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Spears & Munsil ships Blu-ray High Definition Benchmark calibration disc
Until now, Digital Video Essentials was pretty much the only legitimate option when it came to calibrating via Blu-ray player. At long last, a little competition has stepped into the field. Stacey Spears and Don Munsil -- creators of the DVD Player Benchmark and Progressive Scan Shootout at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity -- has just released the Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark: Blu-ray Edition. The disc is chock full of test material and calibration patterns to help HD junkies adjust their home theater systems for optimal playback, and according to co-creator Stacey Spears, all of the material was created from scratch. Coincidentally enough, this very disc was bundled with our OPPO BDP-83 test deck, but given that it's on sale now at Amazon and direct from OPPO, we suppose that's not too terribly shocking. MSRP is pegged at $24.99, and you'll find lots more details waiting in the read link.
OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on
Here she is -- the world's very first universal Blu-ray player. Oh sure, we may have heard of Denon's absurdly expensive DVD-A1UD first, but that bad boy just got delayed for a second time over in Japan. OPPO, on the other hand, has managed to push out a few hundred of these BDP-83 decks to brave beta testers across America, and we were fortunate enough to score one. The player came boxed in what was far and away the most elaborate packaging we'd seen for a BD player -- particularly one that's priced at just $499 for the beta users (an MSRP for production units has yet to be finalized). All the goods you want are here, including Blu-ray Profile 2.0 support, internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats, SACD playback and the promise of DVD-Audio compatibility in the future. Upon unboxing the unit, we were pleased with the rigid chassis and felt the design was simple yet classy. The remote seemed accommodating enough, and the port selection 'round back was admirable. We're planning to fire it up this weekend to see just how far along this beta firmware is, but 'til then, hit the gallery below to have a look at what's sure to become a favorite amongst well informed home theater aficionados.
Oppo teases BDP-83 Blu-ray player, offers no vital information
It's not that Oppo's BDP-83 is completely unexpected or anything, but this marks the first time the company is publicly admitting that the device is more than a show floor spectacle. Oppo has created a placeholder for the BD deck in order to give prospective buyers a chance to be notified of the unit's release. Unfortunately, all that we're given to chew on now is a pair of high-res images, so feel free to jump past the break and peek the other if the one above just isn't doing it for you. C'mon Oppo -- drop this puppy for under $150 and make yourself some new friends.[Thanks, mostly a lurker]
Oppo concepts foreshadow new gaming handhelds
Generally speaking, Oppo has stuck to its bread-and-butter: decently stylish PMPs and a well-received family of upscaling DVD players, respectively. Now, however, we're seeing a trio of concepts which allude to a future unit (or three) boasting gaming functionality. Unfortunately, details beyond that are few and far between, and we're not even certain of their place of origin. In other words, don't bet on seeing these hit shelves in the foreseeable future, but keep your fingers crossed that they do anyway.[Thanks, Raz]
OPPO pushes DV-980H upconverting DVD player for Mother's Day
Mum a little overwhelmed with digiframes? Fret not, as OPPO Digital is telling you straight up that a brand new upconverting DVD player is sure to make this Sunday one to remember. C'mon, even you know your mother wouldn't approve of spending a mortgage payment or two on a hamstrung Blu-ray player, and that much newer (and nicer) DV-983H just isn't worth the coin. Our only question is how desperate must you be (or overran with excess inventory) to pimp a 9-month old upscaling DVD player for Mom's Day? Ah well, we've certainly seen worse.
Oppo next to create a new Blu-ray player
Oppo fans left on the HD format sidelines can rejoice, as word comes that the company will add a Blu-ray player to its well-received line of DVD upscalers. According to the VP of product development, the company is "very early" in their development cycle, and we should expect more details sometime this summer. While sooner would definitely be better than later, we can't argue with a timeline that leads us to expect nothing less than a fully featured BD Live compatible player from a company with a reputation for delivering more bang for the buck.[Thanks, Tom]
OPPO Digital's 20-inch TV/DVD combo
If you can look past the circa-1999 Cinema Display design and the 4:3 aspect ratio, OPPO Digital's new LT-2007 LCD TV/DVD Player Combo doesn't look too incredibly shabby. Beyond the obvious DVD playback provided by the display's base, there are VGA, Component and S-Video inputs for use with a general selection of 480i/p, 720p and 1080i devices. To further its stand alone properties, the unit includes built-in stereo speakers, and supports USB storage devices for a good selection of video, audio and photo formats. This actual display is a 20-inch LCD at a 800 x 600 resolution, and features a 500:1 contrast ratio. There is also a built-in NTSC tuner and a shiny remote control to round out the package. The LT-2007 goes for $600, and looks to be available now.
