LG BH200 or Samsung UP5000 for my setup (720p/SPDIF)

[angel2167882]

Sorry, I repost myself from AVS but I tought people here knows better and High-Def Digest was my HD reading source since a while know!

So, I've saw the Future Shop offer and I'm definitly interessed... by the UP5000 or the BH200 which is the 2 combo deck available. Both at 499$ - 100$ HD-DVD exchange rebate + they give you a 50$ gift card so it's actually 350$ CND (+tx) for a 1 gran player, which I think it's a very good deal ! And allow me to keep all my HD-DVD collection too :-)

I've read both owner's manual (online) and some threads and reviews and I think to get the LG but I'll like to have your tought.


Here's my actual setup and needs
-Toshiba HD-A3 in 720p mode - Ethernet hook-up
-Optoma HD72 PJ 1280x768 DC2 native
=>Running in 720p mode for movies throught HDMI and COMPONENT (I like to compare both)
=>Running in 1280x768 for computer throught DVI
-Yamaha HTR-5950B DD-EX/DTS Neo6 receiver with SPDIF optical from player (5.1 input available)

-I own 250 original SD-DVD
-Almost the same amount of good quality backup (all made with DVD Shrink -sharp recompression- burn on DVD+R booktype 1)
-25 HD-DVD and maybe more to buy in near future

For extra features, I really like the MP3/JPG CD/DVD or USB port on the LG which can allow the player to be more versatile and act as an MP3 jukebox (I have a 200GB USB drive) or a nice picture frame too!

What about upscaling/downscaling? Don't forget I have a 720p native PJ so SD-DVD are upscaled to 720P and Full-HD content downscaled to 720p... both things the A3 (Shark CPU) does wonderful. Which of the LG or Samsung will do as equal or better? Or maybe I should output everything in native format and let the PJ do the scaling job (Faroudja DCDi on my PJ)?

The garantee that LG will play DVD+R is a plus here too but I think the Samsung should read my DVD+R too because of the DVD-ROM booktype I've burned them.

Loading time and drawing opening seems faster on the LG too, where my A3 can take a while for that!

A plus that my A3 don't do (has the A2 did do) is downmixing DD+ to DTS throught SPDIF while the A3 downmix DD+ to regular DD. Is the Samsung or LG downmix DD+ to DTS so you retain more quality of the original DD+ soundtrack?

Finally, I know the Samsung have much more connectivity but LG has everything I need - HDMI and SPDIF that's all I need for my setup.

So here's my situation and whichever player I choose, I basicly don't want to be it worst of the A3, plus of course the BD player addition.

Thanks for your help!

Here's my home theater photo album
public.fotki.com/angel2167882/home-theater

[angel2167882]

Oh I forgot to mention...

I've saw in both online manual the remote control and the Samsung UP5000, the RC have the standard A-B-C-D button for HD-DVD features but the LG BH200 don't have them...

So how can you use the A-B-C-D HD-DVD function with the LG??

[INDY-HD-DVD]

Originally Posted by angel2167882

Oh I forgot to mention...

I've saw in both online manual the remote control and the Samsung UP5000, the RC have the standard A-B-C-D button for HD-DVD features but the LG BH200 don't have them...

So how can you use the A-B-C-D HD-DVD function with the LG??

Not sure what your looking at but the LG BH200 remote does have the A-B-C-D HD-DVD function on it.

BH200_Remote_L.jpg <<--- Click to enlarge

The red-green-yellow-blue buttons are A-B-C-D

[Yoda]

I've read that the BH-200 can't decode Tru HD

[vinnie97]

It can but only as 2 channels.