OPPO DV-983H Upconverting DVD Player

[Richard]

Since 2006, OPPO has been providing a DVD performance envelope covering the main feature, the movie, at roughly the $200 mark directly competing with other players and external scalers costing $1000 plus. They have been earning my recommendation since then along with a full model line review last year. When it was announced that OPPO was releasing a flag ship DVD player at nearly double the price, I requested a review sample to find out how OPPO has raised the bar on an already very successful product line.

As with past models...

Read Review

OPPO DV-983H Upconverting DVD Player - On the Test Bench

[rsteer]

Your article keeps making a distinction about the performance of the Oppo 983H vs. the Toshiba A35 by using the phrases "main program" and "other stuff on your disc besides the movie" -- except that you seem to count letterboxed movies as "other stuff" and not the main program. I have a mix of full-screen (i.e. pan-and-scan) DVDs and "widescreen" DVDs -- the widescreen-format movies ARE the main program on those discs.

So, are you saying that the Toshiba will provide more detail when upscaling a full-screen DVD movie, but the Oppo will do better when upscaling a widescreen letterbox movie?

That would certainly be a drag because it would mean buying two scaling players for my legacy DVD collection PLUS a Blu-ray player! (I do NOT want to spend money to upgrade to HDTV only to find that the 150-200 DVDs I now own look like cr@p.)

BTW, my most likely HDTV purchase would be a Samsung 52" 650 or 750 series LCD.

Please clarify, and thanks.

[pzieger]

Hi Rsteer,
I own both the OPPO DV-981HD and the OPPO DV-983H. I moved the '81 to my bedroom when I upgrade my media room to the '83. I have a DVD collection of more that 1500 DVD's mixed in both Standard and Widescreen. My layman's opinion is both formats play extremely well on my 52" Sharp Aquos LCD. I see no quality difference between the two formats. I would not go back to a cheaper upconverting player.
Pete

[Richard]

rsteer,

The review is based on Hollywood mastered DVD content for a 16:9 widescreen TV. That infers the main feature will be in the 16:9 widescreen format, not 4:3 pan and scan.

The DV-983H clearly has the edge for widescreen movies that were released in the letter boxed format intended for an old 4:3 standard definition TV.

If you have a boat load of movies that were released as full screen for an old 4:3 standard definition TV so the picture is completely filled out, 4:3 pan and scan, then neither player has an edge and both will automatically switch to the correct format of a 4:3 presentation with black side bars.

The DV-983H is targeted for the videophile DVD collector market and that means any videophile would have avoided full screen releases like the plaque.

The Toshiba player is no longer available unless you purchase it used. It is used simply as a known reference amongst HDTV videophiles and enthusiasts for the review. The differences noted are based on using an HDTV to it's full potential which few folks rarely do and that was put in perspective in the review.

It occurs to me that you are likely a casual viewer who happens to be a collector of movies on DVD and chose full screen releases to match the 4:3 aspect ratio of your old TV. Did you know that full screen movies crop the original presentation making you lose 20-50% of the original frame? What I am driving at is most would not have bought full screen releases and would have replaced any they had with the letter boxed or better yet the widescreen version when it became available because HDTVs are made just for that and why miss some of the original picture.

I get the feeling that you are new to HDTV and trying to get your ducks in a row preparing for a smooth purchase of the TV along with supporting products. If so my next question is what will be the viewing distance to your new 52" TV?

If I have this all wrong please let me know....

[Richard]

The reason I asked about your viewing distance is because that plays the central role in determining how much money you need to spend for performance versus what you think you need to spend or what someone else tells you to spend. Simply put the further you are away from the screen the less important sheer performance becomes and the rule of thumb is 3-4 screen heights. If you are properly using the HDTV system as designed then the size of your screen determines your viewing distance. Reality says most folks prefer a 6-10 screen heights viewing distance making detail performance far less important.

Putting the DV-983H in perspective is far more difficult than most players because it