In a quandry

[stewartwen]

Hello every one, I have a decision to make, I want to replace my ageing DVD player, but what to buy. I want to use a universal player. So I dont have too many boxes on my shelves. I had opted for either a Denon 2900 or a 2800. There seems to be a difference but what is it? From what I have read the 2900 does SACD and the 2800 does not.
I cant afford to buy a new unit, so am going to buy it on the site that can not be named.
I have had an offer of a 2800 for a spare laser so would the 2800 be better?
God my brain is hurting now.........................if this route is successful I will be able to get rid of two boxes off my shelves.....................
S

[jon1]

Hello every one, I have a decision to make, I want to replace my ageing DVD player, but what to buy. I want to use a universal player. So I dont have too many boxes on my shelves. I had opted for either a Denon 2900 or a 2800. There seems to be a difference but what is it? From what I have read the 2900 does SACD and the 2800 does not.
I cant afford to buy a new unit, so am going to buy it on the site that can not be named.
I have had an offer of a 2800 for a spare laser so would the 2800 be better?
God my brain is hurting now.........................if this route is successful I will be able to get rid of two boxes off my shelves.....................
S

Hi stewart you are talking about replacing your dvd player with a bluray player have a look at oppo players and drop Mark Grant a email he can help



jon

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Stewart, I can see why your head is hurting in all honesty

As you mention, the Denon 2900 plays SACDs, though I don't know about the 2800 as I haven't come across it.

The thing is that things have moved on a heck of a lot since the 2900 came out, I myself still own a 2930 & it's old hat if you don't mind me saying so. I haven't used it for at least 2 or 3 years as there is better equipment out there.

While I definately agree with what John has said as I happen to own an Oppo player myself, they aren't exactly cheap & I get the feeling that you want to upgrade, but on a budget

I'm not sure if you spin any blu rays, but if I was you I'd look about for a secondhand Panasonic DMP-BD80. This will do a vastly better job of displaying DVDs & I can't think of anything it won't play.

Actually I really ought to ask what you are using to display your DVDs on, I guess I'm assuming you have a full HD TV (1080P), in which case my Panasonic recommendation would indeed be relevant.


So tell us more please

[stewartwen]

Thank you for your replies. Mark the eqpt I use is
I have a Phillips CRT, which will be replaced with a s/s Panny tis a 53 inch screen and has HD capability.
I have used for some years an Harman Kardon dvd player. Never had any faults on it. But the picture quality has never been very good. I also use a panny projector, which I rebulbed recently, this has HD capability as well. I have a 72 inch projector screen as well.
The reason I want a new, to me, machine is that I am convinced that with the newer bread of UNIVERSAL players the s/q is as good as my stand alone cd player.
Although from what I have seen on other rigs HD tv is not as good as people make out. But maybe they hadn't set the pictures up properly, ie grey scale first, the add the colour, and then set the rest of the parameters. I haven't had a good demo of a blu ray player yet.
So I suppose that audio quality is foremost followed by video quality.
I use a Humax freeview box, which does not have hd output.
I use phono to phono leads to connect it together.
My pre is the Denon AVP-A1 this does not have an hd output.
I suppose that I am an old fashioned type of old fart.......................... I use my stereo system for watching tv but I use it most to listen to music, either on the radio or on disc or on vinyl.
S

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Stewart, cheers for the reply, it does make things a whole lot clearer

Ok, lets start off.. The Denon 2900 you were considering may possibly have a DVI-D video output, this will be compatable with a modern 1080P TV. The thing is though, if it does it won't output 1080P pictures. I used to use a 2910 & that only managed 1080i. Then again I'm not even sure if it does have a DVI-D output at all, it may only have a component video output that'll be useful to you with an HD TV.

Forget SCART as the best you'll get out of that will be 576i

So unless you purchase something newer than the 2900 you'll be looking at decidedly second rate pictures compared to what you can have with DVI-D or HDMI.

DVI-D & HDMI are compatable, the only difference is DVI-D can only carry video, so if you didn't fancy switching on the stereo you'd need to also feed an audio signal to the TV & set the TV to use that audio channel with the DVI-D input. Not an impossibility thankfully

If I was you though I'd see if I could find a Denon 2930 on the cheap, as these will output 1080P from the HDMI socket on the back. Take it from me that the difference between the 2910 & 2930 picture wise isn't subtle. Sound wise there won't be much of a difference (at least I don't think so).

I have no idea what a 2930 would fect secondhand these days, but I can imagine it'll be a whole lot less that the £450 I payed for mine (& that was cheap at the time )

The thing is I reckon you could find a secondhand Panasonic DMP-BD80 blu ray player for about the same as a 2930...

Sound wise there won't be a lot in it, if anything, the Panasonic will probably better the Denon due to using 24bit DACs.

Picture wise on DVDs it'll totally destroy the Denon The Panny has some of the best DVD upscaling of any machine I have used, bar the Oppo BD95.

Then of course it'll play blu ray, as well as SACD & DVD-A discs.


I'd have a good think about it if I was you, but given that you are getting a 1080P TV in the near future, you may as well get the best use out of it.

Just out of interest here is a BD80 about to end, what a bargain!


I think I'm going to check if the thing is actually SACD compatable as it doesn't appear to be listed on that listing, I'll check the instructions I have here when I find them.

[stewartwen]

Thank you Mark.
S

[Canetoad]

I bought a Panasonic DMP-BD80 second hand a year ago and it's very good for playing Bluray and DVDs. I have no interest at the moment in replacing it. I'm pretty sure I only paid about £80 in mint condition. Definitely a bargain!

I wasn't aware it played SACD though.

[stewartwen]

Thank you Bernie, a BD80 is a favourite search on the site that cant be mentioned, they seem to fit the bill for my application.
S

[Reid Malenfant]

I wasn't aware it played SACD though.

I have to check that, I'm beginning to have a sneaking suspiscion that it doesn't. I think I recall that I still had the Denon 2930 connected while using the Panny, & that can only be for one reason....

Still, I'll check it out.

[Zoidburg]

I can also recommend the .bd80, iv had one for about 3 years and I always thought it was pretty good, iv recently upgraded my tv to a new Samsung 50 inch led hd screen and it really shows off the quality of the panny's images.