Noob Question - HD and Component!

froggi3 · 12-03-2006, 04:19 PM

Hello all,

Fantastic site, very informative and well laid out. I have a benq pb 6110 projector, what I'd like to know is if I connect a HD or Blu Ray DVD player via component input, will I get true HD video? The projector is rated at 720p, what I had heard was that you only get true(good) HD resolution through HDMI, is this correct?

RobertR · 12-03-2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

what I had heard was that you only get true(good) HD resolution through HDMI, is this correct?

It's not correct. You get the full resolution via component, because the studios have chosen not to implement the image restraint token for analog output.

Neil Joseph · 12-03-2006, 07:26 PM

Yes, the implementation of the image restraint flag is something that "may" occur in a couple of years. It is up to the studios to do this although if they do it now, they would be shooting themselves in the foot with HD DVD and Blu-Ray still in their infancy and with so many hdtv's with no hdmi and only with component.

The image will of course be downconverted to 720p as that is the native resolution of your projector.

RAF · 12-04-2006, 12:08 AM

Richard and Neil have answered your question and I agree with their responses. The only thing that I would add to this (and which might be the cause of some of the confusion although I doubt it in this case) is that one theoretical advantage of using HDMI from a digital source to a digital display is that the video signal path doesn't have to go through any Digital -> Analog (D/A) and then Analog -> Digital (A/D) conversions and remains in the digital domain throughout. With component output being an analog output these conversions are inevitable. On paper, fewer conversions lessens the chance of degrading the video signal and maybe this would show up with some test equipment and test patterns. However, in real world viewing the average viewer - even one with a fairly critical eye - would be hard pressed to tell the difference in an HD image from an analog output from its digital counterpart.

Like I said, the theory supports HDMI HD as being the better choice, but component video is quite capable at delivering the same HD resolution as long as the image restraint flag is left out of the picture.

froggi3 · 12-04-2006, 06:20 PM

Thanks for the help people, it's much appreciated. I have to go out and buy a HD DVD player now! My wife will kill me.

**HTF Ads**

Jeff Adkins · 12-11-2006, 04:44 PM

Just keep in mind that you can't upscale standard DVDs via component with the an HD-DVD or BD player...you'll need the Oppo 970 to do that.

buggs · 12-12-2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Adkins

Just keep in mind that you can't upscale standard DVDs via component with the an HD-DVD or BD player...you'll need the Oppo 970 to do that.

I did not know that! HD-DVD and BD will not upscale using component. Well, in my opinion that pretty much does the component in, unless you want to run two DVD player (or three if you cannot choose a HD platform)

My problem is that my receiver does not have HDMI - it is only a year old so replacing it is not much of an option at this time. Independantly, I can go directly from the player to the Z5 projector with HDMI and from the player to the receiver for sound - what a pain!

PattyFraser · 12-12-2006, 04:15 PM

The oppo 970 will upscale my SD via component? I am sooo there. Hope it's not too costly.

edited to add: Just checked this out via Amazon. The price is right, but they say it upconverts via HDMI. So...what's the deal, my friends?

Neil Joseph · 12-12-2006, 04:22 PM

This is probably one of the ways that HD DVD and Blu-ray are "weaning" people away from component, that and the upcoming implementation of the image restraint flag that will prevent full hi-def via component.