Welcome to the thread!

The Oppo Digital DV-970HD is one of the most highly anticipated DVD players since the incredible Oppo Digital DV-971H.

The DV-970HD is a highly-featured sister product to the DV-971H.

New features include: HDMI, Memory card reader, SACD, upconversion via component (non-copy protected discs).

Deinterlacing is performed by Media Tek - no macroblock enahance problems.

Please note the reported results do change with firmware updates. Because of the continuous improvement, this first post is always a work "in progress".

Contents:
------------
News
Features
Firmware
Manual/Tips/FAQ
Defect/Wish Llist
Review/Test Results

NEWS!!!!!!

DV970HD is to be available 5/31/2006!

FEATURES:
HDMI - HDCP
Multi card reader
USB Port
SACD and DVD-Audio
Upconversion via Component w/non-copy protected discs (720p/1080i)
480i via HDMI

FIRMWARE:
Latest: MVer: 05.00.01.07 Batch: 3A-0916
Release Date: Sept 22, 2006

Release Notes:

The following new features and improvements are included in this version:

1. Improved HDMI Audio Compatibility and High Resolution Audio Output through HDMI

This version improves HDMI audio compatibility with TV, A/V receivers and audio processors. It also enables high resolution multi-channel audio output through the HDMI interface. The following setup menu settings are recommended:

When the HDMI output is connected to a TV directly, please use the factory default settings. The related settings are:

Speaker Setup Page:
Down-mix: Stereo
Front Speaker: Large
Subwoofer: Off
Audio Setup Page:
HDMI Audio: LPCM
With the above factory default settings the DVD player will down-mix center and surround audio channels to stereo and send in LPCM format to the TV. High resolution audio will be down-sampled to meet the TV's playback capability. The 2-channel LPCM format is most compatible with all types of TVs.

When the HDMI output is connected to an A/V receiver or audio processor with HDMI v1.1 or above specifications, please use the following settings:

Speaker Setup Page:
Down-mix: 5.1 CH
Front Speaker: Large
Center Speaker: Large
Rear Speaker: Large
Subwoofer: On
Audio Setup Page:
Digital Output: Raw
HDMI Audio: Auto
With the above settings, the DVD player will send CD, Dolby Digital and DTS audio signals as raw bit streams to the receiver for decoding. For high resolution stereo or multi-channel audio contents such as DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD, the DVD player will send multi-channel PCM audio signals with the highest available sample frequency and bit numbers to the receiver. Depending on the original audio content, the format could be 44.1kHz - 192kHz, 2 - 6 channels. Setting all speakers to "Large" allows bass management to be handled by the receiver or audio processor.

Note: If you use HDMI to connect audio to an HDMI A/V receiver or audio processor, it is recommended that you choose 720p or 1080i HDMI output resolution when playing high resolution audio content (DVD-Audio and SACD). According to the HDMI specification, the bandwidth available for digital audio is proportional to the total bandwidth used by digital video. At 480i/480p/576i/576p resolution, the HDMI specification can only support 2 channels of audio with high sample rate (up to 192kHz), or 8 channels of audio with standard sample rate (up to 48kHz). Depending on the capability of your A/V receiver or audio processor, if you play high resolution audio content at 480i/480p/576i/576p resolution, you may encounter problems of incomplete audio channels or no audio/video output at all. Choosing a high HDMI output resolution such as 720p or 1080i allows enough bandwidth for all high sample rate audio channels.

2. Easier Track Skip for SACD and Digital Music Playback

When playing Super Audio CD or digital music files, the "Skip Prev" (|<<) and "Skip Next" (>>|) buttons on the remote control can be used to skip to the the previous or next track. This function enables the user to skip tracks without using the navigation menu on the video screen. When playback is stopped, these buttons can still be used to turn pages for the the on screen navigation menu, just like with the previous firmware version.

3. New Default Contrast Setting for Component Video Output (Same as 1A-0613 Beta Firmware)

The factory default contrast setting for component video output is slighted adjusted (tuned down to approximately -3 level of the previous firmware 1A-0526). This adjustment brings the default contrast for component video output to standard level and make it consistent with the HDMI output. The default contrast for the HDMI output is not affected. Please note that the brightness and contrast settings of your TV display also affect the final visual result. It is recommended that you calibrate the DVD player and the TV display together using a reference DVD such as The AVIA Guide to Home Theater or Digital Video Essentials.

4. Improved DVD-Audio Disc Compatibility

This version resolved compatibility issue when playing certain DVD-Audio discs, such as Remain in Light by TalkingHeads (UK version) and Greendale by Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

5. Improved DivX and Xvid IDX+SUB Subtitle Support

This version improved compatibility for IDX+SUB type of subtitle used by some DivX and Xvid files. It now properly displays subtitle for 2-CD split DivX and Xvid files using the IDX+SUB subtitles.

6. Enhanced Power-on Response Time

The response time it takes from power-on to video playing or tray ejection is reduced by 3-4 seconds. This firmware version also improved overall stability.

Download Firmware here: Oppo 970HD 0916 (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/download/DV-970HD-3A-0916.iso )

Original: Mver 05.00.01.07 Batch: 1A-0525

MANUAL/TIPS/FAQ:

Oppo Digital's DV970HD Manuals

DV-970HD User Manual (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd_manual.pdf)

DV-970HD Advanced User Manual (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd-adv-setup-guide.pdf)

Inaccessable Settings
Certain settings are not accessible while a disc is playing or loaded.
In this case, eject the disc to access the settings.

Settings affected:

General Page:

SACD Priority
DVD-Audio Mode
DivX(R) VOD

Audio Setup Page:
HDMI Audio

Preference Page (The far right box)

DV-970HD SETTINGS:
Default settings are utilzed, for the most part. Some suggestions:
TV Display = Wide/SQZ (Will "pillarbox" 4:3 material with a slight penalty in 4:3 resolution)
Brightness = 0
Sharpness = OFF (will eliminate edge enhancement)
Color Space = YCbCr 4:4:4 (If DVI used, probably RGB)
Gamma = OFF

The center positions of Brightness, Contrast, Hue and Saturation are an excellent starting point.

DIRECT PLAY:
To skip over the majority of warnings, promos, etc:

As soon as the DVD will allow:
Press Stop
Press Menu

"Direct Play" may appear briefly on the screen and the movie should begin.

CHECK FIRMWARE VERSION
Power on the player with no disc inserted.
Press "OSD" on remote.
Note the popup on the screen. The "Batch" notation will be the firmware level.


MAKE REGION FREE:
Press Setup on remote control to access the setup page
Enter 9210 on the remote
A secret menu will pop up
Select 0 to 6 in region code (0 is region free)
Press Setup on remote again to exit


DEFECT/WISH LIST:

05/30/2006, in approximate order of severity:

CURRENT DEFECTS:
Reduced picture size with 720p/1080i -- this is a well-known issue. It is a Media Tek chip problem and will be addressed in a future firmware update.


WISHLIST:


Comments welcome. Oppo Digital is committed to making ongoing product improvement.

REVIEW/TEST RESULTS:

Keep in mind that the display can introduce its own artifacts. It will be noted if it is thought the display is contributing to any anomaly.

Basically, this is a rundown of the DVE video test patterns with certain tests from Avia included. The first description notes the test and expected results. Beneath that are the actual tested results, in italics.

EQUIPMENT:

Display: Panasonic TC-22LH1, Hitachi 32HDT55
Cable: Oppo supplied HDMI (Monster HDMI-> DVI) for Hitachi
Discs: DVE, Avia
Other: 6500K florescent light

REVIEW (HDMI & Component):
Forthcoming

DVD COMPATIBILITY (if listed, it's "OK"):

DVD-R : DVD Video
DVD+R : DVD Video, Divx/Xvid
DVD-RW : DVD Video
DVD+RW : DVD Video
CD-R : MP3, JPEG, Divx/Xvid
CD-RW : <tbd>
DVD-Audio : YES
SACD-Audio : YES


VIDEO PERFORMANCE (HDMI & non-copy protected component):
1080i : HDMI w/Panasonic TC-22LH1
720p : Hitachi 32HDT55
480p : Panasonic TC-22LH1
480i : Panasonic TC-22LH1

SUMMARY:
Blacker than Black :
1080i : Passes BTB
720p : Passes BTB
480p : Passes BTB
480i : Passes BTB

Whiter than White :
1080i : Passes WTW
720p : Passes WTW
480p : Passes WTW
480i : Passes WTW

Macroblock enhance :
NONE at any connection or resolution

Chroma Upsampling Error :
1080i : no
720p : no
480p : no
480i : no

Subtitle Sync :
Outstanding at all resolutions

Bad Edit :
1080i : OK
720p : OK
480p : OK
480i : OK

Layer Change :
1080i : *Blink* of an eye
720p : *Blink* of an eye
480p : *Blink* of an eye
480i : *Blink* of an eye

Motion Adaptive Deinterlacer :
1080i : Yes
720p : Yes
480p : Yes
480i : N/A

Frame/Field pause :
1080i : Field
720p : Field
480p : Field
480i : N/A

4:3 display on 16:9 (aka "pillarbox"):
1080i: Yes (with a slight penalty of reduction in resolution)
720p: Yes (with a slight penalty of reduction in resolution)
480p: Yes
480i: Yes

DVE TEST PATTERN RESULTS (HDMI @ 1080i/480i):

12 - Video Test Signals, Display Setup Patterns

12.2 - DVD PLUGE w/Gray Scale - Check for BTB, uniform color w/6500k ref, uniform geometry

1080i : BTB OK, gray OK, geometry OK
480i : BTB OK, gray OK, geometry OK

12.3 - DVD PLUGE w/White - check for BTB, change in BTB bars, uniform geometry

1080i : BTB OK, gray OK, geometry OK
480i : BTB OK, gray OK, geometry OK

12.4 - Needle Pulse - mostly for CRT. Ensure vertical line does not bend (lower white level if line bends)

1080i : No problem noted
480i : No problem noted

12.5 - DVD PLUGE w/Gray & Bars - "catch all": check for BTB, black/white crush,color w/gray reference

1080i : BTB OK, no black/white crush, color OK
480i : BTB OKNo BTB, no black/white crush, color OK

12.6 - Color Bars w/Gray Reference - color check w/filter: red based colors the same, green based colors the same, blue based colors the same

1080i : Color Bars OK. No "green depression".
480i : Color Bars, OK.

12.7 - Split Bars w/Gray & DVD PLUGE - "catch all": check for BTB, black/white crush, split bars

1080i : BTB OK, no black white crush, color bars OK
480i : BTB OK, no black white crush, color bars OK

12.8 - Combination - "catch all": check for BTB, color, Y/C delay, luminance sweeps

1080i : BTB OK, color OK, no Y/C delay, luminance OK
480i : BTB OK, color OK, no Y/C delay, lumnnance OK

12.9 - 20% Window w/DVD PLUGE : the pluge should not change with the varying window brightness no bars should appear or disappear

1080i : BTB OK
480i : BTB OK

12.10 - 100% Window w/DVD PLUGE : as with 12.9

1080i : BTB OK, no fading or brightening
480i : BTB OK, no fading or brightening

12.11 - 40% Window w/DVD PLUGE : as with 12.9

1080i : as with 12.10
480i : as with 12.10

12.12 - 80% Window w/DVD PLUGE : as with 12.9

1080i : as with 12.10
480i : as with 12.10

12.13 - 20% Window w/DVD PLUGE : as with 12.9

1080i : as with 12.10
480i : as with 12.10

12.14 - Reverse Gray Ramps (with steps) - even color with ref 6500K - no black or white crush within the framing "dots"

1080i : even color with 6500K, no black/white crush
480i : even color with 6500K, no black/white crush

12.15 - Reverse Shallow Ramps - criss-crossed gray ramps. The ramps should be smooth with almost imperceptible steps. The gradation should be smooth and visible with both the top and bottom ramps. If not, crushing is taking place.

1080i : Ramps OK
480i : Ramps OK

12.16 - Ambient Light Reference - adjust 6500K backlight to match brightness, if used

Not/Applicable

12.17 - 1.33 Overscan Pattern - check for overscan and edge enhancement (very much display dependent). The center cross should not be outlined by a white line on any edge.

1080i:
Top 1%
Bottom 0%
Left 2%
Right 2%
No edge enhancement noted

480i:
Top 3%
Bottom 2%
Left 2%
Right 2%
Some edge enhancement noted

12.18 - 1.33 Aspect Ratio & Geometry Pattern - left: all horizontal/vertical lines visible: no flashing,no banding. right: all diagonal lines visible, smooth, no flashing, no banding

1080i : Mostly OK, some banding of high freq, horizontal/vertical lines noted (may be display). Otherwise OK.
480i : Mostly OK, slight banding of high freq, horizontal/vertical lines noted (may be display). Otherwise OK.

12.19 - 1.78 Aspect Ratio & Geometry Pattern - as above with 1.78 markers

1080i : as with 12.18
480i : as with 12.18

12.20 - 1.78 Convergence & Geometry - should be centered

1080i : see 12.17 some cropping (may be display)
480i : see 12.17 some cropping (may be display)

12.21 - Video Black


13 - Video Test Signals Picture Resolution

13.2 - SMPTE RP 133 - multiple:
1. Alphabet on all sides should be complete and readable.
2. Gray blocks should be uniform in color w/reference 6500K source. Next to the 0% box there is a 0% outer and 5% inner box. The 5% inner box should be visible. Next to the 100% box there is a 100% outer and 95% inner box. The 95% inner box should be visible. If either inner box is not visible, crushing is occurring.

1080i :
1. Top row of capital letters cut off (may be display). Left "A" cropped.
Right "M" cropped.
2. Inner boxes OK.

480i :
1. Top row of capital letters cut off (may be display). Left "A" cropped.
Right "M" cropped
2. Inner boxes OK.

13.3 - Multiburst Vertical - all lines visible, even brightness, no banding, no
flashing, no jittering.

1080i : Some banding noted with "full" (may be display), otherwise OK.
480i : very slight banding noted at "full", otherwise OK

13.4 - Multiburst, Horizontal, 0.5 to 5.75 Mhz - all lines visible, even brightness of segments, no banding no flashing, no jittering.

1080i : Even brightness, some banding noted at higher frequencies (may be display)
480i : Even brightness, very slight banding noted at higher frequencies (may be display)

13.5 - Multiburst, Horizontal, 5.75 to 6.75 Mhz - all line visible, even brightness, no banding no flashing, no jittering. If the brightness decreases, freq response is fading. If brightness increases left to right, freq response boost or edge enhancement

1080i : Even brightness, some banding noted at higher frequencies (may be display)
480i : Slight decrease in brightness, very slight banding noted at higher frequencies (may be display)

13.6 - Luminance Sweep, 0.5 to 5.75 Mhz - all lines visible, even brightness, no banding, no flashing, no jittering.

