Hi all panny plasma fans,

TOday I have discovered LATTEST Panny DVDP, DVD-S54. It has all the features you ever wanted.

How u sifus rate this product compare to SONY 708 player ???

Features
Picture/Display
Progressive Scan
Digital Noise Reduction
Colour Detail Enhancer
Manufacturers Technology Features
HD Ready
VIERA LINK
Playback
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)
DVD -RW (Re-Recordable)
DVD-R (Recordable)
DVD RAM (Re-Recordable)
MP3 (MPEG-3)
VCD (Video CD)
CD-R (Recordable)
CD-RW (Re-Recordable)
SVCD (Super Video CD)
CD (Compact Disc)
MP4 (MPEG-4)
WMA (Windows Media Audio)
DivX® Video Compatible
Connections
1 x HDMI Connection
1 x S-Video Connection
1 x Component Video Connection
1 x Co-axial Digital Connection
1 x RGB Scart Connection
Power,Weight & Dimensions
2 Kg Unit Weight (Approx)
430 x 43 x 231 mm mm (W/H/D) Dimensions
AC 230 to 240V, 50 Hz Mains Power
9 W Power Consumption
1 W Standby Power Consumption



Attached image(s)

Well, I've used it a couple of months. Can't compare it to the Sony (cause I don't have one), but I can compare it to the Philips 5996K.

The S54 deinterlacer and upscaler is better than the PV80s internal one. However color is a little weaker than the PV80s internal scaler, although you do gain a lot of detail. Once you start zooming in, the difference is very obvious. Plus it works with VieraLink and your PV80 remote so that is a big plus. It complements the PV80 well.

Compared with the 5996, the S54 deinterlacer is better. The 5996 sometimes can see scan lines, especially during fast motion. The S54 has a slightly better upscaler too, showing more detail, but you have to look hard to see it. Color depth seems a little better on the 5996 though.

The USB port on the 5996 rocks though and plays many video formats surprisingly well on a large screen, and these are crappy 320x240 videos...

Both play *ahem* DVDs just fine. No problems there.

Both perform well, so if you're a panny fan and want to make full use of vieralink, you won't regret the S54. Likewise, if you enjoy playing USB video files on your widescreen, the 5996 won't disappoint either. Both are fine machines.

[Both perform well, so if you're a panny fan and want to make full use of vieralink, you won't regret the S54. Likewise, if you enjoy playing USB video files on your widescreen, the 5996 won't disappoint either. Both are fine machines.

[/quote]


Wow, you are pretty good at picture audition. Even know which sector a player performs better.
It's a pity u can do comparison for Sony 708. But if u have a chance, be sure to drop comments here as I will be eagerly hearing from you, 99below0.

I owned the lovely Panny plasma & thinking this panny dvd player will form an excellent partner. And now, hearing your good comment on panny DVD-S54, I am kind of "desperate" to own it. However, upon checking its feature, no optical output has mentioned which cannot hook-up my stupid LG av receiver that only cater for optical in.

So, right now feels a little disappointment. I guess I have to put Sony 708 as my ultimate choice.

Hope to get more feedback from sifus here before I regret it later....

---

Added on August 27, 2008, 4:11 pmCan all the sifus here do a detail review or comment on the Sony DVP-NS708HP on its upscaling PQ and its sensitivity in reading con disc ??

Thanks
DVDP dilemma.

This post has been edited by mikapoh: Aug 27 2008, 04:11 PM

Ha ha, when you own those machines and have a lot of free time on your hands to poke around with the settings, you too can see all these for yourself. My first 2 weeks owning these babies, I got to know Tokyo Drift, Cars, Jumper and Elektra really well... well the parts I used to compared with anyway... and I didn't actually finish watching any single movie cause I spent more time playing with settings than watching movies...

Still I wanna know the reviews on Sony DVP-NS708HP reading sensitivity & PQ ?

---

Added on August 27, 2008, 9:07 pm?

This post has been edited by mikapoh: Aug 27 2008, 09:07 PM

If you're looking for a professional review on Sony's DVP-NS708, there's none to start with but I'm using one myself, PQ is good but if you already owned a Sony upscaling dvd player before, what I can tell you, it is the same in terms of PQ but it supports 1080p instead of 1080i, that's the only difference. As for the lens, it reads all types of dvds including those jack sparrow ones or poorly authored ones. You can always bring your own dvds to test at any Sony outlets.

Thanks. I think if I can get a sifu's comment here is more sufficient than a pro's view.

Seems like it is a decent player to get in the market right now.

BTW, what do u mean it supports 1080p rather than 1080i ? Is 1080p a more realistic 1080 resolution ?

