ILjXYZ

Hey gang,

On the recommendation of several friends and several review / comparison sites I set out to buy a Panasonic RP-82 DVD player. None of the electronics stores here sell them but that's okay because I have the power of the Internet right at my fingertips!

...And then I found out the model has been discontinued. So, now I can't find any place online that sells them any more. It is an extremely excellent player and I'm rather mifed that I can't buy one retail. Sure, I could go on EBay and overpay by maybe as much as $100 but I'm not that stupid or hard-up.

So, my question is, what do you guys recommend for a player that is comprable to the RP-82? Hasta be in the same price range ($200 - 250), progressive, component out video and optical out audio, and really, hasta have a lot if not all or more of the features of the RP-82.

Also, if anyone knows of a place online that is still selling the RP-82 that would be awesome. I would thank you for the rest of my days.

Anyway, thanks in advance.

chipmac

In that price range I'm afraid you might be out of luck. Panasonic was making other players using the same MPEG decoder and Sage deinterlacing chip found in the RP82 but since the RP82 has been hard to find the last few months the other players are MIA also. See if you can find a Panny XP30 or the XP50 which has DVD-Audio or even better try and find the RP62 but only if it's an older build because the newer ones aren't using the Sage chip anymore. The XP line replaced the RP series and use the same decoder and chips but are also hard to find. Now it seems Panasonic has decided they just weren't making enough money selling low cost players with high end parts so they stopped using the Sage (now Genesis) chip. The new player out called the S35 is being sold for about $100 and for that price I hear it's very good but it is not the same league as the RP82. If you care to go higher in price look at the Denon 1600. It's comparable to the RP82 with better build quality.

TenaciousD

I was in the same situation as you are a couple of months ago. I could not find the RP82 anywhere and wanted a comparable dvd player. I found on the internet that the Panasonic CP72 5 disc changer is very comparable to the RP82 with the same Faroudja chip for Progressive scan. It also has DVD-Audio. I found the CP72 not too long ago at a A/V shop for $220.

gabeon

How can you tell if the RP62 has the Sage chip in it? Does it have something to do with the serial number?

gotapex

All RP62's have the Sage/Faroudja FLI2200 from the RP82. The mpeg decoder is the one that may be different from the RP82.

BTW, you can buy a refurbished Denon DVD1600 for about $249, not Denon authorized though. It has a better audio system than the RP82 if you're using analog outputs. No coax output though, just optical.

chipmac

This might not be true. Like I said before you need to try and find an older build. Somebody in another forum posted that he bought one with a manufacture date of November 2002 and when he opened it up to check inside he found that it's using the new circuit board with the same deinterlacer chip found in the S35. Many times the date of manufacture is on the player and not the box so you might need to bring it home and check. If it doesn't and you're not happy with the PQ then just return it.

Josh Z

The MPEG decoder in the RP-62 is a lower-end chip than the one in the RP-82. They have the same deinterlacing chip, but other picture quality attributes (color, sharpness, etc) will be better on the RP-82.

nekobus

Avoid RP-62s with a "B" in the serial number, for they are using the new all-in-one chip and don't have the Faroudja chip.

CPA-ESQ.

I picked this up from Crutchfield a couple of months ago. got a $30 rebate with it... Found it for like $220.

5 Disks, same chips, DVD audio etc.. Not Bad

Only problem is it has optical out not coax

joliom

How comparable is the RP91? That might be an alternative.

Josh Z

The RP-91 is an older model that is still in production. It has the same MPEG decoder as the RP-82, but an inferior deinterlacing chip. Therefore, you should get about the same sharpness and color, etc., but are more likely to experience combing artifacts and other deinterlacing errors.

The advantage to the RP-91, and the reason it is still in production, is that it offers scaling capabilities. So if you have one of those models of 16:9 TV that locks into the wrong aspect ratio on progressive-scan signals, the player can correct that.

nekobus

The 91 is not really an alternative to the RP-82. As Josh Z said, it uses an older, inferior Genesis deinterlacing chipset. The 82 is a better player, especially on video based material. The only reason to get the RP-91 is if you need the scaling capability.

FWIW, the 91 has gone out of production and is being discounted by many retailers. There are many left in the channel, as the RP-82 greatly cut into its sales (while it was still available).

Rockybalboa

If you want a sub you can still find, the DVDXP30 is the same player as the 82 minus DVDAudio, I just ordered one for 199.99 including shipping. Forget the 91, and especially the 62 also the 72. If in doubt about this, go to the dvd player benchmark and you can see what I am talking about.

CPA-ESQ.

What's wrong with the 72?

It's a great value - It's a 5 disc changer and comparable to the RP82 with the same Faroudja chip for Progressive scan. It also has DVD-Audio!

I picked this up for a little under $200 It was right up there with the 82 in the shootout.

CCPrescott

What's wrong with the RP62? It also has the Faroudja chip. Could you post the link to this DVD benchmark test?

toq

DVD Benchmark
Progressive Scan Shootout - 2002 / 2003

CCPrescott

Thanks for posting that link toq. After looking at the results. I think I made a good decision in getting the RP62. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a player anyway. But at the same time I didn't want a junk player either. Considering how many players failed a lot of the tests performed than passed. I think I made the right choice for me.