AfterDawn: News

Denon introduces 'affordable' Blu-ray player

Denon has announced the availability of a new Blu-ray player in North America, dubbed the DVD-1800BD which for Denon products, is at an "affordable" price point.

The company, known for outstanding quality in their DVD and Bu-ray players added that despite the price, audio and visual quality will not be compromised.



Set with a retail price of $749 USD, the player is Profile 1.1 compliant but will not have support for the BD-Live features that are coming in upcoming BD titles.

The DVD-1800BD "features HDMI 1.3a with Deep Color and Bonus View support, full bitstream output of Dolby and DTS-HD audio formats, as well as 1080p scaling from DVDs and 2-channel analogue audio output."

The player should hit retailer shelves in NA in October and then in November in the UK.



Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 May 2008 18:04

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• 33 comments

• domie

  Quote:The DVD-1800BD "features HDMI 1.3a with Deep Color and Bonus View supportermm HD-DVD featured deep colour support - it is useless because there is no media available processed in deep colour enhancement and absolutely no plans to introduce it either.

  21.5.2008 18:47 #1

• iluvendo

  Quote:Quote:The DVD-1800BD "features HDMI 1.3a with Deep Color and Bonus View supportermm HD-DVD featured deep colour support - it is useless because there is no media available processed in deep colour enhancement and absolutely no plans to introduce it either.
  
  Does this mean that this brou ha ha is essentially worthless ?

  21.5.2008 18:51 #2

• iluvendo

  Edit., accidental double post.

  21.5.2008 18:52 #3

• DXR88

  Quote:Set with a retail price of $749 USD. affordable yeah right.

  21.5.2008 19:09 #4

• SDF_GR

  474 euros? With 440euros you get PS3+GT5 Prologue.

  21.5.2008 19:25 #5

• error5

  Originally posted by domie: ermm HD-DVD featured deep colour support - it is useless because there is no media available processed in deep colour enhancement and absolutely no plans to introduce it either.Deep color (AKA x.v. color) may not appear in commercial BluRay releases, at least for the forseeable future. HOWEVER, several new models in Sony's high-def camcorder line already support x.v. Color/Deep Color/xvYCC color. These were first unveiled at the 2007 CES with more models, including a couple from Panasonic, coming out this year.
  
  http://digitalcontentproducer.com/hdhdv/...ers_ces_011907/
  http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/xvY...Color-34362.htm
  
  WHen you burn BD media (presumably in AVCHD format) using video from these camcorders then you can play these on the Denon and utilize the deep color support. Of course your display also needs to support deep color (like some new Toshiba Regzas, Sony Bravias, and the new high-end 1080p projectors - like the Marantz.)
  

  Pioneer Kuro 50" PDP-5010FD 1080p Plasma With 24fps input and 3:3 72Hz Playback - ISF Calibrated
  Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player// Sony PS3 60GB - soon to be replaced by the Panasonic DMP-BD50
  Marantz SR6001 Surround Sound Receiver With HDMI// B&W604/602/LCR600 // Hsu Research VTF3 Subwoofer
  HD DVD Titles - 85 // BluRay Titles - 63 (and counting)
  

  21.5.2008 19:46 #6

• o0cynix0o

  I don't personally like a PS3, but I think the ability to play games and watch movies just seems a better deal to me.

  21.5.2008 19:57 #7

• chaos_zzz

  Originally posted by SDF_GR: 474 euros? With 440euros you get PS3+GT5 Prologue.agree, i just don't get why prices are that high, do they have 8 cores running??

  21.5.2008 19:58 #8

• 7thsinger

  Thanks...i'll just stick with my PS3.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sir, i would not harm thee for the world...but thou art standing where i'm about to shoot."

  21.5.2008 20:05 #9

• Pop_Smith

  That price is affordable, considering its a Denon. However, the lack of 2.0 compatibility makes the decent player practically worthless.