1080p is progressive, means 1080 scan lines at 60 frames/sec. 1080i is interlaced, means 540 alternating scan lines at 60 frames/sec.

1080p is more suited to today's FullHD LCDs. Some sets have trouble deinterlacing 1080i well, and you will see scan lines during fast motion sequences or panning shots.

I think if sunauto says the Sony player is good, it probably is. Sony rarely makes duds when it comes to DVD players, especially not on PQ. There's really not much between all the new HDMI players nowadays at a similar price level, except for Samsung and LG sets. From feedback around the net, they seem to have some playability issues, especially with poor quality DVDs.

This post has been edited by 99below0: Aug 28 2008, 11:06 AM

Sony, LG, Philips, Samsung, etc are on par with one another in terms of PQ but I chose Sony because the spare parts are easily available outside and having owned a few players from Sony, they have been reliable thus far. If you want a dvd player better than the entry level ones, you should be looking at players from Marantz, Denon or Pioneer costing from RM1K onwards, those players will upscale to 1080p with less picture noise and artifacts. To be frank, what you pay for is what you're getting. If your dvd collection is mostly jack sparrow ones, then I don't advice you to get those high end dvd players as chances of those dvds freezing or unreadable are pretty high.

Someone should get an Oppo dealership and start selling them here. I'd run out and buy one.

I think I am going to get the Sony 708 after favourable review by some of the sifus here.

It is also one of the few upscaling players featuring HDMI & Optical output as my receiver can only take optic signal. I dont intend to throw away my old receiver and hopefully getting a new dvd player is the best yet cheapest solution. Hopefully I can still enjoy the DTS Surround sound. Do u guys think this set-up will sound better than the dvd play from the receiver ??

Sony's good. I still have Sony VCD player I bought in 1999 and still working until now
Only once the lens kaput and easily change by Sony Service. Anyway, where is that Sony Service Center near Damansara toll? Where do they move? Anybody knows?

any members of tis forum tested the pana S53 or 54 ??? wat say bout the JVC 650. Hmm!!!! no USB support only

---

Added on August 28, 2008, 11:46 pmActually tink of getting the Sony 708 to pair wth the Sony 50" KF 50E200A LCD projection set, i must admit i'm very fussy,i want the best for that particular range. i thing the 708 should match the LCD TV, but sad to say it doesnt have USB port.
Have anyone tested this partner, does the picture jerk when it does panning, when upscaled??
thanks

This post has been edited by moomoos: Aug 28 2008, 11:46 PM

Is your TV use a full HD panel? If not, try not to upscale to 1080i, jerk/blur/judders during moving scenes are more common for interlaced picture. Try to use 720p instead and see if the problem still there or not.

thanks lossless, nope its 1080i,i haven't purchase yet, still scouting around, ya you're right, was told to get the upscaling to 1080p models,then select 1080i or 720p so that the dvd dont maximise the upscaling.

anyone compared Pioneer DV600 with DV610?? the best price found for either of them? can the audio compare with say a Marantz 63SE?

i am using DV696 now.

cheers,
wps

I am using Panny 42' Plasma and I am planning to buy the sony 708 to upscale to 1080i.

So, do you mean that I will face the problem of jerk or blur during moving scenes since my plasma tv is not full HD.

Please advice. TQ.

Panny Plasma use 1080p. Internal algorithm upscales everything to 1080p and then downscales to 768 (+ overscan). So at 1080p you bypass the TV's upscaler. If you feed 720p, the TV will still upscale to 1080p first, so you have a two-time upscale going on, not good for PQ. Test and see on both, zoom to see the difference more clearly. 1080p will look better than 720p for the PV8/PV80.

Don't use 1080i. This is meant for HD CRTs. All plasma/lcd panels are inherently progressive, so you should feed them a progressive signal to avoid the TV having to deinterlace.

The question is therefore, whether the TV does the deinterlace/upscale better then the DVD player. Test on 480i (TV does all the work) and 1080p (DVD player does the work) and see which looks better to you and use that mode. Panasonic TVs have a pretty good reputation for upscaling/deinterlacing recently, so it may actually outperform a low-end DVD upscaler.

This post has been edited by 99below0: Aug 29 2008, 11:48 AM

You're right about this, Panny Plasmas do have a good deinterlacer and upscaler for standard definition sources so it performs even better than ordinary entry level dvd players so sometimes, you might not need a high end dvd player at all.

So u guys suggesting that by getting another HDMI upscaling DVD player will not make much improvement in PQ as compare to my old player with only component connection since my panny plasma can do the better job rite??

Sifu, are u recommending Pioneer DV-600 which has optical out ?? Any reiveew here? Thanks.