and analog? Obviously using analog for SACD ONLY and optical for all other formats...

I also could just copy the AVRs auto set up results to the DVD player set up.

NOTE: I do not have the DVD player yet so I haven't acutally seen the menu set up options.

Thank you!

Steve

I understand that if I connect the DVD 1920 to the AVR using optical I will be using the AVRs DAC for all DTS,DOLBY and DVD-AUDIO. My AVR uses the AD1837 DAC, and the DVD Player uses the Burr-Brown PCM-1738.


Optical can not be used for DVD-Audio. You will have to use the 6 analog connections to the receiver 5.1 analog input and allow the DVD-1920 to decode DVD-Audio.

Chris

Quick questions...

Can someone suggest a decent cable for connecting the 5.1 analong outs? Is there a single cable that will do it, or do I need two two 3 composite cables? Is there a place online that has decent prices on cables?

can anybody confirm if 1920 can play wmv hd files? I've just downloaded several clips and am planning to burn them to a cd and play it through the 1920. do I just burn them as an ordinary data file and the player can read it?

Silly,

I just got a new DVD/CD burner this weekend. I will try downloading some WM HD media files and burn them and see how my 1920 does. I'll let you know how it goes.

Srowin: You will want to run a digital audio cable (optical or coaxial) to your receiver for use with DD/DTS and maybe CD. You will want to use the 5.1 analog outs for DVD-A/SACD and maybe CD.

Kromax: Just use a decently constructed cable. It's only analog audio running for 3 feet or so.

Silly,

I just got a new DVD/CD burner this weekend. I will try downloading some WM HD media files and burn them and see how my 1920 does. I'll let you know how it goes.

Very cool, I too am interested in those results

Hi everyone

I want to buy this player to replace my Samsung HD-841. But there´s a small problem. I need it to be multi region (at least 1, 4 and 2), and to be able to play PAL as well as NTSC.

I´ve searched all over the web, but I´ve only could found some firmware for European models (and they specifically forbid you to use it in NTSC models). What do you think it would happen if I install the European firmware in my NTSC 1920? Can it damage the 1920? Or, does anybody know where can I find the right firmware?

By the way, my local Denon dealer can not be bothered to do it for me, so it´s up to me then, and I really really want this player.

Thanks and sorry for my poor grammar (English is not my first language).

I don't have time to read hundreds of posts in this thread, but would like to get a general feeling for how owners of the Denon 1920 feel about it --> thrilled, happy, so-so, dissatisfied, etc.

What do you most/least like about this player?

Has anyone compared the Denon 1920 with the Oppo or Panny S97?
Why did you choose the Denon over these other brands?

Thanks!

TMG

I owned a 1910 a s97 and now an OPPO, sold the other 2 I will stick with the OPPO.

I love my 1920 . Was a real good price for a DVD/SACD/DVD-A player.

I feel so-so about it. picture was noisier than a Panny S97 I had in house. macroblocking is a dealbreaker and the reason I have a Pio 79avi now. I'm still thinking about trying an oppo and trying to tweak out the MB. We'll see.

I'll have an RP-82 to play with soon as well.

I don't have time to read hundreds of posts in this thread, but would like to get a general feeling for how owners of the Denon 1920 feel about it --> thrilled, happy, so-so, dissatisfied, etc.

What do you most/least like about this player?

Has anyone compared the Denon 1920 with the Oppo or Panny S97?
Why did you choose the Denon over these other brands?

Thanks!

TMG

We have had the Denon 1920 since November and have enjoyed it. Music sounds great, sound tracks are clear and robust. Picture is very good to excellent and yes I have seen some minor flaws they have been brief and few. Have the Denon 3805 for power and it looks nice with it and the lights match set to lower level - silly but it looks cool in a stealth sort of way.

Quick questions...

Can someone suggest a decent cable for connecting the 5.1 analong outs? Is there a single cable that will do it, or do I need two two 3 composite cables? Is there a place online that has decent prices on cables?

Check www.partsexpress.com or www.buy.com. good selection of reasonably priced cables

I ended up with the following from www.buy.com. The 3 pairs of audio interconnects are for the 5.1 analog signal. This gives you more options than looking for an overpriced 5.1-in-one cable.

sku: 90121452
description: Phoenix Gold ARX-810 Platinum Level Pro Reference Series Audio Interconnect
qty: 3
unit price: $19.99
item total: $59.97

In response to TMG's survey, I am happy with the 1920 overall, very satisfied with the picture and sound. My only complaint is that frustrating on/off issue. I go out of my way to avoid using the buttons on the front panel, but it still comes up sometimes. Come on Denon, hurry up with the solution!!

Enjoy,

--tb

I like my 1920. Very good picture, and excellent sound ( especially at the players price range). I use the player for DVD-Audio & SACD. As far as the power issue, I put a movie in pause and then hit power ( all on the remote), I do not hit stop. Doing this, I never have an issue.

whats difference between RGB and YcRcR, and in your opinon which has better PQ? Also the option under HDMI enchance, does it help better PQ?

i got my 1920 for SACD and DVD-A and an dhmi output without black crush, it's the only player that fits all those requirements anywhere near this price range.

i agree that it does have a slightly noisier picture than some other upconverting players but i am not convinced it's noise, i think it's just a more accurate representation of certain discs because some dvd's look incredible and smooth.

i don't see any macroblocking with my infocus projector, but i can see this being a deal breaker if it shows up on your setup. i have seen macroblocking and it's one of the most distracting dvd artifacts you can come across.

i have had one nagging issue though - several times since i've owened it i have been unable to turn it on, the standby light is on but i can't power it up. a quick power cycle/unplug does the trick but it's a little bit of a concern.

whats difference between RGB and YcRcR, and in your opinon which has better PQ? Also the option under HDMI enchance, does it help better PQ?

With HDMI, you will want to run digital component, not RGB. Under black level, you do not want "enhanced".

FYI
If you have a CRT display and don't need the HDMI output, Ubid has 3 refurbished 2200's available for $269 (MSRP @$600). Do a search on AVS, pretty good reviews. I have a Sony CRT-RPTV and had a Sony 975 w- HDMI. No visible difference between HDMI and component. The reviews indicate the component performance is excellent on the 2200 as well as the audio, for the money, which at the time was close to $600. Now discontinued, get'em while they're around.

after finally calibrating my 1920 with its user settings (don't want to adjust with my projector because the Denon is on an HDMI switcher), i can say i am now VERY impressed with the PQ.

i have brightness +1, contrast -3, color +1, gamma unchanged. I was a little suprised I had to drop the contrast to -3 to eliminate slight blooming but now it looks PHENOMENAL.

a definite keeper - ironic that with my theater setup it's taken me right up until HD-DVD is about to be released to set up an upconverting player that i LIKE and actually calibrate it! i spend most of my time with hd, but now i have a reason to enjoy my dvd's again.

so - does anyone else have their contrast bumped down the same way i have? i wasn't expecting to have to do that but it really loks great now.

New, and first post.
First, thanks for all the fine info. Because of this board I decided to purchase my 1920. And so far it's working well. My TV is a Hitachi RPTV, V710 (LCD RPTV). I have it connected with HDMI.
My set up is not sophisticated at all, not doing surround (my amp is a Carver from the 80's, and hence no 5:1, no optical or digital). Just 2 channel stereo. Which I'm quite satisfied with actually. Just starting to acquire some SACD and DVD-A discs.
So far I haven't experienced the problem with the power on/off.
My question is a simple one.
Sometimes when I'm playing a SACD with the Pure Direct on, the HDMI light blinks. Why does it do that?

ddt,

The blinking HDMI light is basically telling you that the 1920 does not sense anything on the other end of the HDMI cable. That connection requires an electronic 'handshake', so when your TV is off the light will blink. Also, I believe that the 1920's Pure Direct mode disables HDMI, so it will blink whether your TV is on or not. I could be wrong about this--I haven't used Pure Direct.

Enjoy,

--tb

anyone have trouble whe play dvd-a using only stero instead multi-channel? I'm using analog setup in the player, I can play multi-channel but unable to play stero using the same dvd-A(hotel calafornia). is it because in stero its 192khz/24 bit, and my receiver can't handle it? or something else. (note i'm using 6-channel output)

Anybody know what the sub crossover point is on this player? The manual implies 100hz cuz that's what it defines as the dividing line between large and small. However, 100hz is pretty high and the analog mch hirez sound I'm getting from this player (a loaner from my dealer until my Marantz DV9600 arrives) is pretty good for its market segment...very good in fact. I'd be surprised if my system responds this well to a 100hz xover. Oh well, back to the music.

Silly and Shutter,

I was able to make my first pass at burning a DVD from the T2 download of the WMV HD material from the Windows HD Content Showcase site tonite. I could only burn T2 after converting it to .bop and .ifo files using WinAVI Converter and burning those to DVD using the Nero software the came with my Plextor DVD burner. The 1920 played those files ok, kinda had a small stutter and the picture was not very clean, but I think it was more the WINAVI Converter's fault and not the 1920. I could not get the original .wmv file to burn to DVD as a video. Any ideas?

hello, i had the same problem - recorded wmv files cd or dvd (dowloaded from ms site) weren't read by my dvd 1920. right now i'm wondering about conversion these files into avi, but i'm not sure about quality and resolution limitation?

any ideas, how to turn on subtitles for movies playing from divx?

rgds, M.M

Ill try some different software and report back

thanks for the replies. i'll be able to finish my setup this weekend and i'll try to do some tests and see if we can get this baby to play nice.

