proggressive dvd player... is it really worth it?

favian · 10-20-2003, 05:26 PM

Here we go,

I recently bought a Toshiba 57hx83 rptv. Very happy with it, once I set up with video essentials and bought my first set of component cables to run off of my pioneer v434 dv player.

I ha a few questions and came here to get them answered.

I found out that my pioneer v434 was not what some people were calling true progressive...

So I ran out an bought a cambridge audio dvd300/s player.
And now I have seen nothing but problems... major issues with red saturation and the black lines running through red images.
The overall picture is better not by much mind you. So after setting everything properly, calibrating, not ISF, I must wonder is a small jump in detail worth the problems of having anything red go by drive me nuts?

I know this is most likely a personal preference issue, but am I missing something? Spending $1000 or more on a high end player, is there rally that much of a visual difference. Since my TV has a film mode, it is pretty much doing what a progressive scan dvd would (I know it's not the same quality usually as a DVD chipset).

Anyways I just wanted to start a conversation find out what others were thinking.

Sean^M · 10-20-2003, 07:40 PM

it all comes down to the decoder chipset most times.
you want a good chipset in your DVD player, like the faroudja DCDi chipset or similar.

Kevin C Brown · 10-20-2003, 09:57 PM

That Cambridge player is a bit long in the tooth now (old). Better stuff out now.

Last year, I went from a Pioneer DV-05 (non-prog) to a 47ai (prog). I'm pissed that I didn't switch sooner.

david stark · 10-20-2003, 10:58 PM

I've just got my first prog scan dvd player (Arcam dv89) and the picture quality is much better than my previous dvd player (some cheap grundig player approx 3 years old). The picture quality is also much better if I have the dvd player doing the prog scan rather than the tv.

JohnSterling · 10-20-2003, 11:50 PM

Yes...once you settle on a good PS player, you'll be very happy with it. The Denon line are currently the 'hot' machines for great PS performance...if they are within your budget...and it sounds like they are for you. They've got the faroudja chipset in them.

Some of us hyper-video geeks are trying out the 1080i and 720p ability of our HDTV's with growing variety of players able to upsample the DVD output to those resolutions.

I'll never go back to 480p.

**HTF Ads**

Don_Berg · 10-21-2003, 01:24 AM

I'd recommend a Denon DVD-1600 for around $300. Top of the line picture quality and top-rated Faroudja de-interlacer - beat $1000+ models in the big DVD player shootout!

favian · 10-21-2003, 05:28 AM

I am packing up the cambrige unit and returning it today. I have been reading quite allot on these denon units. I guess after spending so much on an hdtv and then being faced with the reality of having to spend allot more on a prog player I was getting pissed off. Not to mention spending 1000 +.

Also knowing I will eventually be getting another player when the hd-dvd players start coming out.

John.L.C. · 10-22-2003, 12:10 AM

You may want to check it out with someone who knows the Toshiba really well ... if your Toshiba is like mine ... it has an internal decoder thing that converts your DVD image to what Toshiba calls "540p" which is actually 1/2 of 1080i. Thus, you won't get the benefit of true progressive 480p. When I had my Toshiba calibrated, the calibration guy had me look at the output from my Sony progressive DVD player at progressive and non-progressive ... and it was sharper at non-progressive output. This is due (as I understand it) to the fact that the Toshiba is going to "process" whatever signal it gets to have it go to their "540p".

favian · 10-22-2003, 05:28 AM

Thats interesting.
I picked up a Harmon/Kardon DVD25 yesterday. I found when watching the picture is better when the Toshiba is set to 1080i not 580p and the HK is set to prog.

I hope there is'nt any problems when viewing from a HD source.

The quality is really nice, not sure it is quite there yet but very nice. I am still considering a denon.

patrick korn · 10-22-2003, 06:20 AM

what about D-VHS??i want to buy one maybe in a week or so.what about your opion???