The Denon DVD-3800BD Review Thread

[Entertainment72]

Originally Posted by Demon L1ama

Too bad the same cant be said for players like the ps3 which seems to need an update every month or so.

You have got be kidding me.. updates to the PS3 are not every month. Updating the PS3 takes all of about 5 minutes and it's effortless. I understand some want high quality construction, audio and video processing but for $2000 people are getting screwed. For $2000 I would expect a full featured (network, bd-live, all audio codecs etc etc etc) BD player at minimum.

I'm not raving about the PS3 nor dismissing the Denon per say, just that for the money I personally as a consumer would expect more.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by Entertainment72

I understand some want high quality construction, audio and video processing but for $2000 people are getting screwed. For $2000 I would expect a full featured (network, bd-live, all audio codecs etc etc etc) BD player at minimum.

I'm not raving about the PS3 nor dismissing the Denon per say, just that for the money I personally as a consumer would expect more.

The high-end Denon player isn't geared at a consumer who focuses on specs for special features. Holding the player up for BD-Live really wouldn't have done much for the target market Denon is aiming for. You have to understand that the primary purpose of ANY Blu-ray player is to put out video and audio -- which the Denon does better than any player out there. If you are looking to buy "Mummy Returns" toilet paper from Universal's online BD-Live store, then you probably aren't the consumer for this product.

That said, I do think we'll see a Profile 2.0 Denon (hopefully with SACD and DVD-A compatibility) this coming winter. Denon doesn't generally rush products to market, and jumping onto BD-Live when there were still many issues to ironed out wouldn't have been smart.

But your point is well-taken and true for the "average" consumer. That's why offbrand Taiwanese companies will continue to sell $30-50 DVD players that have more "features" than a $1000-5000 Denon or other upscale brand. And those cheaper players will sell in far higher quantity, but that doesn't mean that people who chose to spend considerably more to get that last little bit of quality out of their equipment got ripped off -- they're just a different market.

[RUR]

Originally Posted by Entertainment72

.......I understand some want high quality construction, audio and video processing but for $2000 people are getting screwed. For $2000 I would expect a full featured (network, bd-live, all audio codecs etc etc etc) BD player at minimum.

I'm not raving about the PS3 nor dismissing the Denon per say, just that for the money I personally as a consumer would expect more.

To repeat a post from a thread on player value:

Originally Posted by RUR

The Denon 3800BDCI isn't intended to be a solution for everyone. It's primarily intended for folks who a) Want the best upscaling available and who don't own a Realta-equipped AVR e.g. Denon 5308 and/or b) want the best AQ available and don't own an HDMI 1.3 AVR equipped with comparable high-end Burr Brown DAC's - again, e.g. Denon 5308.

Is it worth the price? It's a cost/benefit decision which only you can answer, based on your budget and your setup.

For the record, I own a PS3, BD-P1200 and DVD-3800BDCI. The 3800 blows everything away, as should be expected for a piece of gear at its price.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...558#post766558

BTW, the Denon is the only current player which both decodes and bitstreams TrueHD and DTS HD MA.

[Entertainment72]

Originally Posted by RUR

BTW, the Denon is the only current player which both decodes and bitstreams TrueHD and DTS HD MA.

No offense, but for $2000 I'd expect it to bitstream The Mummy Returns toilet paper to my bathroom. I understand the market in which it is intended, yet the name, quality and many unseen advantages do not dismiss many of the features it lacks for the price. Just opinion not fact.

[wes]

I think I will stick with my upscaling DVD player from Oppo and wait for Oppo Blu Ray player next year.

Sony and Pana are just milking consumers with multiple releases and obnoxious prices

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Entertainment72

You have got be kidding me.. updates to the PS3 are not every month. Updating the PS3 takes all of about 5 minutes and it's effortless. I understand some want high quality construction, audio and video processing but for $2000 people are getting screwed. For $2000 I would expect a full featured (network, bd-live, all audio codecs etc etc etc) BD player at minimum.

I'm not raving about the PS3 nor dismissing the Denon per say, just that for the money I personally as a consumer would expect more.

Originally Posted by Entertainment72

No offense, but for $2000 I'd expect it to bitstream The Mummy Returns toilet paper to my bathroom. I understand the market in which it is intended, yet the name, quality and many unseen advantages do not dismiss many of the features it lacks for the price. Just opinion not fact.

Originally Posted by wes

I think I will stick with my upscaling DVD player from Oppo and wait for Oppo Blu Ray player next year.

Sony and Pana are just milking consumers with multiple releases and obnoxious prices

Your objective opinions about the player from Denon have been extremely helpful.

[kalkin84]

Originally Posted by Entertainment72

No offense, but for $2000 I'd expect it to bitstream The Mummy Returns toilet paper to my bathroom. I understand the market in which it is intended, yet the name, quality and many unseen advantages do not dismiss many of the features it lacks for the price. Just opinion not fact.

you are clinically afflicted by unrealistic expectations, and therefore are unfit for this product. more $$ =/= more features, more $$ == the necessary features (ie playback) done BETTER. Quality over quantity. That is all there is to it. If you don't get that then enjoy your cheaply made and basically functional player; there are some of us that can tell the difference and are willing to pay for it.

