I consider a decent upconverting DVD player a must in a decent setup, but that is not to be confused with HD. HD upconversion is the process where by a DVD video signal in 480i/p format is converted to one of the HD standards of 720p or 1080i and broadcast to your display. Typically you use HDMI or DVI cabling to make this connection.
A good upconverting DVD player will dramtically improve the quality of your DVDs apperance on your display. Especially since most displays have so-so video processing on board. A good unit, like the Panasonic S77 or Oppo players, will run about 200 bucks and provide a marked improvement in video quality. I have head-to-headed 3 DVD players once and the HDMI connection from the S77 was a visible improvement overall. This was done using front projection and a 100 inch screen.
The smaller the screen, the less noticable improvements will be.
MOST OF ALL - Don't confuse this technology with HD disc technologies. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD simply will blow the upconverting player away because it begins as higher quality video.
Plus, in a nice HD setup with a $2K+ display and another $2K in audio gear, a $200.00 DVD player should not bust the budget.
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