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Zenith DVB 318 & LG 7832 DVD Player merged thread - Page 12

post #331 of 614
8/17/04 at 7:29am
Greetings

Still in Beta AFAIK ... but LG/Zenith are under no obligation to keep me informed of what and when they plan to implement the revision.

Any build dates leading up to July 2004 should still be fine.

Regards
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post #332 of 614
8/17/04 at 8:45am
I just got mine today. I am not sure if I can tell a difference or maybe its just a placebo effect. Need longer to tell.

Anyways I have a question. Will it send a 480i signal through component? I tried but it seems to only output 480p/720p/1080i?
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post #333 of 614
8/17/04 at 9:02am
Steven,

No 480i through component, only s-video and composite. I've got mine running on s-video to my Sony Wega 27"., waiting on an Infocus 4805 to use the 1080i.

Wes
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post #334 of 614
8/17/04 at 9:39am
Really? Well thats really stupid! Psh!
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post #335 of 614
8/17/04 at 12:22pm
Greetings

They kinda figured that if you want to send 480i via component, then just buy one of their $80 machines.

Regards
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post #336 of 614
8/17/04 at 7:12pm
Steven,

You'll need to do a new AVIA calibration with the Zenith first. The difference between 1080i from it and 480p from, say, a Faroudja equipped Panny is subtle.

I have a Panny CP-72 and found that on the AVIA resolution patterns I got noticeably better results with the Zenith.

I was also able to run sharpness almost 40% higher on the Zenith without ghosting.

The best way to describe the differenc in my case is that the picture is smoother yet sharper, more film like and less video-y. I'm using component to a crt based HD-ready widescreen Sony KP57HW40, results with digital displays will vary but it seems to make the biggest improvement on crt based rptvs.
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post #337 of 614
8/18/04 at 6:41pm
Browing the Zenith website, I see that it still touts the dvb318 as supporting component output at 1080i. Here is what I got which I clicked "Jack Pack" in the product description menu of the dvb318.

Jack Pack

Component Video Out 1 (1080i)
Digital Audio Out 1 (Optical), 1 (Coaxial)
S-Video Out 1
Composite Video Out 1
Audio Out 1 (L/R)

I agree with the comment about adjusting the picture display with a home calibration disc to get optimum results short of professional calibration. I used Digital Video Essentials. Even with what I thought would have been insignificant movements in the adjustments for contrast, brightness and color, the improvment in picture quality was significant. I thought however that sharpness controls were disabled when inputting 1080i through component and did not notice a change in the test patterns when moving the sharpness control my TV (direct view CRT Sony 34xbr910). Perhaps I did not move it far enough. In any case, I have the sharpness control turned all the way down and the picture detail at 1080i is still fantastic.
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post #338 of 614
8/24/04 at 9:11am
Does anyone else have one of these babies on order from Amazon.com? The earliest date they are giving me for shipping is tomorrow, I was wondering if anyone else is getting theirs yet?
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post #339 of 614
8/24/04 at 10:12am
So I'm watching the Olympics in HD and I decide to try switching the aspect ratio on the Panny 47" TV doesn't switch won't allow anythgin to come up when I hit the button. Just to check I go to NBC normal channel and can change the Aspect Ratio just fine.

OK so I put in Alien DVD and confirm the DVD player is set to 1080i, and I can't switch the aspect ratio, so I'm pretty happy at this point.

BUT

Decide to test it at 480p, OK stop the movie switch to 480p start the movie back up and, hey I can't switch the aspect ratio. And I'm telling you I can't see a difference in the 480p signal and the 1080i signal.

Notice a big difference between the 1080i DVD signal and the HD Cable signal I get. HD Cable signal is many times better, no matter what movie I'm playing.
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post #340 of 614
8/24/04 at 11:11am
Just goes to show, for whatever reason. Results may/will vary. The differences bewteen really good 480p and 1080i would be very subtle for sure. True HD is better for sure, but most times, we are getting scaled at the source to HD then broadcast out over the HD feed. The player seems to equal that sort of psuedo hd anyways. On heavy motion, it actually in some ways seems to beat a fair amount of HD broadcasting as some just blur if you look very closely at it. Interesting for sure, your results, and others results, and even my own results and the differences.
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post #341 of 614
8/24/04 at 12:16pm
on that note.... has anyone notice how bad the HD olympics broadcast over comcast has been ? really bad artifacts and break ups. consistantly.



my other channels are fine.
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post #342 of 614
8/24/04 at 1:34pm

quote:
And I'm telling you I can't see a difference in the 480p signal and the 1080i signal.


Bill,



Don't feel so bad. I've had quite a few people insist that the image using the Zenith upscaled to 1080i and then downscaled to my projector's 480p resolution "blows away" their old player. I honestly can't tell the difference between the Zenith and my old CP72.



Mileage with this player seems to vary by person, and by display device.



Hang on to the player for a few months, until the units with 1080i over component aren't available anymore, and then they become a hot item. Then ebay the sucker off for a profit.



