Samsung DVD-HD941 Up-Converting
DVD Player
Great Player And Now Region-Free!
If youre after state-of-the-art picture and sound, Samsungs DVD-HD941 is
a prime candidate for your home theater. The DVD player packs
everything from Faroudja DCDi-enhanced HD component-video and HDMI
digital-video outputs to sophisticated high-definition upconversion (for high-
definition and HD-ready TVs) and processing abilities for the audio-only
SACD (Super Audio CD) and DVD-Audio formats. DCDi technology
offers higher resolution and sharper images, with few motion artifacts.
The player uses Faroudjas DCDi (Directional Correlation Deinterlacing)
technology, which is designed to eliminate the jagged edges along
diagonal image lines resulting from video interpolation. DCDi monitors
image-edge transitions and fills in the gaps between frames. The player
upconverts standard-definition material (480i, what we have on
conventional TV) to enhanced- and high-definition quality (480p, 720p,
768p, or 1080i, depending on your HDTV). The result: higher resolution
from conventional sources and sharper images with few motion artifacts.
The players HDMI digital-video output may be used for lossless video
transmission between the player and compatible TVs and computer
monitors, and the player comes with an HDMI-to-DVI converter for use
with DVI-compliant devices. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is
a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any
audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or A/V receiver)
with an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV).
HDMI supports SD, ED, or high-definition (HD) video, plus multichannel
digital audio--all using a single cable. It transmits all ATSC HDTV
standards and supports up to 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to
spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements. SACD
and DVD-Audio media both offer super-high-fidelity sound. DVD-Audio
discs provide 192 kHz/24-bit multichannel and stereo sound, high storage
capacity, and unique bonus materials not available on regular audio CDs.
These discs often have compressed Dolby Digital soundtracks for listening
on standard DVD players, but true DVD-A decoding is required for full

sonic appreciation. Depending on the disc, Sonys proprietary SACD format
provides multichannel and/or stereo sound, often presented in a dual-layer
format compatible with both standard CD players (at standard resolution)
and SACD-equipped players like the DVD-HD941 (for full-resolution
playback). As an antipiracy measure, the DVD-HD941 performs its own
decoding of both DVD-Audio and SACD signals, passing high-resolution
analog, not digital, audio to your integrated amplifier or surround receiver.
This means youll need an audio/video receiver with multichannel analog-
audio inputs to appreciate multichannel DVD-A and SACD releases. A set
of stereo and a set of multichannel analog-audio outputs route audio from
DVD-A/SACD media as well as from Dolby Digital- and DTS-encoded
DVDs to you’re A/V receiver. If youre not planning to use the DVD-A/SACD
capability for multichannel programming, both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-
channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the players digital-
audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for simpler
connection with your receiver. Composite- and S-video outputs bring
compatibility with nearly any television. Whats in the Box
DVD player, remote control, remote batteries, users manual, HDMI digital
video interconnect, HDMI-to-DVI converter, stereo analog audio
interconnect/composite-video cable, and warranty information.
Personal Review: Samsung DVD-HD941 Up-Converting DVD
Player
I researched many upscaling players--including others from Samsung,
including the 841 and 950--and decided on the HD941. I've only had the
player for a few weeks now, but am very impressed and happy with it. PQ
is excellent, even on an HDTV that supposedly does its own upscaling (the
Samsung HL-P5063W).
A bonus was being able to make the player region-free using (sometimes
conflicting) experiences found elsewhere on the Internet and some of my
own ingenuity. I'm posting my detailed experiences here so that others can
make their player region-free. The steps may appear long and
complicated, but they took less than five minutes to peform.
The most-recent experiences indicate that an Aiwa remote is required to
make the 941 region-free. That worked for me! I would love to know why
an Aiwa remote is able to do this and how anyone could have stumbled
upon this discovery!
Actually, I programmed my Harmony 676 remote to *emulate* the Aiwa
remote and then used the Harmony to make my 941 region-free. Talk
about multiple levels of indirection!
The Harmony requires the model number of a *device*, not a remote. Not
knowing which Aiwa device(s) use the RC-6AS14 remote, I Google'd for
"Aiwa RC-6AS14 remote control". One of the hits took me to
http://www.dvdremotecontrols.com/Mfrs/Aiwa/AiwaAudioDVD/RC-6AS14.h

tm--which not only provided a screen shot of the remote, but also listed the
Aiwa devices that the remote actually controls!
I programmatically added the first Aiwa device (the CX-NA10--a "Mini
System (DVD)") to my Harmony, and then I performed the following steps:
Note: Make sure the 941 is off. Make sure there is no DVD in the drive.
Using the 941 remote:
1. Turn the player on.
2. Press the OPEN/CLOSE button. The drive door will open.
Using the Harmony remote:
3. Press the DEVICE button.
4. Press the NEXT button until the "Mini System (DVD)" device appears
next to one of the soft buttons.
5. Press the "Mini System (DVD)" soft button.
6. Press the NEXT button until "Repeat" appears next to one of the soft
buttons. (I had to press the NEXT button seven times to cycle through the
choices.)
7. Press the "Repeat" soft button.
8. Press the NEXT button until "Program" appears next to one of the soft
buttons. (I had to press the NEXT button eight times to cycle through the
choices.)
9. Press the "Program" soft button.
10. Press the NEXT button until "Clock" appears next to one of the soft
buttons. (I had to press the NEXT button three times to cycle through the
choices.)
11. Press the "Clock" soft button.
The player's LCD will display "ADJUST". There was also a brief mention of
something about a 'servo adjustment complete' on the TV.
I used the 941's remote to press "9" (as others have instructed), but this
didn't have a visible effect. The drive door did not close. Doesn't hurt to do
it, I suppose.
12. Using the buttons on the player, close the drive door and power it
down.
Upon powering up the 941, I could play other regions' DVDs. I also double-
checked that my own region's DVDs still played ok.
I added the 941 to my Harmony remote and both it and the player itself
have been working great!
Notes:
-I just purchased my 941 from Amazon.com; not sure which firmware
version I have, but I assume it's a relatively current one.

-Other people's experiences said I would need to press a SHIFT button on
the Aiwa remote prior to pressing the Repeat, Program, and Clock button--
in order to generate the appropriate signals. Since the Harmony emulated
the *functions* of the Aiwa remote and not the actual *buttons*, I did not
need to emulate or press a SHIFT key.
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