  21.5.2008 20:33 #10

• 7thsinger

  Quote:However, the lack of 2.0 compatibility makes the decent player practically worthless.Exactly. Hence my previous post.
  
  And there is a difference between affordable and a decent price from a high end name. A Benz on sale does not make it affordable. (at least not in my economic world)
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sir, i would not harm thee for the world...but thou art standing where i'm about to shoot."

  21.5.2008 20:36 #11

• DXR88

  yeah why is a standalone so expensive, it almost feels like price gouging in order to make people buy a PS3.
  
  if thats affordable i would hate to see the high end blue-ray players price.

  21.5.2008 20:47 #12

• 7thsinger

  Don't get me wrong, Denon is a reputable name; but damn that's a salty price tag.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  "Sir, i would not harm thee for the world...but thou art standing where i'm about to shoot."

  21.5.2008 20:53 #13

• core2kid

  Quote:Quote:Set with a retail price of $749 USD. affordable yeah right.
  I was just thinking that. Affordable! My friends car cost less! I'd rather get a PS3 80GB with MGS4, Extra Controller ($560) Add 3 $60 games to that and have some left over :)

  21.5.2008 21:07 #14

• iluvendo

  I can buy a Oppo 983 (top of the line) for $400. Best upconverter on the market, and still save money over the Denon.
  

  If it wasnt for bad luck, Id have no luck!
  "The flimsier the product,the higher the price"
  Ferengi 82nd rule of aquisition

  21.5.2008 21:17 #15

• jony218

  For me affordable is #100.00 USD (60.00 EURO). Even at the $100.00 pricepoint I want it to record the latest "american gladiator" episode. The only people in the US that can afford it at $800.00 are the "hollywood types" with unlimited cash.

  21.5.2008 21:40 #16

• DVDBack23

  definitely affordable for a Denon player.
  
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/10499.cfm
  
  Also, I cannot imagine paying $400 USD for an Oppo upconverting DVD player when I bought my HD-A3 for $75..the quality of upconversion is excellent.

  21.5.2008 22:08 #17

• PantherM

  Affordable? LMAO!!!
  
  And what is up with it only being 1.1?

  21.5.2008 23:28 #18

• fgamer

  Who are do these company's think their fooling? $749 is not cheap by far. Affordable would be something like $200.

  21.5.2008 23:55 #19

• Hunt720

  Originally posted by fgamer: Who are do these company's think their fooling? $749 is not cheap by far. Affordable would be something like $200.I agree. When I read the article headline I thought "affordable" meant in the < $300 range. That price is no different than what we have seen all along.. maybe slightly cheaper.. but how F#@king hard is it to have an ethernet port and some upgradeable firmware??? I know how much DRM sucks.. but I also know that some Blu-Ray titles (future titles) are expected to have an online check before they will play in your machine... thats pretty F#$ked up.. but even if you were going to try and do that with this "affordable" machine, you can't. I don't need to play movie-themed games online against other blu-ray 2.0 owning people, but I still think that a player I pay almost 800 dollars for (after sales tax) should play ALL Blu-Ray titles. Companies like this just fuel the purchasing of the PS3. They definately don't create a competition as the PS3 offers ALL of this PLUS more at nearly half the price.

  22.5.2008 01:18 #20

• snowlock

  agreed; this is not what one would call affordable.
  
  
  do we have confirmation that there's a "phone home" feature being put in blu-ray movies?
  not like i'd ever let a box like that connect to the internet to check anyway.
  
  i just had a flash of having to disconnect my ps3 from the internet every time i wanna play a movie.
  lame.

  22.5.2008 02:07 #21

• nobrainer

  Originally posted by SDF_GR: 474 euros? With 440euros you get PS3+GT5 Prologue.denon make hi-fi and thx quality goods not just a conduit to view or watch media. sony are bit like the free audio leads that are supplied in the box, where as denon are more like a pair of Van Den Hull's or QED's, and who exactly wants an ugly box stacked in their atacama, soundstyle rack, and with it not being 2.0 what's the point?
  
  but there is still no point in purchasing drm-ray until media has fallen to that of current dvd prices. in the UK we pay between £5 - £9 for a new film, drm-ray's atm cost £25 - £30 less for an old blu-ray that most ppl probably already own on dvd anyway.
  
