Upscaling DVD player

T

Tony123

Weaksauce
Joined
Oct 3, 2004
Messages
112
I was looking at the upscaling DVD players at cnet.com and they are at reasonable prices

120 dollars----200 dollars

they are reasonable IF they do what they claim to do.

Does anybody have experience with any of these types of DVD players?

can they really upscale the DVD resolution to 720p or 1080i??!!
 
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I own a upscaling DVD player (Momitsu V880; not the N version). As for the job it does...it kicks serious since besides the DVI-D upscale, it also does the VGA connection (excellent for people who spend $1000's on scalers).

The thing about upscaling DVD players is they all work well but only the expensive ones ($1k) are NOT quirky. The one from panasonic (which ever one has the bright ass blue jog dial) has a flaw in color space. They said the will never fix it.

But back to your question, the best upressing DVD player is a PC hands down. If you don't want to spend that much, go cheap.

Another quirk is HDCP. Does our DVI destination/sink support it. If not this could cause problems. Some upressing DVD players required HDCP therefore the TV/PJ will need it as well.

So either buy cheap or build a HTPC. The high end DVD players are NOT worth it. But if your TV/PJ can support natively above 480p...it is worth EVERY penny to since the scalers in the TV/PJ are guaranteed to SUCK .

-tReP
 
SJetski71 said:
^^^
tRep is that a vga connection or dvi-i? check out the pics here: http://www.atacom.com/program/print...9721_69_115_177_103&Item_code=DVDX_MOMI_88_00

Either way a person can slap on a dvi~vga adapter and be on their merry way (or can they? hdcp etc).

Any notable quirks with the V880?
Click to expand...

The remote is pure shit at best and sometimes the player doesn't accept commands logically. I can use the arrows and sometimes I have to hit it 10x to make it shift. Like I said...quirky. But PQ is dead nuts perfect in my book. If you plan on watching a movie...no problem. If you plan on going through all the "extras" and playing the DVD games....bah, kill yourself while you can. It works..but painful

Yes, the connector is true DVI-I. The analog VGA are good if you don't do a long run. Like I said..quirky ;) However the component analog connections suck (bad drivers).

This player also does NOT have HDCP and you can modify region settings with a few Contra style codes :D

But what do you expect for $200.


-tReP
 
Trepidati0n said:
But what do you expect for $200.
Click to expand...
Actually i would have expected less, with all the crap in general i've been reading about upscaling dvd players lately.

non-hdcp is just icing on the cake imho.
 
but when an image from the DVD is upscaled (with the special DVD player), does it look like a 720p or 1080i video or does it look as a normal DVD does (because it's on a larger screen)?
 
Tony123 said:
but when an image from the DVD is upscaled (with the special DVD player), does it look like a 720p or 1080i video or does it look as a normal DVD does (because it's on a larger screen)?
Click to expand...

1. An upscaled video from a 480i source (which is what DVD video is) will never look as good as a 720p or 1080i source. You can't get back information which has been lost (i.e. compressed down).

2. However, a good scaler can make and educated guess on what is missing when it attempts to upscale. This is why people with CRT PJ's will spend $1000's on a kickass scaler. They want to take any input and scale it to their PJ with quality. It all depends on the hardware upscaler.

3. Bad scalers tend to exist in every TV and PJ.

4. Good PC based upscalers required decent hardware at a minimum (i.e. 2GHz P4 or equivalent).

5. A good PC scaler can smoke any hardware scaler for DVD playback

6. A good hardware scaler can smoke any PC scaler since a good hardware scaler supports multiple inputs of various types (composite, s-video, component, VGA) and put them all out on DVI-D or VGA.

-----------------------------------

If I output 480i/480p from any DVD player and have my PJ scale it, it looks like shit.
If I output 480i/480p from any DVD player and have it pass through my PJ (i.e. no scaling) it looks okay but the picutre is shrunk
If I have 720p from a bad upscaling DVD player, it looks like shit
If I have 720p from a good upscaling DVD player, its look like God smiled upon me
If I have 1080i from a good/bad upscaling DVD player and then have my PJ rescale it back to 720p (the panels are 1280x720), it looks like shit.