1080i : Even brightness, some banding noted at higher frequencies (may be display)
480i : Even brightness, slight banding noted at higher frequencies (may be display)

13.7 - Pb & Pr Sweep 0.25 Mhz to 2.785 Mhz - all lines visible, even brightness, no banding, no flashing, no jittering, no fading to gray

1080i : Even brightness, some banding noted at higher frequencies,some fading to gray (may be display)
480i : Even brightness, some banding noted at higher frequencies,some fading to gray (may be display)

13.8 - Video Black


14 - Video Test Signals, System Evaluation

14.2 - 20% Flat Field - even gray at 6500K

1080i : Even color gray w/6500K reference
480i : Even color gray w/6500K reference

14.3 - 40% Flat Field - as above

1080i : as with 14.2


14.4 - 60% Flat Field - as above

1080i : as with 14.2
480i : as with 14.2

14.5 - 80% Flat Field - as above

1080i : as with 14.2
480i : as with 14.2

14.6 - 100% Flat Field - as above

1080i : as with 14.2
480i : as with 14.2

14.7 - 100% Window w/PLUGE - BTB check, still OK?

1080i : BTB OK
480i : BTB OK

14.8 - Red 100% Amplitude - red, no orange tine, no other color, no noise, dead pixel check

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.9 - Green 100% Amplitude - green, no other color, no noise, dead pixel check

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.10 - Blue 100% Amplitude - blue, no other color, no noise, dead pixel check

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.11 - Red 75% Amplitude - should be no change in color from 100%

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.12 - Green 75% Amplitude - should be no change in color from 100%

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.13 - Blue 75% Amplitude - should be no change in color from 100%

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.14 - Cyan 75% Amplitude - check for noise

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.15 - Magenta 75% Amplitude - check for noise

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.16 - Yellow, 75% Amplitude - check for noise

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.17 - Horizontal Color Bars 100% Saturation - check w/filters

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.18 - Vertical Color Bars 100% Saturation - check w/filters

1080i : Color good
480i : Color good

14.19 - Video Black


15 - Video Test Signals, 1.33 Pattern

15.2 - Convergence, 1.33:1 Linear - pillarbox check, should be white line around entire pattern

Not Applicable

15.3 - Convergence, 1.33:1 1.78 letterbox markers - same with 1.78 markers

Not Applicable

15.4 - Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate Test Pattern, 2/3 rate - ideally the concentric rings should move smoothly,no breakup, no flashing, no distortion as it moves and changes direction. This tests the motion adaptive deinterlacing. In practice it is normal with a good motion adaptive deinterlacer for the concentric rings to distort for a moment, then resume good shape when redirection occurs. The diagonal lines on the left should be smooth with no jittering. If output is 480i then the motion adaptive circuitry used will be that of the TV -- if present. 480i will be more of a test of the display.

1080i : Looks OK, concentric rings motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth
480i : Looks Fair, concentric rings not motion adapted (display), diagonal lines fairly smooth

15.5 - Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate Test Pattern, frame rate - as above

1080i : Concentric rings not motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth
480i : Concentric rings not motion adapted (display), diagonal lines farily smooth

15.6 - Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate Test Pattern, field rate - as above

1080i : Concentric rings not motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth
480i : Concentric rings not motion adapted (display), diagonal lines fairly smooth

15.7 - MPEG Decoder Test - *major* catch all test pattern:
1. diagonal lines on left smooth, no jittering
2. No banding with 4:2:0 on bottom left, it should be flashing alternate colors
3. Red and blue triangles in the center left should have smooth diagonal edges
4. Concentric blue/yellow and red/cyan circles in center upper left and right should be smooth and even brightness (aka ICP test)
5. Luminance sweeps at bottom should be even with no bleeding.
6. Rotating box in upper right should be smooth with no jaggies or combing

1080i :
1. Diagonal lines fairly smooth
2. Banding, no flashing alternate colors
3. Red and Blue Triangles have smooth diagonal edges
4. Concentric blue/yellow and red/cyan circles are smooth - passes test
5. Little bit of bleeding noted (may be display)
6. Rotating box is smooth

480i :
1. Diagonal lines fairly smooth
2. Banding present
3. Red and Blue Triangles have fairly smooth diagonal edges
4. Concentric blue/yellow and red/cyan circles are somewhat smooth - some ICP present
5. Little bit of bleeding noted (may be display)
6. Rotating box is smooth

15.8 - Black Stretch Test - check for BTB

1080i : BTB does fade a bit with this test (probably display)
480i : BTB is passed to fade/enhance

15.9 - Bounce - no geometry changes with flashing. Mainly for CRT displays.

1080i : No problems noted
480i : No problems noted

15.10 - Video Black


16 - Video Test Signals, 1.78 Pattern

16.2 - Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate Test Pattern, 2/3 rate - as with 15.4

1080i : Looks OK, concentric rings motion adapted -- maybe a bit slow to lock, diagonal lines fairly smooth
480i : Looks Fair, concentric rings not motion adapted (display), diagonal lines fairly smooth

16.3 - Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate Test Pattern, frame rate - as with 15.4

1080i : Concentric rings not motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth
480i : Concentric rings not motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth

16.4 - Snell & Wilcox Zone Plate Test Pattern, field rate - as with 15.4

1080i : Concentric rings not motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth
480i : Concentric rings not motion adapted, diagonal lines fairly smooth

16.5 - A/V Timing Clock - color ramps w/flashing white bar on top. The colors should be smooth and the flashing white bar should coincide with the tone.

1080i : Colors mostly smooth, timing OK. Perfect Av Sync
480i : Colors mostly smooth, timing OK. Perfect AV Sync

AVIA (selected) TEST PATTERN RESULTS (HDMI @ 1080i):

Color Decoder - primary colors should be at 0% with reference to background gray

1080i : Colors OK when adjusted, no green depression noted.
480i : Colors OK when adjusted, no green depression noted.

Y/C Delay - primary colors should match up with gray box below at 0.00. Keep in mind that this test is only a rough estimate.
1080i:
Blue : -0.00
Red : -0.00
Green : -0:00

480i :
Blue : 0.00
Red : 0.00
Green : 0.00

Moving Zone Plate - Concentric and diagonal lines should retain shape and detail upon movement
1080i :
Fair, lots of breakup, diagonal lines hold together a bit.

Pixel Crop (4:3) - Should be no pixels cropped from sides or top. Highly display dependent.
[I]1080i:
TOP : 0
BOTTOM : 0
LEFT : 0
RIGHT : 0

[I]480i : (any cropping is probably my display)
TOP : 10
BOTTOM : 10
LEFT : 0
RIGHT : 0

Thank you: Oppo Digital

Paul

Damn your placeholder! I want information now. Giddy mow!

OPPO sent this along to me to post:

OPPO DV-970HD Universal DVD Player
With HDMI Output and High Definition Up-Conversion

FEATURES:

Universal DVD Player Features:

• Superior compatibility with DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), Certified DivX, Xvid, Audio CD, HDCD, Kodak Picture CD and other digital audio and video media/formats
• Plays DivX® 5, DivX® 4, DivX® 3, and DivX® VOD video content (in compliance with DivX Certified™ technical requirements)
• Plays XviD and .SRT, .SMI, .IDX and .SUB format

Video Up-Conversion Features:

• High definition up-conversion with film-like picture quality to up-convert 720x480 interlaced video encoded on DVD discs to 480p/720p/1080i
• High-quality pure digital video and audio through a single HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) cable
• Multiple high definition video formats through HDMI and component outputs*: NTSC: 480i/480p/720p/1080i; PAL: 576i/576p/720p/1080i (* Component output for CSS-encrypted DVD discs (almost all commercially pressed DVD discs) is limited to 480i/480p only.)
• Compatible with HDTV, HD-Ready TV, HDTV monitors and projectors

Optimized Audio Features:

• Optimized analog audio circuitry for great audio quality
• Built-in Dolby Digital decoder with individual 5.1ch and down-mixed stereo outputs
• Optical and coaxial digital audio outputs for Dolby Digital, DTS and Linear PCM
• Unique “Audio Only” mode with video processing turned off for perfect acoustic fidelity
• 3D Surround (Virtual Surround): Concert, Live, Dance, Techno, Classic, Soft
• Built-in equalizer, channel trim and channel delay functions

Compatibility Features:

• PAL/NTSC disc and TV compatible with automatic or manual system conversion
• Compatible with CD-R/RW, DVD±R/RW and DVD+R DL* (* Playability of self-recorded discs may vary depending on media and formatting software types)
• Enhanced dual-layer disc support with fast layer change
• Wide range universal power supply (~100V-240V, 50/60Hz AC)

Standard Video Features:

• Progressive scan component outputs (YPbPr)
• Composite video and S-Video outputs for standard TVs
• Supports screen aspect ratio 4:3 (standard) and 16:9 (wide-screen)
• User adjustable video controls: Sharpness, Contrast, Brightness, Saturation, Hue and Gamma
• Multi-angle view

Convenience Features:

• 4-in-1 flash memory card reader compatible with Memory Stick, Secure Digital, Multi-Media Card, and SmartMedia (MS/SD/MMC/SM)
• USB interface for expanded connectivity
• Smooth and easy navigation of photo albums, music collections and video files on DVD, CD, flash memory cards and USB disks.
• Selectable subtitle and audio tracks

Connectors:

• HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface: 1
• Component Video (YPbPr/YCbCr): 1 group (3 connectors)
• Analog Stereo Audio (Mixed 2-Channel Left/Right): 1 group (2 connectors)
• Analog 5.1 Channel Audio: 1 group (6 connectors)
• S/PDIF (IEC-958) Coaxial Digital Audio: 1
• S/PDIF (IEC-958) Optical Digital Audio: 1
• Composite Video: 1
• S-Video: 1

Accessories Included:

• High-quality certified HDMI cable with ferrite core and gold-plated HDMI connectors
• Remote control with "glow in the dark" keypad (batteries included)
• Stereo audio cable
• Composite video cable
• User manual and warranty information

SPECIFICATIONS:
(Designs and specifications are subject to change without notice.)

Disc Types*:

• DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), Certified DivX, Xvid, Audio CD, HDCD, Kodak Picture CD
• DivX (DivX Certified Home Theater Profile Parameters, V2.2. Covers DivX 3.11 – 5.1)
• CD-R/RW, DVD±R/RW, DVD+R DL
• * Compatibility with user-encoded contents or user-created discs is on a best effort basis with no guarantee due to the variation of media, software and techniques used.

Output:

• Analog Audio: Stereo, 5.1ch
• Digital Audio: Coaxial, Optical, HDMI
• Analog Video: Composite, S-Video (Y/C)
• Component Video**: Y/Pb/Pr, NTSC 480i/480p/720p/1080i, PAL 576i/576p/720p/1080i
• Digital Video: HDMI with HDCP (NTSC 480i/480p/720p/1080i, PAL 576i/576p/720p/1080i)
• ** Component output for CSS-encrypted DVD discs (almost all commercially pressed DVD discs) is limited to 480i/480p only.

Video Characteristics:

• Composite Video Amplitude: 1.0Vp-p (75Ω)
• S-Video Amplitude: Y: 1.0Vp-p (75Ω), C: 0.286Vp-p (75Ω)
• Component Video: Y: 1.0Vp-p (75Ω), Pb/Pr: 0.7Vp-p (75Ω)
• HDMI: HDMI Specifications 1.1, CEA-861-B

Audio Characteristics***:

• Frequency: 20Hz – 20kHz (±1dB)
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >100dB
• Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.01%
• *** Nominal specification.

General Specification:

• Power Supply: ~ 100V – 240V, 50/60Hz AC
• Power Consumption: 14W
• Dimensions: 420mm x 255mm x 41mm, 16-1/2 x 10 x 1-5/8 inches
• Mass: 2.2kg / 4.85 lbs (DVD player unit only)

Operating Temperature:

• 5°C - 35°C
• 41°F - 95°F

Operating Humidity:

• 15% - 75% No condensation

Firmware Updates:

• Upgradeable via CD-ROM

Thanks Neuromancer! More coming!

Paul

Oppo DV-970HD at 1080i versus Samsung DVD-HD960 at 1080p--which is better?

There will probably be many more of these questions and many times it will depend upon the processing of the 1080p accepting set versus the processing of the various players and which will work better with each in each situation.

Maybe in the future there will be a sticky giving a consensus as to which Upconverting DVD player is best with various sets and resolutions. Until then look for many "Which is best--the DVD player feeding versus the TV set converting?"

Artwood,

I messed with the DVD-HD960 for a while and could not get a good picture out of it that did not involve some ghosting (even at "1" - the lowest setting - the unit ghosts). It turned my plasma into a DLP! I don't have a 1080p display, so I can't comment on how well designed the 1080p output is.

The iscan hd+ does support 480i/576i on the DVI input but only for the colorspace RGB 4:4:4. Does the 970hd outputs that via hdmi?

Hopefully this question will be added to the FAQ:

How does it handle 4:3 material? Black bar pillarbox and/or zoom a la Panny RP91K?

Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me Away from an OPPO player with DVD-A/SACD and HDMI. Any ideas what the release date is? Are they using the same chipset/scaler as 971H? I'm going to be looking for a new player sometime in July. Any ideas about the selling price? Thanks for the informative posts.

The iscan hd+ does support 480i/576i on the DVI input but only for the colorspace RGB 4:4:4. Does the 970hd outputs that via hdmi?

It is user selectable. You have the choice of RGB or YCbCr 4:4:4.

Hopefully this question will be added to the FAQ:

How does it handle 4:3 material? Black bar pillarbox and/or zoom a la Panny RP91K?

Pillarbox if you use Wide/SQZ.
Stretch if you just use Wide.

First post of thread updated.

Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me Away from an OPPO player with DVD-A/SACD and HDMI. Any ideas what the release date is? Are they using the same chipset/scaler as 971H? I'm going to be looking for a new player sometime in July. Any ideas about the selling price? Thanks for the informative posts.

The unit will officially go on sale tomorrow. It will have a MSRP of 149.99 USD.

The DV970HD does all of its deinterlacing and scaling through a Mediatek chipset combo: the 1389EE and 1392. The 1389EE (also utilized in the OPDV971H) does all of the hardware decoding and analog audio DAC support. The Mediatek 1392 does the scaling and HDMI transmission, as well as analog video DAC.

The DV970HD does not have the Faroudja chipset.

There is no macroblock enhance but be aware that the *deinterlacing* peformance of the MediaTek is not quite up to the Faroudja. Many users may not notice and consider the MBE/deinterlacing trade-off to be acceptable.

May be redundant question. Is the HDMI = HDMI 1.1 HDCP compliant?

Interesting, it's got a USB port. Will it support external hard drives? Fat32? NTFS formatted drives? DVD ISO files from hard drive?

Do we know the hack/code to enable component upconversion for protected DVD content? Or do we need a modified firmware in order to enable this?

Yes HDCP compliant -- I have noticed no HDCP problems during testing.

Upconversion via component -- no hacking needed.

BTB is passed via upconverted component -- no conflict of color matrix for upconversion (HDMI & component).

New webpage is updating. The official page for the DV970HD will be: http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd.html

They are updating the website, so most of it is not accessible at the moment.

Interesting, it's got a USB port. Will it support external hard drives? Fat32? NTFS formatted drives? DVD ISO files from hard drive?

It will theoretically be useable for all external storage devices. But be warned, the USB is only rated at 1.1.

ISO images will not load, as they are not recognized by the MTK Explorer. Though VOBs may work. Will have to try.

Do we know the hack/code to enable component upconversion for protected DVD content? Or do we need a modified firmware in order to enable this?

There are no hacks which allow for component based upconversion of copyrighted material. The current firmware that beta testers have will likely not be the same that is shipped with the unit (ie. HDCP currently is disabled for testing purposes).

