detail information

NeoDigits was kind enough to send us their latest upscaling DVD player, the NeuNeo HVD2085 for review.  Up until recently, the only drives we have reviewed at CDFreaks were PC based drives and then in June, we reviewed our first standalone drive, the LiteOn LVW-5045 HDD+DVD recorder.  Even though the next generation of blue-laser high definition DVD players will be out in 2006, it will not be for another while before they reach any reasonable price, so as HDTV sets continue to gain popularity, this makes it the ideal time to get the most out of DVDs, while making use of the TV's high definition capabilities with the use of an upscaling DVD player.     éŸ 

While many HDTV sets will accept a standard definition picture, the majority of these do a very basic upscaling in order to fill the display, such as simply repeating pixels in order to fill the screen.  This can lead to a grainy picture, such as a jagged / pixelated lines, writing and so on in the picture.  While it is impossible for DVD upscalers to put missing information back into an image that was lost during the original downscaling to standard definition, upscalers work by using sophisticated interpolation on the picture during the resampling process in an aim to eliminate the side effects of stretching the image to a higher resolution conversion.  Most standard DVD players have another issue in that they only output an analogue picture such as by SVHS, SCART (Europe), composite or component.  What makes this DVD player so special is that not only can it upconvert the picture to high definition, but it also keeps the picture in a digital format all the way to the TV with a HDMI or DVI connection.

In this review, we will compare how well this player upscales its picture against a high definition projector's own upscaling capabilities, as well as check out the drives capabilities in other tests such as usability, features, disc compatibility and so on.

Company information:

We found the following information on the NeoDigits website, www.neodigits.com :

NeoDigits is a trusted online supplier of high-end, cutting-edge and feature-rich DVD players. We operate with a focus on delivering the latest in technological innovation via our in-house research and development capabilities. Our objective is to enrich our customers' entertainment experiences, and to give them what they want through our own brand of elegant, sleek and innovative products.

Founded in September 2003, NeoDigits.com is the result of a fusion of ideas between two young and dynamic individuals. With a background deeply rooted in technology, and the foresight to recognize what consumers in the market required, NeoDigits developed a strategy to fill in the gap of a very niche area - High Definition DVD.

Having grown in size and capability over the years, NeoDigits is now regarded as a top notch service provider, in terms of quality products, superior service levels and dependability in always providing customer satisfaction.

Our flagship brand, NeuNeo, has developed a strong and loyal following fan base of tech-savvy yet passionate individuals who believe in our products and much as we do.

NeoDigits is changing the backdrop of the home theatre environment just as the digital revolution changed the landscape of the AV industry. Staying ahead of fast-moving technology is the key to our success, and keeping abreast of what our customers require is our motivating factor.

Mission statement:

Our philosophy is simple and straightforward: We want to excite. How we do this? We maintain an open dialogue with our customers so we truly understand what they want, and how they want it. Then we deliver.

This is how we have always and will always run our business - honestly and openly. NeoDigits is pledged to providing top notch quality service levels. While we want to keep ahead of our time, our customers keep us grounded in our focus.

Last but not least, we want to have fun doing what we do!

Player's Specifications:

The following table show the main specifications for this drive, found at the NeoDigits website:

Other Specifications

• Built-in high end level scaler delivers astonishing high definition image
• Total processing power equal to 1GHz Pentium CPU
• Brushed stainless steel front panel
• Easy use full colour navigation system
• Built-in Dolby and DTS decoder
• Smart update function (firmware upgradeable)
• Ultra slim and stylish design
• Playback of NeoDigits' own high definition 720p DVD titles

What's inside the box?

Let us first start by taking a look at the retail packaging as well as the accessories the drive ships with.

The following images show the retail box this drive shipped in.

The retail package itself is fairly plain, much like the boxes most other DVD players ship in.  The above picture shows the top of the box.

Front & Rear sides.

Left Side

Right Side (which shows some specifications)

The contents of this retail package is shown in the following image

The retail bundle consists of:

• HVD2085 High Definition DVD Player
• Remote Control
• 3 x Male Phono to Male Phono Lead
• AC Power Lead
• User's Manual

Like most DVD players, this player includes the minimum to get up & running, but in order to make use of its high definition upscaling capabilities, one will need to obtain suitable AV cables to match their equipment.  From our experience, the included triple phono cable will double up as a basic component cable for at least up to the 720p and 1080i HD modes we tested it with, however for the best picture with a component link, we strongly suggest going for a high quality component cable.  In the US, phono leads are known as RCA leads.

