Denon DVD-1910 Single-disc DVD player with 720p/1080i DVI output

Rating:
Summary: The best DVI-capable DVD player for consumers
Review: Denon makes a lot of professional video equipment that costs tons of money, but this consumer-oriented DVD player, one of the few models on the market today that support DVI all-digital output, is both affordable and high-quality.

A quick note: at least two other manufacturers (V! and Sansung) also have DVI-capable DVD players. But according to websites like extremetech, they give poor video output.

Chances are, if you are reading this review, you probably already know what DVI is. For those that are new to the topic, DVI (digital video interface) is a true digital-only connection between a video source (e.g., DVD player) and a display. The signal that travels over the DVI cable is pure digital, as opposed to the analog signal over component, S-video and composite video cables. What does this mean? You get noise-free image on a DVI-capable TV set. Most namebrand HDTV sets now come with DVI input, e.g., Sharp, Panasonic, Pioneer, Sony, Hitachi.

So, in order to take full advantage of this Denon player's digital output, you need an HDTV with a DVI connector. Once you couple the two together, you'll be amazed at the image quality. Not only is the DVI-driven video noise-free, but the image is also brigher. The Denon also features what's known as "up-scalers". Since current DVD movies are *not* HD -- they are of the standard NTSC (or PAL, if you are in Asia or Europe) resolution -- the upscaler can magically make the DVD video appear HD. I don't know all the technical details of how this is done, but the upshot is, the image quality is improved and you'll be getting every bit of digital quality of your DVD movies.

With some good DVD players selling for less than $50 -- e.g., my everyday DVD player is the $45 CyberHome slim-and-small progressive-scan player bought at Radio Shack -- is the Denon worth the extra money? The answer is a resolute yes, if you have a DVI-capable HDTV set. Seriously, if you have an HDTV, you *need* this player. Otehrwise you are not getting the best DVD playback. The Denon is actually a great buy, considering that the other DVI DVD players on the market today don't perform well. The Denon works, and works well. Any videophiles who lack the deep pocket of a professional or dedicated fanatic, should get this. Once you go DVI, you won't go back.

Rating:
Summary: Hands down the best HD DVD player
Review: Forget about the Sony ($300) and the Toshiba ($205). And especially forget about the Samsung 841 ($189). I owned the latter and could not be more desapointed with the image. The Denon 1910 ($249) is gives you the best image you will see on your TV. It upscales the movies to 1080i so beautifully that it's as if you were seeing it all over again. I rarely write reviews, but it's worth every cent.

Some older TVs with DVI may not be HDCP compliant. Before you buy this product, make sure your TV is compliant because otherwise it will not work at all.

Also, make sure you buy a DVI cable because the box will not bring one.

Rating:
Summary: HOW GOOD, IT DEPENDS
Review: I bought this DVD player as a replacement for the Toshiba upconverting DVD player. I didn't like the Toshiba at all.

This player is far better in every way. The remote, the features, the looks...the upconverter is far superior according to all I checked with.

Here's the problem. My DVD player was set up with the DVI to my Sony 60 inch LCD TV with an adaptor to HDMI.

The picture was not very good at all, in fact I got a better picture out of my old Panasonic hooked up by component.

I then connected this Denon with component, and abandoned the DVI. The picture is much better this way. In my opinion, the upconversion doesn't do anything to improve the picture, and in fact is worse. I question the technology all together. I'm using very high quality cables, too.

There's nothing wrong with my TV. I used the DVI to connect my cable box to my TV, and oh my gosh!!! The clearest brightest picture I have ever seen.

For certain things like analog channels, you are better off with an old crt type tv. HDTV is great! The technology is there, but needs more work.

Rating:
Summary: This player kills!
Review: I have had several DVD players over the years and most recently a Sony progressive scan player. I have a 50" Samsung DLP and was satisfied with the picture. That was until I saw the 1910. The upscaling through the DVI is unreal. Toy Story 2 looked so clear and bright, well beyond my expectations. It makes good DVD's look great and so-so DVD's look good. It doesn't seem to do much for the extremely poor quality DVD's, but it's a player, not magic. The 1910 makes the Star Wars Trilogy look like true HD. It doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, but for the price it's the best player I've ever seen.

Rating:
Summary: Look Elsewhere
Review: I recently bought a home theater projector, and though I originally intended to wait until the next high definition DVD standard (i.e. BluRay) was supported before upgrading my DVD player, the awful scaling artifacts I saw with it made me decide to find a replacement earlier than I had intended.

I first tried the Samsung 841 and overall was pleased with its picture quality using its digital (DVI) output as the feed to my projector. But several mechanical quirks as well as lots of negative feedback on audio/visual news forums (as well as by several Amazon reviewers) convinced me to try the Denon 1910. Well, about the only positive thing I can say about this player is that it has a nice remote. The first problem I noticed with the 1910 was that the picture now looked very washed out. Luckily I remembered reading on an AV forum that this was because the player's black level setting, which artificially brightens the image, is turned on by default. Normally I wouldn't consider something like this to be a major issue, but the fact that I probably never would have figured out on my own how to unset this "feature" (as it is not an option on the video settings menu, but is for some reason accessible only through the hidden-in-a-crowd-of-buttons Mode button) is reason enough to dock this player 1 star.

Even worse, though, and the real reason I advise people to stay away from this player (at least when used with a projector) is that the Denon 1910 suffers from a bad case of what is called macro-blocking, where swirling clouds of brown, purple, and gray rectangles appear on what are supposed to be dark fields. I never had this problem with the Samsung 841, and so decided to return the Denon 1910 the next day. Lots of the reviewers here would disagree with my decision, and perhaps on their display devices the 1910 does work better. But if you have a high-end projector chances are you'll get a better picture relying on its circuitry to do scaling, de-interlacing, etc., and all you want from your player is the ability to cleanly put bits on the wire, which the Samsung 841 seems much better at doing than the Denon 1910.

Rating:
Summary: Okay but not the best...
Review: Look, Denon has a great reputation for DVD players but this one is only good. If it were 200 bucks it would garner another star. The picture is is fine. The controls are basic. User interface is okay.

However, my main complaint is that if you plan on using an universal remote to control this player, think twice. I have tried to get my Home Theater MX-500 to learn this device but only to partial avail. Some commands simply don't translate -- leaving me to keep the original remote accessible in the event I want to "rewind" (and some other functions). It may just be a function of my universal remote, I will grant; however, the 9 other devices it controls work fine though.

DVD players have become almost disposable in consumer's minds. I am wondering if manufacturer's have adopted this mindset as well. If they have, then price it accordingly. In the meantime, I guess I will be using this one 'till it meets its landfill...hopefully later rather than sooner.

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly Bright!!
Review: This DVD player is great, but not perfect. It can play DVD+R and DVD-R. I've tried both. No problem at all.

I use DVI cable on my SONY HDTV, switching to 480p, 720p, and 1080i but I really can't tell the difference (I watch Spider-Man 2, which is an original, not on DVD+R or DVD-R). It's just unnoticeable. Probably it's because its 480p performs too well. Besides, you can't do the switch via the remote. There is a button on the machine and everytime you want to make a change of output mode, you need to go to the machine and press the button.

What most disappoints me is it does NOT support Video CD (VCD) format. For some people like me, VCD is very important.

But if you only take it as a pure DVD player, it does its job quite well. Oh no, I should say it's the best one I've ever seen.