Paul and others,

How does 970 compare to your other DVD players (in any price range) in terms of color rendition, black richness, sharpness, detail, etc. In other words, the "non-scientific" stuff?

I'm considering this player or the Sony 3100ES as my last standard DVD player until I jump into HD next year. I have a well calibrated, ISF'd Sony CRT RPTV (KP-57WS520). I've demo'd or owned a good number of players at one time or another (Denon 3910, Sony 3100ES/9100ES, Panasonic XP-30, Sony H75, etc.).

I even tried the Oppo 971 but found the image too soft for my display.

I would use the 970 primarely for component 480p.......and maybe once in a while upscale it via HDMI to 1080i.

User Manual (included in box) (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd_manual.pdf)
Advanced User Manul (Online only for now) (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd-adv-setup-guide.pdf) created by AudioHolics as a procedual manual for setting up the DV970HD, as well as explaining functionality indepth.

Pillarbox if you use Wide/SQZ.
Stretch if you just use Wide.Can someone expound upon the comment:
Will "pillarbox" 4:3 material with a slight penalty in 4:3 resolution?
What is the slight penalty and how does it manifest?

[I]Its AHHHLIIIIIIVE!!!

Sorry... back to useful information! :o

User Manual (included in box) (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd_manual.pdf)
Advanced User Manul (Online only for now) (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd-adv-setup-guide.pdf) created by AudioHolics as a procedual manual for setting up the DV970HD, as well as explaining functionality indepth.Thanks for the link to the manual.

At first glance I'm glad to see it has 5.1ch analog outputs for DVD-Audio, unlike the new Panny 52S and LG191 which do DVD-Audio only over HDMI and they've nixed the 5.1ch analog outputs.

Plus, its good to see that Oppo haven't cheaped out by eliminating either the digital coax or digital optical outputs and have thoughtfully provided both.

Its also good to see an Open/Close button on the remote and TV volume control buttons (though its unusual to see them side by side instead of vertically oriented).

Can someone expound upon the comment:
Will "pillarbox" 4:3 material with a slight penalty in 4:3 resolution?
What is the slight penalty and how does it manifest?

The DV970HD still does reduced resolution. This is an issue with the way the MTK chipset handles pillarboxing. The MTK chipset is doing its pillarboxing based on the center of the image, rather than the pixel resolution of the source. So it isn't as much a loss of resolution as it is a compression of resolution. I will have to see if I can't find the post from the OPDV971H threads about this issue.

This is what Josh Z said about Pillarboxing on the OPDV971H Braindump Forum
DVD has a resolution of 720x480 pixels (the pixels are not square). If your display locks into widescreen mode, this means that those 720x480 pixels will create a 1.78:1 image. The 4:3 center portion of that 1.78:1 image has a resolution of only 540x480 pixels, with the other 180 pixels used to create the black pillarbox bars. That's a loss of 25% horizontal resolution.

Just placed my order for the the 970h about an hour ago, straight from oppodigital.com...
YA BABY!!! :=)

Just placed my order for the the 970h about an hour ago, straight from oppodigital.com...
YA BABY!!! :=)


ME TOO!! :p

The wait is over...my VP30 awaits. :) :cool:


P.S., Thanx Paul and Neuromancer for all the info. ;)

Upconversion via component -- no hacking needed.
I could've sworn mine did too at one point, but I just loaded the firmware from a week or two ago to see if the CUE was fixed (it wasn't) and I checked to see if upscaling still worked via component. It doesn't. If you stop, then change resolutions via the remote it will do it on the Oppo screen, but when you hit play it switches back to 480p. I just did it like 3 times. The info screen on my plasma doesn't lie. :) No big deal for me since I would only use 480i or 480p. Is there something I missed.? Previously I was thinking that it would be a dream come true for some folks.

larry

Yeah! Oppo added discrete on/off support for the 970.

http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd_faq.html#A5

I created a JP1 upgrade file here (for OneForAll, Radio Shack, etc. JP1-capable remotes):
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=file&file_id=3284

These codes were created for the Oppo Digital DV-970HD
upconverting HDMI DVD player.

All original functions of OEM remote are included, including
some extra functions not on the original remote.

Following functions *not* included on the OEM have been added:

discrete on/off
pause/step
sound field
equalizer
multi-channel downmix
dd dual mono

--

Oppo DV-970HD does not support saving playback location automatically upon power shutdown.

I was able to simulate this functionality by redefining my Power Toggle and Discrete Off IR functions on my remote to be macros "Memory + Power Toggle" and "Memory + Discrete Off"

What an incredible report, Paul!! :D

I just finished ordering mine and I hope to have it in my sweaty little hands very soon!

I am most interested in its 480i over HDMI performance (of course), as I will be feeding it to my Vantage-HD HQV VP, but from your report it sounds like the deinterlacing/scaling of the 970 is very good (or maybe excellent) in its own right.

The big unknown (to me) bonus is the DVDA/SACD support. This is fantastic, as it will allow me to retire my aging Pioneer 563 player once and for all.

Thanks again for all of your great work!!

Paul and others,

How does 970 compare to your other DVD players (in any price range) in terms of color rendition, black richness, sharpness, detail, etc. In other words, the "non-scientific" stuff?
...
I even tried the Oppo 971 but found the image too soft for my display.

I would use the 970 primarely for component 480p.......and maybe once in a while upscale it via HDMI to 1080i.
I decided to replace my Panasonic S77 with the Oppo 970.

Panasonic S77 had a bug (or feature) where 1080i output is actually 540p line doubled to produce 1080i. You could clearly see the line doubling in the output. I've been told this is the result when one follows the Faroudja reference implementation.

Oppo 970 doesn't suffer from this problem so 1080i output looks significantly better (to me). I'm using a native 1920x1080 panel.

Other than startup, Oppo is just blazing fast on various operations. S77 wasn't really a slouch, but Oppo 970 is noticeably faster.

Also after switching back and forth between Toshiba HD-A1 and Oppo 970, I feel like bicycle vs ferrari. Toshiba is so slow on various operations, but if playback and pause are the majority of your operations it works fine. PQ on Toshiba is obviously more detailed, but if I sit far enough away, the extra details are not as noticeable.

Also Oppo 970 plays back my PAL discs, where S77 refused to, complaining with some error I've since forgotten (known limitation of S77)

The main downside (for me) is the aspect ratio feels slightly off because of the MediaTek shrinking problem, so instead of 16x9 the picture is more like 16x9 squeezed into a 16x8.5 frame. Even on 16:9 movies I get slight black bars on top and bottom. However I've grown used to it and it doesn't bother me as much.

The 970 looks like the BBK 988 that I bought in Hong Kong a few months ago. The only differences that I see is that the 988 has both DVI and HDMi and will upscale over component. I gues that Oppo had to make the changes for the US. I wonder if future firmware updates will work on the BBK 988?

Also after switching back and forth between Toshiba HD-A1 and Oppo 970, I feel like bicycle vs ferrari. Toshiba is so slow on various operations, but if playback and pause are the majority of your operations it works fine. PQ on Toshiba is obviously more detailed, but if I sit far enough away, the extra details are not as noticeable.


How does the Oppo 970 colors compare to the Toshiba? Which gives a more filmlike image?

PQ on Toshiba is obviously more detailed
Hmmm...Why would the HD-A1 be more detailed?

Hmmm...Why would the HD-A1 be more detailed?

I assume he was talking about the standard definition upconversion of the HD-A1.
That player does have very good SD capabilities.

Right, , understood, but why would it be more detailed?

I have been waiting for this to happen and am glad to be one of the first to order! :p

Right, , understood, but why would it be more detailed?

It has a better de-interlacer than the DV970HD. For this reason, you will have a much more defined image (less aliasing), which in turn produces a much more pleasing picture.

Upconversion over component on production models will not be possible with CSS-encrypted DVDs.

Great work as usual Paul. Have you had a chance to run through the HQV disk? It doesn't do well on the Jaggies #1 and 2, but it does a good job on everything else.

Right, , understood, but why would it be more detailed?
Sorry, I should have been more clear, I was comparing to HD-DVD on Toshiba, basically better PQ, but at the expense of player convenience.

Comparing SD upconverted on Toshiba to Oppo 970, I thought the colors on Toshiba looked snappier, but not having run objective tests, I have no idea which one is more "accurate" rather than more pleasant to the eye.

How does the Oppo 970 colors compare to the Toshiba? Which gives a more filmlike image?
I guess film-like is not a very precise definition. I found the Toshiba upconverted picture more pleasing. The colors were slightly richer and there was more depth to the picture, but I'm sure if I played around with enough settings I could make the two pretty comparable. I wouldn't say either one was way ahead of the other.

I only tested film-based DVDs. I didn't look at video-based stuff, so the answer for video could be different than film.

Upconversion over component on production models will not be possible with CSS-encrypted DVDs.

Great work as usual Paul. Have you had a chance to run through the HQV disk? It doesn't do well on the Jaggies #1 and 2, but it does a good job on everything else.

Yep, I've run HQV just haven't posted the numbers. Will do so.

Paul

The oppo digital player is now available in OZ.
Can't wait to get one at xmas.

Hi Paul....I just PM'd you.

Does channel delay work on 5.1 SACDs?

The main downside (for me) is the aspect ratio feels slightly off because of the MediaTek shrinking problem, so instead of 16x9 the picture is more like 16x9 squeezed into a 16x8.5 frame. Even on 16:9 movies I get slight black bars on top and bottom. However I've grown used to it and it doesn't bother me as much.This is a bit disconcerting. We've been reading about picture squeezing on the Sony NS70 and NS90 for months and people were glad to find that the newer NS75 (and NC85) had that problem fixed. Now we're reading about a similar problem on page 2 of the new Oppo 970 thread. The Faroudja-equipped players have one problem, the Mediatek-equipped players have another.

This is a bit disconcerting. We've been reading about picture squeezing on the Sony NS70 and NS90 for months and people were glad to find that the newer NS75 (and NC85) had that problem fixed. Now we're reading about a similar problem on page 2 of the new Oppo 970 thread. The Faroudja-equipped players have one problem, the Mediatek-equipped players have another.

Oppo Digital and the 970HD testers are well aware of this problem and it is being addressed.

Paul

Oppo Digital and the 970HD testers are well aware of this problem and it is being addressed.

PaulThat is good to know. Thanks.

For those who already have the 970, is the face of the player black or silver? There are pictures of both on the images tab. Thanks.


Just found the answer on the FAQ tab,

"The OPDV971H front panel has a brushed aluminum finish; the DV-970HD front panel has a reflective mirror finish."

ordered mine today! should be great to hook up to a DVDO iSCan VP30 and pass 480i/576i via HDMI ...

For those who already have the 970, is the face of the player black or silver? There are pictures of both on the images tab. Thanks.

Mine is silver. The middle section on mine is reflective silvered.

Paul

This is a bit disconcerting. We've been reading about picture squeezing on the Sony NS70 and NS90 for months and people were glad to find that the newer NS75 (and NC85) had that problem fixed. Now we're reading about a similar problem on page 2 of the new Oppo 970 thread. The Faroudja-equipped players have one problem, the Mediatek-equipped players have another.

The same fix that Sony utilized in the NS75S (zooming and stretching to cover the underscan) will likely be used on the DV970HD. There is reason why both have the same error, but I can't go further than saying that.

HDMI 480i output with 16x9 pixel crop pattern

Left 0
Right 0
Top 0
Bottom 1

The MPEG decoder is a tad (technical word :)) noiser than the MEI. If you look at the Super Speeday (Film Detail) on the ABT VRS test disc, you will see this in the sky to the right of the bleachers.

HDMI 480i output with 16x9 pixel crop pattern

Left 0
Right 0
Top 0
Bottom 1

The MPEG decoder is a tad (technical word :)) noiser than the MEI. If you look at the Super Speeday (Film Detail) on the ABT VRS test disc, you will see this in the sky to the right of the bleachers.


So Stacey, have we found the ultimate 480i HDMI player? Or is a Pio 59/79avi still top dog in that respect?

I believe it is better than the Pio players. I still prefer the image from the RP91/82 via SDI. The Oppo is a lot faster in terms of responsivness though.

I believe it is better than the Pio players. I still prefer the image from the RP91/82 via SDI. The Oppo is a lot faster in terms of responsivness though.

Good to hear. Can I pester for just a bit further elaboration on the Oppo/Pio differences at 480i HDMI? I have a Pio now, but may need the Oppo soon. Details please!

I believe it is better than the Pio players.

And cheaper ;)

I have also noticed that the OPPO DV-970HD is very similar to the BBK 988 DVD player I bought in Hong Kong two weeks ago, except the remote looks different. Also, the DV-970HD has DVD-audio capability, while the BBK 988 can play VCD, SVCD, MPEG4 and MP3 discs. I wonder if each can be easily programmed to have all these capabilities.

The BBK 988 can play DVDs from all regions straight out of the box, without the need for any re-programming. Is the OPPO DV-970HD also region free straight out of the box? If not, has anyone figured out yet how to make it region free?

I have played with the BBK 988 for two weeks now. The biggest plus for me is now I can play Region 2 PAL DVDs with an upconverting player through HDMI. I am very pleased with the video quality, which I consider to be slightly better than what I get from the Zenith 318 DVD player with component output.

I have also noticed that the OPPO DV-970HD is very similar to the BBK 988 DVD player I bought in Hong Kong two weeks ago, except the remote looks different.

Yes, they are basically the samething, except that the DV970HD does not have the DVI output, and is HDCP compliant (which the Chinese player is not concerned with at all, so you do not have any component based upconversion limitations).

Also, the DV-970HD has DVD-audio capability, while the BBK 988 can play VCD, SVCD, MPEG4 and MP3 discs. I wonder if each can be easily programmed to have all these capabilities.

The DV970HD supports the same features. Check the specifications again (MP3 is not listed, but it works).

The BBK 988 can play DVDs from all regions straight out of the box, without the need for any re-programming. Is the OPPO DV-970HD also region free straight out of the box? If not, has anyone figured out yet how to make it region free?

OPPO complies with region coding, so it is R1 locked. However, the same code which worked for the OPDV971H, works for the DV970HD (Setup->9210->0->Setup).

Thanks Neuromancer. I should have read the specs and Paul's post more carefully before raising those questions.

I am so pleased with the BBK 988 that I was thinking of getting another one, except that I will not be visting Hong Kong again that soon. Now I can simply purchase the OPPO DV-970HD if I need another DVD player.

Can somebody check if it supports multi sessions recorded disks? Previous model can see only first session.

No multi-session support.

I have a similar question about the OPPO DV-970HD I would like to know your opinion how does the DV-970HD compare to the OPDV971H in picture quality? According to bechmark tests of video performance, the OPDV971H scores higher than the DV-970HD. Given that the OPDV971H features video processing with "DCDi by Faroudja" technology and video chipset by Genesis/Faroudja, the "DCDi by Faroudja" technology is able to handle some tricky video contents. As far as the DV-970HD uses a less expensive chipset and technology for video de-interlacing and up-conversion, the difference could probably be noticed on large TV or projector screens.

My question: how big is in reality the visible difference between pictures of DV-970HD and OPDV971H? Has anyone directly compared the two players?

