All-new Oppo 983 universal player available for pre-ordering

[Danny Tse]

$400.00 though....

Oppo 983 (http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DV983H)

[Monster Jam]

Does it do Blu-Ray? Doesn't look like it.

$400 bones for a dvd player when you can get into Blu-Ray at that price? Someone tell me why this makes sense.

[SolidSqual]

Yeah, I would have to agree. This looks like an error on Oppo's part.

[Sami]

Someone tell me why this makes sense.

It really doesn't.

[Lasareath]

What is ABT?, I have a client named ABT. AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

http://www.abt.org/

Does this OPPO give you free 24 access to Ballet?

[GV#27]

What is ABT?Anchor Bay ,they are the company that developed the excellent video proccessor.

[billbillw]

Guys, this DVD player is the first to ever score a perfect 100 on the Secrets Benchmark. It does just about everything perfectly. For $400, it will give you better quality DVD deinterlacing and upconversion than some of the most expensive reference designs from Denon, Pioneer, Sony, or otherwise.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cd-dvd-player-product-reviews/dvd-players/oppo-digital-dv-983h-dvd-player---a-secrets-dvd-benchmark-review.html

There isn't a single Bluray player out right now that can even come close to the DVD playback of this Oppo, well, except for the $2000 Denon model.

This Oppo is designed for people who want the very best in DVD playback, and it is a steal for what it does.

By the way, ABT is Anchor Bay Technology, the parent company to the DVDO line of high end video upscalers. This Oppo has the same chips as the VP30 upscaler combined with the ABT 102 delinterlacer board.
http://www.anchorbaytech.com/products/systems/vp30.php
+
http://www.anchorbaytech.com/products/systems/addons/precision_deinterlacing_card.php

(if you were wondering, that's a $2500 combo)

[Sami]

Diminishing returns. No matter how good the processor is, it's not going to transform 480 even close to high definition. If you're loaded with money and already have BD and HD-DVD players, why not, otherwise I don't see the point.

[F1nut]

I see the point. Blu-Ray has a very, very small market share. DVD still rules and the masses aren't going to run out to replace their entire catalog any time soon. Therefore, the Oppo makes perfect sense for those that want to get the most out of their DVD collection. Hell, if it came in silver, I might even buy one.

[Sami]

Masses are not going to spend $400 for a DVD player.

[F1nut]

Why not, it's not that much money. They seem to have no problem spending much more for a new panel TV.

[Sami]

Masses are not spending that much money on HD players, why would they spend it on a player that only does SD? Because they have extensive DVD collection? Well, that $50 player does the same job for them.

[Roy Munson]

Look, it's going to be years before Blu reissues movies in HD to replace the libraries people currently have. Aaaand, there isn't that many HD movies available on DVD at this point. Sooo, if you want the best out of your sd dvds then this is definitely the player to get.

There are plenty of people spending $400.00 for used Denon dvdps, so why not on a new and better OPPO?

[Ron Temple]

I upgraded to BD recently and own an Oppo. There are some movies that I've seen on both where it's very hard to discern a difference if the SD is a great transfer or the way the movie is shot doesn't highlight BDs capabilities. Jesse's right, it maybe a 3-5 year window, but this Oppo will definitely fill a niche.

[Sherardp]

nice player, but it should definitely play Blu @ that price.

[billbillw]

Diminishing returns. No matter how good the processor is, it's not going to transform 480 even close to high definition. If you're loaded with money and already have BD and HD-DVD players, why not, otherwise I don't see the point.

.....

Masses are not going to spend $400 for a DVD player.




