Quality of dvd upscaling and de-interlacing definitely varies a lot by player. I've seen some that do it well and some that are unbelievably terrible, with most tending towards passable but not so great. Seems likely a good render in software would be an improvement over what many players are capable of. But if you have an Oppo player, or something of similar quality, then you're all set because their video processing is some of the best known to man. I myself very much want to get an Oppo when I'm able to get into HD, because I sure as heck don't plan on re-buying everything I've got on dvd, so making them look their best is a priority.