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  

  22.5.2008 03:44 #22

• varnull

  It's "affordable" for people who put brand names before sense. I spose if you have a rack full of denon kit already you will buy one of these.. because lets face it.. a ps3 will not look good in a rack full of mid band hi-fi kit.
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.... #1 image again.. check it out ;)

  22.5.2008 05:27 #23

• juankerr

  Originally posted by DVDBack23: definitely affordable for a Denon player.
  
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/10499.cfm
  
  Also, I cannot imagine paying $400 USD for an Oppo upconverting DVD player when I bought my HD-A3 for $75..the quality of upconversion is excellent.DVDBack: I understand your point. But I guess you've realized that you're preaching to the "Funai/Magnavox crowd" here and that "affordable" is a relative term. Heck, people are still complaining that the Magnavox is still "too expensive" at $289 when barely a year ago you saw people jumping for joy when HD DVD reduced its prices from $500 to $250.
  
  The Denon is indeed "affordable" when compared to this:
  
  Denon 3800BDCI - MSRP $1999
  
  or this:
  
  Denon 2500BTCI - MSRP $999
  
  and especially this:
  
  Goldmund Eidos 20 - MSRP $17,000
  
  In addition, I'm with the camp that believes that web-enabled features on discs are still a work-in-progress. There's precious few 2.0 discs at this time and those that do (like The 6th Day and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) have web content that fall short of compelling.
  
  I have several HD DVD's with web-enabled features and I have the same impression with them. The servers are simply too slow to make the experience worthwhile. For me, 2.0 is overrated, and it it will take a huge improvement in quality to change my mind. Heck even some 1.1 PiP content can be annoying at times. Just give me the movie in the the best video and audio quality and I'm happy. A Final Standard Profile 1.1 player is sufficient for me and I imagine for a majority of users.

  22.5.2008 07:57 #24

• eatsushi

  Those of you waiting for cheaper BD-Live players should be interested:
  
  Panasonic's UniPhier 3 to deliver cheaper BD-Live enabled Blu-ray players
  
  Quote:Looking forward to a future full of cheaper, slimmer BD-Live compatible Blu-ray players? Say hello to Panasonic's 3rd generation UniPhier processor, which it claims is the first single chip processor designed to handle picture-in-picture and all other necessary Profile 2.0 features. DTS-HD MA, Dolby TrueHD, DivX 1080p, Ethernet controller, laser control, graphics engine, it's all in there. Built on a 45nm process the chip size has shrunk 50% from the previous generation, which should contribute to higher yields and lower prices. Sample shipments start in June, so while it don't expect to see it, at least initially, in the DMP-BD50, this should contribute to significant cost savings in future models. Maybe one day they'll even cost less than a similarly-featured PlayStation 3.
  New Panasonic Single-Chip LSI Should Help Drive Costs Down
  
  Quote:Panasonic has announced that they have developed the world's first Blu-ray Disc player-specific single-chip signal processing LSI. This new chip, which not only 50% smaller, but also uses 25% less power, is compliant with BD-Live (Profile v2.0) standards. Up until now, Blu-ray Disc players required separate front end and back end LSI in addition to seven external memory chips.
  
  The chip also uses Panasonic's updated UniPhier platform and supports all high definition video and audio formats (including lossless). The early version of the UniPhier is the one used in the Denons and the upcoming Marantz player.

  22.5.2008 13:48 #25

• SDF_GR

  Originally posted by nobrainer: and with it not being 2.0 what's the point?exactly
  Does anyone have an answer to that? Why buy a 1.1 BD player?
  I could understand it if it was a made in china 150euros player but for an A class(theoretically) player... i just dont get it.
  Except if there is an option at the near future to download a FW update.
  