Is the code free and can the user prohibitions switched off?

inomics

Lachris, the new 970 can be made region free, see page one of the thread for information on secret menu. I bet the 988 will be able to use the firmware from the 970 but one would have to get the remote that is being used for the 970 and the firmware would probably disable component upscailing because of css rules in the US. As stated in post above hit setup 9210 and 0 to make it region free. The 988 uses a different code which I have listed in the 988 thread. As one can see they are very similar units.

Could someone tell me how this player is better than the original?? This is a 480i player right?? I thought 480p was better. I have an infocus 4805 and was lookign for a panasonic rp-56 replacement. Does this one make sense? Also can HDMI be connected through an adapter to a DVI projector??

To Paul and the rest making this thread invaluable, thanks. Maybe such a conclusion should not be made yet, but it would appear for the people that don't want SACD with a DVD-V player to be used connected by DVI to an HDCP compliant display that doesn't suffer with macroblocking enhancement, the DV971H still reigns supreme among budget players. For everybody else, this player is worthy of consideration. Just for the record, SACD is so good, everybody should want SACD.

Chris

To ... the rest making this thread invaluable, thanks.
Chris

I think it concerns me. So, sorry and thanks for sharing the experience. I do value the AVS forum!

inomics

For anyone making comments about the 971HD doing better in the benchmark than the 970HD, that is false. We have not added the 970HD to the benchmark so no results have even been posted to comment on.

I have a 970HD now and will add it to the benchmark (along with several other players) in early June. It carries on Oppo's reputation of outstanding value and performance for its price point. It does not have the video processing potential of the 971HD as it lacks the Faroudja processing, but it does do a fine job for using an all in one chip solution. I think its main appeal is its transport capabilities for feeding an outboard video processor.

Also for those that didn't notice, this player is HDMI 1.1 compliant and will supposedly output SACD via HDMI in PCM form. I will be testing that feature hopefully this week.

Also for those that didn't notice, this player is HDMI 1.1 compliant and will supposedly output SACD via HDMI in PCM form. I will be testing that feature hopefully this week.Kris, great point as I thought that SACD could not be passed over HDMI 1.1.

It can't in DSD form, but if the player is converting to PCM for any reason (which pretty much all of them do) then it can be passed over in PCM form. This is the only player I know of off hand that does this (supposedly, again I have not tried it out yet, but plan to this week!).

For anyone making comments about the 971HD doing better in the benchmark than the 970HD, that is false. We have not added the 970HD to the benchmark so no results have even been posted to comment on.


Kris Deering: thanks for explanation. I have read about the benchmark tests of the 970HD in another forum.

inomics

Could someone tell me how this player is better than the original?? This is a 480i player right?? I thought 480p was better. I have an infocus 4805 and was lookign for a panasonic rp-56 replacement. Does this one make sense? Also can HDMI be connected through an adapter to a DVI projector??


This has been discussed else where in the thread....the benefit of this player is that it outputs 480i signal via HDMI. Those that have external scalers like the VP30 are excited about a unit that can send a 480i via HDMI to our scaler for $150...... When you compare the cost of modding a player with an SDI output...it's a true bargin.

Ron

Thanks Ron, so for people who do NOT have scalers, the older model is still the way to go correct?

Mark: I would think so.

Since this thread is new and very popular, for the near future I'm going to ask everybody to stick to 970HD discussion only. Anything off-topic, or close, will be deleted. Thanks.

larry

I'm still quite attached to my Oppo 971, but the 970's additional SACD support intrigues me. Currently I've got a Yamaha DVD-S1500 that I use for audio applications: DVD-Audio and SACD, plus I use it as a CD transport. The Yamaha's a good DVD-A player and a fair SACD player, but the user interface gets on my nerves. I suspect that I'm not the only person around here who'll be interested in how well the analog section performs with both DVD-Audio and SACD - especially since I could sell the Yamaha and pay for the 970.

One thing I forgot to mention, the 970HD no problem switching resolutions and sending 480i via HDMI to the DVI input on my display. Some HDMI players have various issues talking to a DVI input.

larry

It can't in DSD form, but if the player is converting to PCM for any reason (which pretty much all of them do) then it can be passed over in PCM form. This is the only player I know of off hand that does this (supposedly, again I have not tried it out yet, but plan to this week!).
Read that in the 970 manual last night and I agree, I don't know of any other player that does that either, I was rather surprised to read it in fact, interesting. I wouldn't have thought that a DSD decoder chip would be inexpensive enough to put in a player at this price.

Paul, maybe you can add a quick compare/contrast of the 970 vs the 971 before it gets asked over and over.

Read that in the 970 manual last night and I agree, I don't know of any other player that does that either, I was rather surprised to read it in fact, interesting. I wouldn't have thought that a DSD decoder chip would be inexpensive enough to put in a player at this price. Yea, maybe, but then there's probably more circuitry to go a different path than the rest of PCM audio. Just licensing SACD probably adds a chunk to the cost. And if even if they did add the DSD decoder, you'd never know (hear) the difference. :)

larry

Hi:

I am a newby. I still would really appreciate the idea of a quick compare/contrast of the 970 vs the 971.

Regards,
inomics

I've been testing this player for a couple of months. As mentioned, the deinterlacing is not quite as good on video material as the 971H, but it provides a very clean 480i/576i signal via HDMI, which will be very appealing to those using video processors.

I always felt that the 971H's picture was a little soft, likely due to the Faroudja processing. The 970HD is indeed slightly better in this regard, though I still prefer my Denon 1600 via SDI overall.

Not mentioned in the thread so far is that the subtitle and angle mark bugs that plagued the 971H have been fixed for the 970HD. I've been told that these will be back-ported to the 971H in a future firmware upgrade.

Hi:

I am a newby. I still would really appreciate the idea of a quick compare/contrast of the 970 vs the 971.

Regards,
inomics


Dude, it's been asked....chill

So, can anyone clear up the CUE issues with regard to the mediatek chip and the 970? I believe owners of the 971 have reported that CUE is present when using 480i output. I assume this is because, when set to interlaced output, the mediatek chip does interlaced chroma upsampling regardless of the nature of the source on the disc. I also assume that, when set to progressive output, the mediatek does the correct upsampling and therefore shows no CUE.

So has this issue been fixed for the 970? (ie. correct upsampling is done regardless if output is progressive or interlaced) If not, what is the use of the 480i HDMI option if it has CUE?

Thanks.

Hi:

I am a newby. I still would really appreciate the idea of a quick compare/contrast of the 970 vs the 971.

Regards,
inomics

http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd_faq.html#A0

If not, what is the use of the 480i HDMI option if it has CUE?


People using scalers usually have a way to filter the CUE. For example, I was able to try both the Anthem D2 and DVDO VP30, and both are doing a nice job getting rid of it easily.

The CUE is usually not a problem with a good scaler.

I understand that. But isn't it better to have the correct chroma upsampling in the first place rather than having to filter it? If the ultimate goal is picture quality, surely filtering the chroma channel can only have a negative effect on that?

I always felt that the 971H's picture was a little soft, likely due to the Faroudja processing. The 970HD is indeed slightly better in this regard, though I still prefer my Denon 1600 via SDI overall.

Josh,

Do you think the 1600's edge over the 970HD is due to superiority of the Genesis decoder vs. the Mediatek? Or is it because the SDI signal is purer, whereas the Oppo's HDMI 480i is passing through some additional image enhancement circuitry?

If the latter, can the Oppo's image enhancement be effectively neutralized? Thx.

/steve

bobloblaw:

Thanks for the link. I cheked Oppo's FAQs early this week, but there was no reference to the 970HD .

inomics

One thing I forgot to mention, the 970HD no problem switching resolutions and sending 480i via HDMI to the DVI input on my display. Some HDMI players have various issues talking to a DVI input.

Larry,

Any HDCP issues setting up this way? My P5040XHAUS does not support HDCP via DVI.

Does HDCP come into play at 480i? It's not supposed to, but I seem to recall Oppo telling me they were enforcing it at all resolutions.

/steve

I am considering this player for use in a 2-Channel setup that sees some light video use as well. I am particularly interested in the DACs in this player as I'll be sending all information to an analog receiver. Would someone be willing to speak to the performance of the 970HD regarding audio?


A great many thanks.

The CUE is usually not a problem with a good scaler.

.. well, the ICP is a problem. The VP30 cannot filter the pio's ICP. So does this new Oppo suffer from ICP ?

btw, can it output HDMI and analogue at the same time ?

.. well, the ICP is a problem. The VP30 cannot filter the pio's ICP. So does this new Oppo suffer from ICP ?

According to Kris's benchmark test, ICP is not a problem when using the VP30 (with ABT102 installed). I could be missing something in the test results though...

Larry,

Any HDCP issues setting up this way? My P5040XHAUS does not support HDCP via DVI.

Does HDCP come into play at 480i? It's not supposed to, but I seem to recall Oppo telling me they were enforcing it at all resolutions.

/steve
My DVI input (the only digital input) on my P50 is HDCP compliant. I had no problems. I don't know if 480i wants HDCP or not. HDCP is "free" with HDMI chips and I don't know if it's always on or not, or implementation dependent. I could see where switching it on and off when changing resolutions would cause nightmares with various displays. :)

larry

.. well, the ICP is a problem. The VP30 cannot filter the pio's ICP. So does this new Oppo suffer from ICP ?

The DV970HD does not pass ICP fully, but it is still fairly watchable. I will see if I can't run it through a VP30 this afternoon and see what developes.

btw, can it output HDMI and analogue at the same time ?

Yes, the analog and the digital outputs are live at the same time.

I am considering this player for use in a 2-Channel setup that sees some light video use as well. I am particularly interested in the DACs in this player as I'll be sending all information to an analog receiver. Would someone be willing to speak to the performance of the 970HD regarding audio?

The 970HD uses the same audio DACs as the 971H (Cirrus Logic CS4360). However, the engineers have tweaked the audio section for optimal performance so CD, SACD and DVD-A playback over analog is quite good.

Regarding CUE, it was addressed with the 970HD prior to the production models being released, so you shouldn't have a problem with it.

I've been testing this player for a couple of months. As mentioned, the deinterlacing is not quite as good on video material as the 971H, but it provides a very clean 480i/576i signal via HDMI, which will be very appealing to those using video processors.

I always felt that the 971H's picture was a little soft, likely due to the Faroudja processing. The 970HD is indeed slightly better in this regard, though I still prefer my Denon 1600 via SDI overall.

Not mentioned in the thread so far is that the subtitle and angle mark bugs that plagued the 971H have been fixed for the 970HD. I've been told that these will be back-ported to the 971H in a future firmware upgrade.

When I tried the 971, the image was too soft for me. However, I did like the colors and filmlike look...does the 970 have the same colors and filmlike appearance too?

WOW!


Hats-off to Larry, Paul, Josh, Neuro, and the other testers that threw up a wall of silence regarding the 970.
Very impressive keeping it all quiet, guys. :cool:

For those using URC PC-programmable remotes (MX-700 and up), I've attached an MXF file with the 970HD commands (including discrete On/Off). This can be used with the Universal Browser to drag in any or all commands.

Thanks for the remote file, Mike - the discrete on and off commands are a nice touch. I'm guessing that the 971 and 970 use the same basic code set (the black remote), but a 971 could be set to use the old "white remote" codes and allow the two players to be set up side-by-side without having the remote commands "fight." That'd make for a handy way to compare the two units' performance.
Originally Posted by MikeSRC
The 970HD uses the same audio DACs as the 971H (Cirrus Logic CS4360). However, the engineers have tweaked the audio section for optimal performance so CD, SACD and DVD-A playback over analog is quite good.
And thanks also for this. I'm going to sit tight for the moment and wait for some more user feedback before I commit to anything, but I am starting to seriously consider selling off my Yamaha and getting a 970 as my universal player...

I have gone through this treat, but haven't found these Q? Answered.
PQ- is great
Q?- how does the SACD sound? I Have a have a dedicated SACD player, however, with my living room/HT the acoustic issue really can justify a $1000+ player for just music and a $$$$ for DVD --though I would like one.
2). How is the sound Quality for Movies…

Paul,

One thing you should add to the "known bugs" list is that SACD is 2.0 channel Stereo only when using 480p and the HDMI output. All other resolutions do not have this error.

Thanks for the remote file, Mike - the discrete on and off commands are a nice touch. I'm guessing that the 971 and 970 use the same basic code set (the black remote), but a 971 could be set to use the old "white remote" codes and allow the two players to be set up side-by-side without having the remote commands "fight." That'd make for a handy way to compare the two units' performance.

Unfortunately both units use the same IR codes. You can use the White Remote commands for the OPDV971H, but you have to make sure that the buttons you use do not somehow conflict with the Black Remote commands (such as Play changing the DVI modes).

And thanks also for this. I'm going to sit tight for the moment and wait for some more user feedback before I commit to anything, but I am starting to seriously consider selling off my Yamaha and getting a 970 as my universal player...


I'll second Gonk here. Thanks very much for the information. I think I am going to go ahead and take the plunge on this one. I am so very pleased with my 971 for video duty that I am willing to give Oppo the benefit of the doubt on the 970 for audio. I am needing to replace my Pio 563 and this may just be the way to do it.


Thanks again.

Unfortunately both units use the same IR codes. You can use the White Remote commands for the OPDV971H, but you have to make sure that the buttons you use do not somehow conflict with the Black Remote commands (such as Play changing the DVI modes).
Ah, interesting... Thanks.

Guys please keep this on topic. If you have questions on another player please start a new thread as it will only take this one off course.. Thank you.

.. well, the ICP is a problem. The VP30 cannot filter the pio's ICP. So does this new Oppo suffer from ICP ?

btw, can it output HDMI and analogue at the same time ? In a discussion over in the video processor forum Stacey Spears mentioned that all players have ICP of some form. If really bad, it's tough to filter completely.

The 970HD can output to both outputs at the same time, IIRC.

larry

I'll second Gonk here. Thanks very much for the information. I think I am going to go ahead and take the plunge on this one. I am so very pleased with my 971 for video duty that I am willing to give Oppo the benefit of the doubt on the 970 for audio. I am needing to replace my Pio 563 and this may just be the way to do it.


Thanks again.

Can't wait to hear your audio comparison between Pio 563 and 970.

How does the Pio 563 compare to your 971 for DVD-A?

When I tried the 971, the image was too soft for me. However, I did like the colors and filmlike look...does the 970 have the same colors and filmlike appearance too?
For digital output, if a player is competent, the colors will be whats encoded on the DVD and should look fine as long as your display is properly calibrated. For analog output, without taking measurements, the 970HD is no slouch especially for its price.

larry

Does the 970HD offer any bass management for the SACD/DVD-A? I don't think my receiver has bass mangagement for the analog inputs.

For those who have asked this question or are about to, the 970HD will only be available direct from Oppo for a few weeks. The reason is to get some direct feedback from customers before releasing the player to their resellers.

Does the 970HD offer any bass management for the SACD/DVD-A? I don't think my receiver has bass mangagement for the analog inputs.

Yes, it does.

Does the 970HD offer any bass management for the SACD/DVD-A? I don't think my receiver has bass mangagement for the analog inputs.
Pages 11,12 and 13 in the manual.

There is no "true" bass management controls on the DV970HD (this is the same as the OPDV971H).

