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Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player

Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player

List Price: $349.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Very disappointing in all respects
Review: If you're like me, you probably bought this player for one reason only - its DVI output.

So let's talk about that first. The good news - DVI output probably does improve picture quality if you're outputting in native resolution to a 'digital' type display unit - ie, a plasma screen, or a projector if it used DLP/LCD technology. But if you're outputting to an analog device (ie rear projection or normal tv) then the improvement is much less noticeable. I have a brand new Philips 60" rear proj tv and don't really see much difference in the DVI feed at all.

So if that is the 'good news', what about the bad news? Lots, I'm afraid. The biggest problem is that the remote has buttons that do double duty as both fast forward and also as skip to next track, in a manner that is very clumsy and hard to get right. For all intents and purposes, fast forwarding is impossible with this unit. Skipping to the next track is reasonably easy, but if you want to just fast forward a little bit, forget about it. That is a major negative.

The remote also seems to have very limited range, and much of the time I'm having to press buttons repeatedly to get the set to 'hear' the remote. Nasty.

There are other minor negatives as well - for example, there's no way you can get a display of total time on the disc or remaining time to go, but these are minor points.

In summary, this unit is woefully underfeatured and very user unfriendly. I'm returning mine. Unless you have a plasma screen or LCD/DLP projector, you won't notice much difference in quality with the DVI output. Although I haven't tried one, it seems that probably the Bravo D1 is a better choice if you must have DVI now.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantastic
Review: Simply amazing,awsome have had unit for 4 months very happy thank you samsung.winner

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: AMAZING DVD PLAYER
Review: As a home theater design professional, I must share with all of you that this DVD player has reached hieghts which we have only dreamed of. First of all, you MUST use the DVI-D connection to gain all the benefits of having this payer upconvert your 480 signal to either 720p or 1080i. Each HD television is very different and odds are, if you have a tube or big screen, you will be forced to use the 1080i scaling rate. At this rate, the player does a very nice job I must say. However, for those of you who own a plasma or DMD TV, the 720P scaler is Insanely good and makes this player shine. At even $300 list, just BUY IT!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Interesting but not good enough
Review: I have a NEC HT1000 projector (with DVI-D/HDCP, 1024x768) and a 10' screen, so image resolution is very important. Since there is no digital to analog to digital conversion with DVI (unlike component Y-Pb-Pr) I was hoping for a stunning picture with this unit. Of course there is conversion in the HD931 from the DVD to 1080 to DVI-HDCP, through the HD931 supplied 6' DVI cable, and into the NEC HT1000's DVI-D port, where it's converted back down to 1024x576 (16:9). I tried using the DVI at all three HD931 output resolutions 480, 720, 1080, and I believe that 1080 worked best with my projector, but there wasn't a lot of difference between the three.
Pros: I found the first four minutes of the DVD Lost In Space to be slightly better with the HT931 than my older DVD player (JVC XVS60 component progressive, cheap $2 component cable); the computer generated shapes just seemed more well defined. The Ovation DVD test pattern "Resolution 200 TVL" with the 3.0mhz, 3.58mhz, 4.18mhz, 6.75mhz circles was obviously much clearer with the HD931; on my older DVD player the diagonal lines have alternating 3 grey then 3 white backgrounds, whereas with the HD931 they were all evenly white backgrounds as they should be.
Cons: I also watched We Were Soldiers, Waterworld, Wind, Shakesphere In Love, Sgt Bilco, Gladiator, The Fifth Element and Henry V, and found the picture to be grainy. As if it had some smaller than a pixel noise all over the image all the time.
Simply put, I enjoyed watching movies more with my old player. But it was close. I'd say that DVI for DVD shows promise.
I did not try the HD931 component outputs. The HD931 has very slow scene selection (next chapter), but I didn't have any trouble with the remote from 6' away, nor did any movie I watched actually hang.
Conclusion: I'm returning the HD931 for a refund.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I'm a Happy Consumer of this Product
Review: I upgraded to this Samsung DVD-HD931 from a Sony DVP-NS715, and the improvement in picture quality was immediately noticeable. That's not meant to be a slam on the Sony product (the little player served me well).

But this new Samsung progressive scan DVD player offered a higher quality picture with my Toshiba HDTV - there was a noticeable difference in image sharpness and clarity - particularly on high-quality DVDs such as the new Indiana Jones box set.

I am told that DVI offers an even greater picture, but sadly my TV does not support this. I am using Monster 3 component video cables.

This is a very impressive DVD player with a wonder picture. Although I would like to see a DVD player that offers a black & white button (which my original first Sanyo DVD player did have). Those looking for an excellent picture should not deter from this DVD player.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Compatability issues
Review: I knew about the HDCP issue - and knew that my tv a Philips 60 inch hd could support it. Got the expensive dvi cable - and still had snow. Oh well so much for product testing! Back to the store tomorrow. Guess they are still working out the definitions of dvi standards. Its the only way I could explain it. I am disappointed.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Double check your DVI
Review: I thought I did my homework, but nowhere on the box or Samsung's site does it say that you have to have HDCP on the other end of the DVI or it won't work. I have an awsome projector with DVI and the Samsung won't let the image through. Don't buy this unit until you've checked to see if whatever you're attaching it to supports HDCP. If not, you'll be stuck with an expensive progressive scan deck.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Breath taking pictures
Review: I have interfaced with my Mitsubishi 48313 using the DVI and the picture is astounding. You will not be dissappointed if you buy the monster cable DVI cable and use digital coax out to you AV reciever for audio. This unit performed with spectacular results as I viewed Star Wars Attack of the Clones. The Samsung is also fabulous to look at. The pictures dont do it justice.

5 stars baby!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Two Bad units in a row
Review: I just bought the Sony KV34xbr910 a stunning HDTV ready baby. Purchased the samsung player a week later and the $ 100 cable for DVI..First movie to play was SWars 2 a stunning digital wonder..Just when yoda was about to fight the thing paused..and paused and nothing..Turn off..turn on..no pic..stutter..
Return to best buy store and get another New unit..I watched 2 movies and it lost the audio track now..Return..No go..cds pause too..
Terrible remote..as all others have said..poor distance to use it too..Sonys are so much better..
Bad design..no heat vents..It also says hello and goodbye to you..GOODBYE

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: DVI
Review: Do not assume this works with a computer screen's DVI input
Do not assume this works with a computer projector's DVI input

This is disappointing, as it requires a HDCP protocol between
the player and the screen, otherwise only noise appears. Even
more disappointing is no advance caution of this requirement. At least none I noticed.


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