Half.com has both these players listed, as available & brand new. The DVL-91 is $1228.97, the DVL-919 is $717.49. I'm looking for a back-up player for my beloved DVL-700. If anyone can offer opinions & recommendations regarding these two machines, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I've had the DVL-919 in my set-up for almost two years now, and it's a great unit. I'm not sure what the differences are between the two, but I can cast a positive vote for the 919. (If you plan on listening to 5.1 DD laserdiscs, you'll need an RF demodulator, BTW.)

Not Sure
 

The DVL-91 is the Elite model, not sure what's the diffrences. Better looking?

I also can vouch for the excellent performance of the 919 whcih I've had for a couple of years myself! The Elite has a ever so slight improved picture but you pay a premium for this slight advantage. DVD wise they are identical! Can't go wrong with either one!

Elite model has a jog shuttle on the remote. This is the feature that makes a world of difference for me in everyday use, but probably not worth $400 more to you. The Elite is generally better-made in other ways.

The DVL-91 was out a long time before the DVL-919. I did not buy the 91 because of the price but snatched up a 919 when it first came out (I had been waiting for a reasonably priced combi player that passed DTS for DVDs). And I don't need a separate demodulator because I get Dolby Digital for my LDs with my Yamaha DSP-A1 integrated amplifier.

Both look like good prices considering their original list prices. Of course it's up to you but I love my 919.

A stack of posts have disappeared
 

I thought I might summarize much of what has been lost.

I was paying some attention to the combination players as they evolved. The 919 was the first player to get both the dvd and laserdisc performance right, although the remote is a very cheap one with little buttons.

The first combination player had poor dvd performance, the second one had poor laserdisc performance, or it might have been the other way around, but the bottom line was that 919 was Pioneer's best effort.

Check out both sides of a laserdisc. I had a problem lurking on side b laserdisc that I didn't know about because I was busy playing "problem" dvds. Side b on my machine could not track the disk, it would black out and jump about randomly.

You beloved dvl-700 may find itself abandoned in favor of the 919.