Ill try some different software and report back


I'M HAVING A TOUGH TIME USING NERO TO MAKE A COPY OF DVD'S I'D LIKE TO TAKE WITH ME WHEN I GO TRAVELING. I'M SURE THE 1920 IS CAPABLE OF THE TASK BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO DO IT RIGHT. I'VE ENOUGH COASTERS TO OPEN A BAR. IAM SURE I AM MISSING SOMETHING HERE. IS THE SOFTWARE WRONG? I KNOW IT IS ME!
WHEN YOU FIND THE SOFTWARE THAT MAKE THIS EASY PLEASE LET US KNOW
THANKS

No need to shout....It's not a Denon DVD-1920 DVD player issue, it's a DVD copying issue. Go to pc forum here or hydrogenaudio.

I have a Denon 2900 hooked up via component to a 65" RPTV Mits BUT I will switching to a Mits HC3000U projector soon...

Since the 2900 doesnt upscale and now I will have a HDMI enabled video source,

I want to:

(a) Keep my DVD 2900 for DVD audio/SACD (which I love) and add an Oppo 971H
for upscaling.

(b) Give up my 2900 (sale), and get a Denon 1920 for DVD audio/SACD/upscaling?

(c) Keep my 2900 for DVD-A/SACD and add a DVD 1920 for upscaling?.

I assume my PQ will be better with the 1920 and the Oppo but will my sound with the 1920 (for DVD audio/SACD) be as good as or better than the 2900??

(d) Do nothing and wait for the HD-DVD/BluRay mess to shake out!

Is the 1920 overall as good as the 2900 in AQ if not better? What about the layer change in the 1920 and the Oppo? The 2900 has zero layer change...perceptible layer changes bug me!

Also: My receiver will be the Denon AVR 2807....

Comments are welcomed!

I would do 'd'.

I returned a 1920, actually preferred the 2900 pic via component to the 1920 via HDMI (less grain / noise). As I'm a ADVD / SACD fan, my 2900 won't be going anywhere for a while...

Upscaling isn't all its cracked up to be (at least with my setup.)

John F

I would do 'd' as well.

I think I will keep my 2900 for hi rez audio... I guess I could try the Oppo and if it doesnt work for me, I can return it....

i did B, but wish i had done D.

although i still might keep the Denon 1920 for the SACD and DVD-A capabilties which i really like.

that being said i never felt its HDMI picture looked that great no matter how i calibrated things, i much preferred the look of my old Panasonic rp91 via component.

Does anyone have experience using the 1920 with a Sony LCD rear projection, such as the GWII, GWIII or GWIV? If so has MB been an issue?

Thanks,

Did you happen to try this thru component at 480i letting the SXRD do the upscaling. I did this with my 1910 and the mb disappeared, so did the green push and the pic quality is fantastic.

Phil

Similar experience that oxonce had:

I bought the 1920 in November after much research. Thought I would be sitting pretty until I hooked it up via HDMI to my 60 inch SXRD in my downstairs HT room. MB was very evident and unnacceptable.

I tried all the different resolution settings 480p 720p 1080i. No real change in the quality of the video. The SXRD would display that I was operating in the upscale modes so the DVD player was making the upscaling properly. I stayed in cinema mode.

I just couldn't live with the MB, so back it went to Ultimate Electronics. Hooked my trusty Pioneer DV-440 via S-video and the picture quality was vastly improved -very stabile and very crisp. The SXRD does a great job at upscaling on its own.

Im not trying to turn this into an SXRD rave or a rant on the 1920, just sharing my experience with this DVD player and this exceptional TV.

For what its worth, I also thought that since my old Pioneer worked so well, I would try a cheapo Sony DVPNS50P in Black, but still got MB and a fuzzier pic than the Pioneer. I need a 2nd DVD player for my upstair family room set-up so the Sony now goes to that set-up.

Somewhat puzzled at the next move. Ill be using my Pioneer until it fails or the next great thing comes out at a reasonable price.

Brent....

After experiencing the frustrating power issue (locking off) every night for the past week and finding no updates on the Denon website, I decided to get in touch with Denon. I emailed them this morning, and here was their response:

"With the power issues you are experiencing with your DVD will be difficult to correct it unless you send the unit to an authorize DENON repair center to test your unit and fix this issue. I highly recommend you to send your unit before your warranty expired. The DVD warranty is only for one year."

Has anyone taken this advice and sent their 1920 to be fixed? If so, what were your results? (turnaround, success of repairs, quality of service, etc)

Thanks,

--tb

At least you got a response on the power problem. Here is the e-mail I sent Denon on January 25th to contactservice@denonnj.com:

My DVD-1920 has the power lock-up problem. I understand from postings the AVS Forum that a firmware upgrade to version 1.20 fixes the problem. Would it possible for you to send me the firmware?

The serial number is 5077305077 and it was purchased 11/17/05 at Absolute Theater in Powell, OH. The unit has been registered and I have joined the Owners Club.

Thank you,

Hi,
A bit of a long winded question but it pertains to the 1920. I'm new here and looking for a bit of advice on which DVD player to buy. Ideally what I would like to get is a player that can play DVD-audio, SACD, redbook CDs, and upconvert dvds. My primary uses for it now would be redbook CD's and playing DVDs. The 1920 seems to cover everything but from the posts here it seems like redbook CDs are its biggest weakness. Therefore I'm wondering if I would be better off getting a Panny s97s for video quality and then buying a separate CD player to cover audio. Alternatively there's a used 2910 for sale in the AVS forums which is an interesting option for another $100. Lastly has anyone done any definitive testing on what upconverting players can do for a CRT based HDTV? My TV is the sony xbr960N and according to the forums on upconversion it's not terribly clear if CRTs benefit from upconverting players. My absolute Cap on this is $4-500. Any thoughts on this would be really helpful.

My setup
Sony 34 inch XBR960N
Denon AVR 3200
Klipsch SF2, SC1, and compatable klipsch book ends. KSW 12 subwoofer

I just purchased a 1920 until the HD-DVD and BluRay war is resolved. I am completely satisfied with my purchase. I am using the HDMI output to my Sony 50 inch A10 LCD projection tv. The picture is just priceless. Last night my fiancee and I were watching a movie and we were astonished at the clarity of the complexions of the actors.

tlinks

I used the 1920 with a Mits CRT, the upscaling did not produce a sharper picture, but the colorspace seemed better. However, I experienced such bad macroblocking, I ended up going with a used 2900 (see my earlier posts in this thread).

I think the 1920 is a fantastic player for the money if you don't experience the macroblocking.

iraweiss,

I actually BCC'd contactservice@denonnj.com and contactus@denonnj.com. The response actually came from the latter. Try sending your message to 'contactus' and see if you get a response.

Is the firmware update actually supposed to fix the problem? If so, I would much rather go that route...

Enjoy,

--tb

The earlier response was:

There was much discussion about power lock-up on the DVD-1920 and the solution discussed was to get an upgrade where a resistor was changed. Well... it seems that this is true for the non-North American versions. For my Canadian version only a f/w upgrade was required. I am now running version 1.20 and the problem is fixed. Looks like a couple of other things were changed but there are no release notes available. Contact Denon to get an upgrade.

I resubmitted my e-mail to the alternate address. I'll see if I get a response.

iraweiss,

How did you get Denon to send you the firmware upgrade? I am having a hard time getting anything out of Denon customer service.

Thanks,

--tb

Actually, I haven't yet. I just re-posted someone's earlier response from Denon. Their support is like a black hole - stuff goes in and nothing comes out. They are supposed to be premium products. I put their support at one end of a continum and the great support I get from Definitive Technology at the other...

I shot an email to contactus@denonnj.com yesterday 4/4 and received a reply back today 4/5.
I was told to call a specific number and request to speak to Jim McGuiness. He informs me that the product update/upgrade page on http://usa.denon.com will be updated soon to provide a fix for the power on issue. I was told to check back real soon...

He informs me that the product update/upgrade page on http://usa.denon.com will be updated soon to provide a fix for the power on issue. I was told to check back real soon...

I just hope that 'real soon' equals 'well before my warranty is up'

I still haven't heard back from my email requesting assistance with firmware update...probably won't.

Thanks for the help guys...keep us posted

Enjoy

--tb

Maybe im missing something and ive never used a Denon firmware upgrade but, why does the warranty have anything to do with the availability of the upgrade?

I dont think they are going to charge for the upgrade..so it should be free to original owners and or anyone else that owns the unit second hand.

Hi everyone-
This is my first post here as I'm a new 1920 owner and new to AVS Forum. I couldn't find anything in the other 20+ pages, so I'm hoping I'm not the only one experiencing this problem. I just got my 1920 through ubid as a refurb. Came double boxed, looked perfect so I was completely happy, especially considering it was $199. However, having spent some time with it, I've noticed something that's a bit of a concern for me. The motor noise when a disc spins up or is inserted or starts playing is pretty loud. I'll admit, I'm in a smallish apartment (welcome to New York) and don't sit that far from the player so this may have something to do with it. When something loud enough is playing, it's not detectable. But today I was playing a disc from a composer that had a fair amount of quiet areas and the sound coming from the machine was like and extra, unwanted "instrument" blending in with the rest of the music. Not good. Is this something that is typical with this player? I've e-mailed Denon, but after reading the above posts, I'm not holding my breath for them to respond. Can anyone shed some light on this? Does this go away as you move up the Denon dvd hierarchy? Thanks.

