An upconverting DVD player takes the signal of a standard DVD (480 lines) and processes it in several ways to convert it to a semblance of a high definition signal. Most upconverting DVD players will output their enhanced signal only through a digital connection, either DVI or HDMI, not component. This Oppo is one of those, and in fact doesn’t even have a set of component connections (it does for some reason include s-video and composite). It can convert a 480i signal into 480p, 720p, 1080i or even the latest 1080p via an HDMI cable.
The Oppo is interesting in other ways as well. There are lots of upconverting players on the market, though only a few will process all the way up to 1080p. Even Sony’s PlayStation 3 does it, but only via a firmware upgrade, and not all that well anyway. Oppo uses the latest DCDi video processor from Faroudja to perform deinterlacing and noise reduction. Though rival video processor Silicon Optix has taken a lot of thunder from Faroudja recently, you won’t find an SI chip on a product at this price. In addition to the video performance features, the Oppo DV-981HD is also compatible with DVD-Audio and SACD discs and includes a set of 5.1 analog connections to channel those signals—the multi-channel audio can also be sent to a receiver via HDMI. It also is compatible with all DivX formats including XviD. Kodak picture CDs and WMA files also work—in fact it also plays MP3s but doesn’t list that in it’s specs.
The DV-981-HD is surprisingly sleek for all it does. It’s only a little more than an inch thick, glossy black and lit by blue LEDs. The absence of the component connections probably contributes to the player’s trim beach body. The remote is decent, with plenty of room and easy to read buttons, but they only glow in the dark for a short time—they’re not backlit.
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