This forum and stickies are awash with upscaling DVD player recommendations. Good ones seem to start at 150 dollars. What if I just want a standard def DVD player with excellent picture quality, and a lot of playback options (DVD-a, Divx, h.264 maybe)?

It seems at the same price point I could get more functionality, or I could get a cheaper player if I wasn't so convinced my Sony was doing a poor job of upscaling. I have reason to believe my free $30 DVD player is causing unacceptable picture quality issues and wish to replace it on the cheap. I just need a standard def DVD player that I can be sure won't have a problem playing back any material, including anime that seems such a pain for many sources. I'm also fairly comfortable with just using component cables as I have a CRT.

This forum and stickies are awash with upscaling DVD player recommendations. Good ones seem to start at 150 dollars. What if I just want a standard def DVD player with excellent picture quality, and a lot of playback options (DVD-a, Divx, h.264 maybe)?

It seems at the same price point I could get more functionality, or I could get a cheaper player if I wasn't so convinced my Sony was doing a poor job of upscaling. I have reason to believe my free $30 DVD player is causing unacceptable picture quality issues and wish to replace it on the cheap. I just need a standard def DVD player that I can be sure won't have a problem playing back any material, including anime that seems such a pain for many sources. I'm also fairly comfortable with just using component cables as I have a CRT.

You might try the search page here: http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

Adding h.264 greatly limits your options.

-Bill

h.264 isn't necessary. Thanks for the link though.

Once you take things like upscaling or HDMI out of the equation, I think any major brand would work fine as long as it has things like progressive scan and DD/DTS output. I've always liked Panasonic's offerings, but I doubt they're much different from the cheaper Toshibas, Sony, Phillips, etc.

Ok, it's just the last thing I want to do is buy a player and then be annoyed at some minor picture quality issue and end up buying an expensive one anyway. I just want a standard def player that doesn't compromise. I don't need frills, fancy things like upscaling, I just need a nice, standard def DVD player.

I'm having some kind of infuriating playback interlacing/aliasing/edge issue right now and I want to rule out that it might be my cheap DVD player. Although it does it with my computer too, but I don't want to think it's my TV.

Ok, it's just the last thing I want to do is buy a player and then be annoyed at some minor picture quality issue and end up buying an expensive one anyway. I just want a standard def player that doesn't compromise. I don't need frills, fancy things like upscaling, I just need a nice, standard def DVD player.

I'm having some kind of infuriating playback interlacing/aliasing/edge issue right now and I want to rule out that it might be my cheap DVD player. Although it does it with my computer too, but I don't want to think it's my TV.

Have you looked here: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi. The site is all about the deinterlacing performance of progressive scan players.

-Bill