Oppo isn't marketing this for the masses. It's for the enthusiast who wants the very best upscaling. I beg to differ on the diminishing returns. Anyone who has seen one of the HQV Reon/Realta equipped DVD/HDDVD/Bluray players will tell you that it makes a noticable difference in the look of their 480i DVDs when watching on a 1080p TV. The larger the screen size, the more noticable. The ABT equipped Oppo is supposed to match or beat the Reon/Realta across the board, and at a lower price. Not including the discontinued Sammy BD1200 and Tosh XA2, the cheapest you can get into a Realta or Reon is with the $700 Geffen Hometheater Pro upscaler or the $850 Denon 2930Ci, so compared to those choices, the Oppo is is a bargain.

[cfrizz]

BINGO Jesse!

There are still many of us out there that have NO interest in Blu-Ray. I'm one of them. I have no intention of replacing my standard dvds, nor do I intend to get a HD tv anytime soon. So until such time as when my Pioneer dvd player dies, or my tv, this is a non issue. If my player goes before my tv, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up an Oppo.


I see the point. Blu-Ray has a very, very small market share. DVD still rules and the masses aren't going to run out to replace their entire catalog any time soon. Therefore, the Oppo makes perfect sense for those that want to get the most out of their DVD collection. Hell, if it came in silver, I might even buy one.

[MikeC78]

Funny, you'd buy this $400 player, but have no intentions of purchasing an HDTV? To take full advantage of the upscaling abilities of this Oppo player is having a display that is 1080P capable, the other reason people get into BR.

[madmax]

HD video is one of the few things worth upgrading to. And I'm not even much of a video person.
madmax

[Sami]

Oppo isn't marketing this for the masses.

You're taking it out of context. F1nut said: "DVD still rules and the masses aren't going to run out to replace their entire catalog any time soon." and that was my reply to it.

It's funny how people have no interest in BD but are willing to spend $400 for a marginal upgrade in picture. Upscaled 480, no matter how well done, is still horrible looking if you compare it to 1080.

Someone said niche product, yes it is. For those who are willing so spend a lot of money for little upgrade and are mainly watching older movies that are not available in HD, or those who already have all they need in their HT (including HD players) and don't mind adding another player to the mix to play SD-DVD. I'm sure there will be people who buy it but I just don't see enough market for it. Oppo must have had time to kill while they wait for BD license.

[dorokusai]

That sounds pretty accurate. I think the sales figures for the unit will be drastically different from the previous entries. The other OPPO units sold like hotcakes due to good marketing, excellent reviews and a well put together unit.

I agree, it's just a time eater and hole filler machine. The old people can not care all they want about HD media, eventually they will because they have no choice....and they'll still whine and dine.

[jakelm]

I bought my 981 about 2 years ago, for $199. Perfect player and perfect price, 2 years ago. It does everything I need it to do.

But unless they have made major improvements to the video side, I just cant see spending that amount of money, on an upscale player. My XA1 does an excellent job, so becides SACD/DVD-A, I cant see buying a $400 player, for just audio.

I know many people will think the same thing. "$400??, I might as well by BluRay"

[MikeC78]

^^^Yep, especially when you can pick up a PS3 for that price.

[billbillw]

You're taking it out of context. F1nut said: "DVD still rules and the masses aren't going to run out to replace their entire catalog any time soon." and that was my reply to it.

It's funny how people have no interest in BD but are willing to spend $400 for a marginal upgrade in picture. Upscaled 480, no matter how well done, is still horrible looking if you compare it to 1080.

Someone said niche product, yes it is. For those who are willing so spend a lot of money for little upgrade and are mainly watching older movies that are not available in HD, or those who already have all they need in their HT (including HD players) and don't mind adding another player to the mix to play SD-DVD. I'm sure there will be people who buy it but I just don't see enough market for it. Oppo must have had time to kill while they wait for BD license.


I don't believe I was out of context because you said "Masses are not going to spend $400 for a DVD player" and I assumed you were specifically talking about the Oppo 983.

My numbers may be off, but the current DVD library is somewhere in excess of 100,000 titles, and the combined Bluray and HDDVD library is less than 1000. It will be many many years (and possibly never) before a significant amount of movies and or TV series will be available on an HD format (blu or otherwise).

