Sorry to interupt the discussion, how about this HDMI player from Pioneer? (DV-490V)
http://www.pioneer.com.sg/storefront/Produ...1&CatId=64,7,11
It do have 720p/1080i upscalling on HDMI and DIVX playback. Seems pretty good specs there. Anyone care to comment?

This post has been edited by mikelee: Jan 3 2007, 04:10 PM

Well, my HDMI cable is 20m length. If I use QED, it will be the same price as my projector...
Anyway, I am happy with my HDMI at this moment. I haven't even put up my component video and video cable. Ha! Ha!. So, all Red, Green, Blue and Yellow not up yet. Actually, what am I talking about. Even my projector is not up. I am still using a stool placed on my dining table to watch my movies. Ha! Ha!
My ceiling mount bracket not arrive yet.

Anyway, I've bought a Video Calibration DVD but seems still having some payment problem with them. Paid but they keep on saying I not yet pay. Haiz.

Well, about 490V, many forumers in the AV discussion forums dislike this model. Seems it is not as what they have expected from a Pioneer player. This goes for their 696 as well.

So, thats why I bought the Sony 76H. At least I got good remarks from some Australian AV forum.

Yeah, for that length, I guess it will cause a bomb if you're using QED. For audiophile cables, normally people will get the shortest one possible due to cost reasons, there was one time, I wanted to buy Audioquest NRG-3, the shop forced me to get their 2m powercord but I actually needed 1m or less, what's the point of getting 2m and have through my nose? It doesn't make sense, they were reluctant to order it for me so in the end, I bought VHD power cord from another shop. The price difference for an extra metre is pretty shocking to be honest.

There is a Rogers DV525 upconverting DVD player, which able to upconvert via component and HDMI. I have tested the component at 720p and also 1080i on my projector. This DVD player is available at Desa in LYP.

I have opened up the cover and saw ZORAN 776 on it. The beauty is it is able to upconvert over component for copy-protected disc and also lesser ahem disc.

Wow... how much u got the player for?
Mind to share? Take some pics pls...

Can I have the link to this particular forum you are talking about?
Anyway is the Sony 76H very sensitive? Sorry to say this but is it hard to read ahem discs? Sony is widely known to have sensitive reading capabilities.

Well, I will get it for you... wait...

Here is the link

The link

Wait... I remember I have another site...

Aiya... c2p Tsunami.... now line is so slow... wait wait...

This one about Sony 76H
Sony 76H

Another on Sony
Sony N76

OK... this is the one...
Benchmarking...

For Sony 76H, I bought it for a week now. Not 1 disc that I can't play. So, I am still crossing fingers. Actually, I never like Sony products. Always feel Sony adds many salt and pepper to their goods. But right now, I am kinda happy with the player. I don't like the response and the remote though.

Yes, this is very true for CDROM/DVDROM etc. But in 76H, it has something like precision drive 3. Maybe that's the reason all the disc can read now . But still, I think no one has tried badly scratch disc or badly warped disc with 76h. Maybe Timothy can try

I tried on my Tomorrow Never Die Disc already. Its warped badly. That disc cannot be played on the older version of Sony ( my sister's DVD player).

This disc, I have tried it on Denon 1930 (Hi-way Laser, SS2). It got stucked on chapter 2. Didn't try further.
Tried on Philips-Took 2 times to load the disc. First time cannot detect. 2nd time ok and finished the whole CD.

Then, tried on a lousy printed DVD. My old JVC played it with checkered boxes. Denon 1930 OK, no prob. Phlips OK.

And both these disc tried on the Sony 76H. Both went smoothly.

