Review on 📀 Sony DVP-NS77H/B: High-Definition HDMI DVD Player with 1080p Upscaling in Black by Jay Sterns

I had momentary doubts about this DVD player for two reasons: 1. My Sony TV doesn't have One-Touch Theater Synch as advertised by the company . ”, assuming that the Sony player does not offer any convenience advantages; 2. Last time I bought a Sony TV and a Sony DVD player at the same time, the Sony player remote control had no effect on the Sony TV, not even the power and volume functions. Consequently, I thought about spending less on a Phillips upscaler or more on Oppo's "high-end" upscaler. But I liked the specs, the dimensions (less in weight and height than the OPPO DV-981HD) and Sony's track record, and I went along with it even though this model was too new to garner videophile reviews. Consumer Reports warns against overspending on a DVD player, whether you upconvert or not, because HDTVs automatically "upconvert" the 480i signal from the HDMI cable. Not only is Sony slim, mean and neat, their remote controls control the power and volume functions of my new Sony TV without the need for switch programming. More importantly, the picture produced is the best I've seen, with the possible exception of some Sears HD DVD demos. In fact, if I can do without comparisons, I'm quite happy to use this player as a replacement for a "pure" HD or Blu-ray player. While some reviewers have complained about the high prices of Sony TVs, this DVD player with HDMI output strikes me as a fair price if not real value. Another potential "downside" to any upscaler with an HDMI connection: a 480i signal will be read by the TV as 1080i or p, which puts the TV into widescreen mode on my Sony flat screen TV, causing the "normal" mode is not available (does not apply to my Toshiba TV which has a variety of aspect ratios to choose from). So if it is not a "widescreen" (16:9) but a "fullscreen" (4:3) DVD, the numbers are stretched and/or distorted to an annoying degree. But there is a plus point: the 'Normal' mode setting, which is not present on my Sony TV (KDL40V2500), can be activated at the level of this Sony player using the player's remote control to enable 4:3 picture reproduction Attitude. on a 16:9 screen with minimal or no distortion. Without the DVD player I would send the TV back. Lesson: Don't let the HD hype hide the unsolved problems that still plague emerging technologies (forget the "contrast ratio” smoke screen) — not just plasma vs. LCD. and HD vs. Blue Ray, but HD vs. upconversion, HDMI TV upconversion vs. DVD player upconversion, 4:3 vs. 16:9, 480 vs. 720 vs. 1060 i-or p-signal source Material shot at today's speed compared to previous films shot at 24 fps. This is another reason not to pay too much for the component now. Perhaps the HD king will bring order to this almost chaotic chaos in the near future. Blame the powerful tycoons who introduced a new screen aspect ratio called the Cinemascope in 1953. Despite their grandiose horizontal thinking, they never managed to create Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind, or The Wizard of Oz.]