Since the majority of current bluray players do not do a great job at deinterlacing and upscaling, I believe there is, and will continue to be a strong market for quality upscaling DVD players.

This will change if/when the companies start including better deinterlacing and upscaling into their more affordable bluray players. Maybe Oppo will be the first to do this, time will tell. If I did not have a Toshiba XA2 (reon upscaling), I would be strongly considering this Oppo.

[Sami]

I don't believe I was out of context because you said "Masses are not going to spend $400 for a DVD player" and I assumed you were specifically talking about the Oppo 983.

While I didn't quote this, it was a direct reply to this comment (these posts are back-to-back):
"DVD still rules and the masses aren't going to run out to replace their entire catalog any time soon."

"Masses are not going to spend $400 for a DVD player."

My numbers may be off, but the current DVD library

Those who really care about PQ have only one legit choice now that HD-DVD is out, and it's BD. The difference between upconverting players is so small that majority of the people just don't care. Not enough to spend $400 when you can have about the same for $100 or less. "about the same" relatively speaking since the difference between these players is basically non-existing when you compare the difference to BD. If someone claims they can't see much difference between HD and SD, there is no way they will see a difference between different SD players.

[BIZILL]

bet a dollar they don't sell worth shit at this price point.

[WilliamM2]

My numbers may be off, but the current DVD library is somewhere in excess of 100,000 titles, and the combined Bluray and HDDVD library is less than 5000.

Actually, as of Feb. 1st (most recent data I could find), there were less than 450 Blu titles, and even fewer HD DVD's. The total was less than 850 titles. I think SD DVD will be around for a long, long time. I see no reason this player will not sell well. HD media is still less than 1% of the market.

[PhantomOG]

I regret all the money I spent on SD-DVD's.

[jakelm]

Those who really care about PQ have only one legit choice now that HD-DVD is out, and it's BD. The difference between upconverting players is so small that majority of the people just don't care. Not enough to spend $400 when you can have about the same for $100 or less. "about the same" relatively speaking since the difference between these players is basically non-existing when you compare the difference to BD. If someone claims they can't see much difference between HD and SD, there is no way they will see a difference between different SD players.

I agree with Sami here.

The consumers who are into HiFi video, are the same consumers who bought upscale player to begin with.

Those same consumers already know BluRay and the price BR players sell for. Or already own BR or HD.

The consumer, that is not into HiFi video, will not spend $400 on a player. They are the $69.99 buyers.

Further more, from what I have learned in the past 3 years, is that, Oppo's customers are the same customers who are HiRez, litterate. Those same customers will not buy a $400 player for audio only.


Its like buying a $400 VHS recorder.

[billbillw]

The problem is, and I've said this a few times already, most of the BluRay players out there now (especially the lower priced ones) do not do a very good job of de-interlacing and upscaling DVD. Regardless of how exciting HD videos are to watch, most movies and TV series are still only available on DVD, and its going to be that way for years to come.

Many of the consumers who have bought into BluRay or HDDVD still want to be able to enjoy their DVD collections, but many (especially the ones with larger screens) are finding out that their previous upscaling DVD players did a better job at playback. They are looking for more! How else would you explain the $2000 BluRay player that Denon is offering?

Again, I totally disagree that there is a minimal difference between different upscaling solutions. If you compare the output of a Reon equipped player to some cheapie Sony or off brand, you will see a clear, noticeable improvement in pic quality, especially if you enable the various noise reductions and the edge enhancement on the Reon. Many people believe that this type of quality upscaling can breath new life into an old DVD collection, myself included.

You may be correct in the fact that the majority of people don't care, but then again, the majority of people don't even have HDTVs yet, and certainly not BluRay. This player is not marketed for them.

At $400 it will sell very well (in terms of what Oppo is expecting anyway). Compared to the $850+ that Denon wants for their Reon equipped DVD players, its a bargain.

