I always think spending 2 grands on a dvd player is outright ridiculous. After researching and drooling over the specs of this Onkyo reference dvd player, I decided to jump into the bandwagon. I placed an order online and spent one sleepless night, "Do I really need to spend this much on a dvd player?"

Got it from Onecall for $1499 (gave me free shipping to keep me from cancelling the order the next day.

All that feeling went away as soon as I received and opened the box. I thought I was picking up a high-end receiver. Dont even try to lift it if you have existing back problem, it weighs a ton. Faceplate is simple yet very attractive. Side panel has bar type stabilizer that'll remind you of a bodybuilders ribcage.

It has an extremely solid construction. You gotta see it in person to appreciate.

Setting up is a breeze. It must have been engineered with end-users in mind. OSD menu is simple and easy to navigate. It comes with an intuitive... Read more

The Onkyo is VERY nicely made. A solid piece of equipment with a very nice back-lit learning remote. It's an elegant machine which has "class" stamped all over it. The loader is smooth, quiet, and well-built. And it's not made of cheap plastic--instead it is covered in a rubbery material which makes the operation of the player "whisper" quiet.

When I first got the player, I took my "old" (but still excellent) Panasonic RP-82 out of my home theater system and just connected the Onkyo in it's place. After starting up the machine, I was greeted by an classy splash screen and then a short set-up screen. I'm connecting this player to a RPTV through component connections. (My RPTV was professionaly calibrated last year.)

Lots of options and things that can be tweaked as I went through the different menus available. (I didn't even bother to open the manual. I usually like to figure things out for myself before delving into the printed literature, and this player was... Read more

If you are an action movie nutcase then this is a fantastic DVD player. It is able to handle the fast paced action sequences with ease and the HD detail is beyond fantastic in terms of details, colors, crispness, etc. I'll let the other reviews tell you all of the hardware that allows this DVD player to do what it does, but you will definitely love the movie-like feel of action movies.

If you are not an action movie person, but rather just like good movies, I am not sure this DVD player is necessary for you. After all, action is about the picture, while drama is often times about the dialogue. While this DVD player will also make the dialogue sound great, who really needs great sound quality to this level in order to enjoy movies of great dialogue?

I have watched a variety of movies on this player since recently getting it, and the difference in picture and sound is definitely noticable on movies like "I Robot", "Galdiator", etc., while movies like "Family Man"... Read more