Samsung DVD-HD931 HD-Compatible DVD Player

The DVD-HD931 performs great as a standard DVD player, with extensive playback options, great video quality, and the outputs you need to connect to any home theater system. However, this DVD player is different. The HD931 also has the ability to do two things that very few DVD players can: Direct digital video output and resolution upscaling. For more details, check out the following review.

The Samsung DVD-HD931 DVD player is a single tray, slim, compact DVD player with DVD-video, DVD+R/RW/-R/-RW, CD/CDR/CDRW/CD-MP3, and CD-JPEG playback. Other features include, Faroudja DCDi processing, Component video output with switchable progressive and interlaced scan, S-video and standard composite video outputs, front panel DVI/Progressive Scan control, as well as front panel Jog/Shuttle control and a wireless multi-brand remote control.

On the audio side, the DVD-HD931 also has both a digital optical and digital coaxial output for Dolby Digital and DTS, and two sets of analog stereo audio outputs.

Although the DVD-HD931 has everything you expect from a standard DVD player this unit has two key features that separate it from the rest of the pack.

First, the HD931 has a DVI-HDCP output. DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface. HDCP stands for High Definition Copy Protection.

In order to transfer the digital video signal from a standard DVD player to a television, the DVD player must convert the signal from digital to analog, this results in some loss of information. However, the 931 has the ability, with its DVI output, to transfer the DVD's digital video signal directly, without conversion to analog. This results in a pure transfer of all of video information from the DVD to a DVI-equipped TV. The addition of HDCP encoding with this connection scheme basically prevents the consumer from making a video copy of this higher resolution signal. HDCP is becoming a standard on most new HD and HD-upgradable televisions and will be an increasing part of DVD player connection options as more DVI output equipped DVD players enter the market.

Second, the 931 also features upscaling capability. You can enable this unit to either feed the digital video signal as either 720p or 1080i (in addition to 480p) to your television. 720p and 1080i are the two main standards for HDTV display resolution.

720p is essentially 1,280 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 720 pixels down the screen vertically. This arrangement yields 720 horizontal lines on the screen, which are, in turn, displayed progressively, or each line displayed following another.

1080i represents 1,920 pixels displayed across a screen horizontally and 1,080 pixels down a screen vertically. This arrangement yields 1,080 horizontal lines, which are, in turn, displayed alternately. In other words, all the odd lines are displayed, followed by all the even lines.

Visually, there is very little difference to the eye of the average consumer between 720p and 1080i.

The capability of the DVD-HD931 to output a video signal in the 720p or 1080i format allows the DVD player's video output to more closely match the capabilities of today's HDTVs. Although this is not the same as watching your DVDs in true-high definition, as current DVDs are not recorded in high definition, you will experience increased detail and color you didn't think was possible from a DVD player; at least until true high definition DVD players and movies come out. That is why I refer to the DVD-H931 as HD-compatible.

Two cautionary notes, however:

First, this function works best on fixed pixel displays, such as LCD or Plasma sets, the upscaling may result in harsh images on standard CRT and Projection sets. In addition, if your television has a native display resolution other than 720p or 1080i, the TVs video processor will rescale the incoming signal to its own specification, which can also yield different results on the final, displayed television image.

Second, although the DVI function works well with widescreen material, standard 4x3 material, although upscaled, will be stretched out on a 16x9 screen, causing shape distortion, unless your TV can correct for this.

Proceed To Page 2: Setup, Testing, and Conclusion