[jakelm]

I have a XA1 and have watched upscale Sony -S3000. Both did a better job than Oppo.

[polkatese]

If you compare the output of a Reon equipped player to some cheapie Sony or off brand, you will see a clear, noticeable improvement in pic quality, especially if you enable the various noise reductions and the edge enhancement on the Reon. Many people believe that this type of quality upscaling can breath new life into an old DVD collection, myself included.


Agreed with Bill on this one. Seeing is believing...

[cfrizz]

That's right Mike.:) When HDTV gives me as good a picture as my 1 ton 32" Sony tv I'll think about it. Or when it dies.

In the meantime, I'm not one of the masses & refuse to pick up some 69.99 special. I have to have a player that does dvd's, sacd's & dvd-a's at a decent level. Now if I get a better picture on top of that well then that will be a bonus.

My last vcr that I still have is a 4 head stereo machine from Sony that I paid over $400.00 for at the time back in the 90's.

Funny, you'd buy this $400 player, but have no intentions of purchasing an HDTV? To take full advantage of the upscaling abilities of this Oppo player is having a display that is 1080P capable, the other reason people get into BR.

[jakelm]

That's right Mike.:) When HDTV gives me as good a picture as my 1 ton 32" Sony tv I'll think about it. Or when it dies.

In the meantime, I'm not one of the masses & refuse to pick up some 69.99 special. I have to have a player that does dvd's, sacd's & dvd-a's at a decent level. Now if I get a better picture on top of that well then that will be a bonus.


A $199 981 will do that for you, you dont need to spend $400. Since PQ is not a major concern.

[Sami]

Again, I totally disagree that there is a minimal difference between different upscaling solutions.

I agree that good upscaling player produces a better picture than regular player but still the difference is minimal when you compare it to real high definition source.

As for the content in HD, for me there is more than I have time to watch. I watch the occasional classic as well, but even they are appearing in HD now. All the new (bigger) releases seem to be coming in BD, it's only a matter of time when Universal and Paramount start producing theirs. With 135" and a pair of 61" 1080p displays, there just isn't a comparison between HD and SD. The difference in SD and upconverted SD, well, you can see it but it's not all that. The difference between upconverted SD and upconverted SD, not worth the asking price.

[venomclan]

Not enough bang for the buck on this one imho.
Venom

[PhantomOG]

When HDTV gives me as good a picture as my 1 ton 32" Sony tv I'll think about it. Or when it dies.

HDTV absolutely gives a better picture. I guarantee you my 1.5 ton ( :D ) 32" Sony HD CRT will blow away your 32" SD CRT on a 1080i source and be just as good on 480p. You may not like the current tv technologies out there but there is nothing inherently wrong with HDTV as a standard.

[steveinaz]

Cathy
Direct TV HD (and Blu Ray) transformed my Samsung DLP into a lean, mean High Def machine. What a difference. I had no idea what I was missing until now...it's like I got a new television with my satellite service!

After the dust cleared, Direct TV cost me about $29 a month more than Cox cable, BUT....I get 100 more channels, I get 36 HD channels (including locals ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX), 40 XM radio channels, AND a far better picture to boot. It's a no-brainer. I've got the "Choice Extra + HD" package, w/1 HD receiver and 4 standard receivers.

[cfrizz]

LOL! Well rest assured guys, when it comes time to replace my tv I'll be coming to you for advice. But since CRT's last practically forever, don't expect it to be anytime soon!:D

[johnADA]

Now with the Toshiba firesale that has all ready started, the ABT chips can be found in the A30 and A35 which are now all most 1/3 the price of the Oppo.

[billbillw]

Now with the Toshiba firesale that has all ready started, the ABT chips can be found in the A30 and A35 which are now all most 1/3 the price of the Oppo.

The A30 and A35 (and A20) have half of the equation. They use the same ABT1018 upscaling chip. They do not have the ABT102 deinterlacer.