EDIT: That is, the bass is designed to be directed to the subwoofer only when the speakers are set to "Small". When the speakers are set to "Large", all bass information is relayed to that channel and never sent to the subwoofer, even if it falls below 80Hz (OPPO's predesigned speaker cutoff).

As such, you can't set specific bass cutoffs for your speakers and subwoofer.

I believe it is better than the Pio players. I still prefer the image from the RP91/82 via SDI. The Oppo is a lot faster in terms of responsivness though.

Hi Stacey,

I'd like to ask you the same question I asked Josh. Do you think the RP91/82 SDI image looks better because there's no post processing being done on the SDI output, whereas 480 over HDMI is still passing through the 970HD's image enhancement circuitry on the way out?

Or is the difference attributable to superior performance by the MEI decoder vs. the Mediatek, and any add'l processing that Oppo is doing is irrelevant? Thx.

/steve

For those who have asked this question or are about to, the 970HD will only be available direct from Oppo for a few weeks. The reason is to get some direct feedback from customers before releasing the player to their resellers.

Typically, resellers sell below MSRP. I assume that this means we'll be able to get this below MSRP once this happens.

On the manual pages I posted above it shows some management controls, although, they appear to rather rudimentary, Large, Small or Off, with delay settings being based on the distant difference between Center and LF/RF, and if surround speakers are closer than your fronts you're out of luck there as delay cannot be set lower than the front distance.

Typically, resellers sell below MSRP. I assume that this means we'll be able to get this below MSRP once this happens.

Typically, yes. But with OPPO, no one has been below the 199 MSRP (Amazon.com always tries, but they are quickly stopped from doing so).

And if you look at the press release: "The DV-970HD is available from OPPO Digital and OPPO authorized resellers for $149.00."

Typically, yes. But with OPPO, no one has been below the 199 MSRP (Amazon.com always tries, but they are quickly stopped from doing so).

And if you look at the press release: "The DV-970HD is available from OPPO Digital and OPPO authorized resellers for $149.00."I would prefer to buy it from Amazon so as to benefit from free next day shipping (or $3.99 for next day) due to prime club membership. Plus, Amazon has a 30 day no-hassle return policy.

Mike of Surf Audio deserves our support when you consider where to get your 970. He has made great helpful posts and is a senior member of this fourm.

Plus, Amazon has a 30 day no-hassle return policy.

OPPO has the same policy.

If you want to order from Amazon.com, you will have to wait for two factors:

1. OPPO releases the players for purchase and distribution to affiliates (mid-June).
2. Amazon.com actually orders the DV970H (we can only speculate that Amazon.com is shopping for it, or OPPO has presented it to Amazon.com for possible inclusion on their website).

Ok my seperate post is getting ignored so let me ask a simplified version here of my question. (sorry mods, I tried)

I have an In Focus 4805 (with dcdi). Will I then be gaining nothing in getting the 971 instead of the 970?

I watch a lot of divx movies with my Philips 642 currently, but want to replace it. So far I have not heard anyone talk about how well the 970 does with divx/xvid.

Also, Do the 970 and Philips 5960 have the same mediatek processors?

If it would be redundant for me to get the 971 since I have the 4805 pj, then I need help deciding between the 970 and the Philips 5960, and understanding what I'll gain for the extra $80 if I get the Oppo 970HD. (I don't own any SACD/DVD-A disks.)

Thanks!

I know how well thought of Oppo is around here and all, but here's a simple question:

My sister's Zenith 318 is about to kick the bucket after two years worth of use.

Would something like this be viable and better build quality/durability vs. something like that?

That price tag starts falling under "too good to be true/what kind of quality are we talking about?" territory...

Do you think the 1600's edge over the 970HD is due to superiority of the Genesis decoder vs. the Mediatek? Or is it because the SDI signal is purer, whereas the Oppo's HDMI 480i is passing through some additional image enhancement circuitry?

I believe the difference is probably in the MPEG decoders, or at least in the way each is implemented.

On Oppo's website, it mentioned that the 970 will decode HDCD through its analog audio outputs. However, I don't see HDCD mentioned in the owner's manual (or maybe I missed it). Anyone can confirm HDCD decoding with the 970?

I just bought a 971 from Mike and got great service. He offers a 30 day return policy and provided free shipping. Free shipping is the only discount you're likely to see.

On Oppo's website, it mentioned that the 970 will decode HDCD through its analog audio outputs. However, I don't see HDCD mentioned in the owner's manual (or maybe I missed it). Anyone can confirm HDCD decoding with the 970?

I can confirm HDCD support.

I know how well thought of Oppo is around here and all, but here's a simple question:

My sister's Zenith 318 is about to kick the bucket after two years worth of use.

Would something like this be viable and better build quality/durability vs. something like that?

That price tag starts falling under "too good to be true/what kind of quality are we talking about?" territory...

I think it is better than the Zenith. However, you have to remember that at this time and place, there is no hack which allows for component based upconversion for CSS encrypted media (pretty much all commercial discs). But once a hack is made available, then you will be good to go.

Question: How well regarded is the upconverter in a Sony SXRD 60" set? Is it good enough to take the HDMI 480i signal to make it look really good with its 1080P output (as much as standard DVDs allow of course), or is it likely that the Oppo's upconverting 720P/1080i output as the source over HDMI is best to this set?

And if the first question can be answered "yes", is the best use of the Oppo then become a matter of it being able to output 480i over HDMI as opposed to other DVD players?

I have an In Focus 4805 (with dcdi). Will I then be gaining nothing in getting the 971 instead of the 970?

With a EDTV based display, there is little incentive to move up to the OPDV971H as the amount of error correction is greatly reduced due to your native resolution. However, because you are using a projector, your picture throw may warrent the OPDV971H, as it will reduce aliasing much better than the DV970HD.[/QUOTE]

Question: How well regarded is the upconverter in a Sony SXRD 60" set? Is it good enough to take the HDMI 480i signal to make it look really good with its 1080P output (as much as standard DVDs allow of course), or is it likely that the Oppo's upconverting 720P/1080i output as the source over HDMI is best to this set?

And if the first question can be answered "yes", is the best use of the Oppo then become a matter of it being able to output 480i over HDMI as opposed to other DVD players?

I own a 60" SXRD and can tell you the upconversion is very good. I doubt you'll have much issue when pairing it with a 970HD. You'd have to try it out to be sure, but I would suspect that the upconverter/deinterlacer in the Sony is as least as good as what's in the OPPO player.

And if the first question can be answered "yes", is the best use of the Oppo then become a matter of it being able to output 480i over HDMI as opposed to other DVD players?

Can't answer your first question, but I can answer the second.

One of the benefits of a quality DVD player is its ability to decode the DVD and transport it "unmolested" to the display device through an interlaced format. Analog is considered a "no no" for the simple reason that you are doing a digital to analog conversion, which could bring about ill wanted filtering and other manipulation. SDI modifications are rather expensive and fairly uncommon. Which leaves HDMI as next best digital transport vehicle.

What makes a good 480i DVD player is its decoding chipset. Because the primary goal of a 480i signal is to try to get a signal which directly corresponds to the quality of the encode, you want a decoding chipset that will do little, if no, alterations to the signal. A good chip will not add visual enhancers which alters the original video components, as your external scaler is designed to do this job in a much more precise manner.

I can confirm HDCD support.
Can you confirm that HDCD support only works through analog? Since the 970HD can decode DSD and output over HDMI as PCM, it would be great if something similar is done with HDCD CDs.

I can confirm HDCD support.

Thanks. I was waiting for Pioneer's next budget universal player to be introduced, but this Oppo is going to be hard to resist.

With a EDTV based display, there is little incentive to move up to the OPDV971H as the amount of error correction is greatly reduced due to your native resolution. However, because you are using a projector, your picture throw may warrent the OPDV971H, as it will reduce aliasing much better than the DV970HD.[/QUOTE]

So the big question then is: If I were using either Oppo, would I or would I not send the projector a 480i signal (since the projector already has faradouja). Would I get a better picture from the oppo deinterlacer or the projectors?

boblowblaw: Hmmm, thx for the response but then help me understand how the Oppo would be better than any other decent HDMI player?

I'll be specific... I want a Blu-Ray at the end of the year, but I also want a DVD recorder for occassional sports taping. The Oppo doesn't record DVDs or I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat. So if I get a good HDMI DVD recorder, will I be able to use it to send my DVDs to my set for awesome upscaling (even if sent out a 480P instead of 480i from source up-conversion), or is there a reason to get the Oppo 970?

EDIT: Neuromancer... thx. Considering my dilemma, would you say a decent DVD recorder should be fine for me if the SXRD does upconvert very well?

I noticed that the Oppo 970 has a detachable power cord. Anyone think a aftermarket PC will improve its performance? Or am I opening a can of worms?

Can you confirm that HDCD support only works through analog? Since the 970HD can decode DSD and output over HDMI as PCM, it would be great if something similar is done with HDCD CDs.

Havn't tried HDMI since my primary display device is a H78 (DVI) and I don't have a HDMI based receiver at home.

EDIT: contacted OPPO and they do not know if it will pass HDCD over HDMI, as their receiver in the office does not differentiate the difference in PCM feeds (it will only say that is is LPCM, but nothing about bitrate when they compared the Optical and HDMI playback).

So the big question then is: If I were using either Oppo, would I or would I not send the projector a 480i signal (since the projector already has faradouja). Would I get a better picture from the oppo deinterlacer or the projectors?

It depends on the implimentation of the Faroudja chipset in the Infocus 4805. Likely the Faroudja chipset is only being applied to the analog inputs, so in the case of both OPPOs, it is a moot point, as the digital interface will be using different scaling algorithms.

However, if the Faroudja chipset is implimented in the digital input, then you are looking in a scenario of "which is the better de-interlacer/scaler?" In this situation is is a matter of which was designed with better implimentation. In most cases, it is an external scaler (in this case a DVD player).

I noticed that the Oppo 970 has a detachable power cord. Anyone think a aftermarket PC will improve its performance? Or am I opening a can of worms?

Some people swear on after market power cables. But if you live in an environment which does not have adverse conditions which need major power conditioning, I don't see the real benefit.

Will it play divx files from a USB hard drive?

I've been testing this player for a couple of months. As mentioned, the deinterlacing is not quite as good on video material as the 971H, but it provides a very clean 480i/576i signal via HDMI, which will be very appealing to those using video processors.

As clean as the SDI? Why do you still prefer the Denon? Thanks for your input.

EDIT: Neuromancer... thx. Considering my dilemma, would you say a decent DVD recorder should be fine for me if the SXRD does upconvert very well?

As long as the DVD Recorder does not produce an adverse picture (chroma errors, poor de-interlacing, can't pass blacker than black, bad cadence and pulldown support and so forth) then you will be fine. But if it suffers from bad decoding hardware, then you will be left with nothing more than an expensive paper weight.

HDTVs have a nasty tendency to magnify errors, which is why people spend so much time and money finding the best DVD player for their needs.

Will it play divx files from a USB hard drive?

Yes, though not recommended, as the USB is only 1.1 capable. Therefore, it is too slow for most DivX encodes.

I know how well thought of Oppo is around here and all, but here's a simple question:

My sister's Zenith 318 is about to kick the bucket after two years worth of use.

Would something like this be viable and better build quality/durability vs. something like that?

That price tag starts falling under "too good to be true/what kind of quality are we talking about?" territory...

I'm wondering the same thing. I would assume without the Faraoudja chip that the Oppo is not as good video-wise but it does play a lot more formats.

joeblow: The Oppo Digital Site had a DVD recorder mentioned as coming soon till a few days back. It is no longer there. But maybe you could wait if you need a recorder with Oppo Quality.

With the glowing responses here I wonder if Oppo can match supply with demand.

joeblow: The Oppo Digital Site had a DVD recorder mentioned as coming soon till a few days back. It is no longer there. But maybe you could wait if you need a recorder with Oppo Quality.

That project was canceled due to the cost of the unit and move towards digital distribution and copying.

With the glowing responses here I wonder if Oppo can match supply with demand.

Likely not. When I talked to them pre-launch, they had less than 100 units to sell (which is why distributors are having to wait till mid-June)

Can't wait to hear your audio comparison between Pio 563 and 970.

How does the Pio 563 compare to your 971 for DVD-A?


Honestly I have never done a comparison between the 2 players. I suppose I should at some point...

Likely not. When I talked to them pre-launch, they had less than 100 units to sell (which is why distributors are having to wait till mid-June)

Another order here, placed last night. This is from the other side of the Atlantic, so I should get it only next week or so. The guys from oppo have confirmed the shipment today, so that's kind a relief to me ;-)

btw, one more question... what kind of power cord does the 970hd uses? Is it attached to the main unit, or is a detachable one? We have here shucko-like plugs, probably will have to get an usa-plug power adaptor...

Yes, though not recommended, as the USB is only 1.1 capable. Therefore, it is too slow for most DivX encodes.

The USB 1.1 maximum theoretical speed is 12Mb/s, while a typical divx file is under 2Mb/s with audio. Does the USB on Oppo is so limited that it won't even read at ~17% of its capacity?

I have a Samsung HL-S5687W 1080p DLP and am looking for the best upconverting DVD player to go with it ... Would the 970 be better than the 971 because of the macroblocking issues?

The USB 1.1 maximum theoretical speed is 12Mb/s, while a typical divx file is under 2Mb/s with audio. Does the USB on Oppo is so limited that it won't even read at ~17% of its capacity?

The problem is that maximum (Full Speed) is never really sustained in real world applications, especially since you will be decoding the file as you are transfering it (no buffering or non-direct distribution). Although you have a theoretical limit of 12Mb/s, most USB 1.1 devices will start to tap out much lower than that.

btw, one more question... what kind of power cord does the 970hd uses? Is it attached to the main unit, or is a detachable one? We have here shucko-like plugs, probably will have to get an usa-plug power adaptor...

It is a DPC (Detached Power Cord). Yes, I am coining DPC as a new acronym. You all read it hear first!

I have a Samsung HL-S5687W 1080p DLP and am looking for the best upconverting DVD player to go with it ... Would the 970 be better than the 971 because of the macroblocking issues?

If macroblocking is your main concern, then yes, the DV970HD will be the better fit for this display, as it does not have the "macroblock enhance" error.

Q: What is the best output resolution to use with the OPPO DV-970HD?
A: The best output resolution of the OPPO DV-970HD depends on what type of TV or projector you use with it. The one that looks best to your eyes on your particular TV is the best resolution to use (Duh!). <- (Their word)

:D

Ok, what am I missing here?

I mean, this player has got to be the deal of the century, yet it seems to be getting a somewhat lukewarm reception. I really don't understand why people aren't falling all over themselves to get their hands on one of these ASAP!

I'm assuming that most, if not all, of the reason is because many of the people who are considering this player either don't have separate video processors or they don't have decent processing in their displays.

