HD upgrade or Progressive Scan DVD Player?

[jdock]

Hello, real easy question for all you experts out there ... I have a Sony 51" Rear Projection HD capable CRT big screen. I want to upgrade my dvd system from the current 480i via s-video setup that I'm using. Would it be worth the cash to go with the Sony dvd player that upgrades to HD using the HDMI cable, or would I be better off going with the Sony progressive scan dvd player using component hookups? Someone at Best Buy told me to go the progressive scan way since crt's aren't as picky as the new LCD's or DLP's with digital signals, and I wouldn't see much of a difference between progressive scan using component vs. HD upgrade using dvi/hdmi. If someone can tell me hands down I'll be happiest with the HD upconverter dvd player, I'll go with that.

So, what's going to happen when dvd's are in HD format? Will they play in standard dvd players?

Thanks!

[kevinw]

Does your TV have an HDMI input? If not buy a progressive scan not an upscaler because very few if any upscaling DVD players will go beyond 480p through component connections.
If you do then your looking at 500 -1000 dollars for a HDDVD or Blu-Ray DVD players.
No HD or BD disk will play on a standard DVD player. IT will be a LONG time before there is nothing but high def DVD's only.

[Ratman]

IMO... if you don't buy an HD-DVD or Blu-ray DVD player, just get a "legacy" progressive scan DVD player and use component video. This is the least expensive and will provide very nice results.

Upscaling DVD players do not "upgrade" DVD's to to HD. They merely upscale the DVD (encoded at 480i) to HD resolutions. There may be some improvement, but if you want the best of both worlds, an HD-DVD player can provide "true" HD picture quality as well as "upscaling" of traditional DVD's.

HD-DVD's or Blu-ray DVD's are not playable in legacy DVD players.

[jdock]

Howdy, thanks much for the replies. I have a DVI connection on the back of my t.v. HDMI is the usb looking one right?

I saw another post from someone saying they get a blank screen with my same 51" rp CRT Sony big screen and an upconverting DVD player using the hdmi to dvi cord. I'm worried that whenever I do decide to buy a dvd player that will require the dvi to hdmi cable that I will have the same problem. How do you get around the blank screen problem?

Also, what does "legacy" mean? Just any old progressive scan player, is that what legacy means?

Thanks again.

[Ratman]

Legacy is the "plain old" DVD's and player.

Definition of: legacy

That which is handed down from a predecessor. In the computer field, it refers to the previous, major generation of hardware and/or software that continues to be used. See legacy application and legacy system.

[kevinw]

They had blank screen because they did not read the manual. Since you have DVI I'd recomend the Oppo 971H
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=all&type=&manufacturer=68&maxprice=0&deInt=0&mpeg=0#Oppo%20DigitalOPDV971H%20(DVI)

[jdock]

... they didn't read the manual ... does this mean there is a way to not have the blank screen if setup properly?

So do HD dvd players upconvert non HD dvd's just like upconverting dvd players do? Do HD dvd players allow you to use component connections, or would I still have to use the DVI connection?

Thanks again!

[Ratman]

1) yes
2) HD-DVD players do... not 100% sure about Blu-ray.
3) yes... you can still still get true HD quality using component since DCT has not yet been implemented on HD-DVD/Blu-ray DVD's.

[57U]

One other thing to be aware of is that not all DVI inputs have HDCP and that can cause issues. Check the operating manual specifications for your TV to ensure DVI-HDCP, if not you may not be able to use that input for HD (720P/1080i) signals. Here's a check list for when things don't work.

http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showthread.php?t=15263

[jdock]

Thanks for the great help. I've determined I will wait for HD dvd players to come down in price and will go that route.

Let me get this straight though ... HD dvd players only allow you to use the component video connection and will upconvert non HD dvd's?
Why don't the upconvert dvd players do the upconverting via component then? Seems like most force you to use the dvi to hdmi.

How many dvd's are actually recorded in HD right now? Any at all?

Thanks!

[jdock]

3) yes... you can still still get true HD quality using component since DCT has not yet been implemented on HD-DVD/Blu-ray DVD's.

The guy at Best Buy and at a local home theater store just told me in order to enjoy HD on an HD dvd player you must use the dvi to hdmi connection, not component. Rat seemed to think HD dvd players don't even include the dvi connection, and these other guys are telling me it's the only way to receive full HD via an HD dvd player. I just wanted to get this cleared up once and for all so I know which route I will take. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[abeas]

HD DVD players, like the HD A2 I own only upconvert via HDMI connection. You can watch HD DVDs at HD res using component, but because of copy issues, they do not upconvert over component.
There are many movies ready to be put on HD DVD or bluray. Most movies are shot on 35mm film, which if you think of film digitally (even though its analog and has no pixels) it has roughly 20 million pixels. Your 1080P TVs now handle roughly 2 million pixels. A movie on film can be transfered to HD fairly easily.

[jdock]

So I could use component on an HD dvd player to view HD dvd's in HD, and then regular dvd's would just be in 480p right?

[abeas]

Yes, although DVDs are native 480i. Tell the guys at Best Buy they are idiots and wrong, and don't listen to what they tell you.

[jdock]

OKay, so then according to RATMAN, "since DCT has not yet been implemented on HD-DVD/Blu-ray DVD's" using the dvi to hdmi on an HD dvd player won't give you true HD when viewing HD dvd's right? So the dvi to hdmi on an HD dvd player would only be used for upconverting non HD dvd's, right?

Thanks,

[57U]

Summary:

Upconverting DVD players:

- usually require HDMI or DVI for the upconversion to work, otherwise you're limited to 480P via component video.

HD players

- Can send 720P, 1080i (or 1080p if you have an input to handle) signals via HDMI or DVI or component video at this time, however, SD DVDs will only be output at up to 480P via component video. Strange but true.

[abeas]

HDMI to HDMI, HDMI to DVI and Component video will ALL give you HD on HD DVDs or Bluray. The only thing is component video will not upconvert SD DVDs to 1080i/p 720p. Perhaps in a few years we will not be able to watch HD DVDs or Bluray over component video because DCT will be implemented.

[wifeB8]

Btw it’s ICT (Image Constraint Flag).

Not to be confused with DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform), or for that mater DST (Daylight Savings Time) :)

[Ratman]

BTW... it's Image Constraint "Token" . :)
And... Daylight "Saving" Time.

Sorry about the "DCT" vs. "ICT" faux pas.

[wifeB8]

Lots of laughs………. :rofl2: It’s amazing how the mind plays tricks even when you see those darn letters in front of you. Yes you are right – Token.