Moral of the story is send a good signal that your PJ/TV understands natively.

Hope this answers your question...if not...ask again in another way so I may understand it.

-tReP
 
ya thanks

you answered it

now I just have to fork out the dough for a good DVD player

is a dedicated scaler generaly better than a scaler inside a DVD player?

thanks for all ur help
 
Tony123 said:
now I just have to fork out the dough for a good DVD player

is a dedicated scaler generaly better than a scaler inside a DVD player?
Click to expand...

1. If you spend more than $500 on an upscaling DVD player, buy a cheap ass dell and USB infrared device, girder, and your favorite DVD software. DELL makes a quiet PC if you give it good airflow.

2. Yes, a dedicated scaler will beat any DVD player out there hands down. Why..that is what the yare designed to do.

Just remember that a DVD player is for watching movies. Trying to expect more than that out of it is just being silly.

BTW, the one that ID listed has a green deficiency problem from what I remember (not sure if they fixed it) because they use the SDTV color space for HDTV decoding. :(

-tReP
 
Trepidati0n said:
BTW, the one that ID listed has a green deficiency problem from what I remember (not sure if they fixed it) because they use the SDTV color space for HDTV decoding. :(

-tReP
Click to expand...

DOH! Shows how much I care...I mean know.
:D
 
Just so you know if you're connect this DVD player using an analog method (component) then it is going to output the signal in 720x480 to comply with Copy Protection BS, if you are going to using HDMI then no worried from what I remember.

Honestly I would just build myself an HTPC and use FFDShow to upscale the image but thats me.

Maybe the Xbox2 will be able to use all that extra CPU prowess and upscale movies, I doubt it but anything is possible when you speculate. ;)
 
Tony123 said:
can someone point me out to a good Upscaling DVD player?
Click to expand...
don't like tRep's recommendation i take it? (the momitsu v880)

you can froogle it or pick it up on ebay; region-free, no hdcp copy protection crap, great upscaling, dvi/vga.

whats not to like? ;)
 
Tony123 said:
can someone point me out to a good Upscaling DVD player?
Click to expand...

The AVS forum link posted above contains all the info you need, but you need to pick based upon your price point. Sorta like saying "can you recommend me a good car". How much $$$ my man...how much you willing to think your wallet.

-tReP
 
150-200 maybe

but I also need one with an HDMI out put.

Because on the TV above, my PC will use the DVI input
 
Tony123 said:
150-200 maybe

but I also need one with an HDMI out put.

Because on the TV above, my PC will use the DVI input
Click to expand...

Well i know the dvi output can be converted to hdmi easily enough, just not sure if the V880 can do it and maintain its picture quality(?)

I suspect it can but i'm not the person to ask ;)
 
SJetski71 said:
Well i know the dvi output can be converted to hdmi easily enough, just not sure if the V880 can do it and maintain its picture quality(?)

I suspect it can but i'm not the person to ask ;)
Click to expand...

The adaptor does nothing the signals other than pass them through to aonther connector format. Either it works or it doesn't. HDMI is nothing more than a super-set with some tweaks from DVI. It natively supports 10-bit color channels, HDCP (bleh), and digital audio all in the same cable :D

I know you can go from DVI source into a HDMI sink...but not sure of the other way around (don't own that kind of equipment).

-tReP
 
Tony123 said:
150-200 maybe

but I also need one with an HDMI out put.

Because on the TV above, my PC will use the DVI input
Click to expand...

Do you plan on using your PC while watching a DVD...if not, just use your PC as your DVD player and get a USB-UIRT or get a nice wireless keyboard/mouse. So as I hear anybody saying they are going to attach their PC to the TV....it boggles my mind when they want a DVD player.

-tReP
 
Trepidati0n said:
Do you plan on using your PC while watching a DVD...if not, just use your PC as your DVD player and get a USB-UIRT or get a nice wireless keyboard/mouse. So as I hear anybody saying they are going to attach their PC to the TV....it boggles my mind when they want a DVD player.