I'm probably going to ebay my Zenith off later this year to someone that actually needs the 1080i over component, and use the cash for the new Denon Faroudja 480p player (pending reviews).
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post #343 of 614
8/24/04 at 7:58pm
Edited to remove post about silly non-problem
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post #344 of 614
8/24/04 at 8:27pm
It really sounds like it is just outputting a 480i signal. Since S-video works we know it can output 480i. Component does not work and the component cables will not send a 480i signal. Is there a setting someone to enable progressive output? It sounds like it's just doing 480i. It's been a while since I've set mine up so I can't remember what all options are in the setup menu.
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post #345 of 614
8/31/04 at 7:54pm
Has anyone gotten one shipped from Amazon yet?
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post #346 of 614
9/1/04 at 11:11pm
Just bought this player today with a July 2004 build date. Upconverts via component (confirmed via my X1) and DVI (not field tested). With default settings, I have been so far impressed with it's PQ.



A local Future Shop had the same player with a November 2003 build date. A couple of months ago, a local Visions store had the players with the same Nov 2003 build date.



Upconversion to 1080i worked fine with LOTR Return of the King. However, with Star Wars Episode II, Spiderman, Master & Commander, the player kept downconverting back to 480p from either 720p or 1080i. Over the next or two, I will try other DVDs and see if most of them will not upconvert. Until then, I suggest AVOIDING this build date. [img]images/smilies/frown.gif[/img]



Dave
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post #347 of 614
9/2/04 at 6:51am
I will have to watch Spiderman on mine and see what happens.

By most all accounts that build date should a been ok.



Maybe we are just now starting to see real implementations of HDCP on discs, would be my fear. I really don't know how it is implemented on the DVD itself.
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post #348 of 614
9/2/04 at 10:34am
Hmm, looks like the new firmware is implemented with the July 2004 build date onwards. Ive had the Nov2003 for a few months, works like a charm
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post #349 of 614
9/2/04 at 9:34pm
I think I read somewhere that New Line stopped putting Macrovision on their DVDs to save money (no licensing fees). If the title doesn't have Macrovision it will probably output 1080i or 720p.
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post #350 of 614
9/3/04 at 4:41am
makes sense...... it can be stripped anyway. if someone has any knowledge of what macro is they know what to use to strip it. sure its fun to try for learning or experience sake, I have done it. but for fun. I still like official releases and buy my dvd's. really the true consumer is still gonna buy and IMO no money is lost. those people wouldnt have bought anyway.



it amazes me that these co.'s still pay for it knowing you cannot stop stripping of macro.
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post #351 of 614
9/3/04 at 6:34am
It's just a flag in the bitstream the turns on the circuitry in the decoder.
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post #352 of 614
9/3/04 at 8:31am
Any discrete on/off power codes for this player yet? Any hope of getting one? I really want it for my MX-700 [img]images/smilies/frown.gif[/img]



http://66.46.69.23/sigserv/pl/index.pl?p=310

My DVD Collection
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post #353 of 614
9/5/04 at 9:14am
So far, I have tested the following DVDs on my July 2004 build player and state if they upconvert or not via component on my X1 (3.6 firmware):



DVDs which upconvert to 1080i:



LOTR: ROTK

Last Samurai

Matrix Reloaded

Matrix Revolutions

LOTR: TT

Tomorrow Never Dies



DVDs which don't upconvert (stays at 480p):



LOTR: FOTR

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Master and Commander

Matrix

Army of Darkness

Spiderman



To those with an earlier build player: Do all or most of your DVDs upconvert via component? If not, please state which ones do NOT upconvert....also, please state your build date? Thanks very much.



Dave
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post #354 of 614
9/5/04 at 10:57am
Mine is a March 2004 and I have never had an issue with any DVD upconverting. I have used 5 of the titles on you non-upconverting list and on mine they upconvert just fine via component.



You might want to look at one other thing. I unhooked my Zenith from my TV to play with another DVD player, and I noticed that on the back under the component video connections, it says 480p/720p/1080i. I'd be curious to see if yours still says this.
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post #355 of 614
9/5/04 at 5:39pm
Greg_T,



Yes, my player has the same label, 480p/720p/1080i, underneath the component video connectors.



Although the invoice indicates all sales final, I will try to return or exchange my player later this week. Wish me luck!



Dave
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post #356 of 614
9/5/04 at 11:26pm
As I mentioned earlier the Macrovision Articles:



http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992404



http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...2343247_F.shtml



Some of the newer releases are being put out sans macrovision to save the $.05 per disc is costs. That might account for why some still play, and other's don't. However, it was rumored that LOTR: FOTR didn't have it.
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post #357 of 614
9/6/04 at 4:35am
LOTR: FOTR



Star Wars: Attack of the Clones



Matrix



Spiderman





All of these play fine at 1080i for me with the Zenith DVB-318 as verified this weekend.
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post #358 of 614
9/6/04 at 4:56am
Confirmed that my March 2004 build date DVB318 upconverts all of the titles on teh above list over component. No problems.
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post #359 of 614
9/6/04 at 9:33am
Thanks all. I am hoping to exchange or return my LG player this week. Now that I have a good reason for this to occur.



Dave
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post #360 of 614
9/6/04 at 1:40pm
Does the firmware upgrade only fix the white crush on dvi? Or does it fix other stuff also? Maybe better 480p output? Would be great for 4:3 dvds.
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