Smooth video, too
In progressive-scan mode, the DVP725U looked great with just about every source we tried. Its Sage DCDi chip beats many of the other progressive-scan circuits in use today, especially when dealing with sources that originated on video. For example, a waving flag from the Video Essentials test disc looked smooth-edged, where some other decks render it with slightly jagged edges.
We watched the Memento (Limited Edition) DVD on a TV, and the home-theater experience backed up the test results. The image was razor-sharp and lifelike, down to the subtle grades of shadow sliding across bartender Carrie-Anne Moss's face as she convinces the protagonist that they've never met. Deinterlacing was superb, with very few motion artifacts despite some difficult moving camera work.
The most visible difference we noticed between this deck and the high-end had to do with video-noise levels. Since it lacks noise reduction, the Hitachi let in some dancing pixels in shadows (behind the bar) and some deeper colors (the azure booths) in Memento. Like many DVD players, the DVP725U doesn't do a good job of converting anamorphic discs for play on nonwide-screen, nonprogressive-scan TVs.
All told, this is one of the best-performing progressive-scan decks we've reviewed at this price--$190--and we find it easy to recommend. Some may pooh-pooh the cosmetics or find the remote a bit of a stretch, but nobody can complain about the progressive-scan image. Though it lacks some of the fancy features found on other decks, the DVP725U is still a good value.
What You'll Pay
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