Best DVD drive for PAL Z2?

H

HTnovice

Guest
Hi guys,

Am looking for an affordable DVD solution for my Z2 projector, that gives me great quality, and have a few questions regarding the various modes.

IMPORTANT NOTE - I'M IN AUSTRALIA, THUS NEED A PAL DVD DRIVE, AS ALL DISKS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE PAL (I don't purchase DVDs, so NTSC is next to useless for me).

I'm currently using a very cheap TEAC DVD player that is outputting in 16:9 ratio at 575P. I'm quite happy with the picture quality, but this player is on loan from my girlfriend. I've got to purchase a replacement, and have a couple of questions:

1.) Would I see a noticeable picture improvement over the 575P if I bought a DVD player that was capable of PAL 720P output, such as the new Sony DVPNS730? Any other affordable drives that you'd recommend? EDIT - just checked the specs of this player, and it says it only outputs at 576P. Does anyone know of an affordable PAL drive that outputs at 720P?

2.) Or am I better off building a HTPC (I've already got most of the necessary parts lying around at work), and if I do build a HTPC, will I be able to output in 720P? I've heard the ability to 1:1 pixel match makes a HTPC an attractive option, but I'm not actually sure what that means =P. I'm also planning on getting HDTV soon, and it's cheaper to buy a HDTV PCI card than a set top box, making the HTPC even more attractive. However, if it's going to be a hassle getting this PC setup I'd rather not bother. Have enough woes with my main PC...

3.) Which is the best display mode for DVDs on the Z2 - 1080I or 720P, and are these significantly better than the lower modes for DVD playback?

Any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks guys.
 
pc would be your best bet for now.... 720p should be a standard resolution so dead easy to implement. Best mode is 720p, IMO.

However, you could wait and see how the new upscaling dvd players fair.... they may be very capable with pal and thus provide a simply high quality solution

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