I have been using 76H for more than 9 months now, whether for watching our local ahem discs to those cheapo China ahem ones, all of them played fine unless if the disc itself is faulty, it will get stucked but that's not the player's fault but more like a poorly authored dvd. So, if it doesn't play on my 76H, I'll return the disc to the shop for a replacement. As for originals, it plays all RCE and Region 1 titles flawlessly, unfortunately, it couldn't skip the FBI warning thingy, my Pioneer could do that so for watching original dvds, the annoying FBI warning will be there and you have to wait until it enters the original dvd menu. Not a long wait if compared to HD-DVDs, it takes at least more than a 1 minute to reach the menus, you can probably go to the toilet to wash your face or take a light snack in the kitchen. Yeah, HD-DVDs are annoying, slow and unresponsive, hopefully, it will get better with newer models but sadly, only restricted to Toshiba and Microsoft XBOX 360's HD-DVD add on.

Well, compatibility wise, 76H is not bad, it is as good as my first Sony dvd player 575P (bought a few years back, the first player from Sony to use precision drive 3 lens) but the quality is far better as it is using the Mediatek chip which doesn't suffer from any Macroblocking issues which is a blessing in my humble opinion. Jaggies are picture noise are kept to a minimum, I wouldn't say it's completely perfect, it' just a RM599 dvd player, you can't expect it to offer you something like Denon's 2930 flagship dvd player so we gotta be realistic but by all means, it's a fantastic player.


There are two batches actually, the first batch of JVC dvd players are pretty sensitive, the second batch has better compatibility with poor quality discs and it is using JVC's dragon pickup technology (correct me if I'm wrong). The second batch was mostly used by shops selling ahem ones and at that time, Sony's 575P wasn't out in the market yet until later but now, JVC Malaysia has stopped selling dvd players, you'll never be able to find any new models from them anymore. In fact, most brands have stopped producing dvd players due to poor margins, mostly caused by those cheapo players sold at hypermarkets, you can get a progressive scan player that plays everything for less than 80 bucks so it has a big impact on branded dvd players as not everyone cares about the picture or sound quality, for some as long got picture and sound, they're more than happy already.

maybe my eye got problems....i could not spot any calour banding at the big electrical chain here..... they are showing the typical HD DEMO on the TVs.

I'm still considering whether to take this LG 42 @ RM 5900 against toshiba 42and Sharp 42 due to it's very attractive pricing......... the saving could buy me a new matching TV cabinet.... migth buy it today since already got the bonus payout

Would that be the case of paying peanut and u get monkey????

BTW, the same shop offer me 5900 for LG is offering me Sony 40" V200A at 7300....quite good pricing i reckon.

This post has been edited by ryansia: Jan 4 2007, 11:44 AM

Thanks timothyy for showing me those links. Now it seems Sony 76H is a good buy comparing to all other HDMI players. Now it reads all kinds of discs including badly warped discs.

bro ryansia,

keep me updated on your purchase. I also intend to get a LCD tv myself.

I'm already thinking 42" LCD Bravia Type X , but bit expensive 15000, maybe if it reach 12000 i will buy it

my money to sharp

Bro Mike,

It is a good dvd player, come, come, lets join the Sony 76H gang...... ehh ....... dun get the wrong idea, I'm not working for Sony, okay? Hahaha.

Hi Neo,

My budget and tvs ar in different league than yours.....
i suppose you meant 40" Sony X......

Gladly. I don't make money from this but heck... took me hours and nights of searching through internet. Almost opted for Oppo. But chickened out at the end.

Anyway, there is not much choice left for us for these HDMI players. So, what to do?

There are better players but out of our budget or not realistically priced since an audiophile quality dvd player will cost more than a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player.

Kakaka... ya... and I believe soon, many better HDMI players gonna come out... or is it not?

Few years back, I bought my first VCD player, china made that can play SVCD for RM470.

And I told myself... wahhhh damn cheap.

This post has been edited by timothyy: Jan 4 2007, 06:56 PM

I need a new TV which an HDMI input first.

Thanks for the find. Will keep the link for future reference. Anyway Oppo seems to be a good dvd player but I remember I read that the cd player is kinda flimsy. Anyway Oppo is a hard find around Malaysia rite?