Marantz DV8400 or Arcam DV79

Check out prices on interconnects before you buy. You easily could spend more on a run of the mill HDMI interconnect than the player cost. Most people put the player on the rack and then run the video output to the projector 10-15 feet away. That's a lot of interconnect (easily $250 or more). I just helped a friend hook up his Mitsubishi DLP projector and listened to him bitch at the cost of HDMI cables vs component video.

Not familiar with the Arcam but as a previous owner of a DV-8400 and current owner of the DV-9500, I can attest that video of the DV-9500 absolutely surpassed the performance of the DV-8400. I have mine for sale here on AG listed under DV-9500 and am stepping up to the DV50S from Esoteric. The DV-9500 does have HDMI as well.