Mine is perfectly quiet, so I think you may have a defective unit. Does uBid allow returns or exchanges?

Agreed, I've sent numerous questions to Denon support and I have not once received a reply back. Other AV manufacturers I've contacted recently, like Pioneer, Paradigm and Music Hall all responded in less than 24 hours with something besides an automated reply and I had my problem solved quickly. I'm still waiting on Denon.

Their support is like a black hole - stuff goes in and nothing comes out. They are supposed to be premium products. I put their support at one end of a continum and the great support I get from Definitive Technology at the other...

As it turns out..I must have been handed a line of crap...11 days later there is no update for the 1920 on the website.

corysmith01 - my 1920 was kind of noisy. I thought that inadequate dampening might be part of the reason for some of the noise I head while disks were spinning, so I placed a defrosted Gel Ice Pack on top of the case over the transport. Noise was significantly reduced; no more whirring - it's much quieter now. Doesn't say much for the case construction of the 1920 but since it's otherwise a fine player for me, I don't mind having the gel pack in place.

Need help regarding 5.1 audio setup on the Denon 1920, can't seem to get full 5.1 surround using HDMI Video mode (720P). I have a 2 year old Kenwood receiver (no HDMI inputs, but I don't think it matters in this case).
Here's my problem: When I set the Dolby Digital mode, the 2 surround speakers sound great but the L, R and Center fronts are completely muffled (I can't hear any dialogue). The Stereo mode produces great L and R front channels but nothing in the back surrounds.
I have the Denon 1920 hooked to the Kenwood receiver via both Coaxial and Optical cable, I haven't tried this method yet (will try tonight) would I need to completely take out the Optical cable and just leave the coaxial cable on the unit or do I need to spend $1000 on an HDMI capable receiver.

Any help would be appreciated. thanks

Thanks for the replies about the noise. Yeah, I'm thinking it may have to do with the fact that this thing weighs in at a scant ~6 lbs. I'll have to look into putting something on top of it to see if that helps, though that seems a bit absurd. I know I didn't pay it, but this player retails for over $350. I'd expect a little more in terms of build quality for that price. But I guess it's all trade-offs. Cutting corners on the build quality allowed for SACD/DVD-A and HDMI at the $350 price point. Still, I don't know how many people would find it acceptable that the "fix" is to put something weighty on top of it. But, I like it enough overall that I'll deal with it. :mad:

Also, I totally agree with the comment that Denon's CS is a black hole. This is the very first piece of Denon equipment I've ever bought. I sent 2 e-mails to 2 separate addresses more than a week ago...and I've still gotten nothing in response. That doesn't really leave a good taste in the mouth of a new Denon customer. I've had to send e-mails to Velodyne, Paradigm, Axiom, SVS and AV123 in the past...never have I waited more than 48 hours to hear back from any of them, most responding in just a few hours. What's up with that? :mad:

This isn't a specific DVD-1920 question, but it does pertain to my 1920 and was touched on earlier in this thread, so I felt it at least relative.

My question is this; how in the world do you get Denon to respond to your e-mails? I'm borderline furious with them. I've now sent the 3 e-mails, addressed to various e-mail addresses (contactus; contactservice), and still nothing. All of these e-mails were well written, descriptive accounts of the problems I've been having and I've gotten zero responses. Nada, zip, nothing. The first was sent on 4/10, the second on 4/11, and the most recent was today. I feel like 2 weeks is plenty of time to wait. I'm trying to avoid calling as the only phone I have is a cell and I don't want to gobble minutes while they shuffle me around to the appropriate person. Afterall, I thought that was the whole point of providing these e-mail addresses to their consumers. If they're not going to answer or respond, then why put them on their site? :rolleyes: Does anyone have any other addresses that may work, or any tips or tricks you've tried in the past that got a response from them. As iterated before, this is the single worst experience I've had in terms of e-mailing a company and awaiting a response. Well, actually, I'm still awaiting a response, 2 weeks later. :confused:

daniels1994

I have the selm problem, yesterday watched the original DVD of King Kong, connect via HDMI)(NEC XR5).....digital coax from Denon into Pioneer home set NS-DV55...but no 5.1 sound...I set DD and DTS in the audiomenu of the Denon on BITSTREAM but no change...good stereo sound(very good to be honest) but no 5.1......by clicking on AUDIO on the remote I just saw HDMI and 2CH....

on the DVD itself I couldn't choose 5.1 or DTS just the language setting...but I am sure that this movie is 5.1....this evening I will try a DVD where I can choose the audio as well....

ANYBODY AN IDEA???

proble solved, used the wrong digital entry with the pioneer....sounds terrific

I just got the new Monoprice 5x1 Enhanced HDMI switch (PID 2777) with remote, but found that although it works great with my Sony DVR and Panasonic AE900U it will not switch to the Denon DVD-1920. It recognizes the DVD-1920 but when switched, the Denon video does not get displayed on the AE900U. Anyone else seen this problem or know a way to resolve it?

proble solved, used the wrong digital entry with the pioneer....sounds terrific


Hi Albrecht 30
Thanks for your feedback
I may need a new receiver.
One question: did you use just Coaxial or the optical.

daniels1994

first I used the coax input at the pioneer ns-dv55 (coax denon out) which did not send the 5.1 sound to the speakers

Than I used the optical input at the pioneer which sends correctly 5.1 to the speakers

so I believe the denon sends via coax and optical 5.1, but the receivng side(pioneer) were no able to produce 5.1 with the coax connection

I just got the new Monoprice 5x1 Enhanced HDMI switch (PID 2777) with remote, but found that although it works great with my Sony DVR and Panasonic AE900U it will not switch to the Denon DVD-1920. It recognizes the DVD-1920 but when switched, the Denon video does not get displayed on the AE900U. Anyone else seen this problem or know a way to resolve it?

I am having similar issue with DVD-1920 and Monoprice 5x1 HDMI swither. Without the switcher it works fine. Let me know if you find a solution, I will try a few things soon

Which HDMI switcher works with Denon 1920. I got a Monoprice 5x1 switcher and it does NOT work with 1920.

Thanks,
sn

I have a Monoprice 4x1 HDMI switcher which works fine with 1920. Have Sony XBR960 TV.

I have Monoprice 5x1 HDMI switcher(Product ID 2777) with Denon 1920 and Panasonic PT-AE700 projector. It does not work with this combination, but comcast hd cable works fine.

Does the monoprice manual 2x1 switcher work?

sn

Not using HDMI, the blinking LED distracts me

anyway to turn-off the HDMI LED?

anyone?

Nope. That's what electrical tape is for.

Not using HDMI, the blinking LED distracts me

anyway to turn-off the HDMI LED?

anyone?
I think you can turn off the HDMI from the front panel.

daniels1994

first I used the coax input at the pioneer ns-dv55 (coax denon out) which did not send the 5.1 sound to the speakers

Than I used the optical input at the pioneer which sends correctly 5.1 to the speakers

so I believe the denon sends via coax and optical 5.1, but the receivng side(pioneer) were no able to produce 5.1 with the coax connection



Hi Albrecht,
So you're able to get the true 5.1 surround, with the HDMI feature on the video to 720P on? If so, then I have to say my Kenwood is not that great of a receiver because neither the coaxial or the optical work for me on the denon 1920, I guess what I could do is take out the speaker wires from the receiver, get the banana plugs to fit into the analog 5.1 channel inputs of the dvd player.

A friend of mine went to his local Denon dealer this weekend to buy a DVD-1920. The dealer told him that Denon are already ceasing production of the 1920?

Anyone else heard anything about this? Its not even been out long :eek:

--awhb

A friend of mine went to his local Denon dealer this weekend to buy a DVD-1920. The dealer told him that Denon are already ceasing production of the 1920?

Anyone else heard anything about this? Its not even been out long :eek:


I suppose it's because the 1920 replacement model, the DVD-1930ci, is coming out soon (June?). I too am surprised on the short shelf life of the 1920 - not even a year...

I suppose it's because the 1920 replacement model, the DVD-1930ci, is coming out soon (June?). I too am surprised on the short shelf life of the 1920 - not even a year...

Really? Any idea what's different?

--awhb

Hi,
I'm using Denon 1920 with my Benq DV3750 37" LCD TV PAL.
I connect them with HDMI-DVI Cable.
When I'm playing PAL DVD, Benq shows 1080iX50 signal, and the movie is smooth.
While playing NTSC DVD, Benq shows 1080iX60 signal, and the movie become jerky and lot of judder.
Is there a setting in Denon 1920 to convert NTSC source DVD to PAL signal?
Thanks in advance.

Really? Any idea what's different?

Hi awhb, specifics aren't listed for this model but you can see the thread about the series revamp here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=666053

Is there a possibility to show the tracknumber of the cd during audiocdmode on the display of the dvd-1920? I tried everything and it does n't seem to be possible.