[jakelm]

The A30 and A35 (and A20) have half of the equation. They use the same ABT1018 upscaling chip. They do not have the ABT102 deinterlacer.

Well whatever, deinterlacer they use, its pretty damn good. Better than any previous Oppo.

[johnADA]

Well whatever, deinterlacer they use, its pretty damn good. Better than any previous Oppo.


My A3 did such a good job, I gave up on the Oppo I had. Then I picked up a A30 because I had gotten a 1080P TV and it beat out the A3. At $129, not to shabby

[Monster Jam]

I hope the "Target Market" for this $400 DVD player doesn't forget to throw in a $125 set of Monster Cables. After all, you want to get the most out of this machine, right?

LOL

[Monster Jam]

In all seriousness, after some thought, let me elaborate on one more reason why this Oppo player makes no sense at all: any given player's resolution are limited to their source.

Its the same premise as CD vs. tape and SACD vs. CD. Case in point: I threw in Ocean's Thirteen DVD a couple weeks ago (rental from Big Blue and Yellow video rental store) on my Harmon/Kardan DVD25 and was amazed at how poor the picture quality was. It was borderline VHS-like, and I do not exaggerate. It was nearly unwatchable. In comparison, I have many titles (such as Superbit) that have near-HD level pictures.

Stated differently, the picture (and audio) is only as good as the transfer, and the Oppo, nor any other player, can overcome this inherent SD DVD weakness. Heck, we've even heard of (or seen) accounts that some HD DVD and Blu-Ray movies have had bad transfers, and the movies have been re-issued to correct these problems.

This brings me to an unrelated tangent: I have recently heard of a "Conspiracy Theory" in which the quality of the transfer of DVD movies are intentionally being reduced. This is to make HD (Blu-Ray) movies look much better in comparison. I'm not sure I buy into it (the theory) or not, but movie transfers like Oceans sure seem to make me think "Hmmmm".

[billbillw]

In all seriousness, after some thought, let me elaborate on one more reason why this Oppo player makes no sense at all: any given player's resolution are limited to their source.

Its the same premise as CD vs. tape and SACD vs. CD. Case in point: I threw in Ocean's Thirteen DVD a couple weeks ago (rental from Big Blue and Yellow video rental store) on my Harmon/Kardan DVD25 and was amazed at how poor the picture quality was. It was borderline VHS-like, and I do not exaggerate. It was nearly unwatchable. In comparison, I have many titles (such as Superbit) that have near-HD level pictures.

Stated differently, the picture (and audio) is only as good as the transfer, and the Oppo, nor any other player, can overcome this inherent SD DVD weakness. Heck, we've even heard of (or seen) accounts that some HD DVD and Blu-Ray movies have had bad transfers, and the movies have been re-issued to correct these problems.

This brings me to an unrelated tangent: I have recently heard of a "Conspiracy Theory" in which the quality of the transfer of DVD movies are intentionally being reduced. This is to make HD (Blu-Ray) movies look much better in comparison. I'm not sure I buy into it (the theory) or not, but movie transfers like Oceans sure seem to make me think "Hmmmm".

Oceans 13 is bad on HD/Blu too. Too much artistic effect, graininess, etc.

[Monster Jam]

On DVD, it was downright blurry.

[del44]

Is ther a pic of the rear of the 983? Also, does anyone know if the multi channel audio (sacd dvd-a) is the same or better than the 981.

[Rivrrat]

I'm not biting.

I have an Oppo 981 that's just a little over a year old, plugged into a 1080i plasma, and I can't see where the pic quality would be significantly better, maybe incrementally, but not some quantum leap. and as far as I can tell the 981 does pretty much everything else the 983 does too.

I'd be surprised if they sell at anywhere near the rate the 981's and below sell/sold at.

