Customer Reviews

Sony DVP-NS77H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player with HDMI Output, Black

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I previously bought the Samsung DVD-1080P7 upconverting DVD player but returned it due to a few issues with quality/user control over various functions (you can see my full review under the Amazon page for that player). I bought this one basically because I trust the Sony brand and it was their new release of a 1080p upconverting DVD player.

I am very happy with this player. Setup was quick and easy. The menu is much more detailed with greater user control over the DVD functions than the equivalent Samsung model that I returned.

Once configured (which took about a minute and a half - not very long at all!), the picture and sound output were excellent! No complaints on the output quality whatsoever.

Similar with other Sony DVD players I have had, initial loading of DVDs in the player takes a bit longer than the average player. This is a small sacrifice I am willing to accept for the higher quality in other areas, especially when compared to the Samsung that I had previously purchased.

I would definitely recommend this DVD player!

Bought this a few days ago. Attractive black appearance with decent build quality. Relatively slow loading of DVDs. User friendly menu system with good control over video and audio functions. Optical digital audio out not found on many players in this price range. Remote is acceptable but not lighted. Blue HDMI light on front panel may bother some. Gets a bit warm after extended use; not recommended for use inside a cabinet. Not Divx compatible. Upconversion of DVDs through HDMI port can be very good depending on the source quality (newer DVDs are better). A good, reasonably priced interim solution until the HD format wars are over. Can make your existing library look better depending on the upconversion capabilities of your HDTV.

I recommend purchasing the Sony DVP-NS77H for anyone that has a HDTV for the following reasons:

1) Most HDTVs have additional features when fed 1080i or 1080p signals...and the Sony does both (be aware that some upscaling dvd players will only send 1080i signals...when the 1080p signals are superior. HDTV features include the picture format (ie 'justscan' sizing with Samsungs)

2) Picture quality looks better with a good upscaling dvd player and the Sony does a fine job.

3) Even if the picture quality doesn't improve from upscaling...most HDTV sets have HDMI inputs...which will allow for digital signals to be received from dvd players. The advantage is that digital will not have any corruption from interference. You get the true signals.

4) The Sony has both coaxial and optical audio outputs. Clearer signals to your home theatre sound system.

5) The Sony probably will be better able to play all disks. Some other brands from past experience is where it may not be able to read warped or scratched disks...like the ones you will get from NetFlixs or Blockbuster Online. A must if you rent dvds through the mail.

6) The Sony name...trustworthy. Overall...there aren't too many makers. I would perhaps consider a Panasonic...but there are just so many other names that I wouldn't go for.

I highly recommend the Sony dvd player. It works well with my Samsung HLT6187 and I am sure it will work well with any system.

Lately I've been doing nothing but buying and returning DVD players. I first bought a Philips DVD player and it kept breaking down, so I had to return it. Next, I bought a JVC DVD player, which I thought was a good brand. Well, it wasn't. I had that DVD player for only a few days and have experienced numerous problems. So, that had to be returned. Finally, I bought this Sony DVP-NS77H. Now, this player has made me very happy. Over a week and no problems have been experienced and I've played A LOT of DVDs on it.

There are few pros and cons I would like to point out:

PROS:
-Beautiful picture and sound.
-You can adjust the picture anyway you like, from dark to light.
-Has a 6 disc memory
-Doesn't break down like many other players do
-Can read badly scratched discs
-Fast forwards really fast

CONS:
-Loading time can be slow at times.
-No buffer, so when there is a layer change in a movie, you will see a short pause. Most players today have them to prevent the pause, but unfortunately, this players doesn't have it.
-Not DivX compatible.

Notice, that even though there are a few cons about the player, I still rated it 5 stars because this player actually works and doesn't break down. I can't tell you how hard it is to find a player that works.

This product upgrades DVDs as well as any other 'better' dvd upconverter. A previous review told users that "its not worth the price because the hdmi worked just as well as component". HDMI vs component video usually do not make that much of a difference, and for almost everyobody out there, you will NOT notice a difference. You are paying 100 for this vs 70 bucks because of the additioanl features. This DVD player has sony's Prescission Cinema Progressive output technology which makes the image a little better. It also has 1080p where as alot of players only have 1080i. It can play a few different formats and HD Jpeg slideshows. Most importantly, it can output a DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 audio output and DOLBY DTS through HDMI and/or Optical digital. VERY FEW PLAYERS AT THIS PRICE LEVEL CAN DO THAT. Most say 'dolby digital' but only output a 2.1 signal. If you have a 5.1 reciever and a different dvd player with only the 2.1, the audio will not be converted to 5.1 digital and instead it will be converted using the prologic II. This means the sounds will not be sent to the correct speakers. Other players 'blend' the sounds through most the speakers and its noticiably much worse. THIS PLAYER IS ONE OF THE ONLY AT THIS PRICE RANGE WITH DOLBY 5.1!!! Audio is Crystal Clear Definitly a good buy.

I bought this DVD player to replace an older Sony NS775V non-upscaling, progressive scan player. I was not expecting much differences between the two, but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

I set the output to 1080i after some testing between it and the 720P, the JPEG resolution to 1080i as well, and that's about all I did with the setup. Connecting via a no-name HDMI cable to a 3-year old 55 inch Sony HD RPTV (720P/1080i), the resulting picture is noticeably better than the older player in all areas.

Maybe the older player was just poor, maybe this player does a better job upscaling than the TV, or maybe the HDMI interface played a part in it, I don't know, and I am just happy about what I get.

It is connected to a 5.1 system via coaxial digital cable. Sound reproduction is excellent for this type of player and much better than the NS775V. The most impressive thing is it seems that by using the HDMI interface, the JPEG files, when viewed on the same TV, are much, much brighter and sharper than before. Even the old photos taken decades ago (scanned positive / negative films) came out very good.

