Features:
- Progressive scanning (480P) output for true-to-film picture playback of DVD movie discs
- 4:3 shrink function with letterbox zoom and shift lets you watch DVDs in their original aspect ratio on a 16:9 wide screen
- DVD-RAM video playback capability
- MPEG digital noise reduction
- Monitor select allows for connection to a standard TV, CRT projector, LCD projector, or a projection TV
Description:
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more feature-packed, superb DVD player than this one, which is available in a very cool champagne color or this basic black. Not only does it do a wonderful job with DVD-Video discs--thanks to its progressive-scan output and advanced, 12-bit/54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter (DAC)--but it also plays the new generation of multichannel DVD-Audio software. The audio DAC offers scintillating 24-bit, 192 kHz resolution, capable of delivering a full two octaves' worth of high-frequency harmonics above standard CDs. And if you happen to own a DVD-RAM-based camcorder like the Panasonic VDR-M10, it plays those discs, too. In a word--Wow. We're big fans of progressive-scan DVD players. Connect one to a digital television and you'll forget about the dearth of HDTV broadcasts. Why wait for broadcast when so many DVDs are available now? We quickly connected our review player to a 36-inch digital set using the component-video outputs and a 5.1-channel surround-sound system via the player's optical digital-audio output. The RP91 has extensive audio hookup capabilities, so no matter how sophisticated--or basic--your home theater is, you'll be in for the ride of your life. Even if you only use two speakers, it offers two levels of Virtual Surround to help envelop you in sound. We loaded the obligatory Starship Troopers disc and loved it. The acting was as bad as ever, but the image moved to a still higher dimension of quality. By pressing the "progressive scan" key on the player's front panel, we experienced a seamless 480-progressive image rather than standard 480 interlaced--a picture that is much richer and more filmlike without the bothersome scanning lines. With 480P, you feel as if you could put your hand right into the screen. The audio track, while likewise superb, didn't sound noticeably superior to that of other players--probably because of the limitations of the Dolby Digital compression on that disc. We were, however, able to get our hands on Swing Live, a new Bucky Pizzarelli DVD-Audio disc from Chesky Records, to properly audition the DVD-RP91 with the new music format. (To appreciate DVD-Audio, you'll need a surround receiver with 5.1-channel analog inputs, since the DVD-A signal is too high-resolution for standard digital inputs to accommodate it.) We've been a bit skeptical about multichannel music, having heard some poorly engineered early attempts at 5.1-channel surround-sound music. Well, the engineers have learned from their mistakes, and this disc places you at a table in a nightclub, while guitarist Bucky and his friends play jazz standards like "Perdido" and "Sweet Sue." The sense of presence and realism was outstanding. The only thing missing was a nice Sapphire martini, straight up. (Note: this machine does not play SACDs, a competing multichannel audio system being promoted by Sony--but no one machine plays both formats.) The appearance and playback capabilities of the DVD-RP91--with both audio and video--puts it in a class by itself. Yet it does have problems. The biggest drawback is the onscreen menu--the icons are inscrutable. Without the owner's manual at the ready, it's difficult to navigate through all the available options (and there are many). Not that most people will adjust their video Gamma settings, but we couldn't help wishing Panasonic had made the system more intuitive. The remote has a very good feel, and a joystick makes adjustments and moves you through the menus. The remote is programmed to handle most TVs, and it handled my non-Panasonic set easily. But the remote really should have backlit keys rather than glow-in-the-dark buttons. This is a high-priced DVD player, so you should get a high-quality remote. But what else can we say? This is a fantastic, technically advanced DVD player. Any home theater enthusiast should seriously give this one a long, hard look--then buy it. --David Elrich Pros:
- As feature-loaded a DVD player as you can find
- Dynamite picture and sound quality
- Excellent connectivity options
- Intuitive remote with glow keys
Cons:
- Onscreen menus difficult to follow
- Remote should have backlit keys
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