[billbillw]

You guys are still missing the point. Who do you think keeps buying all of these CD players that are on the market costing $500-$5000? Companies are constantly redesigning, improving their products, mostly for small gains in audio quality. People keep buying them even though the majority of people cannot hear the difference between a $90 Sony and a $1000 unit from any of the high end companies.

There are always those who want better!

Apparently none of you care enough about your video quality to warrant this kind of spending, but I know there are many, many people out there who would gladly spend their money on this unit. There are over 2000 posts and 185,000+ views in the 'pre-production/announcement' thread at AVSforum for this DVD player! The unit will sell.

[Monster Jam]

FWIW the HT Guys mentioned in their latest podcast that they were going to review it in the next podcast.

I gotta say though billbillw, that it isn't that we don't care enough about quality video, its that there are NO returns (forget diminishing returns) on a more expensive DVD player. The medium is limited by the source. As for it selling, I know people who have bought $80 Monster Cables (HDMI) when they could have spent less than $20 at monoprice.com. (And guess what, the cable STILL failed!!! True story)

[Sami]

I gotta say though billbillw, that it isn't that we don't care enough about quality video, its that there are NO returns (forget diminishing returns) on a more expensive DVD player.

Exactly. I care about the video quality enough that to me a DVD player is almost obsolete (when BD player will play the medium). The rare SD-DVD that I watch, well I can live with a player that gives me 99% of the PQ.

[Rivrrat]

I care enough about video to have bought a 50" hd plasma before anyone else I know had a hd plasma. I just don't think that there's going to be a big enough jump between the old faroujda (sp) chipset they made such a big deal about, and the new chip set to make that much difference.

If the reviews say differently, and they say this new 400 buck player is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and the equal of a blu-ray in std, I'll retract everything I said.

Oh, and I'd buy one too.

[Sami]

they say this new 400 buck player is the greatest thing since sliced bread

Yes, of course, 480 is the greatest thing since sliced bread... :p

[billbillw]

Sami, Monster, You guys have still totally missed my point.

I can firmly state that the video difference between this ABT equipped Oppo will be far more than a diminishing return. It will be a more noticable improvement than say going from regular CD to SACD. No it won't be true HD like Bluray, but it will be far better than everything out there, except for Reon/Realta equipped players (all of which are at least double the asking price of the Oppo)


Sami, you say that DVD players are obsolete because the BD players can play DVD. Well most DVD players can play CD, but they continue to sell high end stand alone CD players because they do a superior job at playback in most cases. In addition, almost every review shows that the majority of BD players do a poor job at deinterlacing and upscaling DVD (there are a handfull of exceptions). If you really care about video playback, you would want a better solution for DVD, which still accounts for 99% of the available movies/tv series out there.

Bluray discs are still pretty rare and will continue to be for many years. Before long, you are going to run out of new titles to watch and get sick of the ones you own. Then you will be back watching DVD.

This player will be a very noticable improvement over any Faroudja based upscaling DVD player. Whether its better than the Reon equipped players is to be seen in reviews, head to head comparos, etc.

DVD is no more of a limited source than CD is. Yet CD still dominates more than 10 years after SACD and DVD-A hit the scene. Why? Limited availability, high prices on the players, and consumer indifference. Much like Bluray.

[Sami]

Sami, you say that DVD players are obsolete because the BD players can play DVD. Well most DVD players can play CD, but they continue to sell high end stand alone CD players because they do a superior job at playback in most cases.

Audio and video are two totally different animals and you can't really compare them.

If you really care about video playback, you would want a better solution for DVD, which still accounts for 99% of the available movies/tv series out there.

If you REALLY care about video playback, you won't bother with SD-DVD. It accounts for less than 5% in our household (cartoons bring it up, PQ is not really a dealbreaker there, is it?).

Bluray discs are still pretty rare and will continue to be for many years. Before long, you are going to run out of new titles to watch and get sick of the ones you own. Then you will be back watching DVD.