The player has a wonderfully slim profile, and the unit's black color is better than the tiring silver color of many other Sony players. It can be controlled by the old remote (and by nearly all Sony remotes), so I use the old black remote to match the color. There is a small blue HDMI light which isn't really bothersome..

Loading time is a tad faster than my old player though nothing to write home about. Construction is good - I placed the center channel speaker right on top of it and this doesn't bother the player a bit. Also, responses to remote commands are quick enough.

Until the Blu-Ray players become more reasonably priced, I will just enjoy this player. For anyone who is considering the purchase of a decent upscaling DVD player at a great price, this one should be high on the candidate list.

Highly recommended.

I had momentary hesitation about this DVD player for two reasons: 1. My Sony TV does not have the company's touted "One-Touch Theater Synch," suggesting a Sony player would provide no advantage in terms of convenience; 2. the last time I purchased a Sony TV set and Sony DVD player at the same time, the remote for the Sony player had no effect on the Sony TV set, even on-off and volume functions. Consequently, I gave some thought to spending less on a Phillips upscaler or spending more on an "upscale" upscaling Oppo. But I liked the specs, dimensions (weight and height are less than the OPPO DV-981HD), and the track record of the Sony and went with it, even though this model was too new to garner videophile reviews. Consumer Reports cautions against spending too much on a DVD player, upconverting or not, because hi def TV sets "upconvert" the 480i signal from an HDMI cable automatically.

Good call. The Sony is not only lean, mean and trim, but its remote control operates both the on-off and volume functions of my new Sony television, and with no programming of the switch required. More importantly, the picture it produces is the best I've ever seen, with perhaps the exception of some HD DVD demo discs at Sears. In fact, if I can forego the comparisons, I'm perfectly content to use this player as a substitute for a "thoroughbred" HD or Blue-Ray player.

Although some reviewers have complained about the premium prices of Sony television sets, this DVD player with an HDMI output strikes me as priced right if not a genuine value.

[Follow up: Still relatively satisfied, but it is a fairly "touchy" machine, quick to stick when a DVD is dirty or scratched. One more potential "downside" of any upscaler with HDMI connections: a 480i signal is read by the TV as 1080 i or p, which on my flat panel Sony TV forces the set into wide-screen aspect, pre-empting and making unavailable the "Normal" mode (not true of my Toshiba TV, which offers many aspect ratios to choose from). Consequently, if it's not a "wide-screen" (16:9) but a "full-screen" (4:3) DVD, the figures are stretched and/or distorted to a distracting degree. But there's an upside: the "Normal" mode setting, which is not available on my Sony TV (KDL40V2500), can be activated at the level of this Sony player, using the player's remote to make the setting for playing a 4:3 image on a 16:9 screen with minimal to no distortion. Without the DVD player, I'd have returned the TV.

Lesson: don't let all of the HD hype conceal the unresolved problems still besetting a developing technology (forget the "contrast ratio" smoke screen)-- not just plasma vs LCD and HD vs Blue Ray, but HD vs. upconversion, HDMI TV upconversion vs. DVD player upconversion, 4:3 vs 16:9, 480 vs 720 vs 1060 i or p signals, source material filmed at today's speeds vs. earlier movies filmed at 24 fps. All the more reason not to overspend on a component at this time. Maybe in the near future an HD czar will bring order to this near chaos. Blame it on the powerful moguls who back in 1953 introduced a new screen-stretching aspect ratio called Cinemascope. Despite their grandiose horizontal thinking, they still never managed to produce a Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, or Wizard of Oz.]

Well, the day finally came. My old Pioneer dvd player officially is DOA. Seven years later, it is now time to replace. Did lots of searching around for something similar to what I had. Biggest must for me from what I already had was the optical audio out. This was the least expensive model I could find with this option. Regardless of it being able to upscale dvds using the HDMI cable, this is was what I was looking for. I have a large collection of children's dvds and my two year old LOVES to help me get them out of the case and put them in the player. With the pioneer, it read every little finger print and scratch. The SONY reads right over a lot of the problems... even before I clean the dvd. Overall, I am very satisfied with this player and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone looking for a replacement NON-BLU RAY player.

It's a great player. I would be hard pressed to find a player that would deliver better performance from my Standard def (regular) DVD collection. It's not going to get any better from DVD's that were pressed in standard def to begin with. For those who have noticed that a cable is included in the box, its a composite (RCA) video/audio cable not an HDMI cable and if you pay more than $6 for an HDMI cable delivered to your doorstep you are getting ripped off.

Just so you know. . . my home theater system includes: a Sony 51-inch WEGA high-definition TV, a Sony STR-DG910 7.1-channel home theater receiver, a Sony DVP-NS77H upscaling DVD player, a pair of Sony SSF-5000 floor speakers, one Sony SSC-N5000 center channel speaker, one Sony SA-W2500 150-watt subwoofer, and a pair of Sony SSB-1000 bookshelf speakers for the surrounds. Everything is Sony. Everything works with one remote control, which came with the receiver. (My review is based on these components being used together, which is why I'm including all this stuff.)
The Sony DVP-NS77H upscaling DVD player provides more than adequate results for the money - under $100. Amazon delivered it (via UPS) in just 5 business days - great! - with free shipping. The onscreen menu was easy to navigate through, and simple to understand, and configuration took only a couple minutes. Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS are phenomenal through my Sony receiver. The 1080p upscaling results were mostly positive - just don't expect breathtaking results or miracles, though. In two weeks, I have watched a couple dozen FX-heavy movies and noticed varied but mostly very good results with the picture quality. For the price, I would highly recommend this player until the Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD format conflict has been decided, although I just read somewhere that HD DVD players are now under $100 - not bad!!! I hope this review helps you.