The DVD-HD931 goes beyond the typical progressive-scan DVD player by adding a built-in video scaler that permits output to a HDTV.

The DVD-HD931 also performs 3:2 pulldown. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24-frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Faroudja's de-interlacing technology (DCDi) is built into the device, performing directional interpolation--detecting the angle of a pixel's outer tilt--on each pixel. Video signals are de-interlaced according to that angle, thereby correcting image vibration, stair-stepping, cut-off, and other common video-processing artifacts.

Two sets of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. If you don't have a surround receiver or six-channel speaker setup, you can still make every movie night the ultimate experience: the unit's 3-D Sound function simulates surround sound through two speakers (even the stereo speakers on a TV).

Other features include EZ View letter box eliminator (which adapts widescreen images for 4:3 aspect-ratio TV sets), motion zoom (which magnifies selected screen areas by 2x or 4x), instant replay/skip (which initiates a 10-second jump backward or forward), and bookmarking (which lets you mark sections of a disc for rapid access).

DCDi technology: By adopting the Genesis FLI2310 chip, where Faroudja technology was materialized, it perfectly corrects vibration, stairs, cut-off, and other standard operational errors that may occur in a picture. DNIe chip: By adopting the DNIe (Digital Natural Image Engine) chip, the DVD-HD931 displays a clean picture. This is done by reproducing a digital source that passes through an FLI2310 chip as it is without any loss of picture quality. DVI video output: No reduction of picture quality or distortion can occur when adopting DVI that supports Digital Image Perfection.

HDCD and DVD-audio playback capability: Unlike a normal DVD player playing only an ordinary CD, Samsung's DVD-HD931 enables you to hear HDCD and DVD-audio formats, which are of significantly improved quality. Dolby/DTS digital output: It streams out Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel streams and enables you to hear the same degree of the original sound that would be heard at a movie theater.

Video format conversion
A normal DVD player transmits a video signal to 480i output when playing a DVD title (480i/480p). Even with a progressive-scanning DVD player, it simply outputs a video signal of 480i to 480p. However, Samsung's DVD-HD931 enables you to enjoy an HDTV-compliant picture with an ordinary DVD title, thanks to its scale-up to 720p/1080i.

Motion adaptive technologies produce the finest progressive output available. They detect the amount of motion and use an appropriate mix of spatial and temporal processing with the highest resolution for still areas that have no motion artifacts in moving areas. DCDi The Samsung DVD-HD931 performs directional interpolation on each pixel with DCDi technology, which detects the angle of an outer tilt by pixel, and then de-interlaces a video signal according to the angle. This state-of-the-art video processing technology is incorporated for even higher picture quality assurance. DCDi eliminates the jagged edges that appear when standard interlaced video is viewed on progressive-scan displays, which means that progressive-scan DVD players that feature DCDi technology produce images that look more smooth and natural.

What's in the Box
DVD player, remote control, 2 AAA batteries for remote, user's manual, video/audio interconnect (stereo analog audio/composite-video cables).

Note: This player's DVI output is a high-bandwidth digital interconnect compatible only with high-resolution HDCP (high-bandwidth digital content protect) digital displays.

The DVD-HD960 upconverts a standard DVD's native resolution (480p) to output close to high-definition formats (720p/1080i/1080p). To achieve that higher resolution, the player fills in additional image data by assessing existing pixels and intelligently predicting what the surrounding pixels should look like. Because the upconversion process occurs in the digital domain, no data is lost (compared with analog conversion) and the resulting image is close to pristine. To produce an upconverted picture, your high-def TV must have an HDMI connection (and HDCP support)--the 720p/1080i/1080p choice is only available when using the HDMI cable (which is not included). Also note that the DVD-HD960 is not a high-definition DVD player (i.e., not to be confused with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players, which play specially formatted high definition discs), so it will work with your existing DVD library.

This player also features DCDi (Directional Correlational Deinterlacing) upconversion via the Faroudja FLI-2310 chip, which substantially eliminates jagged edges that appear when standard interlaced video is viewed on progressive-scan displays.