[dobyblue]

That's true - some people want all the features in the world with very little attention to what the actual performance is.

Denon and Marantz, they are performance.
You can get a 125w/ch for $2,000 from Marantz, or a 125w/ch for $699 from another manufacturer that may actually have more features.

Chances are when it comes to the audio performance, the Marantz will be the better.

[lokyro]

i have been reading as much info on the denon 3800bd for weekes, and there is very little of it...It is expensive, but you cant knock it for that, be mad cause you cant afford, but that is it.. as for the video, simply the best i have ever seen on any form of dvd period. blu-ray, dvd,, spectacular... Audio is crystal clean , dead on jaw dropping and as precise as can be, the player is almost flawless, it takes too long to close the drawer and get the thing going, like 60 seconds, a player this good and $$$ should be able to ramp up in at least half that time.. crystaline sharp pictures, spot on blacks and color, geometry so accurate you will realize that mathmaticians really did do their homework and more. Audio so clean and detailed, natural and never fatigueing leaves you searching for the next great demo disc even if it might be dumb and dumber 2.. this turns bad discs into very good, watchable bad discs.The audio is a perfect 10. The video is slightly better, say 15. Hooked up properly ths thing is stunning !
equip
anthem statement d2, denon 3800bd, toshiba hd-a35, anthem a5 amp, jvcfh97 hdila 70,,new panamax efi and rfi filter, psb stratus gold, silver, c6 ctr channel and 2 sub sonic 3s, oppo 980h dvd, sacd, cd, dvd-audio player and a pioneer elite cld-99 laser disc cd transport that is still doing a remerkable job, and all audioquest very hi end cables

[jsteinhauer]

Just so you know, there is a new firmware download (second one) dated 5/21. I'm not sure if the first or second update fixed the issue, but the bonus features on National Treasure (first movie) would not play correctly before updating the firmware.

[Chuey]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

The high-end Denon player isn't geared at a consumer who focuses on specs for special features. Holding the player up for BD-Live really wouldn't have done much for the target market Denon is aiming for. You have to understand that the primary purpose of ANY Blu-ray player is to put out video and audio -- which the Denon does better than any player out there. If you are looking to buy "Mummy Returns" toilet paper from Universal's online BD-Live store, then you probably aren't the consumer for this product.

That said, I do think we'll see a Profile 2.0 Denon (hopefully with SACD and DVD-A compatibility) this coming winter. Denon doesn't generally rush products to market, and jumping onto BD-Live when there were still many issues to ironed out wouldn't have been smart.

But your point is well-taken and true for the "average" consumer. That's why offbrand Taiwanese companies will continue to sell $30-50 DVD players that have more "features" than a $1000-5000 Denon or other upscale brand. And those cheaper players will sell in far higher quantity, but that doesn't mean that people who chose to spend considerably more to get that last little bit of quality out of their equipment got ripped off -- they're just a different market.

+1....Well said

[cpgator]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Your objective opinions about the player from Denon have been extremely helpful.

I think Entertainment72 has shown many times that he does not appreciate high end gear. Some people are happy with cheap gear and don't understand the difference. Sounds like a case of sour grapes from someone who can't afford higher end gear.

On a side note, no way I could justify the expense of the Denon unless it supported SACD and DVDA. I am currently using my 3910 for SACD and I would like to get rid of it and use one player for all my needs. Hopefully they will have a player soon that supports these formats.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by cpgator

I think Entertainment72 has shown many times that he does not appreciate high end gear. Some people are happy with cheap gear and don't understand the difference. Sounds like a case of sour grapes from someone who can't afford higher end gear.

On a side note, no way I could justify the expense of the Denon unless it supported SACD and DVDA. I am currently using my 3910 for SACD and I would like to get rid of it and use one player for all my needs. Hopefully they will have a player soon that supports these formats.

I understand your line of thought, but consider how I've argued with myself against getting a PS3 as my Blu-ray player. I would rather have a standalone machine whose primary intended purpose was playing movies with the best possible picture and sound. Little was invested in the machine for other purposes (such as gaming).

I don't have a SACD player, but my interest in home theater has peaked my interest in high(er) quality audio than I have been accustomed to, and I have been thinking about a SACD player (and possibly a turntable). If I do make the investment, I will look for machines that were designed with music in mind, not movies. One size fits all doesn't necessarily means one size fits best. You know what I mean.

[Entertainment72]

Originally Posted by cpgator

I think Entertainment72 has shown many times that he does not appreciate high end gear. Some people are happy with cheap gear and don't understand the difference. Sounds like a case of sour grapes from someone who can't afford higher end gear.

hmm.. talking out of your ass again about what you think you know about people.. trust me son.. I'm pretty confident id run circles around you concerning $, but I'm just not as obsessed as some are regarding equipment. It is fine for them, just not for me. I dont consider anyone who purchased or did not purchase products such as the Denon stupid, rich, poor etc unlike you.

