Which product has the best upconversion/scaling? Which settings?
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Anonymously Submitted
- HDTV Magazine
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Which product has the best upconversion/scaling? Which settings?
My $2500 HDTV has an upconvert function, so does my surround sound amp, and my blu ray DVd does too. So when I play one of my legacy DVDs which component does the upconvert? Is there a way to set a default so that the component I prefer does the job?
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akirby
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Start with the Blu-Ray player and check the upconversion settings. Since that's the first source it will control what happens in the other parts of the chain.
I'd try setting the Blu-Ray player for the TV's native resolution (720p or 1080i/p) first and experiment from there. There is no hard and fast rule for which yields better results - depends on the quality of each of the components.
I'd try setting the Blu-Ray player for the TV's native resolution (720p or 1080i/p) first and experiment from there. There is no hard and fast rule for which yields better results - depends on the quality of each of the components.
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perfectinght
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You have not given us nearly enough information to offer an informed appraisal of your system's capabilities.
What is the native pixel map of your TV?
Does your TV have an HDMI or DVI digital video input?
Does your AV receiver up-convert to HDMI digital video signals?
Does your AV receiver up-convert HDMI signals, analog component video, or just S-Video/composite video?
What scan rates does your AV receiver up-convert to?
What make is the video processor in your Blu-ray player?
What make is the video processor in your AV receiver?
What make is the video processor in your TV?
Best regards and beautiful pictures,
Alan Brown, President
CinemaQuest, Inc.
"Advancing the art and science of electronic imaging"
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dabhome
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Re: Which of my 3 components is doing the upconversion?
Your TV will automatically convert what ever signal it receives to it's native resolution. The other components typically pass through or upconvert based on how they are configured. This means that all three devices could perform up or down conversion.Anonymously Submitted wrote:My $2500 HDTV has an upconvert function, so does my surround sound amp, and my blu ray DVd does too. So when I play one of my legacy DVDs which component does the upconvert? Is there a way to set a default so that the component I prefer does the job?
David
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Richard
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Starting points
DVD and Blu-ray Sources
This is typically where you would use upconversion/scaling. It should be set for the native scan rate of your display - 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 1080p24 frame (if your display is 24 frame capable).
Broadcast TV Sources
Most use the source, set top box, for upconversion, cross conversion and scaling. Depending on aspect ratio features of the display or source some choose Native Output if available.
Your A/V Receiver
Out of the box this feature is typically turned off. In most cases it would be used for VCRs, analog DVD players, laserdisc players, SD camcorders; ultimately those products that are analog and SD, standard definition.
The Display
It will perform all the same functions of the equipment above. To bypass it requires you feed it the native pixel map of the display along with the native scan rate. 1280x720 - 720p and 1920x1080 -1080i, 1080p, 1080p24. Any other native pixel matrix that does not match will always have the internal scaler of the display in play unless you use a more expensive external scaler to bypass it. You cannot go by the simple term of 720p, 1080i, 1080p to determine the native pixel matrix - you want the actual matrix spec.
Note
1280x720 is difficult if not impossible to find anymore. Even a true native 1080p display will scale all broadcast TV since 1080p is not used and no set top boxes support it. Only upconverting DVD players and blu-ray can bypass the internal scaler of a 1080p display. Most external scalers can bypass the internal scaler of ANY display - requires 1:1 pixel mapping of the external scaler and testing of the display to determine if possible.
Determining which product does the better job requires extensive testing using calibration DVDs and the HQV Benchmark series of scaling tests. Article is forthcoming on HQV Benchmark. Knowing the information suggested by perfectinght can be helpful but actual bench testing is required to determine if the manufacturer has setup the video processor they are using to it's full potential.
DVD and Blu-ray Sources
This is typically where you would use upconversion/scaling. It should be set for the native scan rate of your display - 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 1080p24 frame (if your display is 24 frame capable).
Broadcast TV Sources
Most use the source, set top box, for upconversion, cross conversion and scaling. Depending on aspect ratio features of the display or source some choose Native Output if available.
Your A/V Receiver
Out of the box this feature is typically turned off. In most cases it would be used for VCRs, analog DVD players, laserdisc players, SD camcorders; ultimately those products that are analog and SD, standard definition.
The Display
It will perform all the same functions of the equipment above. To bypass it requires you feed it the native pixel map of the display along with the native scan rate. 1280x720 - 720p and 1920x1080 -1080i, 1080p, 1080p24. Any other native pixel matrix that does not match will always have the internal scaler of the display in play unless you use a more expensive external scaler to bypass it. You cannot go by the simple term of 720p, 1080i, 1080p to determine the native pixel matrix - you want the actual matrix spec.
Note
1280x720 is difficult if not impossible to find anymore. Even a true native 1080p display will scale all broadcast TV since 1080p is not used and no set top boxes support it. Only upconverting DVD players and blu-ray can bypass the internal scaler of a 1080p display. Most external scalers can bypass the internal scaler of ANY display - requires 1:1 pixel mapping of the external scaler and testing of the display to determine if possible.
Determining which product does the better job requires extensive testing using calibration DVDs and the HQV Benchmark series of scaling tests. Article is forthcoming on HQV Benchmark. Knowing the information suggested by perfectinght can be helpful but actual bench testing is required to determine if the manufacturer has setup the video processor they are using to it's full potential.
Last edited by Richard on Sun Jul 13, 2008 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dabhome
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I would recommend using the "Pass Thru" option on most set top boxes (cable box). Cable boxes tend to be cheap and therefore do not have very good scalers builtin. I have a the Motorola DVR and I have it set to pass thru SD signals (480i) but for HD signals it converts it to 1080i. This is because the box does not have a pass thru mode on HD. Interestingly, a friend of mine who has a Panasonic 720p Plasma display, gets better results by having the cable box upconvert to 1080i and then have the HDTV downconvert to 720p. This is probably because most HD channels are 1080i instead of 720p. YMMVRichard wrote:Starting points
...
Broadcast TV Sources
Most use the source, set top box, for upconversion, cross conversion and scaling. Depending on aspect ratio features of the display or source some choose Native Output if available.
...