It didn't take long for 1080p resolution to become the holy grail for videophiles, but that highest of high-definition has remained more a theoretical, future-proof goal than an everyday convenience. Why? Even if you own one of the handful of HDTVs available to date that can display 1080p and accept a 1080p signal, it's been nearly impossible to find a 1080p video source. Enter the Denon DVD-5910CI. It's an updated version of 2005's DVD-5910, the $3,500 player that, with the ability to play DVD-Audio and SACD discs and upscale DVD video to 720p and 1080i resolutions, was already top dog in the world of enthusiast video. The DVD-5910CI adds the latest video-processing technology from Silicon Optix and DVDO to enable DVD playback via its HDMI output at resolutions as high as 1080p. So, is having your DVDs upscaled to 1080p worth the DVD-5910CI's $3,800 asking price? It's certainly a hard sale with HD-DVD and Blu-ray players--which promise to offer content in native (not upconverted) high-definition--finally on the horizon, but for those who aren't willing to wait out the impending deathmatch between those two next-gen formats, the Denon DVD-5910CI may well be the ultimate DVD player. Happily, anyone who currently owns a DVD-5910 needn't experience a wicked case of buyer's remorse: Denon will upgrade 5910 owners to the 5910CI for a mere $300--the exact price difference between the two models.

Article discussion: 1080p DVD: Denon DVD-5910CI