Still rare, yes and no. Run out of titles, no. Almost every good (or blockbuster) title released seems to be in BD or HD-DVD (as long as it's relevant) as well. I don't see it being rare for years to come, it will catch up on SD-DVD really soon and while we wait it to surpass SD-DVD we will have plenty of titles to watch. Some rare title is still going to be SD-DVD exclusive but I don't expect any of the big titles to not be released in BD.

Even if the consumer doesn't want it, studios are going to push it to them. When BD players reach $100 mark that's when the time is closing on SD-DVD. Releases pushed back a week after BD is released, some titles will be BD exclusive etc... it will happen.

DVD is no more of a limited source than CD is. Yet CD still dominates more than 10 years after SACD and DVD-A hit the scene. Why? Limited availability, high prices on the players, and consumer indifference. Much like Bluray.

Music reproduction is limited by our ears, which limits are much closer to CD's resolution than eyes are to SD-DVD resolution. People also know how to use their eyes, not so with ears in many cases. Then there is the equipment issue, many people don't have the systems where they would hear a difference between SA-CD/DVD-A vs CD. With even a 720p display the difference is very obvious which is better, SD-DVD or BD. Like I said, you can't compare the audio world to the visual world.

[Refefer]

I'm kinda surprised at how poorly this forum is receiving this player. Clearly it is not designed or being sold to Joe Beergut with his whizzy new "HD" TV which he grabbed on blue light special at Walmart. This is geared to videophiles who want the absolute best they can get from their DVDs.

How many of us have spent obscene amounts of money on a redbook player? Do we need to spend that much on one? Of course not, but we can notice the difference and it's important to us.

Why not upgrade everything to SACD? It's kinda analogous to Blu-Ray, wouldn't you agree? Similar to the availability of SACD, I would think. How many of us have spent huge amounts of cash on TTs? It's an old technology, right?

$400 is nothing in the grand scheme of home theaters. For top of the line performance, it's chicken feed. The only question is whether or not you're the type of person that wants to have that much performance.

[billbillw]

Sami, I simply disagree with you on every point above.

Bluray will never catch up to DVD. I am a movie fan and I have several hundred DVDs, most of which are not available on HDDVD or Bluray, and many likely will never be.

It is quite possible that Bluray will not succeed despite winning the war with HDDVD. Sales are still miniscule compared to DVD and if the studios don't lower their media prices drastically, it will never catch on. The future of HD movies is not clear, but most experts agree that DVD is still going to dominate for at least another 5 years.

That said, I'm not going to argue anymore. The Oppo 983 will be a great product at its price point; Take it or leave it.

[jakelm]

I'm kinda surprised at how poorly this forum is receiving this player. Clearly it is not designed or being sold to Joe Beergut with his whizzy new "HD" TV which he grabbed on blue light special at Walmart. This is geared to videophiles who want the absolute best they can get from their DVDs.

How many of us have spent obscene amounts of money on a redbook player? Do we need to spend that much on one? Of course not, but we can notice the difference and it's important to us.

Why not upgrade everything to SACD? It's kinda analogous to Blu-Ray, wouldn't you agree? Similar to the availability of SACD, I would think. How many of us have spent huge amounts of cash on TTs? It's an old technology, right?

$400 is nothing in the grand scheme of home theaters. For top of the line performance, it's chicken feed. The only question is whether or not you're the type of person that wants to have that much performance.

Well my XA1 plays HD (now dead, but ok) and does an excellent job at upscaling SD. So all I would need is a great SACD/DVD-A player. Thats why I have a "$199" 981. Not $400. I would bet that the 983 does not do a better job @ SACD's than the 981.

I am a huge Oppo fan. Love thier products. But not a $400 SACD/DVD-A player, that is no better than a $199 player.

Anyways... we could go on and on and on and on and on and on....:p

[billbillw]

I would bet that the 983 does not do a better job @ SACD's than the 981.