Kind greetings, Donkeyman

I have a Harman/Kardon AVR330 receiver (192/24-bit), and I just got a new setup of Ascend speakers (3x 340SE, 2x 170SE) and a HSU VTF-3 Mk2 sub. For audio, I use a Toshiba 5-disc DVD changer over analog L/R and a modded/region-free Panasonic DVD player (S25?) over bitstream/optical. I haven't done much A/Bing with the new speakers, but at least with my previous speaker setup I couldn't distinguish a difference between DVD-changer over analog and Panasonic over optical. Also, I usually watch DVDs upconverted on my HTPC over DVI, so upconverting isn't a big priority for me.


Will upgrading to the 1920 get me better CD sound quality? My receiver has 192/24-bit when I use optical/bitstream. I listen to a lot of music, so I want CDs to sound as good as possible. I would also love to be able to play SACDs. But I don't want to upgrade if the CD sound quality isn't that much better. Are there other models of DVD or dedicated CD players (w/ SACD) that I should be looking at (under $350)? Would something like this give me better music performance ( http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=CAMB640C&product_name=Azur%20640C%20CD%20Player )?? The audio performance seems to be great on this Yamaha changer too ( http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/YamahaDVD-C750DVDChanger7.php ).


(If I do upgrade, I can move my HTPC to my Samsung DLP's VGA input and put the 1920 on HDMI->DVI for my main DVD player, so that's no problem)

Will upgrading to the 1920 get me better CD sound quality? My receiver has 192/24-bit when I use optical/bitstream. I listen to a lot of music, so I want CDs to sound as good as possible. I would also love to be able to play SACDs. But I don't want to upgrade if the CD sound quality isn't that much better.

I think that you don't get any better sound quality if you use optical connection between the dvd-player and the receiver, because you already use the receivers DAC's.

I think that you don't get any better sound quality if you use optical connection between the dvd-player and the receiver, because you already use the receivers DAC's.


So the 1920's internal sound quality is the same as the HK? Is it only about the DACs, or is there other stuff to it?

So the 1920's internal sound quality is the same as the HK? Is it only about the DACs, or is there other stuff to it?

Not necessarily, it could be worse.

When you use digital connection the recievers DAC's are in use, and you would not get much differeces in sound quality. DAC's do the biggest affect in sound. If you use analog connection then the dvd-players DAC's do the work.

Not necessarily, it could be worse.

When you use digital connection the recievers DAC's are in use, and you would not get much differeces in sound quality. DAC's do the biggest affect in sound. If you use analog connection then the dvd-players DAC's do the work.

I'm aware of that. That's why I am wondering how good the HK's DAC/sound is, and what people think of the sound of the 1920 (or other devices) and how it would compare. If I go analog only, I'm sure the 1920 would be a step up from my current Toshiba changer. But if I use digital and let the receiver decode, is that the best it can sound?

I read through the first 5 pages or so of this thread, but at the time of those messages, people were just starting to get their hands on the unit. I'm trying to gauge how good the audio quality is on the 1920, and if people have compared it to their receivers' internals, etc.

The Yamaha C750 changer has 192/24-bit, but at least this review makes it sound like the sound quality is a lot better than some other similar models:
http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/YamahaDVD-C750DVDChanger7.php

I'm aware of that. That's why I am wondering how good the HK's DAC/sound is, and what people think of the sound of the 1920 (or other devices) and how it would compare. If I go analog only, I'm sure the 1920 would be a step up from my current Toshiba changer. But if I use digital and let the receiver decode, is that the best it can sound?

I read through the first 5 pages or so of this thread, but at the time of those messages, people were just starting to get their hands on the unit. I'm trying to gauge how good the audio quality is on the 1920, and if people have compared it to their receivers' internals, etc.

The Yamaha C750 changer has 192/24-bit, but at least this review makes it sound like the sound quality is a lot better than some other similar models:
http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/YamahaDVD-C750DVDChanger7.php

Ok.

I have a 1920 and it sounds much better than my reciever, Pioneer VSX-D1011. So I use only analog wiring for CD use. With movies (DD5.1 and DTS sound) i use optical connection.

So the 1920's internal sound quality is the same as the HK? Is it only about the DACs, or is there other stuff to it?

I have recently tested the analogue outs for both the HK and 1920. I found both to be impressive, with a slight edge to the 1920.

I do not know about the HK, but I use the analog outs from my 1920 and I think it sounds fantastic. I use them with CDs, DVDs, DVD-As and SACDs and I am very happy with the sound quality. My reciever is an older Denon AVR-1700 and my main speakers are Totem Rainmakers (tho I did have a pair of Gallo Reference 3s hooked up for a while with their own amps and they sounded great with the 1920 too).

Hello guys,

i've read thru the usual manual and was not able to find how to control HDMI output mode (480p/ 720p / 1080i).

Currently, my Denon 1920 is sending 720p signal to my Panasonic plasma, and I am pretty happy with PQ, but, just wonder, where is that damn setting?

Hello guys,

i've read thru the usual manual and was not able to find how to control HDMI output mode (480p/ 720p / 1080i).

Currently, my Denon 1920 is sending 720p signal to my Panasonic plasma, and I am pretty happy with PQ, but, just wonder, where is that damn setting?

On the players front panel. HDMI button. Off -> 480p -> 720P -> 1080i.

After experiencing the frustrating power issue (locking off) every night for the past week and finding no updates on the Denon website, I decided to get in touch with Denon. I emailed them this morning, and here was their response:

"With the power issues you are experiencing with your DVD will be difficult to correct it unless you send the unit to an authorize DENON repair center to test your unit and fix this issue. I highly recommend you to send your unit before your warranty expired. The DVD warranty is only for one year."

Has anyone taken this advice and sent their 1920 to be fixed? If so, what were your results? (turnaround, success of repairs, quality of service, etc)

Thanks,

--tb


Being that i live in LA and one of the authorized service centers is 20 minutes away i took my unit to the center and submitted a warranty repair for the power lockup as well as some playback freezing issues (bad drive) that i was having. Well the tech couldn't repilate power lockup but did fix the freezing. My warranty expires in a couple months so i think i'm going to go back and try and see if i can get him to replicate it.

Anyone know of a surefire way to make the thing lockup?

Denon can upconvert standard dvd?

Denon can upconvert standard dvd?

Yes.

Denon can upconvert standard dvd?

Yes, and it does it very well. Check the films shot in 16x9 AR, 1080p definition, like "Sin City" or "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow".

Nothing short of amazing.

Only over HDMI, though, right?

Only over HDMI, though, right?

Yes.

Chris

Nevermind - I did a search on this thread and found enough info (on the 1920 versus 2910)

Hello all – long time reader of this thread, first time poster. Firstly, I want to thank all those who submitted so much useful info on the 1920 – it was very helpful in making my buying decision. Before I did make my purchase, I seriously debated about getting the 2910, but ultimately decided that the 1920 possessed the features I needed and wanted, so I felt that paying twice as much was not necessary. I recently received my player from Crutchfield, and as many of you have already noted, it is indeed quite a light feeling piece of equipment, which brings me to my first question. According to the Denon website, the 1920 weighs just under 6 pounds, and the 2910 weighs an astonishing 18.75 pounds, a pretty amazing difference, my friends. The question is, what is inside the 2910 to create all that weight? Is that extra weight just from the case? They both have essentially the same guts, so what could possibly create 12 pounds difference in weight? This leads me into another question, some have mentioned placing a book on top of the unit to stabilize it and reduce vibration because it is so light. Personally, I like nice, clean aesthetics, so I was considering buying some thin strips of galvanized steel or what not and taping or gluing them to the bottom of the unit to add weight. Would that work to stabilize and reduce vibration? Anyway, I look forward to your responses and I apologize for being a little long winded in my query.


BTW – if you are wondering, I am a simple man with a simple set up. My main use for my 1920 is for DVD viewing -- I won’t use it to listen to music very often. I’m connected to a Toshiba 43HX71 via component cable and an Onkyo TX-DS797 through the optical. Speakers are Polk in-walls (RC85i in front, RC55i in back) and a Velodyne CHT-12 sub. The first flick I watched was Underworld Evolution with a lot of dark scenes and I was extremely impressed with the PQ and audio -- and this was straight out of the box, I have not yet acquired a copy of avia for proper calibration.

I believe the extra weight in the 2910 comes from a beefier power supply, heavier/more shielding, bracing, isolation between components (audio and video paths, DACs, etc)...basically just very robust construction, damping, and internal isolation which all adds up to less audio and video noise (or so Denon and others on this forum and elsewhere would have you believe - I have not personally owned this piece of equipment for any length of time but I have played with it at the local Magnolia store and it is very nice indeed). Hope that answers your questions.
I'm still debating between the 1920 and its recently announced replacement...anyone heard anything about the 1930?

I believe the extra weight in the 2910 comes from a beefier power supply, heavier/more shielding, bracing, isolation between components (audio and video paths, DACs, etc)...basically just very robust construction, damping, and internal isolation which all adds up to less audio and video noise (or so Denon and others on this forum and elsewhere would have you believe - I have not personally owned this piece of equipment for any length of time but I have played with it at the local Magnolia store and it is very nice indeed). Hope that answers your questions.
I'm still debating between the 1920 and its recently announced replacement...anyone heard anything about the 1930?