Let's look at this:

1. 480i over HDMI - ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS! What are your alternatives to feed a "pure" digital output straight off of the MPEG decoder to your processor? You can get another, much higher priced player OR you can get an el cheapo Sony 975 OR you can get an expensive SDI mod to your existing player.
2. This player also serves as a combi SACD/DVDA player! This unexpected feature solved a problem in my system because I am running out of inputs even on my Lex MC-12, and that ain't easy...:) So now I can simply replace my Pio 563 with this player and I don't lose a SACD/DVDA player - I gain a high quality DVD digital transport!
3. With a simple mod you can make this player region free - not particularly valuable to me, but I'll bet a lot of people will find this little feature indispensable.
4. Plays back just about every imaginable format short of HD-DVD and BluRay, including DivX.
5. Has USB connection, which I bet will come in very handy for firmware updates...and with Oppo's already excellent track record, I am sure that this connect will see some use...:D
6. And all of this for a measly $150...you've got to be kidding me. I can't believe that there are people waiting for other vendors to get a hold of them so that they can save what, $15 if they are lucky?

The only mistake that Oppo has made, IMHO, is that it is selling for too little money. By pricing it at $150, the people who who need an upconverting player will be measuring it against other upconverting players, and that is not where the strength of this player lies. To me, this is more properly aimed at higher end users who have outboard video processing, so if Oppo had priced it, at let's say, $900, then a whole different crowd would be looking at it and my guess is that it would become an instant hit with these people.

Or am I missing the boat completely with this player?

The problem with charging more than 150 dollars is that OPPO does not have the brand recognition as say, Sony, Pioneer, Arcam, Denon and the other brands which can afford to sell you pretty much the same player, but at a much higher price. Brand sells, and OPPO, right now, is the "botique for less". Give them time, and they too will begin to gauge you for nothing different except a piano black finish!

I agree completely. Thats why I wondered if Oppo will be able to keep up with demand. There is no doubt in my mind that when the different professional reviews start rolling in from CNET, Sound&Vision Magazine, Home Theater Magazine, the player will be hot hot hot. I still can't belive it handles SACD/DVDA for a buck and a half. The competition must be flipping out big time.

Likely not. When I talked to them pre-launch, they had less than 100 units to sell (which is why distributors are having to wait till mid-June)

So much for "likely not". Oppo is already out of stock till mid-June :mad:

So does this new Oppo suffer from ICP

Yes, all players do. It is not as severe as the Pio 59/79AVi. The VP30 CUE filter cleans it up nicely.

To me, this is more properly aimed at higher end users who have outboard video processing, so if Oppo had priced it, at let's say, $900, then a whole different crowd would be looking at it and my guess is that it would become an instant hit with these people. At $150, the player can serve the needs of BOTH crowds and make up for the shortfall in VOLUME.

Gary

I have a Samsung HL-S5687W 1080p DLP and am looking for the best upconverting DVD player to go with it ... Would the 970 be better than the 971 because of the macroblocking issues? The 970 could be better IF your Samsung can handle HDMI 480i. My Samsung (HLP model) cannot. !@#$%^&*!! So the 971 still looks better on my TV.

Bear in mind, though, that the Samsung has a Faroudja processor built in too, so macroblocking could still be an issue with HDMI 480i.

Gary

I just ordered mine. This will be my first upconverting DVD player, so I'm hoping to get a much better picture than my Sony SACD changer I'm using now. I just hope I don't get an "out of stock" notice.

The only mistake that Oppo has made, IMHO, is that it is selling for too little money. By pricing it at $150, the people who who need an upconverting player will be measuring it against other upconverting players, and that is not where the strength of this player lies. To me, this is more properly aimed at higher end users who have outboard video processing, so if Oppo had priced it, at let's say, $900, then a whole different crowd would be looking at it and my guess is that it would become an instant hit with these people.



Bob, you are absolutely right about the pricing.
I would have paid $1,000 for a great 480i HDMI player for my VP30.
And I have the Onkyo sp1000 at $1,500 (which is going into the bedroom)!
All I want for the HT room is a great digital transport and I'm all set. :)
Oh, just got an e-mail from Oppo...ETA: Friday. :cool:

To the makers of this fine machine, please consider adding a DVD recorder function in the future. It is the one thing that may bring people like me on board who plan to use HD-DVD/Blu-Ray for playback for their 1080P screens. I'd get it if not for this issue since I don't want multiple DVD players.

So much for "likely not". Oppo is already out of stock till mid-June :mad:Thats what you get for procrastinating by taking the time to study the specs and the manual before making a decision, like I did! ;)
On the bright side, by mid-June they will have had the benefit of feedback from the early adopters and hopefully fixed some of the teething troubles through a firmware update.

Wow! It's been busy today! Comparisons to the 971H are inevitable. The 970HD has features the 971H does not have while the 971H has performance the 970HD does not match.

So there *is* a tradeoff.

Picturewise the 970HD doesn't quite have the finesse of the 971H. The 971H locks 3:2 faster and does better with jagged lines. That's the 971H's Faroudja in action and it does perform very, very well. However, the 970HD is no slouch -- in viewing and testing the MediaTek is admirable and I think most people will be very happy, if not thrilled, with the picture performance. It is a joy to use.

The testers did a great job and I think the 970HD reflects that effort -- which, in the tradition of the 970HD, is ongoing. Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Keep it up!

Paul

Picturewise the 970HD doesn't quite have the finesse of the 971H. The 971H locks 3:2 faster and does better with jagged lines. That's the 971H's Faroudja in action and it does perform very, very well. However, the 970HD is no slouch -- in viewing and testing the MediaTek is admirable and I think most people will be very happy, if not thrilled, with the picture performance. It is a joy to use.
Hi Paul,

I know that you are comparing "apples to apples", but how do these two players compare when they are used as they are meant to be? That is, have you compared the upconverted output of the 971 to the 480i output of the 970 being fed to a high quality video processor like a HQV or Gennum unit?

Here's an example comparison:

971 (1080i) HDMI to Vantage-HD input converted to 1080p and fed to a Sony Ruby's HDMI input

versus

970 (480i) HDMI to Vantage-HD input converted to 1080p and fed to a Sony Ruby's HDMI input

or how about this:

971 (720p) HDMI to Crystalio II input fed to a Sim2 C3X HDMI input :)

versus

970 (480i) HDMI to Crystalio II input converted to 720p and fed to a Sim2 C3X HDMI input

From my viewpoint, if you want an upconverting player, then the 971 or other upconverting player might be a better choice, but my hopes are that the 480i output of the 970 fed to a high quality video processor will be significantly better than the upconverted output of most ANY player.

To the makers of this fine machine, please consider adding a DVD recorder function in the future. It is the one thing that may bring people like me on board who plan to use HD-DVD/Blu-Ray for playback for their 1080P screens. I'd get it if not for this issue since I don't want multiple DVD players.

DVD Recording would be a nice feature to have, however I believe the main core of buyers of the 970 would be owners of external video processors - I have a DVDO VP30 and put my order through yesterday......

I sold my 971 and was looking at DVD transports which could output 480i/576i via dvi/hdmi ..... fantastic news that the 970 can do it.....

if people are looking for upconverters... the 971 is it.... if they want something that upconvert and records.... samsung has some of those (with HDD even and HDMI out) - but you won't get the same quality PQ as with the oppo.

I'm over the moon - specially since I was getting close to buying a pioneer 989 or an Arcam...... the oppo is great value for money and will tie me over until the BR/HD DVD war is over or universal players are out....

From my viewpoint, if you want an upconverting player, then the 971 or other upconverting player might be a better choice, but my hopes are that the 480i output of the 970 fed to a high quality video processor will be significantly better than the upconverted output of most ANY player.

Exactly what I believe also!

I believe the 970 will be a must have for all VP owners (I have a VP30 myself) - unless you are going the SDI route, which is a much more expensive way, for possibly 'similar' results?

it will be a worthwile test.... output 480i from the 970 to a VP, versus SDI to VP......

I have been reading a lot about the macro-blocking issues with the 971, and from what I can tell, there is no way to really eliminate it. The best most people are able to do is minimize it by having the display properly calibrated.

With that said, is the macro-blocking of the 971 a bigger PQ hit than not having a Faroudja in the 970? I know it is a trade-off, but really "how" much of a trade-off is it?

I agree completely. Thats why I wondered if Oppo will be able to keep up with demand. There is no doubt in my mind that when the different professional reviews start rolling in from CNET, Sound&Vision Magazine, Home Theater Magazine, the player will be hot hot hot. I still can't belive it handles SACD/DVDA for a buck and a half. The competition must be flipping out big time.

A quick question about SACD. Just to remind that the SACD was introduced in order to improve the audio quality. Do you really expect that 970 with SACD will give out a better quality than a high end audio player playing CDs? Me not. Then why are people so keen to play SACD/DVDA on this player. Most SACDs disks are hybrid anyway!

I myself consider the 970 player valuable for all the video formats and MP3, which are not played on my Unison Unico.

cheers
inomics

The 970H will be perfect, assuming your Samsung is able to handle 480i HDMI (feeding it to the Faroudja for deintelacing). My Samsung (HLP model) cannot. !@#$%^&*!! So the 971H still looks better on mine.

Gary

Originally Posted by benshapiro:
I have a Samsung HL-S5687W 1080p DLP and am looking for the best upconverting DVD player to go with it ... Would the 970 be better than the 971...?

It is an issue for me too. I have a Samsung DLP (SP-46L6H). Ho do I know if my Samsung is able to handle 480i HDMI - feeding it to the Faroudja for deintelacing?

This would give my the answer if the 970H or the 971H is better for my, as I do not have the iScanVP 30, nor any other external scalers.

inomics

I have a Samsung DLP (SP-46L6H). Ho do I know if my Samsung is able to handle 480i HDMI - feeding it to the Faroudja for deintelacing? Ask about 480i HDMI input on the thread for your TV. Sometimes the spec sheet or manual will give that information, but not always. SP-46L6H is not a valid part number.

By the way, I've just edited my post (the one you quoted above) to qualify my statement a bit more.

Gary

With that said, is the macro-blocking of the 971 a bigger PQ hit than not having a Faroudja in the 970? I know it is a trade-off, but really "how" much of a trade-off is it? It depends on the display and its level of calibration. DLP can be one of the worst display-types for the macroblock-enhance bug, yet by properly calibrating two of my DLP's, I pretty much ELIMINATED all signs of the bug. Now, at 720p, the picture from the 971 is smoother and more film-like than the picture from the 970, even though the level of detail is the same.

On an uncalibrated display, the 970 could be the better one to use. If your display accepts HDMI 480i and has a good de-interlacer, the 970 could also be a good match. Bear in mind, though, that some displays have a Faroudja processor built in, so macroblock-enhance could still be an issue with HDMI 480i.

The 970 also seems to do pretty well with the component outputs.

Gary

What resolutions can the 970 display photos? Same res for both memory slots and photo CDs?

Will the 970 convert JPEGs to display at 1080? What's the maximum JPEG size?

I believe there won't be any visual difference in photo display between 1080i and 1080p?

Ask about 480i HDMI input on the thread for your TV. Sometimes the spec sheet or manual will give that information, but not always. SP-46L6H is not a valid part number.

Gary

The spec sheet (the one I have) or the manual does definitely not give that information. They just mention the HDMI (with HDCP) input.

SP-46L6H:
www.samsung.com/be-nl/products/tv/projectiontv/sp_46l6hx.asp?page=Specifications

I will post my question in the TV thread.

inomics

Reading through this forum, I don't get the sense that anyone iis being 'blown away' by use of the 970HD as a 480i pure digital transport Those who own both are reporting that their SDI mod'd players still have the edge. Of course I realize that if you don't already own an SDI mod'd player, the 970HD offers a much greater value.

That being said, has anyone compared the 970HD's 480i component vs HDMI image quality, using the same internal or external scaler? If so, could you please report on how much a difference you see, if any? Thx!

/steve

Exactly what I believe also!

I believe the 970 will be a must have for all VP owners (I have a VP30 myself) - unless you are going the SDI route, which is a much more expensive way, for possibly 'similar' results?

it will be a worthwile test.... output 480i from the 970 to a VP, versus SDI to VP......

Has anyone actually done this yet? I just placed a order for the 970 to connect to my VP30. I'm hoping the output is clean enough to allow 30 and 102 to do it's magic. Has their been any negative feedback on the 480i HDMI output? I quickly glanced through and didn't see anything.

Jeff

Has anyone actually done this yet? I just placed a order for the 970 to connect to my VP30. I'm hoping the output is clean enough to allow 30 and 102 to do it's magic. Has their been any negative feedback on the 480i HDMI output? I quickly glanced through and didn't see anything.

Jeff

Mine is coming on Friday. I also have a Denon with an SDI mod. I don't know how much time I will have before Sat (then out of pocket for a week)...but if time allows I'll run some quick A/B testing.

Ron

as many have done ive decided to try this player in anticipation of an external scaler to go with my sony Ruby(soon as the Anthem D1-->D2 upgrade becomes available), I figured for the price I cant go wrong, sadly im selling my Denon 5910CI, not in any way because im unhappy with its performance , its the best standalone player ive ever had bar none, but because im trying to raise some extra money for other things in the theater, once you get a 1080p display thats when you really start spending money :eek: , scaler,hi def dvd player etc. Heres my situation, having a 40lb universal player built like a tank such as the denon you get spoiled with that kind of build quality, ive NEVER had any operational issues with my 5910CI, so are the oppos known for having operational issues like my momitsu v880 such as sometimes wont play disk, freezing, etc?

as many have done ive decided to try this player in anticipation of an external scaler to go with my sony Ruby(soon as the Anthem D1-->D2 upgrade becomes available

My 970HD should come in tomorrow and I will post my impressions in the Anthem D2 "tweaking" thread, when paired with the D2 and Sony Ruby.

I now have the HD-DVD player Toshiba HD-A1. My Samsung Blu-Ray BD-P1000 is coming soon (end of june). And now 480i over HDMI for cheap for standard DVDs. All this with a Gennum scaler and a Ruby. :D

I think I'm all set! :D

I now have the HD-DVD player Toshiba HD-A1. My Samsung Blu-Ray BD-P1000 is coming soon (end of june). And now 480i over HDMI for cheap for standard DVDs. All this with a Gennum scaler and a Ruby. :D

I think I'm all set! :D


youre in denial, this NEVER ends your not set youre just getting warmed up! :D

Has anyone actually done this yet? I just placed a order for the 970 to connect to my VP30. I'm hoping the output is clean enough to allow 30 and 102 to do it's magic. Has their been any negative feedback on the 480i HDMI output? I quickly glanced through and didn't see anything.

Jeff
The only known issue is CUE at 480i. The VP30 should have no problem fixing it. The deinterlacer in the 970HD does a great job with it. It would be cool if somebody does what Carl Sundborn(?) did with the 59avi. He has a Lumagen HDP and there's some way to "measure" or "sample" the digital video being input to it. eg. Send a test pattern of a fixed, solid, gray level and the Lumagen with indicate what it "sees". Carl explains how he did it in the 59avi thread.

larry

The only known issue is CUE at 480i. The VP30 should have no problem fixing it. The deinterlacer in the 970HD does a great job with it.
larry

I assume/hope you meant the deinterlacer in the vp30 does a great job with it? After all what we are going after is having the source NOT deinterlaced prior to hitting the outboard scaler.

I thought someone mentioned the CUE issue was corrected prior to the final release of the 970HD?

