big bucks on dvd player worth it??

You can get a Sony DVd player that has been upgraded by someone like Dan Wright at www.modwright.com and use it as long as you like and then sell it here on Audiogon. There is a good market for his work. Do a search hereabouts on 'mods' and think about it.

Video wise, even the cheap players make a good picture. You will not see the change in resolution unless you use an awfully good screen and view at a faily close range.
Keep your Pioneer and let the market settled out with the HD stuff now arriving.

I would say unless you have a super big scren the diffrence will be small, sure alot wont get a cheap player simply because it is cheap....but on small screens, performance stand-outs are mostly small aswell. I too would argue to wait it out, and see where all the dust settles.

An excellent DVD player is the used Philips q50 (close) for 150; these retailed for 600 originally and Good Guys closed them out at 220, I recall. Anyway, they have a great picture; would not use for a quality CD transport but for video it is great.

Another option is the Sony dvp-s7700; excellent video performance despite no progressive scan. This was sony's top of the line unit in the late 90s and is built like a tank. It also has dedicated lasers for the DVD and for the CD resulting in this unit being an excellent transport, as well. Has true high end build quality (for its price point; it is not a MBL...) and a good value for the 250 to 300 used.

Do not move up now.
Agree that the HD situation is moving, and the 1080p is coming.
I would wait for awhile.
The player you have is good enough.
(Unless you just bought a $10,000 HD panel.
If you can afford a $10 grand TV, get a new player.
If not... wait.
(I bought a new $4K plasma, so I bought a Denon with HDMI output. Otherwise my old DVD player would have been good enough.)