You are probably right, though it still seems like a really big difference in weight -- I am starting to get concerned that the innards of my 1920 are constructed out of papier-mache :( . I am still cosidering exchanging for the 2910, except for the fact that I wouldn't be around to enjoy it for very long since my wife would kill me if I dropped 700 bones on a DVD player.

As to the 1930, the only rumors I have heard are the ones floating around this forum. Anybody know anything?

Anyone know of a surefire way to make the thing lockup?
I think if you power off using the remote then it won't power on without an unplug. Or maybe hit Pause and then power off using the remote.

Anyone know how the Denon 1920 compares with some of the sub-$150 universal players such as the Samsung 950? I need to replace a Pioneer 563A which has suddenly started having trouble playing certain disks.

SACD and DVD-A quality are priority #1. Upconversion to go along with my new 50" plasma would be an added bonus.

I'm connecting to a Harmon Kardon AVR-525 which is able to do bass management on its analog inputs, so the player's bass management features are not necessarily a high priority.

Thanks for any info.

I think if you power off using the remote then it won't power on without an unplug. Or maybe hit Pause and then power off using the remote.


So you can't turn off the unit with the remote without locking it up? Is that on all the units, or just ones that haven't been updated somehow?

I am interested in this or a refurb 2910 or something, but why is it that it's always Denon products that have these bugs that have to be fixed after the products are released?

Anyone know how the Denon 1920 compares with some of the sub-$150 universal players such as the Samsung 950? I need to replace a Pioneer 563A which has suddenly started having trouble playing certain disks.

SACD and DVD-A quality are priority #1. Upconversion to go along with my new 50" plasma would be an added bonus.

I'm connecting to a Harmon Kardon AVR-525 which is able to do bass management on its analog inputs, so the player's bass management features are not necessarily a high priority.

Thanks for any info.

i absolutley love the denon 1920. it sounds and looks incredible. blows away the six disc onkyo 802 that i sold it for. sacd and dvd audio are awesome. dont hesitate to buy iy

Has anyone else had this problem? Before I bought the 1920, I checked on the Denon web site to make sure it played both +R/RW and -R/RW formats. The other day I tried to play a +R disc and it froze completely. Had to unplug the unit and restart it. Called Denon and they pointed me to the owners manual which says it's compatible with only the -R/RW formats. I pointed them to the web site and they said, "Oh, that must be a mistake!" Has anyone found a way to play the +R/RW format on this machine?

anyone else using altered GAMMA settings on their 1920? i had set my brightness and contrast on my 1920 to match my projector (using a DVI switcher with 2 other digital sources that were already calibrated) but things still didn't look right.

so i started fiddling with the GAMMA in the 1920 settings and things started improving.

i still don't think i'm seeing a perfect dvd picture, but that could be more a result of the size i am projecting the image and the limitations of the format.

just curious if anyone else here has used the picture setting controls as much as i have had to (PS - i am going from HDMI-DVI, that might be part of the issue)

oleus

oleus,

Haven't fooled around too much with the gamma settings that you mention. Will check this out this evening and will report back tomorrow.

However, one thing that I did notice right out of the box was that the 1920 produced images with color that was somewhat washed out and had a slight pale greenish tint. Really different / poor. When I changed the HDMI menu setting to ENHANCED, colors looked normal with lots of detail. I calibrated it that way using the Avia DVD. Since then, I've changed front projectors and need to break out the Avia DVD again.

Can't imagine an HDMI ---> DVI cable contributing to your color being off, but who knows?

You mentioned screen size. What size image are you projecting? I'm using a 110" StudioTek 130.

I just ordered a refurb 2910 on Ubid with the 90-day Denon warrantee, for not much more than the full retail of the 1920. Can't wait to get it. ;)

Hi, I have been looking into gettting a CIH setup in my HT (Still under construction), I have read alot about the 2.35 CIH setups and I would like to know if this player the Denon 1920 does the Required Vertical Stretch needed for CIH.

I had posted in CIH Thread but have gotten no responce and I need and answer as I am about ready to make the DVD Player Purchase THNX.

My other choice is gonna be the Samsung HD950 as it does the vertical stretch. :)

oleus,

Haven't fooled around too much with the gamma settings that you mention. Will check this out this evening and will report back tomorrow.

However, one thing that I did notice right out of the box was that the 1920 produced images with color that was somewhat washed out and had a slight pale greenish tint. Really different / poor. When I changed the HDMI menu setting to ENHANCED, colors looked normal with lots of detail. I calibrated it that way using the Avia DVD. Since then, I've changed front projectors and need to break out the Avia DVD again.

Can't imagine an HDMI ---> DVI cable contributing to your color being off, but who knows?

You mentioned screen size. What size image are you projecting? I'm using a 110" StudioTek 130.

same exact size here, 110".

the reason i mentioned the hdmi-dvi perhaps being the problem is because the HDMI color settings have no effect when going hdmi-dvi. I also found the color to be washed out on default settings, so i bumped it up +2. right now i am at color+2, brightness+2, contrast-2, gamma+2, black level off/normal.

finally have it looking really good....

oleus

If someone were using the 1920 with a 1080P TV (like the Sony SXRDs), is the upconversion being done by the TV equal to or better than the upconversion done by the DVD player?

I'm somewhat confused by this - the TV upconverts all of the signals to 1080p, so does this mean it is a 'waste' to buy an upconverting player? I have read some comments by SXRD owners saying that the picture was better when using component as opposed to HDMI.

Any thoughts?

Cheers.

I too am having a similar problme with a Denon 1920 connected to Panasonic AE900 projector. I have had a HDMI picture a few times but then the light on the Denone keeps flashing, despite cable in place. I have tried Component as well no joy. It just seems not to wish to output. Fine with Video cable.
What I cannot work out is if there is a Digital output or not.
The instruction booklet is really very badly written, there is certianly an art in writing a good manual esp when things go wrong.

Any ideas of how one gets the HDMI or component to work. I will try your advice as well.

Nice to hear I am not alone in this problem.

NIck

same exact size here, 110".

the reason i mentioned the hdmi-dvi perhaps being the problem is because the HDMI color settings have no effect when going hdmi-dvi. I also found the color to be washed out on default settings, so i bumped it up +2. right now i am at color+2, brightness+2, contrast-2, gamma+2, black level off/normal.

finally have it looking really good....

oleus


oleus,

I appreciate you posting the settings for your Denon 1920. Thanks!

I calibrated my new Panasonic AE900U LCD PJ using the Avia DVD, like I mentioned I would. This time, I left the HDMI setting at NORMAL instead of ENHANCED.

The white level (Contrast) on the PJ had to be turned WAY up. And the black level (brightness) had to be turned WAY down. The sharpness, color and tint needed almost no tweaking. These were “wild” adjustments to be sure, but the Avia calibration tests looked great!

Later, in looking at SD and HD programming from my DISH 942 and off my OTA antenna, it was obvious that the above projector settings did not produce a realistic image. Then, I realized the folly of my method. If you radically change your PJ settings to compensate for improper DVD output, then “normal” non-DVD material will be screwy. Duh!

I will next recalibrate my PJ using the ENHANCED HDMI setting on the Denon 1920 to see if that gets me closer to a “real world” image. I will also do some playing with the Denon settings like you did to see if that helps.

Q.: Did you use the HDMI “NORMAL” or “ENHANCED” setting on your Denon 1920?

Thanks

Normal vs Enhanced should be a change in passing BTB/pluge, as far as I know. If that's it, then you want to pass the BTB/pluge and adjust the Brightness (black level) down, preferably at the display, to compensate.

oleus,

I appreciate you posting the settings for your Denon 1920. Thanks!

I calibrated my new Panasonic AE900U LCD PJ using the Avia DVD, like I mentioned I would. This time, I left the HDMI setting at NORMAL instead of ENHANCED.

The white level (Contrast) on the PJ had to be turned WAY up. And the black level (brightness) had to be turned WAY down. The sharpness, color and tint needed almost no tweaking. These were “wild” adjustments to be sure, but the Avia calibration tests looked great!

Later, in looking at SD and HD programming from my DISH 942 and off my OTA antenna, it was obvious that the above projector settings did not produce a realistic image. Then, I realized the folly of my method. If you radically change your PJ settings to compensate for improper DVD output, then “normal” non-DVD material will be screwy. Duh!

I will next recalibrate my PJ using the ENHANCED HDMI setting on the Denon 1920 to see if that gets me closer to a “real world” image. I will also do some playing with the Denon settings like you did to see if that helps.

Q.: Did you use the HDMI “NORMAL” or “ENHANCED” setting on your Denon 1920?

Thanks

yeah, i was adjusting the dvd player settings, not the projector settings. i share my dvi input with an HD cable box and a DVHS deck, so i can't adjust the projector without screwing up the main settings (which happen to be calibrated with my hd cable dvr, from which i watch most of my programming).

I had power issue. It only happens when HDMI is hooked up. If you go into setup and turn Progressive to off problem goes away. That setting is only for analog and does not affect Progressive using HDMI. I had problem about 75% of time no matter how I powered it off. Haven't had it lock up in over 6 months since I figured out cause of problem.

I just bought a 1920 for my Samsung 6187. Great DVD player!

Could someone please answer the following question?

While watching DVD, if I press the "mode" button 4 times, the on-screen display shows a speaker-like icon. The choices are: off, 1 music symbol, and 2 music symbols. What does this mean? The user manual does not mention it.

Thank you.

