[CES 07] New DVD Players from Harman Kardon
January 10th, 2007 — By Chris MartensState of the art DVD players more affordable than ever
While HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc player are all the rage these days, the fact is that conventional players keep getting better and more affordable, as Harman Kardon’s new DVD 48 universal player and DVD 38 DVD-Audio/Video player demonstrate.
The $399 DVD 48 incorporates built-in DCDi by Faroudja processing and scaling to 1080p, while the slightly less expensive $349 DVD 38 supports built-in 1080i upscaling. Both models provide HDMI outputs and feature pixel-by-pixel processing, motion-adaptive pixel-based deinterlacing, and premium digital-video D/A converters said to deliver “sharp, detailed and realistic image quality.”
Sound quality has not been overlooked, as both players provide onboard bass management functions and “comprehensive audio controls.” The players will become available in March, 2007.
Both players appear to offer good value for money, but if forced to choose we would choose the DVD 48 since it provides Faroudja processing, 1080p upscaling, and support for multichannel SACD playback for just $50 more than the DVD 38.
