Best DVD Player for Sammy HLP series?

I have been using the Denon 1910 with my HLP set for about a month, and I love it. It is connected via DVI, outputting 720p, and the picture is gorgeous.


You will need to calibrate your settings on the TV using DVE or Avia to obtain a quality picture. The out-of-the-box settings have brightness, in particular, set too high. You will see blacker than black artifacts without this adjustment. Star Wars: A New Hope was unwatchable prior to the calibration. Any dark scenes (in space, inside the sandcrawler, etc.) showed these artifacts.


You also will need to turn off the player's black "enhancement" feature (it defaults to ON). This will provide for deeper blacks. I also turned off the dynamic range compression feature under audio settings. The player also has a setting for progressive scan that defaults to OFF, but, based on what I've read here, I don't think its setting affects the DVI output one way or the other. I turned this on, and it doesn't seem to hurt.


I have not experienced any reliability issues, any noticeable green push, or any obvious macroblocking - the problems most frequently mentioned here. I am not as discerning a videophile as many other members of this forum, but I am pretty picky. The PQ has more than met my expectations.


Oh, one more thing. There have been complaints about the 1910 with regard to stretching 4:3 content with no way to preserve the proper aspect ratio. I use the "P. Size" button on the HLP remote to set the display to 4:3 for such content, and this works fine.


I hope this helps you with your decision.

I tested these units with my HLP6163 so just MHO.


Samsung 841 -worst PQ with anything resembling a dark sceen, I have this Gary Moore music DVD that was made in a smokey nightclub and it was totally unwatchable thru the Samsung combo.


Zenith/LG - didnt do the 1080i compression (pic was top and bottom squeezed) via component correctly on my older Sony 53HS30. 480p and 720p was scaled correctly tho. This was the TV I was planning to use this set for via component upscaling. But with the Sammy DLP via DVI and the Sony via component to a lesser extent, the green tint was too much.


Denon 1910 - Sammy DLP, slight MB and green tint.


Finally reached a level where I was $/performance happy and settled on the Denon 2910 for my DLP. Best combo I had tested $/performance wise and it is at a level where I am satisfied enuf with the PQ until HiDef DVD comes on line.

I'm avoiding the Samsung 841 because I have yet to hear anything good about it...


I think I'm leaning towrds either the Denon 1910 or the Bravo D2, here are the pro's and cons of each as I've gathered from the board:


1) Bravo D2 - Poor Quality / Reliability (actually it appears to have ABYSMAL Reliability), but when it works it appears to have great PQ and will pillarbox 4:3 material via DVI. It seems to have some problems with 1080i via DVI, but I plan to only use 720p (native resolution of my HLP 5663)


2) Denon 1910 - Better reliability, but has some macroblocking issues via DVI and some people note a green cast at some resolutions (mainly 1080i). Aparantly the 1910 will stretch 4:3 material via DVI, but my Samsung HLP will allow me to force 4:3 pillarboxing using the remote.


Any opinions as to which of these two players are better? To tell you the truth, if the Bravo D2 wasn't such a nightmare in terms of reliabilty, I would probably have already bought it...

Ive had the Samsung HD 931 and the Denon 755s (silver 1910) hooked up to the HLP6163.


Avoid the 931. It has problems with passing blacker than black and an audio synch problem on some movies (DTS mainly).


The 1910 has been good so far. I also see the green tint in darker scenes and some macroblocking (Mulan DVD was terrible with mb), but mostly it looks good.


I am still looking for a great player though. I will see what comes out over the next couple months. But, for now, the 1910 is what I am settling for. I might spring and buy the 2910, but I keep hearing that it has the same mb problem.


I think if I get my HLP ISF calibrated, then it might make a slight difference and the 1910 would perform better. Who knows though.

My impression is that people have learned to become very wary about the D2's quality of manufacturing. That's unfortunate really, as it sounded like the D2 COULD have been the DVI player of choice.


I've always had good luck with Denon players. At least they won't fall apart on you.


I don't own a Momitsu, but I know someone who does and he loves it. You might want to search for some of the old threads on it. I recall reading about some quality of manufacturing issues with it as well. Also, you pretty much have to order it online as none of the popular stores carry it.


The Denon 1910 does have some minor faults but in my experience, it's the best available DVI player right now at a low price point.


Regarding the Mulan DVD, I checked it out on my Denon 910 and there was no macroblocking that I could see. Definitely nothing as prominent as I saw with the 1910. However, the picture looked very soft. Just in picture sharpness and color vibrancy, the 1910 blows the 910 away.