-tReP
Click to expand...

QFT
 
Trepidati0n said:
Do you plan on using your PC while watching a DVD...if not, just use your PC as your DVD player and get a USB-UIRT or get a nice wireless keyboard/mouse. So as I hear anybody saying they are going to attach their PC to the TV....it boggles my mind when they want a DVD player.

-tReP
Click to expand...

ya I know what you mean but my comp is a gaming rig and it's so damn loud (should have mentioned that)

AH BUT A NEW QUESTION HAS ARISEN!

So what if I take my comp stuff (BFG 7800 GTX, A8N SLI Premium, 2 Gigs PC3200, 3800+ Venice) and put it into a HTPC case (and buy different cooling hardware to make it quiet). Lets say I use 120 mm fans so it can be quiet and cool, will It be Ok to leave on the comp and never turn it off?

Id like a HTPC with no boot times
the only reason I asked for a DVD player was because my comp is loud.

Sorry but there's more

Can I get a DTV and an HDTV tuner inside my HTPC (if I build one)

Do these tuners work AND perform just as set top tuners?


To sum it all up:

I want an ALL IN ONE HTPC
-HDTV tuner integrated
-DTV tuner integrated
-PVR capabilities
-near silent (with my gaming parts 7800 GTX 3800+ ect.)
-I would like to leave it on so there's no boot-ups (unless MCE 2005 has a convenient sleep mode or something)
-Great upscaling abbilities

How would I connect this to an HDTV?

Can all this be done in one box practically?

Sorry for the long ass post but i just wanted to sum it all up

thanks for all ur help
 
-HDTV tuner integrated Over the Air tuners are available
-DTV tuner integrated Not until cable cards are fully supported.
-PVR capabilities Yes, easily
-near silent (with my gaming parts 7800 GTX 3800+ ect.) If you are willing to spend the money, yes
-I would like to leave it on so there's no boot-ups (unless MCE 2005 has a convenient sleep mode or something)all mine stay on 24/7. need a good PSU for this of course
-Great upscaling abbilities decent CPU and GPU required, but yes easily

How would I connect this to an HDTV? Preferable DVI with cable and Toslink to your audio receiver

Can all this be done in one box practically? define practically
 
IDversusEGO said:
-HDTV tuner integrated Over the Air tuners are available
-DTV tuner integrated Not until cable cards are fully supported.
-PVR capabilities Yes, easily
-near silent (with my gaming parts 7800 GTX 3800+ ect.) If you are willing to spend the money, yes
-I would like to leave it on so there's no boot-ups (unless MCE 2005 has a convenient sleep mode or something)all mine stay on 24/7. need a good PSU for this of course
-Great upscaling abbilities decent CPU and GPU required, but yes easily

How would I connect this to an HDTV? Preferable DVI with cable and Toslink to your audio receiver

Can all this be done in one box practically? define practically
Click to expand...

Well it just seems weird to me that there is a possability to cool my parts I have efficiantly( like really efficiantly) while silent. What stuff would I buy to keep the noise down?

Is it healthy for a comp to be left on? I got a Enermax Noisetaker 600w

And what does "over the air" mean

thanks a lot
 
some HD signals are broadcast for free, unencrypted. that is over the air.

for cooling, check with the guys on silentpcreview.com for some good cooling with low noise. Start with the artic silencer for your video card if they have one, and soemthing like an XP90 for your CPU. also, fan buses would be your friend. a low setting for the everyday TV watching, and turn it up for more airflow while gaming. keep in mind too that the average HDTV set has a native res of 1280x720, so your cards will not be so stressed to run that res. you could go with a lower CPU/GPU combo and save the good stuff for your main rig in your work area. Liquid cooling is always an option too.

Leaving a PC on is perfectly fine. I have 4 PC's that stay on 24/7 in my house. your hard drives will last longer if you set them to spin down. sage is suppsoed to be able to bring a PC out of sleep mode tor ecord something.
 
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