OPPO Launches 1080p 'Upconverting' DVD Player

[Poke]

Their Main Site.

http://www.oppodigital.com/

http://www.tvpredictions.com/oppo120706.htm

The device purports to offer high-def quality for standard DVDs.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (December 7, 2006) -- OPPO Digital has introduced a new DVD player that it says will "upconvert" a standard DVD picture to 1080p HDTV.

The player (model: DV-981HD), which retails for $229, features a HDMI output and also plays high resolution audio formats such as DVD-Audio.

OPPO has previously introduced several "upconverter" DVD players that will improve the standard DVD picture to near high-def quality. However, this is the company's first attempt at reproducing the 1080p image.

To upconvert the standard DVD picture to 1080p, you would need a 1080p High-Definition TV.

1080p is the latest high-def picture format; other formats include 720p and 1080i. Some industry officials say 1080p provides the best possible HD picture, although not everyone agrees. There is currently no programming available in 1080p, except for HDTV DVDs (Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

OPPO says the 1080p upconverter will allow new 1080p set owners to watch "Full HD" without buying a new Blu-ray or HD-DVD player, which might cost three to four times more.

"Users can enjoy HD-quality DVD movies without having to become an early adopter of expensive and undecided HD-DVD or Blu-Ray players," says Nathaniel Plain, OPPO's manager of technical service

 

[Paradox-SJ]

Why have Hi-def 'quality' when you can have actually Hi-def? Go figure...

 

[BlackHitachi]

Why have Hi-def 'quality' when you can have actually Hi-def? Go figure...

Very True.

 

[JoeSp]

If there is a market -- it will sell!

 

[mike123abc]

It will sell because the uninformed will see High Definition, DVD, 1080p on the box and think they are getting the real thing... And it costs 1/2 the price of that HD-DVD thing and 1/4 of that Blu-Ray thingy right next to it. Plus it makes el cheapo DVDs into high definition DVDs... what kind of sucker would pay 2-4x more for a player and feed it DVDs that cost 2-4x as much?

 

[CochiseGuy]

It will sell because the uninformed will see High Definition, DVD, 1080p on the box and think they are getting the real thing... And it costs 1/2 the price of that HD-DVD thing and 1/4 of that Blu-Ray thingy right next to it. Plus it makes el cheapo DVDs into high definition DVDs... what kind of sucker would pay 2-4x more for a player and feed it DVDs that cost 2-4x as much?

Ummmm . . . . maybe because they paid 2-4x as much for a TV that accepts and displays 1080p?

While the upconversion capabilities is one of the reasons I bought an HD DVD player - and I had a Denon upconverting player before that - no upconverting player makes "el cheapo DVDs into high definition DVDs". It's pretty much hit or miss. My TV is a 57" rear projection with 1080i. When I play some standard DVD's - such as the 5th Element Superbit - for friends & family, they don't see a lot of difference between the upconversion and HD DVD's. I do, especially with the audio. But then when I upconvert some DVD's - such as Fox's X-Men 3, it looks like total crap. And then when I play something like Superman Returns HD DVD with Dolby TrueHD audio and the whole house is shaking, they totally get why I bought HD DVD.

 

[nazz]

CochiseGuy...

I think your sarcasm detector is on the fritz today.