Review on 📀 Sony DVP-NC85H/S: 5-Disc DVD Changer with HDMI/CD Progressive Scan - Silver by Mohmed Burt

The picture this player displays on my new 72" Toshiba DLP TV is really 'near HD' via the HDMI output. I was so glad Sony finally came out with a 5-way changer with HDMI output. When I got my new TV, I hooked up my cheap Toshiba progressive DVD player from the bedroom via component video instead of my Pioneer 5 -fold changer with non-progressive I did this to maximize PQ on my new TV, didn't want the convenience of a changer and didn't want to buy another DVD player to get HDMI upconversion without multi-disc capability, but a mega sony changer would be overkill for me. I was a bit disappointed with how the DVDs looked in this initial setup. The picture was faint with noticeable MPEG artifacts. This was not the case with this player. The picture is sharp and clear and, depending on the DVD itself, almost no noticeable mpeg artefacts. Good quality DVDs like Star Wars, King Kong (2005) and Terminator 2 compete with the HD movies I record on my cable company's DVR. I'm not a videophile but I am picky about picture quality and this player really makes a difference on my HD TV. Due to the idiocy of the two competing HD-DVD formats, I'm far from going to upgrade to HD-DVD with this upconverter. I even think this player outputs 1080P to my TV! According to the instructions, the progressive scan button on the front panel lights up when a progressive signal is output. I have the player set to 1080i and my TV confirms it is receiving a 1080"i" signal from the HDMI port, but this indicator is lit during DVD playback. Hm. Since my TV has an integrated 1080P DLP display, is it possible for the TV and player to negotiate progressive to interlaced over the HDMI connection? Other positives: Plays any recordable DVD, like my home videos, and it's a nice small size to easily fit in my A/V center. Cons: The build quality of the disc carousel feels a bit cheap. The disc compartments don't seem to be deep enough, which makes me paranoid that I could jam a disc that doesn't fit perfectly in a separate compartment. The remote also feels a little raw, the buttons are small and not backlit. Minor flaws do not allow me to give this player 5 stars. But for the money (less than $150!) it's a bargain if you want a really good DVD player for your new HDTV.