  Originally posted by nobrainer:
  but there is still no point in purchasing drm-ray until media has fallen to that of current dvd prices. in the UK we pay between £5 - £9 for a new film, drm-ray's atm cost £25 - £30 less for an old blu-ray that most ppl probably already own on dvd anyway.BD is at the same price that DVD's was 8 years ago (maybe cheaper).
  
  IMO cause the competition that BD has, Vs DVD, Vs Downloadable content, Vs SSD, Vs Piracy, i believe that we will see lower prices that DVD's ever were.

  22.5.2008 14:42 #26

• eatsushi

  Originally posted by SDF_GR: exactly
  Does anyone have an answer to that? Why buy a 1.1 BD player?.See juankerr's post above. Some people just don't care about the currently thin and unimpressive 2.0 features available. I happen to agree with him and practically all of the web-enabled features in my HD DVD and BluRay collection remains unexplored - except those on the Heroes Season 1 set.
  
  A recent poll at avsforums (IMO the top audio/video enthusiast board) showed that 2/3's of those who responded thought 2.0 was "not that important."
  
  http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/poll.php?...lts&pollid=6004

  22.5.2008 15:08 #27

• juankerr

  eatsushi: Weren't you the one who ordered the recycled toilet paper from the "Evan Almighty" U-Shop online store on the HD DVD?
  
  Downloading ringtones, downloading movie trailers and buying products related to the movie isn't really my idea of a compelling online experience. The studios really need to step up their game to make BD Live worthwhile, and they have a long way to go.
  
  Anyway, this guy on avsforums sums it up nicely:
  
  Quote:It seems to me that the only real use for profile 2.0 is to give the HD DVD fanboys something to whine about.

  22.5.2008 15:26 #28

• SDF_GR

  Quote:Originally posted by SDF_GR: exactly
  Does anyone have an answer to that? Why buy a 1.1 BD player?.See juankerr's post above. Some people just don't care about the currently thin and unimpressive 2.0 features available. I happen to agree with him and practically all of the web-enabled features in my HD DVD and BluRay collection remains unexplored - except those on the Heroes Season 1 set.
  
  A recent poll at avsforums (IMO the top audio/video enthusiast board) showed that 2/3's of those who responded thought 2.0 was "not that important."
  
  " target="_blank">http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/poll.php?...id=6004
  
  I dont care too about the 2.0 profile, i dont even care about all this Audio types to tell you the truth, but IMO a player that costs around 500euros should have everything.
  I have a 60gb Pal PS3 from release day, and a month or so ago i wanted to buy a stand alone BD player, guess what....
  i got back home with a 40gb PS3 and the BD remote control,
  (*not a wise move if you live with your girlfriend) a great BD player + maybe the best upscaler + media center, with just 400something euros including the controller.

  22.5.2008 16:56 #29

• atomicxl

  Originally posted by DXR88: yeah why is a standalone so expensive, it almost feels like price gouging in order to make people buy a PS3.
  
  if thats affordable i would hate to see the high end blue-ray players price.I've always felt this. If you could buy a stand alone blu-ray player with all the blu-ray features of the PS3 for $399 or less, I think PS3 sales would plummet.

  23.5.2008 22:40 #30

• nopcbs

  I am pleased to hear that the concepts of Denon and "affordable" continue to be antonyms. Nice when you can reply on something like that.

  26.5.2008 19:50 #31

• hermes_vb

  Home Theater experts agree. The best bang for your buck for a Blue Ray player is the PS3.

  26.5.2008 23:31 #32

• FredBun

  quote, Set with a retail price of $749 USD, I started laughing really, you got to be shiting me, I dont care if God made it, thats a rediculous price and for a 1.1, I cannot beleive that there will be idiots out there that will pay this, but they will, so yep idiots never cease to amase me.

  11.6.2008 23:03 #33