DVD-3910 Resolution and Benchmark Testing

Using the Avia test DVD, I checked the resolution capabilities of the player. The 6.75MHz pattern in the test is clearly visible and well defined as shown in the photo lower right corner. Be sure to use the Widescreen enhanced version on the Avia test disc on 16:9 HDTVs. The 4:3 version will show the same results and is a valid test, but the aspect ratio will be incorrect on a widescreen TV unless you set it to 4:3 mode. As a fun note, using the DVD-3910's DVI output I ran a test pattern that determined the unit only crops 1 pixel from the bottom of the screen and a combined total of 3 pixels from the sides. Average pixel cropping for NTSC compliant DVD players is somewhere between 6-12 pixels, so the Denon is doing an incredibly accurate job at showing the full composition of the encoded signal. This is often hidden by your display's overscan, but for those using digital front projection or displays with less overscan, this can mean a bit more picture information for you to enjoy.

After the resolution check, I proceed to the black level test using Video Essentials' pluge test pattern. The ability to display correct black level is an important part of a DVD player's performance. Correct black level settings will preserve shadow detail and improve the depth and contrast of an image. Viewing the pluge pattern, I noted that when the DVD-3910 is in the factory default setting, and HDMI/DVI Black Level Enhancer set to ON, and the picture settings set to Standard, the black level was almost dead on. The blacker than black pluge was clearly visible. This is the setting we recommend for most installations.

Editorial Note about Silicon Optix HQV Benchmark Test DVD
Silicon Optix developed the HQV Benchmark DVD in an effort to set a new standard for video processing quality and to attempt to make the testing more objective rather than subjective. The main goal was to help reviewers and consumers measure the performance of the video processing logic inside DVD players, scalers, and displays. The HQV Benchmark helps reviewers generate a ratings score that may be used by consumers to compare products and get a better understanding of the differences they will have in their viewing experience with various competitive products.

The source material for the HQV Benchmark was accumulated by Silicon Optix' Teranex division over the past five years. Teranex has been working closely with Hollywood post production facilities and major broadcasters to collect a variety of real-world samples of video processing challenges. Those sequences are included on the HQV Benchmark DVD. Where possible, the tests include both synthetic tests to aggravate a particular problem along with real-world material that shows the same problem. For the past year, numerous reviewers and industry experts have been evaluating this content and providing feedback to Silicon Optix on both the content and the ratings systems. The current HQV Benchmark DVD is a direct result of this industry collaboration.

Perfect Score is 130
Denon DVD-3910 Benchmark total score: 75130 (This player had some surprising issues but is still a decent performer )

** See note about AUTO 2 Mode lock-on issue.

We had a very interesting time running the Silicon Optix HQV tests and ran into several interesting anomalies that we would like to note in an effort to make sure you get the best possible performance out of this player. First off, it's important to remember that each display device is different, and some displays will fare better at different output resolutions than others. When using the DVI or HDMI outputs of the DVD-3910, be sure to experiment with different output formats to arrive at the best possible setting. An example of this is that we first began testing the player using 720p in conjunction with a Yamaha LPX-510 3LCD projector (1280 x 720 resolution). During the Film Detail test, the player could not seem to lock on and eliminate the moiré pattern from the scene quickly or consistently. Switching the DVI output to 1080i immediately rectified this problem and resulted in a perfect Passing score - however it's important to note that at this point, the projector was hadling the deinterlacing, so the DVD-3910 still technically fails this test. The Film detail test would not pass via component video or HDMI, even when we tried another display (a MAXX Products LCOS projector with a resolution of 1400 x 1050.)

The cadence tests also presented unique challenges for the DVD-3910 and our reference display. We found that in AUTO 1 mode (the default progressive mode) the Denon DVD player passed all of the Jaggies tests with only minor artifacting. AUTO 2, however, was not without its interesting traits. After switching to AUTO 2, which is more optimized for video cadences) we found that upon returning to the Flag test or Jaggies #2 test, the player would not correctly apply directional filtering until the Setup Menu of the DVD player was engaged and disengaged. We have brought up this anomaly with Denon and are also reproducing it in-house to see if we can isolate and identify the problem. We recommend staying with AUTO 1 mode for general use of this player.