When you buy a perfectly good car and spend another 20g's in it when there is nothing wrong with it to begin with.. now thats a hobby, but I'll keep eating my sour grapes as you like to say since you know me so well.

[cpgator]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

I understand your line of thought, but consider how I've argued with myself against getting a PS3 as my Blu-ray player. I would rather have a standalone machine whose primary intended purpose was playing movies with the best possible picture and sound. Little was invested in the machine for other purposes (such as gaming).

I don't have a SACD player, but my interest in home theater has peaked my interest in high(er) quality audio than I have been accustomed to, and I have been thinking about a SACD player (and possibly a turntable). If I do make the investment, I will look for machines that were designed with music in mind, not movies. One size fits all doesn't necessarily means one size fits best. You know what I mean.

It starts getting very expensive to break down everything into separates. I would need a separate BD player, SACD player, DVDA player, and DVD player. I think it is very possible to purchase a single player that can handle all my needs, and perform them well. The Denon DVD player I have now excels at SACD and DVD (excellent upconverter too, at least at time I purchased it), and there is no reason not to expect their BD player to do the same.

[jsteinhauer]

Addresses forced 24fps issue, principally.

[mfinochio]

Originally Posted by Entertainment72

hmm.. talking out of your ass again about what you think you know about people.. trust me son.. I'm pretty confident id run circles around you concerning $, but I'm just not as obsessed as some are regarding equipment. It is fine for them, just not for me. I dont consider anyone who purchased or did not purchase products such as the Denon stupid, rich, poor etc unlike you.

When you buy a perfectly good car and spend another 20g's in it when there is nothing wrong with it to begin with.. now thats a hobby, but I'll keep eating my sour grapes as you like to say since you know me so well.

Why post here? I understand you do not agree with people spending money they earned on a high-end player, but do you need to beat it into them? They have spouses or parents to do that for them. If you do not like the topic, move on.
Michael

[EWL5]

Here's my take on the Denon 3800 after over 6 months of ownership:

Let me start off by saying how horrible it is that you cannot distinguish DTS-HD HR from DTS-HD MA in the specs page. There is no such thing as "DTS-HD", but many CE manufacturers have continued this misnomer even in product literature. It is either lossless DTS-HD MA or lossy DTS-HD HR, no "DTS-HD"!

With that out of the way, the Denon player does not decode DTS-HD HR (as of 1.104 firmware August 1). It also does not decode DTS-ES 6.1 and DD EX 6.1. However, it does bitstream all codecs if you are so inclined. If you are looking for a player that decodes ALL, then you are looking at the PS3 or BD50, and that's only if you are using HDMI. This player is really targeted to the analog crowd as it's got AL24 processing and great Burr Brown DAC's. If you own an HDMI capable receiver, then the purchase is more questionable as you are paying for an analog section you may never use. The Realta keeps the video reference quality so no need to keep the DVD player.

Summary:

Targeted to analog users who want to listen to CD's and play both DVD's and BD's in one player. I suggest you purchase an extended warranty or get the Marantz BD8002 since it has 3 yr warranty and is a clone. There is a possible issue with the blue laser assembly as some owners have reported failures in AVS.

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by EWL5

Here's my take on the Denon 3800 after over 6 months of ownership:

Let me start off by saying how horrible it is that you cannot distinguish DTS-HD HR from DTS-HD MA in the specs page. There is no such thing as "DTS-HD", but many CE manufacturers have continued this misnomer even in product literature. It is either lossless DTS-HD MA or lossy DTS-HD HR, no "DTS-HD"!

With that out of the way, the Denon player does not decode DTS-HD HR (as of 1.104 firmware August 1). It also does not decode DTS-ES 6.1 and DD EX 6.1. However, it does bitstream all codecs if you are so inclined. If you are looking for a player that decodes ALL, then you are looking at the PS3 or BD50, and that's only if you are using HDMI. This player is really targeted to the analog crowd as it's got AL24 processing and great Burr Brown DAC's. If you own an HDMI capable receiver, then the purchase is more questionable as you are paying for an analog section you may never use. The Realta keeps the video reference quality so no need to keep the DVD player.

Summary:

Targeted to analog users who want to listen to CD's and play both DVD's and BD's in one player. I suggest you purchase an extended warranty or get the Marantz BD8002 since it has 3 yr warranty and is a clone. There is a possible issue with the blue laser assembly as some owners have reported failures in AVS.

EWL5,

I am having a problem downloading the 1.111 update just posted. Do you know the Denon email address to request an update disc? Thanks!

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by Hawk

EWL5,

I am having a problem downloading the 1.111 update just posted. Do you know the Denon email address to request an update disc? Thanks!

I had a problem the first day it came out. It wasn't until about past 8:30PM EST 2 nights ago that I was able to download the correct firmware (I kept downloading version 1.04).

If you did not have the same problem, then go here:

http://usa.denon.com/ContactUs.asp

What problem are you having specifically?