Now, let us take a look at the player itself:

No matter how closely one may examine the front of the DVD player, unless the person knew information about the model number, there is actually no indication of any sort stating that this is a high definition DVD player, let alone any writing or logos indicating what it is capable of playing back.

On the other hand, this is one of the slimmest DVD players we have come across so far; at just under the height of a typical PC IDE DVD-ROM drive (player height measures 1.7" / 4.3cm).  The following image shows a close-up of its display:

Like most DVD player displays, for DVDs the display shows the chapter and current time for the playing title and for CDs and (S)VCDs, the display shows the current track and track time.  Besides that, it shows if the audio is Dolby Digital or DTS, what type of disc is loaded (CD/VCD/SVCD), the repeat mode (for CDs) and whether the disc is playing or paused.  While it is not clear if this is just an issue with our player, we find it difficult to make out the track number as shown in the above image, particularly in a well lit room.

The following image shows the front controls on the player:

With just the front buttons, it is possible to eject/load the tray, begin playback of most discs and perform basic navigation using the front buttons.  Unfortunately, the next/previous track buttons do not move between options on a DVD menu, so if the default highlighted option on the DVD menu is not the option to play the movie, the remote is required.

Now, let us take a look at the rear of the player:

At a first glance, it seems a little unusual for a DVD player to have so many connections, never mind a VGA output!  However, this player is designed to work with pretty much any TV or HDTV set one may have or encounter.  The following image shows a close up of the phono (RCA) outputs:

The HDMI and VGA connections are shown in the following images:

The rear of the player has the following connections:

• HDMI
  • Pure Digital audio & video connection to the TV as well as DVI-D displays with an optional HDMI to DVI cable.
• 5.1 Audio Out
  • 6 Analogue channels of surround sound audio, for connection to a non-digital multi-channel surround sound amplifier.  These connected up the following speaker systems:  2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.1, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0 & 5.1.
• Mix Audio Out
  • Stereo audio out for connecting up to a stereo TV where a multi channel surround sound amplifier.  This also allows the use of the TV's built-in speakers with the amplifier off.
• Component Out
  • 3 x Phono output for connection up to a HDTV display, which does not feature a DVI, VGA or HDMI connection or where these connections are already occupied by other equipment.
• Digital Audio Out
  • Optical - Digital audio out for an amplifier that has an optical in.
  • Coaxial - Digital audio out for an amplifier that has a coaxial in.
• Video Out
  • CVBS - Standard definition composite out for connection to a standard definition TV.
  • S-Video - Higher quality standard definition output for standard definition TVs which feature SVHS-in.
• VGA
  • VGA to SXGA video output for connection to PC monitors and projectors which lack a HDMI or DVI input.

A vital gadget that comes as part of pretty much every AV set top box on the market is the remote, as shown below for this player:

The following image shows a close-up of the top section:

The Audio, Subtitle and Angle buttons function the same as with other DVD players.  The display button toggles on-screen information such as track information while playing CDs, MP3s, etc.  The Search button allows the user to jump to a given time within the current track, such as while playing CDs.  While playing DVDs, the Bookmark button allows one to bookmark up to 6 points, such as to resume the playback of a DVD at a later time.  Finally, the clear button erases an entered value.

The following image shows a close-up of the middle section:

These buttons function pretty much the same as with any other DVD player.  The zoom button enlarges the picture up to 5x and while zoomed in, the display can be moved using the navigation arrows.

The following image shows a close-up of the lower section:

Now, if one looks at the remote, it becomes quite clear what this player is capable of doing.  The VGA button activates the VGA output as well as toggles between different VGA resolutions.  The HD button activates both component and HDMI outputs as well as toggles between the interlaced and progressive modes and the 720 and 1080 line modes.  The PAL/NTSC and 50hz/60hz buttons changes between the different TV colour standards and frame rates.  The Setup button displays the main DVD player setup menu and finally the Program button allows one to create a custom programmed playback of audio & video CDs and DVDs.

For those interested in the different labels on the rear of the drive, these are shown on the following images:

Drive information plate & serial #

The usual warning labels

Conclusion

Features and bundle