The OPPO Digital LT2007 20-inch LCD-TV DVD Combo Player is an interesting "combination" device, combining a 181-channel TV tuner, VGA input for PC/laptop video support, built-in DVD player, 5-in-1 USB Memory Card reader, component ports, built-in speakers, and a remote control -- all in a small, elegant, and stylish design that is perfectly suited for kitchens, dorms, dens, or other rooms with limited space. Oppo sent me a review unit to check out and put through the paces.
For my first test I inserted the DVD movie Cellular into the front-loading DVD slot. Similar to cars' in-dash DVD/CD players, the DVD player automatically "catches" the DVD disc as you insert it. Using the ultra-thin remote control, which actually uses a thin watch battery, I was able to easily navigate the DVD menus and start the movie. The video quality was very good on the LCD display, though the screen is 4:3 aspect ratio, so the widescreen Cellular movie was letterboxed. This 4:3 aspect ration is my first "room for improvement" - I'd like to see them offer a 16:9 LCD screen since most DVDs these days come in widescreen format. While the DVD is playing you can capture the current frame and replace the logo screen. A bit of feature-fluff, but hey, I'm a gadget freak, so the more features, the merrier! B) Also, the DVD drive plays standard DVD-Video, DivX, CD, HDCD, WMA, Kodak Picture CD, as well as DVD-R/+R/-RW/+RW recordable DVDs.
For my next test, I hooked up the included USB 5-1 Memory Card reader which supports SecureDigital, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, CompactFlash. Next, I inserted my CF card which had both photos, DiVX videos, mpeg videos, and MP3s on it. From the remote control I switched the source to the CF card and was able to browse the folders on the CF card. I was able to start an MP3 music file and as the song was playing I could browse the photos and start a slideshow. The MP3 music would continue playing while the photos were browsed or in slideshow mode - a nice feature. Next, I tried playing Journey - Who's Crying Now.mpg, a live concert MPEG video in my video collection and it played flawlessly.
Next, I hooked up a laptop to the VGA input on the back of the unit. The LCD screen was very crisp (as expected), however I noticed the screen resolution displayed 800x600 even though the laptop was set to 1024x768. Thus, part of the Windows Desktop was obscured, such as the Windows XP Start Menu until you move the mouse and pan around the screen.
(Note: I switched to 800x600 resolution on the laptop for the photo below, so you can see the Start menu on this photo:)
Moving the mouse around would cause the LCD to "pan" around and I was able to get to the Start menu. I tried to change the resolution to 1024x768 but soon learned that 800x600 is the maximum resolution on this 20" screen. This is a bit surprising since I have never seen such a large screen only handle 800x600. I'm not sure if it was a cost decision to only do 800x600, but it certainly seemed odd. Similarly, the Component video inputs accept 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i HD video signals, however, all signals are scaled to the 800x600 resolution display capability. Composite and S-Video inputs are also included for connecting VCRs, camcorders, etc. I should point out that 800x600 is fine for the built-in TV tuner since DV NTSC resolution (DVD) is only 720x480. In fact, I was very impressed with the DVD quality as well as the 181-channel TV tuner video quality, but still would have liked to have seen 1024x768 supported. Nevertheless, this combo device will most likely be used in kitchens, dens, and other small spaces "more as a DVD player and TV" rather than a computer monitor. As such, this TV/DVD combo this is a great product with a really cool stylish design that almost looks like Apple designed it. Most importantly the Oppo OPPO Digital LT-2007 has a small footprint due its integrated LCD, speakers, and DVD player that won't clutter your countertop or table -- and at just $599, this is a bargain for the amount of features you get.
Pros:
- Integrated DVD player
- Memory card Reader with Photo Slideshow
- Plays DivX, and MPEG videos
- Plays mp3 files
- Elegant, small, and combines TV/DVD/PC monitor all-in-one
Cons:
- VGA maximum resolution (800x600)
- 4:3 aspect ratio not optimal for DVD playback
Specifications:
TV:
- Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV) with high quality 20.1" flat-panel TFT LCD screen.
- 800 x 600 pixel resolution, 500:1 contrast ratio, 450 cd/m2 brightness, 4:3 aspect ratio.
- Tilt screen with adjustable angle.
- 181-channel NTSC tuner with automatic station searching and fine tuning.
- Last Channel Recall feature for quick switching between channels.
- Closed captioning capability.
- MTS/SAP decoding for true stereo sound and Secondary Audio Programs.
- Digital 3D comb filter for enhanced picture resolution and sharpness.
- Component video input capable of accepting 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i HD video signals.
- Composite video and S-Video inputs for universal compatibility.
- VGA input for use as a computer or game monitor.
- 2 stereo audio inputs for PC and video.
- 3W x 2 stereo speakers built into the base.
- Headphone output.
- Automatic shut-off sleep timer.
Built-in DVD Player:
- Slot-loading DVD player built into the TV base.
- Progressive scan and true digital connection to the built-in TV for best picture quality.
- Multi-format digital video/audio/picture playback supporting DVD-Video, DivX® video format, XviD, Audio CD, HDCD, WMA, Kodak Picture CD and more.
- Versatile media compatibility supporting disc types such as CD-R/CD-RW, DVD-R/DVD-RW, and DVD+R/DVD+RW.
- Official DivX® Certified product
- Plays all versions of DivX® video (including DivX® 6) with standard playback of DivX® media files
- Digital audio output supporting Dolby Digital and DTS for surround sound playback.
- USB interface for flash memory or external device expandability.
- Composite video and stereo audio output.
Connectors:
- Cable/Antenna input (F Type connector): 1
- Component video input (YPbPr/YCbCr): 1 group (3 connectors)
- S-Video input: 1
- VGA input: 1
- A/V input: 1
- PC audio input (for VGA): 1
- DVD A/V output: 1
- DVD coaxial digital audio output: 1
- USB port: 1
- DC power input jack: 1
- Headphone output: 1
Accessories Included:
- User manual
- Remote control and battery
- Power adaptor and AC power cord
- A/V cable (3 RCA to 1 mini-jack): 2 sets
- Stereo audio cable (2 RCA to 1 mini-jack)
- Coaxial digital audio cable (1 RCA to 1 mini-jack)
- 5-in-1 USB flash memory card reader and USB cable (SecureDigital, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, CompactFlash)