Not to start a new arguement, but you'd probably loose that bet. According to everything I've read, the 980 has better audio (including SACD) playback than the 981. Rumor has it that the 983 is supposed to improve on the 980, so by that logic, it should sound better than the 981. By how much? Who knows.

[BIZILL]

i just wonder how this unit would fare pitted against say, a toshiba xa2 or a35 for upconversion...

i'm sure it will beat out the ps3 for upconversion, by far...unless some miracle firmware comes out to better the upconversion process as a whole.

[Sami]

Bluray will never catch up to DVD.

Just like DVD never caught on VHS?

This Oppo would make sense if better format wasn't already in the market, and with readily available material (which I admit, could be a better selection but it will get there). How many videophiles don't already have a very good upscaling player? How many are into HD medium (all should be as they are videophiles)? Add 1+1 and a $400 SD-DVD player doesn't really make sense anymore. If you need a new upscaling player and have money to burn, why not.

[billbillw]

i just wonder how this unit would fare pitted against say, a toshiba xa2 or a35 for upconversion...

i'm sure it will beat out the ps3 for upconversion, by far...unless some miracle firmware comes out to better the upconversion process as a whole.

It would likely be better than the A35 due to the addition of the ABT deinterlacer and because Oppo usually finds a way to execute things better.

Against the XA2, it would be close. In the 983 thread at AVS, some of the Beta Testers compared the new Oppo to various Reon equipped units (probably the XA2 or Denon units) and they reported that it was a tossup in many areas. There were apparently some areas (like video playback) that the 983 excelled in.

[Refefer]

Well my XA1 plays HD (now dead, but ok) and does an excellent job at upscaling SD. So all I would need is a great SACD/DVD-A player. Thats why I have a "$199" 981. Not $400. I would bet that the 983 does not do a better job @ SACD's than the 981.

And most people feel that their big box speakers do their job excellently as well. But I sure as hell don't, and throw out extra bucks to get "better" performance that 99% of people would think is a waste of money.

Similarly, I don't have the cash for a pair of 802Ds or Wilson's. I even doubt that my ears would be able to differentiate at that high level of speaker, but I certainly wouldn't call it a bad deal. You have to pay something for top of the line, and this oppo is a helluva lot cheaper than a top of the line amp, or preamp, or hell even frickin ICs and speaker cables.

If you're happy with where you're at on the video totem pole, this Oppo isn't aimed at you. But if you really want the best you can get from your DVDs, the Oppo is a steal.

[jakelm]

This Oppo would make sense if better format wasn't already in the market,


^^^This says it all^^^^

+1

[jakelm]

. But if you really want the best you can get from your DVDs, the Oppo is a steal.


No one, has compared this 983 Oppo to any of the HD or BR players, so how do we know?

Word of mouth will tell all, very soon.

[billbillw]

No one, has compared this 983 Oppo to any of the HD or BR players, so how do we know?

Word of mouth will tell all, very soon.

Kris Deering at the Secrets website has already reviewed the 983. It was the first player EVER to score 100 on their benchmark. Kris has already reviewed many of the current BD and HDDVD players (including the BD1000, BD1200, BD1400, S1, A1, XA2, BD10A, BD30, Elite 95FD,and PS3). So in a way, it has been compared to many of the existing players. Except for the BD1200 and XA2 (both with Reon), none of the HD or BD players came any where near the performance of the 983. Most were poor performers in terms of uspcaling/deinterlacing.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cd-dvd-player-product-reviews/dvd-players/oppo-digital-dv-983h-dvd-player---a-secrets-dvd-benchmark-review.html

[jflail2]

I am intrigued by any new offering from Oppo considering how pleased I have been with my 970. And since the great majority of my collection is SDVD, I would love to pick up a player that would add maximum life to my current collection. $400 has me a bit hesitant, but maybe they'll drop it a bit when they release their br player.

That being said, I think billbill must have stock in them or something :)