Oppo Digital Upconverting DVD Player
January 2006
Smell that fresh air
By Greg Robinson
In the early days of DVD, when it was still predominantly a niche product, the release of a new player was a newsworthy event. However, now that DVD has permeated every corner of our culture, it's hard to get excited about a new player when you can get one for free with the purchase of two dozen donuts (see store for details). Making the argument that there's still reason to get excited, the latest offering from Oppo Digital (OPDV971H) is a breath of fresh air.
So that I don't get angry e-mails from readers, let me state that I am not recommending you purchase your next DVD player from the local bakery. My point is simply that most name brand players costing upwards of $75 are going to be at least decent performers and will handle most types of CD and DVD media. To put a finer point on it, it's hard to justify spending more than $150 on a basic, single-disc DVD player lacking universal support for multi-channel audio (DVD-Audio and SACD). Oppo's OPDV971H comes in at $199, but that seems like a bargain after spending some quality time with this little beauty.
An offshoot of Chinese electronics juggernaut BBK Electronics, Oppo is a new brand name launched earlier this year. The OPDV971H represents their first offering in the DVD player marketplace. Although you can now purchase the unit from Amazon.com, Oppo has primarily been selling the unit direct to customers via their Web site. If you order through their site, Oppo will throw in a five-foot DVI cable at no additional cost. It's unclear how long this free cable offer will be available.
While unpacking the unit, I was surprised to find the player wrapped in a soft, blue cloth bag sporting the Oppo logo. It's not terribly useful once unpacked, but it made for a solid first impression. Proving that first impressions aren't everything, my mood shifted when examining the remote control. To be frank, the OPDV971H's non-backlit remote is just plain awful. For starters, its clear jewel buttons completely distort the numbers and icons they represent when the remote is held at an angle. Also, except for the cursor pad, button layout is counterintuitive and most of the keys have an identical shape and size.
Measuring less than two inches tall, the OPDV971H is the definition of a low-profile machine. The front panel has a contemporary and uncluttered look, sporting only four buttons (Power, Open/Close, Play/Pause and Stop). The transparent disc tray is a unique touch and seemed remarkably resilient to the (not so gentle) curiosities of my two-year-old son. The mirrored, glass bezel makes reading the display from certain angles a little tricky, but that's why you have an on-screen display. Unfortunately, the power cord is not detachable but the outputs are gold plated and feel sturdy. Thankfully, the OPDV971H offers both coaxial and optical digital outputs for audio. The rear panel's biggest award however is its DVI port, complete with DCDi processing by Faroudja.
By Greg Robinson
In the early days of DVD, when it was still predominantly a niche product, the release of a new player was a newsworthy event. However, now that DVD has permeated every corner of our culture, it's hard to get excited about a new player when you can get one for free with the purchase of two dozen donuts (see store for details). Making the argument that there's still reason to get excited, the latest offering from Oppo Digital (OPDV971H) is a breath of fresh air.
So that I don't get angry e-mails from readers, let me state that I am not recommending you purchase your next DVD player from the local bakery. My point is simply that most name brand players costing upwards of $75 are going to be at least decent performers and will handle most types of CD and DVD media. To put a finer point on it, it's hard to justify spending more than $150 on a basic, single-disc DVD player lacking universal support for multi-channel audio (DVD-Audio and SACD). Oppo's OPDV971H comes in at $199, but that seems like a bargain after spending some quality time with this little beauty.
An offshoot of Chinese electronics juggernaut BBK Electronics, Oppo is a new brand name launched earlier this year. The OPDV971H represents their first offering in the DVD player marketplace. Although you can now purchase the unit from Amazon.com, Oppo has primarily been selling the unit direct to customers via their Web site. If you order through their site, Oppo will throw in a five-foot DVI cable at no additional cost. It's unclear how long this free cable offer will be available.
While unpacking the unit, I was surprised to find the player wrapped in a soft, blue cloth bag sporting the Oppo logo. It's not terribly useful once unpacked, but it made for a solid first impression. Proving that first impressions aren't everything, my mood shifted when examining the remote control. To be frank, the OPDV971H's non-backlit remote is just plain awful. For starters, its clear jewel buttons completely distort the numbers and icons they represent when the remote is held at an angle. Also, except for the cursor pad, button layout is counterintuitive and most of the keys have an identical shape and size.
Measuring less than two inches tall, the OPDV971H is the definition of a low-profile machine. The front panel has a contemporary and uncluttered look, sporting only four buttons (Power, Open/Close, Play/Pause and Stop). The transparent disc tray is a unique touch and seemed remarkably resilient to the (not so gentle) curiosities of my two-year-old son. The mirrored, glass bezel makes reading the display from certain angles a little tricky, but that's why you have an on-screen display. Unfortunately, the power cord is not detachable but the outputs are gold plated and feel sturdy. Thankfully, the OPDV971H offers both coaxial and optical digital outputs for audio. The rear panel's biggest award however is its DVI port, complete with DCDi processing by Faroudja.
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