David

I just bought a 1920 for my Samsung 6187. Great DVD player!

Could someone please answer the following question?

While watching DVD, if I press the "mode" button 4 times, the on-screen display shows a speaker-like icon. The choices are: off, 1 music symbol, and 2 music symbols. What does this mean? The user manual does not mention it.

Thank you.

David

It's in the manual and I believe it's called virtual surround. Try it out and see if you like it. The manual is poorly laid out and tough to find what your looking for at times.

I'm going to buy this 1920, so please tell me if I do a good thing or there are some better product.

I know the following is not good to do, but for this installation I don't have much space:
I would like to connect speakers (little sized) directly to multichannel audio output, can anybody tell me if it is possible and how much is the impedance of these outputs?

thanks

You can only connect the speakers directly to the player if the speakers accept RCA-type inputs and are themselves powered, such as PC speakers.

I'm not able to play either DVD+R or DVD-R disks reliably on my 1920. In general, they play OK up to the first menu, then the unit freezes completely and I have to dig behind my setup to unplug and replug it before it will operate again.
Has any else had this kind of problem?

Hey All,
I've recently got the denon 1720, and i'm having trouble it doesn't seem too putput via the compisite, (RGB) outputs. It only seems to work via the Component output. Is there a trick to getting it too work ? I've tried changing it in the menu how ever no go.

ANy hints or tips on how to get it too work.
Thanks

I had a strange problem tonight with my 1920. My brother was visiting - and something weird always happens when he does - and when playing SW EP III I noticed things looked off. After he went to bed I went into the menu settings and discovered that every setting was off, including HDMI, aspect ratio (it said I had a 4:3 TV), etc. Could this have happened from an electrical glitch or something?

Has anyone else had this problem? Before I bought the 1920, I checked on the Denon web site to make sure it played both +R/RW and -R/RW formats. The other day I tried to play a +R disc and it froze completely. Had to unplug the unit and restart it. Called Denon and they pointed me to the owners manual which says it's compatible with only the -R/RW formats. I pointed them to the web site and they said, "Oh, that must be a mistake!" Has anyone found a way to play the +R/RW format on this machine?
I've never faced any issues with either kind. Maybe it's the way your DVD s/w wrote it?

Or cheap media? I've used Verbatim/TY with no issues and I'd recommend those media for best results.

i have not been on this forum in awhile, but am back because of the issues i have with my 1920.

1. my 1920 will lockup (turn off but not turn back on unless i yank the power cord and plug it back in) if i turn the unit off in different ways.

2. i cant get my 1920 to play dvd movies i make from my Pinnacle Studio 10 dvd software. i was told its the media, but then why does my $49 dvd player from wal-mart play everthing just fine???

can others post what dvd media type/brand and what dvd software you use which the 1920 will play.

from what i've read in this thread seems like the 1920 has a boat load of issues.

I too am having a similar problme with a Denon 1920 connected to Panasonic AE900 projector. I have had a HDMI picture a few times but then the light on the Denone keeps flashing, despite cable in place. I have tried Component as well no joy. It just seems not to wish to output. Fine with Video cable.
What I cannot work out is if there is a Digital output or not.
The instruction booklet is really very badly written, there is certianly an art in writing a good manual esp when things go wrong.

Any ideas of how one gets the HDMI or component to work. I will try your advice as well.

Nice to hear I am not alone in this problem.

NIck

sounds like a HDMI compatability issue. i believe the component outputs are always on so you should be able to use them directly to your panel.

If someone were using the 1920 with a 1080P TV (like the Sony SXRDs), is the upconversion being done by the TV equal to or better than the upconversion done by the DVD player?

I'm somewhat confused by this - the TV upconverts all of the signals to 1080p, so does this mean it is a 'waste' to buy an upconverting player? I have read some comments by SXRD owners saying that the picture was better when using component as opposed to HDMI.

Any thoughts?

Cheers.

all depends on the chipsets being used. panel converters are smarter than just upconverting. the converters will know what signal is being fed in, if it matches natively the converter should do nothing (or very little) to the signal.

on the scopes, analog component will carry/absorb more noise than digital HDMI. however, analog may look smoother than a digital signal, all depends on the sampling and encoding rates and encoding type.

also keep in mind, a dvd is all digital until it reaches the D/A converter. HDMI will be encoded native digital while the analog component out will be processed digital via the D/A converter. so, in this case it depends on how good the D/A converter is in the player, but in essence the analog out is 2nd generation material.

The 1920 does NOT support DVD+R or DVD+RW media at all. The manual is quite specific in that. WHY it doesn't is a complete mystery to me, when even some of the cheapest units out there support it just fine. Seeing as how Denon is quite terrible at replying to any emails, I doubt it will ever be addressed.

Lee:
You're absolutely right about the manual. But, when I bought the unit last March, I relied on the Denon web site which explicitly said it DID support +R/RW. I since made human contact with Denon factory service in New Jersey and pointed this out to them, which they confirmed with surprise. I expect the web site has since been changed to match the manual.
A friend recently bought a Toshiba DVD player from COSTCO for $50 on sale. It has an HDMI output and he says it plays everything he has tried. I'm going to buy one today and see if it does better than my 1920. Since I have an up-scaler in the 4306, I don't need this capability in the 1920.
Never did I suspect Denon would sell me a unit at the relatively high price of the 1920 that would lack +R/RW support when even the cheapest units have it.

I have played several dvd+r's of various brands on my 1920, no problems....

Whether you can use DVD+R's depends alot on whether your burner can set the booktype when finalizing the disc. If it sets the booktype, the player will look at the DVD+R as a DVD-ROM and will play the disc.

i'm having major issues with my 1920. i just made a dvd-r ntsc progressive with single simple start menu. player spins up the disc, shows the play icon in its lcd display, then unit powers off.

wtf, what kind of a player does this??

I haven't posted before, but this problem popped up last night. Maybe someone can help.

My daughter was watching our 1920 last night. Picture started freezing, morphing to blue, going to black, every 20-40 minutes. Changed discs, same. Sound continues. 1920 hooked up to Yamy 1400, component out to Sony Grand Wega 50" LCD rear projection. Anyone experience this problem? Unit is still on warranty, so no biggie, but just wondering...Thanks.

I haven't posted before, but this problem popped up last night. Maybe someone can help.

My daughter was watching our 1920 last night. Picture started freezing, morphing to blue, going to black, every 20-40 minutes. Changed discs, same. Sound continues. 1920 hooked up to Yamy 1400, component out to Sony Grand Wega 50" LCD rear projection. Anyone experience this problem? Unit is still on warranty, so no biggie, but just wondering...Thanks.

i have to call denon support in NJ, but i suspect some of these issues may be fixed with a firmware update.

I bought a Toshiba SD-K860SU player from COSTCO for $80 and took it home to compare with my 1920.
The Toshiba reliably plays DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW while the 1920 won't. The Toshiba never locks up while the 1920 often locks up when I try to play homemade DVD+R/W -R/RW discs.
The picture and sound quality is the same with one exception. The scaler in the 1920 passes the HQV waving flag test with nearly no jaggies. The Toshiba scaler produces noticeable (although minor) jaggies on the waving flag test. I carefully watched several DVDs on the Toshiba and jaggies were not noticeable on the material I viewed.
Both of the players have 1080i HDMI outputs and my display is a 1080i LCD. I don't notice any difference in resolution between the two players.
The one place where the 1920 is the clear leader is in playing SACDs and DVD-audios, which the Toshiba will not play.

how does Denon's 5-disc compare?

how does Denon's 5-disc compare?

I have no idea since I haven't seen the Denon 5-disk. But I took my 5-disk Sony out of my system because I found the 5 disk capability was more of a liability than a benefit.

really? The DVP-NC85H ? It's probably just as cheap to get a separate 5-disc cd player. Is the 5-disc a mechanical problem?

I have called Denon about firmware updates on this model, and there do not appear to be any updates coming at all. Of course, emailing them with questions NEVER gets a response.

Remember this problem from a year ago?

Power Off Problem

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is interesting - has anyone tried powering off the 1920 with the "off" button on the remote? When I do so, the unit powers off, but then refuses to power on either by the front switch or the remote button. Very odd. I've had it happen twice in a row. I'm not sure why it would do that. I was only able to power the unit back up by unplugging and replugging it back in. Hmmm....

Has Denon ever come up with a fix for it?

Remember this problem from a year ago?

Power Off Problem

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is interesting - has anyone tried powering off the 1920 with the "off" button on the remote? When I do so, the unit powers off, but then refuses to power on either by the front switch or the remote button. Very odd. I've had it happen twice in a row. I'm not sure why it would do that. I was only able to power the unit back up by unplugging and replugging it back in. Hmmm....

Has Denon ever come up with a fix for it?

it does this several different ways. i'm beginning to think the 1920 is a POS.

If i had it to do all over again, I think I would have passed on buying this unit and waited to get a Toshiba HD-DVD

it does this several different ways. i'm beginning to think the 1920 is a POS.

I think it's more that Denon's support of their lower end products is a POS.

