Screen Magazine: Vol. 28, Issue 12

Screen Magazine - Index

Screen Magazine - Screen Magazine: Vol. 28, Issue 12 - Index

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By Rick Ratliff, Vice President,
Director Interactive Media, Campbell-Ewald
After getting hooked on the superior image quality of their new highdefinition
televisions, consumers are faced with three choices when it
comes to their libraries of existing standard-definition DVDs:
1. Watch standard-definition DVDs using their current DVD player, though
having tasted the true HDTV experience, they may find this visually
disappointing.
2. Buy an HD DVD or Blu-Ray HD player, then replace their standard DVDs
with high-definition versions when available – a costly and time-consuming
option.
3. Keep their current DVD collection but replace their standard DVD
player with one that up-converts video images to higher resolutions.
That’s where the OPPO DV-981 HD player comes in. The OPPO DV-981
is a slim black box that takes a standard DVD and uses progressive scanning,
film mode detection, noise reduction technologies and other tricks to
improve standard DVD images when viewed on an HDTV.
How much better are these images?
We tested an OPPO against a standard DVD player, a Sony up-converting
DVD player and an HD DVD player in the Campbell-Ewald Media Lab,
where we could toggle between these devices attached to the same 61-inch
plasma screen and 5.1 Dolby sound system.
As our reference, we used a standard DVD and an HD DVD of the
same movie – the 1966 auto racing classic, “Grand Prix,” directed by John
Frankenheimer. After an hour watching scenes from the movie on the
various devices, we reached the following conclusions:
1. The image generated on the OPPO was significantly better than the
image on a standard DVD player. We saw less artifacting, ghosting and
pixelization. In addition, the image showed a greater range of contrast than
a standard unit.
2. The OPPO image is noticeably less sharp when compared to a true HD
image. A true HD image has greater depth, clarity and apparent color range
than even an enhanced image on the OPPO.
3. Finally, when comparing the image of the OPPO against a similar upscaling
Sony device, the DVP-NS71HP, the OPPO was clearly superior. The OPPO
image was cleaner, sharper and far more cinematic, even when the Sony was
in “progressive” mode.
So, is it a yes or no for the OPPO?
If your goal is to see true HD images, start saving your bucks for an HD
player and new HD discs. If you’d rather find a new up-converting machine
to play your existing DVD library, the OPPO is a good choice, but don’t
forget to explore your options.
Campbell-Ewald is an ad agency based in Warren, Mich. Its newly launched Media
Lab features state-of-the-art electronics, which allows the agency to experiment
with emerging technology and to stay one step ahead of the media curve.
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