DVI output DVD player $200

[Brandon B]

Anyone with a DVI equipped large display (especially FP) needs to read this thread at AVS.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=249247&perpage=20&pagenumber=1

Regarding a $200 DVI equipped DVD deck that is this months sleeper product. I have ordered one and will report back mid week what it does in my system (Sanyo PLV70 WXGA LCD PJ (well, its clone)and 120" diagonal Da-lite Hipower screen).

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[George Bellefontaine]

I'll look forward to your report, Brandon. One question though: Will scaling up from 480p to 720p really make that much difference in PQ ? I mean, 480p is 480p. How can you add resolution that really isn't there ?




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[Andrew Pratt]

George I believe the benefits come from the fact that using a DVI connection means that its digital all the way from the DVD player to the projector so its similar to a pre amp that has an analog pass though instead of a DA/AD converter in the signal path.

[Brandon B]

Or if you have a PJ who's native resolution is 720p like the Marantz. But Andrew's right, the key is the all digital domain signal path.

My system today: DVD-> D2A 480i component video conversion->PJ A2D converter->PJ deinterlacer->PJ scaler to 1366x768 resolution-> screen

My system Wednesday: DVD-> PJ scaler to 1366x768 resolution-> screen

What's gonna look better? In the thread I reference, several people already have this unit. They are UNIFORMLY saying it beats noticeably to dramatically their previous deck. Many of them are comparing it to the vaunted RP91. One, who I converse with pretty regularly has the exact same setup as me, PJ and screen-wise.

There is also a separate thread for HT1000 owners and the D1 you should check out.

Basically, this thing gets you most of the functionality and image improvement of an HTPC, with out the PC part.

For $200 (and the problematic DVI cabling issues).

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[JonMarsh]

Yeah, but with my HTPC, I'll be able to watch the "Ultimate Terminator" DVD release in the Windows Media 9 format at 1280X720P from the source :B :B :B :B :B :B :B :B :B :B :B :B :B


- HTPC's are SO flexible and easily upgradeable. :W

If you haven't tried out WM9 on your PC, get DX9 and the WM9 player form Micro$oft and download their 6.5 MB/s trailers- "Step into the Liquid", "Confidence", and "A Foriegn Affair" - all at 1280X720P. That they can get such performance with average data rates of an upper midrange DVD is pretty amazing- peak data rate was about 8 MBit/s, obviously way below ATSC. With the 20MBit/s possible with ATSC, this codec should really shine....

Needs a decent 32MB or better nVidia or ATI video card, current drivers, an either a 2.4 GHz P4 or a 1.8 GHz Athlon for smooth playback- at least those are the stated reqiurements, and they seem to work fine for me. Very smooth playback, and true HD level detail that even a SuperBIT DVD doesn't have.

-Jon




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[Brandon B]

All true.

But I don't have a PC at home, just Macs. And they don't do HTPC (digital lifestyle hub my . . .)

And the wife isn't going to want to deal with a PC, etc etc.

And I already have the older ultimate T2 and can't watch it cuz my kid's only 5, and he escapes every time I barricade him in his room.

So for me, and a lot of others, this thing is PERfect, well sort of.

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[JonMarsh]

And that's why YMMV! :W

I'm wondering how this unit will compare to the similarly equipped (but more expensive) Samsung due out in June.

I've been a little skeptical about the ever falling prices of DVD players, but I just got a $90 Panasonic with Progressive scan (from CostCo) for a friend's retirement party, and I have to admit I'm amazed at how good it is for $100. Can't be much margin in building and selling those!

I have several friends that are stalwart Mac users; a couple I've converted to XP (my nickname isn't "Darth" for nothing, you know), but I can understand why you want to stick with your Mac's. They have a pretty good DVD player in the current version, and there's still a lot of speculation about eventual OS 10 on X86. There just isn't the same kind of variety of hardware and software offerings- both a blessing and a curse, of sorts.

Heck, I was running one AMD system with just BeOS for a while, and that I really liked- it would have been great for a media OS - THATS WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED FOR! There's a small German company trying to resurrect it... I may buy a copy just to vote for "Not Microsoft".

/Rant OFF

~Jon

~Jon




Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....

[George Bellefontaine]

Pretty darn interesting, fellas.

Brandon, I'll check out that HT1000 thread.




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[Brandon B]

Jon - also forgot to mention, this thing DOES support MPEG 4 and DiVX, which is nice, and unusual (this month anyway).

It is also alleged that the sound from the analog outs is pretty crappy. So it's by no means flawless.

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