Hi, I am trying to Decide which DVD Player to get the Deonon 2910 or the 1920, I went to a A/V Store locally the only ones to carry these players I wanted to get a Demo but they Sold out of the 1920's but I did see the 2910 but it was hooked up thru Composite so I didnt get to see it upconvert

The Salesman told me the 2910 will have a Better Upconversion then the 1920 but for $200 more then the 1920 is it gonna be worth it? I really Don't think the pic will be better but I dont know he was Probally trying to get rid of them and would say anything as Denon is coming out with new Models for the 1920/2910 the NEW Models are 1930ci/2930ci.

I am NOT interested in getting the HD-DVD or the Blu ray YET I just want a SD Upconverting player for now that does SACD/DVD-A.

So Please Help me decide I can get the 1920 for $300 and the 2910 for $500 so what would be a good choice I am on a Tight Bug]dget and the extra 200 could go towards my Projector, right now I am leaning towards the 1920.



-Gerald :D

I have the 2910. I picked up a factory refurb, lucky timing I guess, off of Ubid for about $430. I have an older Samsung DLP, so the 2910's DVI output meant I didn't need an adapter. The bass management in the 2910 has crossovers at 80Hz, and I think it's 100Hz for the 1920. This worked out good for me, as I use 80Hz anyway, and now I use the analog outs for everything -- I have my receiver's 6-channel inputs set for DVD playback, and the 8-channel input (same set of inputs) set for CD playback (subwoofer set a few dB lower than for DVD). The crossovers are cleaner in the Denon than my receiver, since I get a distinct noise on certain CD passages using the receiver's BM, with no noise using the Denon's internal BM.

I also liked the ability to put in a code into the 2910 and disable the region coding, since I have some R2 and R3 DVDs. SACD/DVD-A playback also sounds amazing on this player. The picture quality is also better than my tweaked-out HTPC was (I have self-calibrated my display many times). It has a more 3D look to it.


Anyway, I say it's worth it for the 2910, for the better quality construction, better bass management, etc. Actually ubid has more refurbs on their site for what I paid if you want to check it out.

I'm looking for advice.

I currently have the 1920 hooked up to my Sanyo Z4 projector using the component out and I am very happy with the picture. I am considering using the HDMI, but it will be difficult running the wiring and I want to make sure it will be worth the trouble. I had a few questions

Will I see a noticeable improvement if I go to a HDMI cable?
Is a 25 foot cable too long for the output on this unit?
Are there any lip sync issues using the HDMI with coaxile audio?
If there are lip sync issues, is it only when using HDMI?
I currently do not notice any MB and was wondering if using a HDMI cable might show it?

thanks so much,
Tim

i had this info (i dont remember if i found it here or from other some other site). and i dont know if it completely valid, but worth a try.


"I had power issue. It only happens when HDMI is hooked up. If you go into setup and turn Progressive to off problem goes away. That setting is only for analog and does not affect Progressive using HDMI. I had problem about 75% of time no matter how I powered it off. Haven't had it lock up in over 6 months since I figured out cause of problem."

"Will I see a noticeable improvement if I go to a HDMI cable?"

I have the 1920 hooked up to a Mitsu DLP. I think the HDMI upconversion is somewhat sharper but the colors seem washed out. Of course, the problem could be with my Mitsu.

I'm looking for advice.

I currently have the 1920 hooked up to my Sanyo Z4 projector using the component out and I am very happy with the picture. I am considering using the HDMI, but it will be difficult running the wiring and I want to make sure it will be worth the trouble. I had a few questions

Will I see a noticeable improvement if I go to a HDMI cable?
Is a 25 foot cable too long for the output on this unit?
Are there any lip sync issues using the HDMI with coaxile audio?
If there are lip sync issues, is it only when using HDMI?
I currently do not notice any MB and was wondering if using a HDMI cable might show it?

thanks so much,
Tim

its analog vs. digital.

IMHO, if you're not gonna use the audio portion of HDMI then just stay with your current setup. my guess is there wont be a "wow" factor if you went over to HDMI.

25ft of HDMI is rather long, but if you get a quality cable it should be fine ("quality" does not always mean spending $200 for the cable). try HDMI and judge for yourself. if you get the HDMI cable from a local store you can always return it with ease.

"Will I see a noticeable improvement if I go to a HDMI cable?"

I have the 1920 hooked up to a Mitsu DLP. I think the HDMI upconversion is somewhat sharper but the colors seem washed out. Of course, the problem could be with my Mitsu.

upconversion ?? thats independent of the output.

Does the 1920 upconvert when using the component cable output, or just HDMI?

One way to find out if there will be a difference is to temporarily put the player close to the projector and run shorter-length cables. Personally I would use the digital connection if possible.


Any PQ differences noticed, with regards to saturation, black level, etc., could also be the settings in the display itself. Don't forget you need to properly calibrate every input to match the output of the device. Washed out colors could just be a matter of raising the "Color" saturation control.

thank you for the replies, they were helpful. I like the idea of purchasing a HDMI cable that can be returned so I can test the unit to see if makes enough of a difference for me.
thanks again,
Tim

from what i've read in this thread seems like the 1920 has a boat load of issues.

To be fair, I'd just like to chime in and say I've had my 1920 since December and it has performed flawlessly.

I have had my 1920 since October with no power lock issues or any problems just running thru component. Now that I have the HD72 projector, I hooked up to HDMI cable. Could not get projector to recognize signal. HDMI light did not come on. However, while switching the cables back last nite, unit was on, proj was off and, there it was the HDMI light was blinking. I hit the HDMI button and it started scrolling thru different resolutions. Turned on proj, and there was a 720p signal via HDMI. What a difference. Watched some of the TWO TOWERS, and it is definitely better.

My question - does the player need to be on before the proj to get the HDMI to work? I noticed in the thread that there are some HDMI issues. Any thought would be appreciated. Also, I just ordered the 2x1 HDMI switch from MonoPrice. Has anyone had issues with this switcher? Thanks.

It could be a "handshake" issue, where the signal has to be going to the projector already when the projector powers up and searches for a signal.

I agree that it sounds like a handshake issue. Welcome to the world of HDMI & DVI with copy right protection. I would stagger the power ups between the two devices and figure out which device is more sensitive.

To be fair, I'd just like to chime in and say I've had my 1920 since December and it has performed flawlessly.

what DVD's have you used in your 1920??

i've tried many different types, and only a few seem to work ok. i've never (ever) seen a DVD player turn itself off while trying to read a DVD, and then not be able to turn back on until after the unit is unplugged then plugged back in again.

Does the 1920 upconvert when using the component cable output, or just HDMI?

One way to find out if there will be a difference is to temporarily put the player close to the projector and run shorter-length cables. Personally I would use the digital connection if possible.


Any PQ differences noticed, with regards to saturation, black level, etc., could also be the settings in the display itself. Don't forget you need to properly calibrate every input to match the output of the device. Washed out colors could just be a matter of raising the "Color" saturation control.



perhaps i'm missing something on this one. upconverting to 720p or 1080i is independent of the output carrying signal. component and hdmi are only ways to carry the signal, whether it be 480i, 720p, 1080i, etc, etc.

or, are we asking if the upconverter is not connected to the component output? i believe it is.

i dont think there are seperate upconverters for each output. one upconverter feeds the output engines. there are generation concerns when using component since the digital signal goes through a D/A converter, and then back to digital via another A/D converter in the panel or projector.

for longer runs of cable, i would choose hdmi, but i believe in this case the user already had runs of rca. a valid test would be to buy a hdmi cable the actual length needed, test it (obviously without burying the cable under floor or through the wall), then decide which is best.

perhaps i'm missing something on this one. upconverting to 720p or 1080i is independent of the output carrying signal. component and hdmi are only ways to carry the signal, whether it be 480i, 720p, 1080i, etc, etc.

or, are we asking if the upconverter is not connected to the component output? i believe it is.

i dont think there are seperate upconverters for each output. one upconverter feeds the output engines. there are generation concerns when using component since the digital signal goes through a D/A converter, and then back to digital via another A/D converter in the panel or projector.

for longer runs of cable, i would choose hdmi, but i believe in this case the user already had runs of rca. a valid test would be to buy a hdmi cable the actual length needed, test it (obviously without burying the cable under floor or through the wall), then decide which is best.


The original question was if the player would still upconvert over component cables, IIRC. I know some players (like my 2910 I believe - I use DVI) only upconvert over the digital connection.

Rather than worry about that, my main concern was suggesting that the person try out both connections and see what looks better (after calibrating both inputs to make sure projector settings don't skew the results). Yes, even if upconversion can go over component cables, there's still the extra D-A conversion before it's output.

The best way for the person to see what would look better was to try both connection types.

FYI, just got the 2x1 manual HDMI switcher from monoprice. Works fine with 1920. The player seems to be very touchy with the HDMI connections, but this works fine. Now just got to work on those skin tones!!!!!

what DVD's have you used in your 1920??

i've tried many different types, and only a few seem to work ok. i've never (ever) seen a DVD player turn itself off while trying to read a DVD, and then not be able to turn back on until after the unit is unplugged then plugged back in again.

Besides commecial DVD's, I've played CD's, CD-R's, DVD-R's, DVD-A's, and SACD's. No Pal or +R's or RW's because I generally have no use for them. If my player had the issues you mention, it would certainly go right back to the store. I was just trying to even out the "score card" because there is generally more bitchin than praising on this forum (on any internet message board for that matter).

Bought the Demon 1920 yesterday for my Sammy s4253 Plasma. Did some picture quality tests switching back and forth between the 1920, an older Sony DVP-NS775V progressive scan player (no upconverting), and Samsung upconverting HD860.

