Comparison of the DV-970HD and OPDV971H

Oppo has seemingly cornered the market on buzz, becoming the “Apple Computer” of rumor and forum discussion. Following the success of their flagship (and still shipping) OPDV971H upconverting DVD player, they naturally felt inclined to release a new upconverting DVD player that also handles SACD – for $50 less. Now, before you fall off your chair and pull out your credit card, realize that this is a different player. Instead of the Faroudja video processing, this new player utilizes a different chipset and scores slightly lower in our video performance testing. However, for those using 42” or smaller screens or for anyone looking for a bargain upconverting player, it’s going to be hard to turn away the additional features provided by the DV-970HD. The new DVD player also offers USB audio capability as well as the ability to read flash memory cards. Both players sport the latest generation Oppo remote control and the reflective mirror-face of the original player has been replaced by a brushed aluminum finish with mirror trim.

Comparison of the Two Players

To illustrate the above differences we have prepared a brief table outlining the differences between the two DVD players:

*will do 720p/1080i on non-CSS-encrypted discs