There's a possibility that I may get a 1080p TV sometime but it won't be any time soon. My TV has HDMI but not DVI so I wouldn't be able to hook up the 971 unless there's a DVI to HDMI cable out there. Since I already have a spare HDMI to HDMI I can't see justifying another cable purchase, lol. (I just converted from S-vid before I got this TV to component cables and now I'm trying bypass that by getting HDMI which equals, LOTS OF CASH!
ALL the Oppo come with the HDMI cable inculded the 971 has an DVI output to a HDMI input to the TV inculded the 981 has an HDMI output and input to the TV inculded so you will not need to buy a cable!!
I was going to buy an HD-DVD player then my 642 died so I think I will get an upconverting divx/DVD player instead. Video on the 642 jitters up and down on DVDs, divx, everything I've tried; worked one day, didn't the next. I'm conflicted on which upconverting divx player to get. Here are the ones I'm looking at: Philips DVP 5960 Toshiba SD4990 Samsung DVD-HD860 Oppo DV-970HD (great reviews but more than I would like to spend) I've read the reviews at videohelp.com and the Phillips has little to recommend it except USB; the Samsung seems better but there are few reviews. Any personal experience with these? One thing, my TV only supports DVI so I'll have to get an HDMI > DVI cable from monoprice... any issues with that? I might break down and buy the Oppo but I have a $120 Best Buy gift card I want to use.
Can you please do me a favor ?? for 981 model, can you please test it with CLOSED caption to see if it works with HDMI since i know some DVD player doesnt support closed caption with HDMI, only compent (RGB). Big thank you!!!