Demon 1920 via HDMI looked the best out of the three players. Demon's picture was sharper with less artifacts. I did notice some minor macroblocking in the dark scenes with the Demon 1920 though.

Beginner's question: How do I optimize opitcal output from the Demon to my receiver? The set-up menu only has DHMI audio and Analog Audio for selections...

Did you get a Demon player, or a Denon player?
I didn't notice the typo at first, but once I did it was pretty funny. :D

How do I optimize opitcal output from the Demon to my receiver?

What exactly are you trying to do? What is there to adjust with the digital output?

Does anybody know if the "Power Off" issue was ever fixed?

John

I recently started having a problem. I have the 1920 going through a Denon 3806 to a Panasonic AE900 on a 106" screen, for over a year. Just recently, I noticed that about an inch or two on the bottom of the picture is missing (black) when playing a 1.85 ratio DVD. I have HDMI set to 720p because the projector's native is 720p. If I switch the HDMI output (on the DVD player) to 1080i, the problem disappears. BTW, my DirecTV receiver is also set to output at 720p and has no problems. Any thoughts?

I've been having an odd problem - when I insert a dvd-audio disc into my Denon 1920, it doesn't recognize the disc as a dvd-audio disc. It instead plays the disc as DD 5.1 (Or, for example, I can select DTS for the Beatles' "Love.")

My player is connected to my Denon 3806 receiver via HDMI and I've selected HDMI multi-channel on the setup screen. I've also tried using the analog connections (and changing the setup appropriately) to no avail.

Has anyone else encountered a similar problem? Any suggestions for fixing this?

Thanks!

Bill

Does anybody know if the "Power Off" issue was ever fixed?

John

Denon has never posted any fixes at their site for this DVD player.

perhaps i'm missing something on this one. upconverting to 720p or 1080i is independent of the output carrying signal. component and hdmi are only ways to carry the signal, whether it be 480i, 720p, 1080i, etc, etc.

or, are we asking if the upconverter is not connected to the component output? i believe it is.

i dont think there are seperate upconverters for each output. one upconverter feeds the output engines. there are generation concerns when using component since the digital signal goes through a D/A converter, and then back to digital via another A/D converter in the panel or projector.

for longer runs of cable, i would choose hdmi, but i believe in this case the user already had runs of rca. a valid test would be to buy a hdmi cable the actual length needed, test it (obviously without burying the cable under floor or through the wall), then decide which is best.

The upconversion is only done over the HDMI interface. The farjouda chip does not physically or electronically connect to the component connections on this model. The component connection only supports 525/480/i or p outputs.

BigScreenBill, you need to change the Player Mode to Audio. This is in the Other section of the Setup Menu. This will allow you to access the DVD-A portion of the disk.

I acquired this DVD player when it first came out after a recommendation from the salesrep.

I originally got a Toshiba HDMI player but returned it because it was skipping.

I agreed to pay the 300$ difference, thinking I would be clear of any problem with this higher end model.

I am one of many who experiences macroblocking via HDMI in smokey or dimly lit scenes. That is the only problem I have had with it. But it's a big enough problem prompting me to discourage any one from getting this model.

I contacted Denon by phone directly and spoke to one of their techs. He told me this was a known problem with the Farouja chip or whatever the name is in combination with my specific TV model (Toshiba DLP HDTV). He says it only happens with specific model and that there is no fix. The only solution offered was to use component instead of HDMI. I told him that component only supported 480p. The workaround was to have both HDMI and component outputs connected, to turn off progressive scan to in the setup. This way I'm able to get 1080i through component and almost eradicate macroblocking.

Of course, I find this solution absurd since it defies the purpose of getting an HDMI dvd player altogether, not to mention the cost of this model.

The other solution was to either retrograde to the 1730 which uses a different scaling chip or upgrade to the 2930 which is substancially more expensive.

I think I will just hold on to that one if I can't sell it and wait til the HD DVD/blue ray battle has settled and the prices have gone down.

II contacted Denon by phone directly and spoke to one of their techs. He told me this was a known problem with the Farouja chip or whatever the name is in combination with my specific TV model (Toshiba DLP HDTV). He says it only happens with specific model and that there is no fix. The only solution offered was to use component instead of HDMI. I told him that component only supported 480p. The workaround was to have both HDMI and component outputs connected, to turn off progressive scan to in the setup. This way I'm able to get 1080i through component and almost eradicate macroblocking.

What? I didn't think that makes this player upscale to 1080i over component and don't think that will minimize macroblocking enhancement if it does, but I haven't been paying attention since I don't own this player. I do own other players with Faroudja FLI23xx and it is a great chip when macroblocking enhancement isn't deadly and terrible when it is. Fortunately none of my displays suffer from the issue but I have seen displays that do and the player/display often can't be tweaked well enough to make it work acceptably. Don't worry about the difference between HDMI and component, if you can get 1080i over component and macroblocking is minimized, you might be happy. I am very skeptical that will help. I have several players that upscale over component and HDMI/DVI and the connection used just doesn't make much of a difference.

Chris

Oh I can vouch that it does make a difference as I have tested it quite thouroughly by pausing the dvd and then just switching from one input to the other with my TV remote.
You can clearly see a difference. I would have even gone as far as saying that it had eliminated the macroblocking completely, until I tried Master and Commander. And then on 2 scenes in particular where it's really foggy and dark, one being a shot of an anchor under water, the macroblocking is visible. It almost looks like the shots are going frame by frame.

It has come to my attention that with some DVD models you can input a series of keystrokes with the remote to enable 1880i through component, as sort of a hack because it's otherwise limited to 480p on copy protected DVDs. With the Denon dvd-1920, apparently the hack is to have both HDMI and component connected simoultaniously. It seems to work but I'm sacrifining progressive scan. Not sure if that matters in my case since my TV support a max of 1080i. I don't use the 480p or 720p unless it's a Fullscreen DVD and not widescreen (like a TV show). And I don't have any TV shows on DVD that I could test weather I can run them at 720p with progressive scan ON.

I'm aware that digital doesn't mean you'll down right get a better picture than through analog. It all depends on how your piece of hardware handles the scaling and the quality of your cables and other factors. What bothers me is that before getting the Denon DVD player, I had bought along with my TV, a Toshiba HDMI DVD player and I had no Macroblocking issues. The picture looked great. The problem was that the damn thing kept skipping and freezing all the time. So I took it back to the store and the guy recommended the Denon, which was 400$ more at the time. That's what irritates me.

I tell you though, I'm quite eager to try out a true HD DVD player with a HD DVD on my HD TV. I've seen some comparison pictures somewhere on the net showing the difference between standard DVD and HD DVD. I believe they were taken from both versions of the movie The Bourne Identity. There's was quite an apparent difference in sharpness and clarity.

Cheers.

I tell you though, I'm quite eager to try out a true HD DVD player with a HD DVD on my HD TV. I've seen some comparison pictures somewhere on the net showing the difference between standard DVD and HD DVD. I believe they were taken from both versions of the movie The Bourne Identity. There's was quite an apparent difference in sharpness and clarity.

Cheers.

That much we can agree on although with smaller screens, the difference isn't very important to me.

Chris

I see that internet retailer has a close-out sale on Denon DVD-955S. Other retailers are selling that model at more than twice the price. I looks like a good deal...but 1. I don't know nothin' about a 955S; and 2. when prices look too good I get nervous-er. I suspect it may be 'bait'.

Is a Denon 955S worth having, IF I can get it for $3C?

I see that internet retailer has a close-out sale on Denon DVD-955S. Other retailers are selling that model at more than twice the price. I looks like a good deal...but 1. I don't know nothin' about a 955S; and 2. when prices look too good I get nervous-er. I suspect it may be 'bait'.

Is a Denon 955S worth having, IF I can get it for $3C?

That is the silver equivalent of the DVD-2910 and I don't know if it is worth that amount today, I don't think so. There should be enough information here to make a decision based on opinions from owners, which I am not.

Chris

If it's the 2910, its MSRP is $700 in the US. I got a refurb for just over $400 last summer. For $3K, even Canadian, I'd expect to get a 3910 or better.

If it's the 2910, its MSRP is $700 in the US. I got a refurb for just over $400 last summer. For $3K, even Canadian, I'd expect to get a 3910 or better.

I think he means $300, not $3,000 and US not Canadian, but I am not certain. Yes the DVD-955S is shown on the Denon site to be a silver DVD-2910 so your opinion regarding current value of the player is much more valuable than mine.

Chris

Thanks Chris. I did a bit more reading (up too late again tonight), and I think I will be more comfortable focusing my attention on the products and the pricing of the Oppos. (but still, a new $700 Denon for about $270 is mighty tempting.)

I picked up a refurbished DVD-1920 from eCost. It looks like new and so far performance is as to be expected, very good for a budget player. At the price, about $20 less than the Oppo DV971H new or about $10 more than the DVD971H refurbished, it would be a difficult choice. The two players offer very similar DVD-V performance. The DVD-2910 (955S) at $100 might be a deal to consider as well. The Oppo customer support and timely firmware updates still amazes me. I looked on the Denon site to see if there were any updates for my DVD-1920, I couldn't find any and I suspect there won't be another update for this old player.

Chris