Posted: 9/10/2007 1:45:49 PM EDT
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I just bought a 50" Panasonic Plasma... SD looks like crap (maybe because cable box isn't a HD box yet), DVD's don't look any better and haven't gotten an HD box yet to even see HD on it. But... I'm looking for a new DVD player. Ours is a "progressive" DVD player, but it still looks the same whether it is turned on or not. Would a "upconverting" DVD player be better... and if so, do you know of any models that do it on Components as well as HDMI? And I guess my last question, can you use HDMI to do just the video to the tv and have the audio go out over a optical cable to the receiver? -d |
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Lets take these in parts: 1.) No Upconverting DVD player will do so over component. The rules regarding upconversion must be done over HDMI though some older ones could be used with VGA. So if you want upconversion, it has to be done with HDMI. 2.) Yes you can run the HDMI to your TV for video and run the optical cable to your receiver for surround sound. Just make sure the player has an optical out and not a digital coax cable. 3.) As to what players to recommend, Oppo's are the best at upconverting, but you will pay for it. Oppo's website. For the little bit of difference, I would go with the Toshiba A2 HD DVD player. It is only 1080i upconversion (doesn't matter if you display is 1080p), but 1.) it will play HD DVDs and 2.) Upconvert SD DVDs. You can find it for about the price of the Oppos. Only downside to the HD DVD player is that once you watch HD DVDs, you won't want to watch your SD DVDS.  Amazon Toshiba A2 HD DVD. Plus you get 5 free movies via the mail in rebate.4.) SD broadcast channels will always look like crap on a HD TV. Some sets can do better than others, but thats life. Plus getting a 50" HD TV makes it much worse. I have a 47" and do not use it for TV.  If you have any other questions, let me know. |
| Yeah regular cable and DVD players don't look that great on a big 50" HD. A standard DVD is 480i and progressive scan is 480p. An up convert DVD player will be better then standard I had a Pioneer Elite for $250. But If you want best quality pic and sound you should definitely consider a true high def player. HD-DVD or Blue Ray both put out 1080P through HDMI. Do your research though because not every movie comes out for both. Some studios only signed on for one format or the other and they are not interchangeable. Both are backwards compatible with DVDs. I personally think Blue Ray is the better of the two but to each their own. |
| I have a cheap samsung upconverting player and it does a satisfactory job. It doesn't look quite as good as the HDTV broadcast's i'm getting OTA, but it looks way better than the SD I'm getting from dishnetwork. At around $80-$100 and still being able to use your existing dvd collection, something like that would be your cheapest option. I also have a 50" plasma. |
| those 50" pannys are nice plasmas. Check into getting the set calibrated by a ISF certified tech, this will give you more detail in your picture and run the plasma 20-30 percent cooler. Also when the tv is running cooler this will extend the life of the plasma as well. I know this is off subject but good info for your new purchase. To answer your question though, I agree the toshiba hd dvd is the way to go, if you dont want to spend this type of money keep what you have run it with component cable and leave it in 480i mode and let the tv processor do the up scaling |
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The Samsung HD-850 will upconvert over component. All it takes is a simple remote code and HDCP is shut off and you can send whatever rate you want over component. That said, I have one, and it makes a difference only on a CRT with 480I/P and 1080I in. That's because the 1080I in signal fills the scan line gaps better. With a fixed pixel display like your plasma, the upscaler in the display is usually good enough that there is little difference between upscaling in the DVD player or in the TV. DVD is simply a cleaner SD signal. No amount of screwing with it will turn it into HD, despite what all the upconverting DVD player companies would like you to think. |