This player is compatible with a wide range of disc formats, including DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-R/RW, VCD, and SVCD, as well as MP3, WMA, and JPEG file formats. Compression rates supported for MP3 are from 128-192 kbps and for WMA from 64-192 kbps. JPEG files can be seen in a slide show with intervals of 6, 12, or 18 seconds between images; and you can zoom in (2x or 4x) on an image or rotate it 90-degrees clockwise.

The bookmark function lets you mark and store up to three scenes at a time for easy recall. Instant replay shows you the previous 10 seconds of the movie again--in case you missed something important. Instant skip jumps ahead 10 seconds--in case you want to miss something. And parental control lets you set a password that must be given before a password-protected disc can be viewed.

It features the following video and audio connections:

• Composite AV Out (RCA): 1
• S-Video Out: 1
• Component video Out: 1
• HDMI AV Out: 1
• Coaxial digital audio Out: 1
• Optical digital audio Out: 1

Tech Talk
HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It supports all ATSC formats--standard (SDTV), enhanced (EDTV), and high (HDTV).

HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is a system for protecting DVD content outputted via DVI/HDMI from being copied. It provides a secure digital link between a video source (PC, DVD. etc) and a display device (TV, projector, etc). Content is encrypted at the source device to prevent unauthorized copies from being made.

High Definition Formats: The most common high-def (HD) video format is 720p, which displays video at 720 vertical by 1280 horizontal pixels. The "p" denotes that it is progressive scan, meaning that all video lines are filled at the same time. The 1080i format displays video at 1080 vertical by 1920 horizontal pixels, and the "i" means that it is interlaced (the old-school way of presenting video where the screen scans the odd-numbered video lines first, then the even-numbered lines). The 1080p format has the same pixel resolution as 1080i, but it is a progressive scan format and thus has a constant vertical resolution of 720 lines.

What's in the Box
Upconverting DVD player, remote control (with batteries), AV cable, printed operating instructions

Warranty
1 year parts, 90 days labor

It's compatible with a wide range of disc formats, including DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-R/RW, VCD, and SVCD, as well as MP3, WMA, and JPEG file formats. Compression rates supported for MP3 are from 128-192 kbps and for WMA from 64-192 kbps. JPEG files can be seen in a slide show with intervals of 6, 12, or 18 seconds between images; and you can zoom in (2x or 4x) on an image or rotate it 90-degrees clockwise.

The bookmark function lets you mark and store up to three scenes at a time for easy recall. Instant replay shows you the previous 10 seconds of the movie again--in case you missed something important. Instant skip jumps ahead 10 seconds--in case you want to miss something. And parental control lets you set a password that must be given before a password-protected disc can be viewed.

The 720p/768p/1080i DVD Players greatly enhance video performance by increasing the video resolution of ordinary DVD titles and up-converting them to HDTV compliant formats. A normal DVD player outputs 480i (interlaced) video. Progressive Scan DVD players can roughly double that resolution by outputting 480p video. the HD players enable you to enjoy an HDTV compliant picture-roughly twice the resolution of progressive scan DVD players. It is not High Definition DVD, so it is not a new format and works with existing discs.

It features the following video and audio connections (which includes HDMI for uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface between the TV and any HDMI-equipped audio/video component):

• Composite AV Out (RCA): 1
• S-Video Out: 1
• Component Video Out: 1
• HDMI Out: 1
• Coaxial Digital Audio Out: 1
• Optical Digital Audio Out: 1

What's in the Box
Samsung DVD-HD850, remote control, AAA battery, HDMI cable, AV cable, printed instructions

Panasonic's Time Slip feature lets you use your DVD recorder like a personal video recorder, or PVR. Because of DVD-RAM's extremely fast transfer rate, you can view the recorded portion of an ongoing program from the beginning, while still recording the program in progress.

In addition to recording new video content, the DMR-E85HS lets you transfer your favorite VHS recordings to durable, space-saving discs. You can archive, preserve, and easily catalog and accessed your personal movie libraries and family videos.