Reasonably Hi-Fi DVD player?

Computer Hardware
#1

Greetings -

Does an average (say, sub $250) CD player do any better job, fidelity-wise, of playing music than a DVD player – or does it really depend on the specific player, with no accurate generalization possible?

I ask because our DVD player (a Sony DVP-NS715P) has just died; it has been the sole source of DVD & CD playback, so I’m interested in a single unit that’ll fulfill both roles reasonably well, or economical separate machines. But I’d really like to find just one unit so that I don’t incite the wrath of SWMBO.

Thanks kindly.

#2

If your using the digital outputs (coxaial or optical) for the player, then it really doesn’t matter how cheap the player is (although some cheap players don’t have digital outputs). If your using the analog outputs, then yes there will be a difference, but not one that is necessarily price dependent. It also depends on what hi-fidelity is to you, if your using a major manufacturers speakers and amp, then IMO it really doesn’t matter because its not really a hifi system, the digital will still sound better with them though.

#3

The only thing you might notice is laser diode quality (ability to read scratched discs etc) and scaling…
In general Pioneer’s DVDs are pretty decent even though I would highly recommend you to get a WD HD Mediaplayer instead and use your computer to rip DVDs since it does much more and is about the same price.
//Danne

#4

To answer your generalization, the average CD player doesn’t give you any better sound than the average DVD player. I don’t know where in the world you are or what your needs are; however, I will endeavor to give you some more info.

If you were happy with the Sony, you have an HDTV and either optical or coaxial digital inputs on your amp, you can pick up a Sony DVPNS700H/B for $81.99 at Best Buy. I went the extra mile and looked up the owner’s manual on your old Sony. This one will replace all the audio features you had before (and I’ll bet for way less than you paid for the DVP-NS715P) plus give you some updates on the video side.

Again with Sony, if you don’t need the HDTV output or your amp has only coaxial digital inputs (or even just red/white RCA jacks), you will be happy with a Sony DVPSR200P/B for only $43.99.

#5

Well he’s in Canada (look at his name :wink: )

Those are good picks IcyMT. The only other thing I can suggest is to get a player that can do divx if you download tv shows or whatever, I still have my LVD-2001 and its been great downloading videos that I cannot get otherwise and being able to play them directly without conversion.

If your willing to spend a few bucks more on the player, then the people over at avs forums seem to like the Oppo DV-981HD and OPPO DV-980H, audio stage sounds like high-er end.

AVS forum link
Amazon reviews of OPPO DV-980H
Amazon reviews of Oppo DV-981HD

#6

Sony wouldn’t be a good choice because they most likely don’t use Mediatek chipsets like Pioneer or Oppo (Oppo uses better scaler and more custom firmware than Pioneer) which have good compatibility in general. I would on the other hand really consider an entry model of Bluray if you’re looking at Oppo’s high-end DVDs such as Panasonic’s.
//Danne

#7

[QUOTE=eric93se;2238733]Well he’s in Canada (look at his name :wink: )[/QUOTE]Well, he might be an expat Canadian living somewhere else or he might be an expat from somewhere else that done been converted by the Canadians![QUOTE=DiiZzY;2238756]Sony wouldn’t be a good choice because they most likely don’t use Mediatek chipsets like Pioneer or Oppo (Oppo uses better scaler and more custom firmware than Pioneer) which have good compatibility in general.[/QUOTE]He wasn’t complaining about his Sony quality. TEHO, but the Oppo stuff is overkill for most people and $169 is spendy if you are aren’t a technophile.
Pioneer DV-410V-K with DivX capability, coaxial, but no optical, digital for $104.99

#8

[QUOTE=Icy Mt.;2239154]Well, he might be an expat Canadian living somewhere else or he might be an expat from somewhere else that done been converted by the Canadians![/QUOTE]

True, but for the last ~7 years people leave the US to go to Canada. Odds are, he’s Canadian :slight_smile: //ginsu swords make ching-ching sound//

I keep forgetting, If he’s using the digital outputs then the quality of the RCA’s isn’t important. I wouldn’t say all digital ouputs are created equal but they are the same for most purposes. That Pioneer would be a great pick too.

#9

There you go using logic again.

So then, go directly to Best Buy Canada and buy the
Sony 1080p Upconverting DVD Player With DivX (DVPNS708H) for $89.99 Canadian.
Or, for a $109.99 Canadian you can get the Pioneer 1080p DVD Player (DV-410V-K)

Both of them sport digital audio only in coaxial, not optical, but they both decode DivX.

There, sorted.