Jeff

BOB, good views on the Oppo. I order mine yesterday. Talked w/ one of the people in the company. (They are about 40 min. from my home...) I asked him questions about SACD. Granted it was a little stupid to ask how does the SACD sound, but I did ask.
From what I could understand. He told me they collaborated with a high end SACD manufacture/design team, and it is very impressive. Even thou I have a Modified dedicated SACD player, it is one of the reason I wanted this player, and for under $200 it a no brainier- my H880 remote cost more…This was Wednesday morning and he told me he would ship it out that afternoon, I will not be here this weekend so I told him to ship on Thrusday to get here by Monday…I am sure you will all get many reviews next week…

I'm very uncertain regarding the SACD capabilities of this player, and I doubt it will compare to a dedicated player (much less a modded one like yours DAB). I suspect that if I do purchase the 970HD, my Sony C555ES will remain in the system for both SACD and CD playback.

I read earlier in the thread that the 970HD converts the DSD signal to PCM for output via HDMI. I wonder if it does the same before analog conversion like some of the Pioneers (as well as other cheap SACD players)? Even if not, I think it would be unwise to expect that SACD performance will come close to a dedicated, modded player costing much more. The value of this player lies in other areas.

For myself, I'm looking for a good all-region/all-format player. And, unlike the preceding Oppo model, it will have to have a good component output (at least until I get an HDMI switcher). It seems to me that this might be the ticket even though Faroudja-related "macroblock enhance" isn't a big problem on my setup. I would expect it'll look better for PAL discs than my el cheapo and getting old Toshiba SD-4900!

Also interested in the DVD-A via HDMI if anyone out there has the equipment to test this. At present, I don't have a receiver/pre-pro that'll take an HDMI DVD-A signal, but I'm hoping to get one soon (my SACD/CD player is hogging the analog multichannel inputs on my current receiver).

I assume/hope you meant the deinterlacer in the vp30 does a great job with it? After all what we are going after is having the source NOT deinterlaced prior to hitting the outboard scaler.

I thought someone mentioned the CUE issue was corrected prior to the final release of the 970HD?

Jeff The VP30 should have no problem filtering the CUE (I don't have a VP30, others here do). The deinterlacer in the 970HD filters the CUE extremely well. Bottom line, it shouldn'd be issue unless you feed 480i to a display or processor that does not filter the problem - like my plasma, that's how I can see it. :)

larry

My 970HD should come in tomorrow and I will post my impressions in the Anthem D2 "tweaking" thread, when paired with the D2 and Sony Ruby.

I now have the HD-DVD player Toshiba HD-A1. My Samsung Blu-Ray BD-P1000 is coming soon (end of june). And now 480i over HDMI for cheap for standard DVDs. All this with a Gennum scaler and a Ruby. :D

I think I'm all set! :D

Absolutely! Now just use your equipment and don't come back here, you will be fine and won't know what might be wrong with one of your pieces, probably the Oppo first. More importantly, you won't know what is better.

Chris

Ok, what am I missing here?...

1. 480i over HDMI - ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS! What are your alternatives to feed a "pure" digital output straight off of the MPEG decoder to your processor? You can get another, much higher priced player OR you can get an el cheapo Sony 975 OR you can get an expensive SDI mod to your existing player.
2. This player also serves as a combi SACD/DVDA player! This unexpected feature solved a problem in my system because I am running out of inputs even on my Lex MC-12, and that ain't easy...:) So now I can simply replace my Pio 563 with this player and I don't lose a SACD/DVDA player - I gain a high quality DVD digital transport!
Bob,

You are right on the money with all your points, but I wanted to bring a couple of things into the light that have not been brought up yet.

Like Levesque, I have an Anthem Statement D2 which uses the Gennum VXP. Prior to that I had a Lumagen VisionPro HDP which I fed SDI from a Sony DVP-CX777ES Player. I am currently using a Sony DVP-NS975V via 480i HDMI into the D2. The image from the 975 into the D2 is outstanding and easily equals or bests what I saw SDI into the Lumagen.

I ordered the Oppo yesterday and upon arrival I will compare it to the Sony DVP-NS975V. The Sony outputs YCbCr 4:2:2 which is the equivalent of what SDI output is. The Oppo outputs YCbCr 4:4:4. Neither Kris Deering or Stacey Spears has made mention of this and if it makes any difference. Could this be why some have reported to still preferring the overall PQ from their SDI player??

The DVD-A & SACD capability is a nice bonus; however, the audio decoding via HDMI does not switch automatically between Decoded PCM and "Raw" DD, DTS bitstream output. If you choose HDMI 1.1 audio options all decoding takes place in the Oppo and is sent out as PCM. This is fine for SACD and DVD-A to take advantage of the HDMI connection and not have to deal with six (6) analog cables, but for DD & DTS soundtracks it looks like you have to change the audio output options to let whatever SSP or receiver you are using decode the "Raw" bitstream otherwise it will decoded by the Oppo and sent as PCM. Below are the manual quotes.
Surround Speakers and HDMI 1.1 Multi-Channel PCM Audio Support: If your receiver supports HDMI 1.1 Multi-Channel PCM audio, please set Speaker Setup Page > Down-mix to “5.1 CH” and Audio Setup Page > HDMI Audio to “Multi-Channel”. In this configuration you can enjoy all audio formats using the HDMI connection. The DVD player performs decoding for compressed audio.
Surround and Dolby Digital or DTS Support, or HDMI 1.0: If the audio system has surround speakers and can support Dolby Digital or DTS with its HDMI input, please set Audio Setup Page > HDMI Audio to “SPDIF” AND Audio Setup Page > SPDIF Output to “Raw”. In this case your audio system will perform decoding for Dolby Digital or DTS surround audio. Unfortunately the HDMI standard does not allow DVD-Audio or SACD to be sent over HDMI in this configuration.
I can't wait to receive the Oppo and try it. For the money, it is a no brainer.

As a relative newcomer to this, I'm still trying to grasp the principles behind this player. I can certainly understand why someone with a high-end video processor, like the VP ("Very Pricey") would go for this. But what about less dedicated scalers? I'm specifically thinking about running the output through a Yamaha V2600. Would the upscaling capability of the 2600 work well with a straight 480i player like the 970? Or maybe I should wait a couple of weeks to ask this question until people have had a chance to try it out.

LEVESQUE,

I'm particularly interested in your comparison of upconverting quality between the Oppo and the HD-A1 (SD DVDs, of course) when you get your Oppo. To me, the Toshiba's upconverting quality is one of its best points. The HD is good, but IMO not "enough better" than SD upconverted. If I can get the same quality, plus multi-region to boot, from the Oppo for $149, then it's a no-brainer. The HD-A1 goes back!

Ted

The DV970HD does not have the Faroudja chipset.
Is this a big deal or is the difference, if any, negligible?

How does the DV-970HD compare side-by-side to the OPDV971H?

LEVESQUE,

The HD is good, but IMO not "enough better" than SD upconverted.

Ted


Yeah, OK!

I thought someone mentioned the CUE issue was corrected prior to the final release of the 970HD?


Yes, I did. CUE at 480i is supposed to be gone. I can't tell because my display masks it.

Is this a big deal or is the difference, if any, negligible?

How does the DV-970HD compare side-by-side to the OPDV971H?

Side by side the OPDV971H is much better in terms of motion adaptive de-interlacing, which produces a much more natural (ie. no artificial aliasing) picture. However, this process comes at a cost, as the image is now slightly softer than what you started with.

The DV-970HD produces a much sharper image, but at the expense of high quality de-interlacing. It is not bad, but not great either. If you are planning on playing PAL DVDs as a primary means of viewing films, then you will want to go with the OPDV971H, as the DV-970HD does not support 2:2 Cadence.

Even with all this said, unless you have a television which is larger than 50", the ability to tell the difference between the two is very minor, especially if it is something you havn't been trained (cursed) to see.

Just curious. How come the Denon 3910 which also has Faroudja has a very sharp image while the Oppo 971 is a bit softer? Do they have different Faroudjas.....what else comes into play with this?

Just curious. How come the Denon 3910 which also has Faroudja has a very sharp image while the Oppo 971 is a bit softer? Do they have different Faroudjas.....what else comes into play with this?

Could be implimentation. I have had no experience with the Denon 3910, but I have used the Panasonic S77/97, and they also appear softer as well.

LEVESQUE,

I'm particularly interested in your comparison of upconverting quality between the Oppo and the HD-A1 (SD DVDs, of course) when you get your Oppo. To me, the Toshiba's upconverting quality is one of its best points. The HD is good, but IMO not "enough better" than SD upconverted. If I can get the same quality, plus multi-region to boot, from the Oppo for $149, then it's a no-brainer. The HD-A1 goes back!

Ted
Ted, I'm curious as to what kind of display you have.

Now just use your equipment and don't come back here, you will be fine and won't know what might be wrong with one of your pieces, probably the Oppo first.


:confused: I usually test everything new in my video chain with alot of test patterns and real-life material, and I even have some HD test patterns not even on the market yet to test the new HD players. So I will know if the Oppo has a problem...


More importantly, you won't know what is better.


Since I'm a reviewer, and usually receive new players and scalers regularly, re-calibrate my video chain with Colorfacts, OpticOne and Accupel each time, I think I will... ;)

I am interested in this player to replace my Pioneer 563A Universal. That player has a problem with the levels between DVD-Audio and SACD, and I need to tweak the output of the subwoofer, increasing it, when playing SACD. Can anyone give an impression of the relative levels between the two formats when played on the new Oppo?

OPPO has updated their website with a very simple DV-971HD and OPDV971H Comparisson (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd_compare.html) page.

The DV-970HD produces a much sharper image, but at the expense of high quality de-interlacing. It is not bad, but not great either. If you are planning on playing PAL DVDs as a primary means of viewing films, then you will want to go with the OPDV971H, as the DV-970HD does not support 2:2 Cadence.
Whoah, interesting point! I don't think I'm the only one attracted to this player for it's ability to play PAL discs (in fact, that's the primary reason for me). So, not a good player for that purpose?

The DVD-A & SACD capability is a nice bonus; however, the audio decoding via HDMI does not switch automatically between Decoded PCM and "Raw" DD, DTS bitstream output. If you choose HDMI 1.1 audio options all decoding takes place in the Oppo and is sent out as PCM. This is fine for SACD and DVD-A to take advantage of the HDMI connection and not have to deal with six (6) analog cables, but for DD & DTS soundtracks it looks like you have to change the audio output options to let whatever SSP or receiver you are using decode the "Raw" bitstream otherwise it will decoded by the Oppo and sent as PCM.

While this isn't a deal breaker for me, I hope it can be changed via a firmware update. Ideally I'd like DD and DTS to be sent via HDMI as raw bitstream, and DVDA and SACD sent via HDMI as PCM, without having to change settings in the player setup everytime. This way I'd take advantage of the best available processing in the receiver/SSP.

I'm eager to hear results of initial testing to understand more about this.

I have been waiting for (and will still get for my primary setup) the Pioneer DV-696AV-K and Samsung DVD-HD1080 players but I went ahead and ordered the OPPO after having come across it last night on HDBeat (and then here of course).

I will be feeding a HP Pavilion LC2600N 26" LCD HDTV in my secodary setup which doesn't seem to support 480i over HDMI just 480p, 720p and 1080i. I will connect the OPPO via a monoPrice 2x1 manual HDMI switch along with my Directv H20 satellite receiver (which I had to 'remove' the 480i option from).

If I understand pciav's comments and quotes about the audio options correctly, I hope to be able to listen to my SACDs and DVD-Audio discs through the television's speakers. I know good and well that it totally defeats the point of SACD/DVD-Audio sound quality but at least I could enjoy the music in stereo (in theory) in my secondary setup without running additional cables especially since I don't have an A/V receiver or amp of any kind in the setup.

Any feedback on the audio setup I mentioned above (will it work or not) would be appreciated.

I look forward to selling my Momitsu V880 and LiteOn LVD-2001 if this player performs well with my LCD display.

Even with all this said, unless you have a television which is larger than 50", the ability to tell the difference between the two is very minor, especially if it is something you havn't been trained (cursed) to see.


So for my new 50" Panasonic Plasma would you guys suggest the 970HD or the 971H? Thanks in advanced.

NoThru22,

I have a Toshiba 46H84 RPTV w/HDMI.

Don't get me wrong, I love the HD image quality on most HD-DVDs I've seen with the HD-A1 (going though HDMI), but I also think my upconverted SD DVDs look stunning compared to my multi-region Pioneer 578 with my display doing the upconverting. Almost as good as HD.
My multi-region requirement is what's causing me to look at the Oppo 970. I tried the 971 about a year ago, but I saw macro-blocking on some DVDs. Has subsequent firmware corrected this on the 971?

I'm basically trying to do everything with one player (except for HD, I guess).

Ted

I tried the 971 about a year ago, but I saw macro-blocking on some DVDs. Has subsequent firmware corrected this on the 971?

It has been reduced, but not eliminated, through some firmware upgrades which allow you to turn Off DNR, CCS, and TrueLife (previously all three were on without any ability to change them indipendently of each other).

Let me see if I understand this:

970HD is NOT recommended for screens larger than 50 inches (poor deinterlacing and conversion)?

970HD is NOT recommended for playback of PAL format discs (no 2:2 cadence)?

Would this player then be recommended only for someone with a relatively small screen interested only in NTSC-format dvds, and for whom macroblocking is a bigger problem in their setup as compared to de-interlacing artifacts?

(I understand that many have touted this unit for use with external video scalers, but I thought that was wat the 970H - not HD - was for...?)

Yes. If your main concern is macroblocking, and you have a small television unit, then you will want to use the DV-970HD.

The OPDV971H is designed for people who do not have external scalers, as the Faroudja chipset does all of the high end functionality which most scalers have. Additionally, mating the OPDV971H to an external scaler is not desirable, because the OPDV971H is already reproducing an altered (enhanced) video, which reduces the effectiveness of the external scaler.

There is no 970H.

I think Oppo hit the nail on the head in regards to market needs/wants. There are two options for those of us with external scalers. Either drop $1000-$2000 on a good DVD Player with SDI out, or jump early into HD (with a limited selection of players and media) and forget SD DVD all together.

I feel a lot of us are looking for a product to tie us over. We don't want to spend a lot of money on a SD Player especially when there is light at the end of the tunnel in respect to HD. I'm hoping the next generation of HD players can foot the bill for both needs.

Oppo also addressed the issue where the internal scalers are better in some cases now then they can supply in a low cost DVD player. As long as it's passing a good unaltered source it should sell like hot cakes.

Jeff

Thanks, Neuromancer! I had thought the "Oppo 970H" discussed in this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=619439 was a different model!

ToneDefJeff, the Oppo 970HD does seem like the perfect low-cost solution for users such as yourself, except why would Oppo bother to incorporate 720p/1080i upconversion when this player is clearly aimed at the 480i -> external scaler market? Isn't that adding unnecessary costs and potential complications, particularly as this unit is not suitable for those of us looking for a good upscaling PAL/NTSC all-region player?

Perhaps I should be in the market for a good external scaler instead! I guess the lack of 2:2 cadence for PAL format discs has no impact in such a setup?

Thanks, Neuromancer! I had thought the "Oppo 970H" discussed in this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=619439 was a different model!

Nope. OPPO just added the "D" to the name when it went final.

Perhaps I should be in the market for a good external scaler instead! I guess the lack of 2:2 cadence for PAL format discs has no impact in such a setup?

