is this a good dvd player to get

The Panasonic S97 is a nice player, but it has macro block issues on some displays. I have very limited experience with the Oppo.

As with all requests of this type, what display do you plan on using it with?

Go with the OPPO and it's wonderful 30 day return policy.

pansonic TH-42PX50U

I would go with the Oppo or the Panny S77. I think both are great. But with the oppo, you must do the firmware updates.

whats firmware updates

These updates:

http://www.oppodigital.com/opdv971h_support.html

Panny plasmas seem particularly prone to MB with the Faroudja players, so you might want to avoid both the Panny and the Oppo, and go with a Sony or Samsung.

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And with the Panasonic you don't? How about this 53 page long thread on Panasonic firmware updates?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...sonic+firmware


offthechizzain, don't be fearful of a firmware update, they're easy. If you can burn an mp3 CD you can burn a fw update disk. With the free program burnatonce it's a snap. CCarncross's question is important. Don't go with the Oppo unless your display has DVI input; if it does, get the Oppo.

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So you use a Sony and get the Shift issue, my Panny plaz has 1/2" of underscan on the top using HDMI @1080i, so that OUT!

Samsung.......has it's problems too.

Best bet is a cheapy player anyway....upconvert is wayyy over rated.

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Why are you wasting your time here, when you could be telling small children Santa isn't real?


Maybe you should change your handle to Bud-Humbug.


;-)

I do not think it is overated at all. But maybe with your 1971 Zenith console TV you cannot tell a difference.

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I agree. With a good player and a good fixed pixel display, upscaling players are better than non-upscaling ones.