2:2 Cadence support will be handled by the external scaler, rather than the DVD player, so you will get proper 2:2 support.

Yes. If your main concern is macroblocking, and you have a small television unit, then you will want to use the DV-970HD.

The OPDV971H is designed for people who do not have external scalers, as the Faroudja chipset does all of the high end functionality which most scalers have. Additionally, mating the OPDV971H to an external scaler is not desirable, because the OPDV971H is already reproducing an altered (enhanced) video, which reduces the effectiveness of the external scaler.

There is no 970H.


First, let me say thank you, Neuromancer, for your quick responses to everyone's questions.

Second, a few questions that I hope are specific enough: is macroblocking something I should be concerned with? I have only had my tv, a 56" Samsung HL-S5687W (2006 model, accepts 1080p) for a week now so I'm not sure ... I'm told it has Faroudja too ... And for what it's worth, the manual says that it accepts the following over HDMI: "480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p (EIA/CEA-861-B compliant)."

I'm looking for a high-quality, low-cost (under $300) solution for this TV until the high-def disc war has a winner, and Oppo gets such consistently high marks, so I believe my choice may come down to the 971 vs. the 970...any suggestions?

Macroblocking is a huge concern with Rear Projection DLPs. Without proper calibration, the OPDV971H will not produce a good image on your Samsung, as you will get a lot of blotchiness. GSB (Gary) has some very good information in relation to macroblocking and how to calibrate your Samsung DLP. I would seriously check out the Macroblocking and Calibration Guides ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7270763#post7270763).

If you don't think you can do a good calibration, don't have the time to do a proper calibration, or just don't want to hastle with Service Menus, then I would definately go with the DV-970HD or competing product, as any of the Faroudja players will produce macroblocking errors.

The Oppo outputs YCbCr 4:4:4. Neither Kris Deering or Stacey Spears has made mention of this and if it makes any difference. Could this be why some have reported to still preferring the overall PQ from their SDI player?? Maybe. Both formats are output in 8bit and the 4:4:4 just has a full pixel's worth of data each synch (clock) period). Once the 4:2:0 is upsampled to 4:2:2 (the hard part, obviously) they probably just use the same blue and red info for each pixel once the upsampling from 4:2:0 is done. This is a guess. It's possible they could take info from adjacent sets of pixels and do some sort of averaging. But that's a fair amount of work for upsampling. One could probably argue that 4:2:2 better because is has less "made up" data that is being fed to the deinterlacer.

larry

Macroblocking is a huge concern with Rear Projection DLPs. Without proper calibration, the OPDV971H will not produce a good image on your Samsung, as you will get a lot of blotchiness. GSB (Gary) has some very good information in relation to macroblocking and how to calibrate your Samsung DLP. I would seriously check out the Macroblocking and Calibration Guides ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7270763#post7270763).

If you don't think you can do a good calibration, don't have the time to do a proper calibration, or just don't want to hastle with Service Menus, then I would definately go with the DV-970HD or competing product, as any of the Faroudja players will produce macroblocking errors.

Thanks!

How would you rate the 970's upconverted output over HDMI compared to other similarly-priced, non-Faroudja's upconverting players? I will not be running it through a scaler, just straight to the TV ...

It is very similar to the quality of the NS75H from Sony. I really havn't had the opportunity to test it with other units, as the NS75H was the only other unit (aside from the OPDV971H) I had the opportunity to test at the time.

Macroblocking is a huge concern with Rear Projection DLPs. Without proper calibration, the OPDV971H will not produce a good image on your Samsung, as you will get a lot of blotchiness. GSB (Gary) has some very good information in relation to macroblocking and how to calibrate your Samsung DLP. I would seriously check out the Macroblocking and Calibration Guides ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7270763#post7270763).

If you don't think you can do a good calibration, don't have the time to do a proper calibration, or just don't want to hastle with Service Menus, then I would definately go with the DV-970HD or competing product, as any of the Faroudja players will produce macroblocking errors.

Would you even go with the DV-970HD in the PAL case? How bad is really the DV-970HD in PAL mode? I have a 46 Samsung Rear Projection DLP.

inomics

The PAL to NTSC conversion of the 970HD is pretty decent. Unless, as Neuromancer said, you're using primarily PAL disks, it shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for this clarification. I asked, because I got the following anser from the oppo:

For European customers who will primarily be using the DVD player for
PAL playback, we would not recommend the DV970HD unless you have a good
external/internal scaler which will do 2:2 Cadence decoding. PAL
playback on the DV970HD is not as good as the OPDV971H.

I do not have any scalers!

inomics

Does this upscale Divx/Xvid as well or only DVD? Specs arent clear.

Does this upscale Divx/Xvid as well or only DVD? Specs arent clear.

Yes, it upconverts DivX/Xvid files, but the benefit is minor at best.

The only known issue is CUE at 480i.

The 970 does not have CUE. Like all DVD players, it has ICP, but it is less severe on the 970 than others.

Would you even go with the DV-970HD in the PAL case? How bad is really the DV-970HD in PAL mode? I have a 46 Samsung Rear Projection DLP.

inomics

I personally could not recommend the DV-970HD if your primary means of viewing is PAL material. Proper 2:2 Cadence support is paramount when you are talking about PAL DVD decoding. It would be like recommending a DVD player that does not support proper 3:2 pulldown in the US.

The picture will be good, but nowhere near as clean as the OPDV971H or other DVD player which supports proper 2:2 Cadence decoding. I would look at the following two pictues on the AVForums website pertaining to the Cambridge Audio DV89 (http://www.avforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2594979&postcount=35).

ToneDefJeff, the Oppo 970HD does seem like the perfect low-cost solution for users such as yourself, except why would Oppo bother to incorporate 720p/1080i upconversion when this player is clearly aimed at the 480i -> external scaler market? Isn't that adding unnecessary costs and potential complications, particularly as this unit is not suitable for those of us looking for a good upscaling PAL/NTSC all-region player?

Rich, I don't think they incorporated as much as it was already in the chipset they had to use. I can't see Oppo making their own chips so they have to choose from what's available on the market. It likely was the best match for what they wanted to accomplish.

Thanks for this clarification. I asked, because I got the following anser from the oppo:

For European customers who will primarily be using the DVD player for
PAL playback, we would not recommend the DV970HD unless you have a good
external/internal scaler which will do 2:2 Cadence decoding. PAL
playback on the DV970HD is not as good as the OPDV971H.

I do not have any scalers!

inomics

That pretty much says it all. If you have more than a few PAL disks, get something else. Just didn't want anyone to get the impression that it can't play PAL disks at all.

I do not have any DVDs, neither PAL nor NTSC. All I have are DivX/Xvid disks. Does the same applies to DivX/Xvid format?

Thanks for the link to Cambridge Audio DV89!

inomics

The same does not apply to DivX/XviD encodes, as they are not pre-dominated by cadences.

Does this mean that playing DivX/Xvid disks on 970HD would cause no problems? Or, in other words, there will be no big difference between the 970HD and 971?

Sorry for my stupid question, but I do not know much about which encodes are pre-dominated by cadences and which are not pre-dominated by cadences.

thanks anyway!

inomics

I just checked the status on my order for the 970HD; it's on back-order. Lame. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a web site advertises a product for sale with no indication that they're out of stock but still allows you to go through with the transaction. The status page doesn't even give any timeframe as to when the unit will ship; I guess I'm expected to just forget I ordered it and be pleasantly surprised when it shows up at my house in a month or two.

Actually, if you go to the purchase and product page, there is a disclaimer on the side of the page which states:

Availability: Back Order - Estimated ship date: Mid June.

Additionally, OPPO sends out an e-mail when your unit actually ships, so it will not "unexpectently" arrive at its destination.

Does this mean that playing DivX/Xvid disks on 970HD would cause no problems? Or, in other words, there will be no big difference between the 970HD and 971?

Sorry for my stupid question, but I do not know much about which encodes are pre-dominated by cadences and which are not pre-dominated by cadences.

thanks anyway!

inomics

In respect to DivX playback, there is no difference between their ability to decode DivX/XviD files.

I read this on another thread. Does this imply that the scaler used in the 970HD is indeed only handling 8 bits, whereas the 971 Genesis/Faroudja chipset in the 971H is a 10 bit affair? If this is the case, the 971 should be the better machine if you want to use the player's inbuilt scaling.

Dear All,
Notice on the new 970
Just to update the debate and
Direct from oppo tech support yesterday:

The design engineers told us that the video format used by DV-970HD between the decoder and the scaler chip is BT.601 instead of BT.656.
For this reason alone the existing SDI mod cards may not work unless they can take the BT.601 format, which is 8-bit instead of the 10-bit BT.656. If so, whether the timing will work with other equipment is totally unknown at this moment. Besides, the DV-970HD has no easy connector like the
OPDV971 has for connecting the SDI card.

The 970 does not have CUE. Like all DVD players, it has ICP, but it is less severe on the 970 than others.Ahh, ok, I thought it was CUE. I see the jaggy lines on the red triangle in the Snell and Wilcox pattern and I know it's one or the other. :) Is there an easy way to tell the difference?

larry

I read this on another thread. Does this imply that the scaler used in the 970HD is indeed only handling 8 bits, whereas the 971 Genesis/Faroudja chipset in the 971H is a 10 bit affair? If this is the case, the 971 should be the better machine if you want to use the player's inbuilt scaling.

SDI modifications modify the decoding chipset, not the chipset which does all the upscaling and final video reproduction. The MTK chipset in the OPDV971H uses a BT.656 configuration, which uses a 10-bit bandwidth, while BT.601 is only 8-bit. However, the OPDV971H is imited to 8-bit as a final bandwidth, as the DVI output is only rated at 8-bit.

The DV-970HD also uses 8-bit.

As far as I know, there is no commercial television which supports true 10/12-bit decoding through HDMI (despite their specifications saying so). Don't know about video processors, though.

I noticed that Oppo recommends the 970 for large screen TVs with a very good scaler. Would the SXRDs have good enough scalers?

SDI modifications modify the decoding chipset, not the chipset which does all the upscaling and final video reproduction. The MTK chipset in the OPDV971H uses a BT.656 configuration, which uses a 10-bit bandwidth, while BT.601 is only 8-bit. However, the OPDV971H is imited to 8-bit as a final bandwidth, as the DVI output is only rated at 8-bit.

The DV-970HD also uses 8-bit.

As far as I know, there is no commercial television which supports true 10/12-bit decoding through HDMI (despite their specifications saying so). Don't know about video processors, though.
So, does this mean that SDI (on the 971H) will give you 10 bits, whereas the 970HD gives out only 8 bits over HDMI? (and 8 bits over DVI on the 971H). I tend to believe that as I do see more subtle detail when I compare DVI and SDI in my modded 971H. Typically seen when you have very light reflections on glass windows.

So, does this mean that SDI (on the 971H) will give you 10 bits, whereas the 970HD gives out only 8 bits over HDMI? (and 8 bits over DVI on the 971H). I tend to believe that as I do see more subtle detail when I compare DVI and SDI in my modded 971H. Typically seen when you have very light reflections on glass windows.

The digital video signal format on HDMI and SDI are totally different, and there is no point comparing the number of bits. DVI/HDMI RGB color space uses 8 bits for each color/pixel, so it is 24 bits total per pixel. The 10-bit SDI is just the transmission formating, not 10-bit per color or per pixel as SDI is using 4:2:2 color matrix.

So, does this mean that SDI (on the 971H) will give you 10 bits, whereas the 970HD gives out only 8 bits over HDMI? (and 8 bits over DVI on the 971H). I tend to believe that as I do see more subtle detail when I compare DVI and SDI in my modded 971H.

10-bit decoding requires that both the content device (source) and the display unit (destination) are both capable of interpreting the 10-bit signal natively. If the SDI mod on the OPDV971H is distributing a 10-bit signal (assuming it is not doing a 8 to 10 to 8 conversion) and your destination supports 10-bit natively (once again, without a conversion), then yes, the SDI modded OPDV971H should have a cleaner looking picture.

10-bit decoding requires that both the content device (source) and the display unit (destination) are both capable of interpreting the 10-bit signal natively. If the SDI mod on the OPDV971H is distributing a 10-bit signal (assuming it is not doing a 8 to 10 to 8 conversion) and your destination supports 10-bit natively (once again, without a conversion), then yes, the SDI modded OPDV971H should have a cleaner looking picture.
Thanks for this info. I've been looking for a proper explanation as why the SDI output just looks that much cleaner than the DVI output. DVI shows some minor noise (and is of course less sharp), whilst the SDI is completely clean and razor sharp. When you compare the 1st test pattern out the the VP30 with the identical one on the ABT102 disc, they are almost indistinguisable on SDI.

Actually, if you go to the purchase and product page, there is a disclaimer on the side of the page which states:

Availability: Back Order - Estimated ship date: Mid June.

Additionally, OPPO sends out an e-mail when your unit actually ships, so it will not "unexpectently" arrive at its destination.

Okay, so the e-mail will arrive unexpectedly, not the product. Same deal.

Okay, so the e-mail will arrive unexpectedly, not the product. Same deal.

Do you expect them to call you when the item is ready? No?...then I guess you have a responsibility to check your email. If that is a problem, maybe you should stick to local b&m stores and forget above using the internet altogether for making purchases.

so im a total noob here and just a quick question. The HDMI outputs both sound and audio, but my receiver only supports optical input. Can I still use HDMI for video and the optical output for audio at the same time?

Yes, you can use the optical output for audio and the HDMI output for video at the same time without issue.

just also read the comparison between the 971 and the 970 on the Oppo website. I plan on running the dvd player on my projector (Sanyo Z3), but they reccommend that you dont use the 970 on displays bigger than 50''. Will the dip in quality be significant on a larger display in the range of 90-100''?
it may be a premature question I guess until a full review comes out, but Im on a budget or im just cheap is the better way to describe it. I am willing to shell out the extra dough if it means my projector gets the best.

So i guess i shouldn't be expecting a really great picture on my 61" Sammy with the 970? My Toshiba 5970 puts out a decent picture but it is quirky as hell and a pain in the ass. I tried my LG LDA511 i had in my bedroom but that don't cut it either. I also tried a Sammy 860 but i didn't care for the PQ of that unit either. All of these upscaled to 720p/1080i and the Toshiba was the best. I also have an HTPC which has the best color depth and most vivid picture but it isn't as sharp as the Toshiba. I was hoping the 970 would solve my dilemma. I guess we'll see what happens when i get it tommorow.

Thanks for this clarification. I asked, because I got the following anser from the oppo:

For European customers who will primarily be using the DVD player for
PAL playback, we would not recommend the DV970HD unless you have a good
external/internal scaler which will do 2:2 Cadence decoding. PAL
playback on the DV970HD is not as good as the OPDV971H.

I do not have any scalers!

inomicsHow does the lack of 2:2 Cadence decoding of PAL playback on the DV970HD manifest itself?

Does the type of PAL disc matter? My intended use is for watching old British 70s & 80s Sitcoms, of not too great quality that are mostly in 4:3 format and probably video rather than film. They come free in a Sunday newspaper that my parents get and they send me the DVDs. Currently I'm using a Yamaha 5751 that does a reasonable job via component. Would the PAL-to-NTSC conversion of the Oppo 970 be any better or worse than the Yamaha or the similar Philips models?