***Official Digital Video Essentials Discussion Thread*** (2 Viewers)

[JohnSterling]

And last I checked...DVE is *much* less epensive than Avia.

 

[ZacharyTait]

What kind of setup should you have to get this disc? I have a Phillips 27" with component inputs. A Sony DVD player is hooked up to it with Monster component cables. A Sony Home Theater is hooked up to those. It's a theater in a box deal. 450 Watts.

 

[JohnSterling]

It depends on how much of a nut case you are!

If you want to get a good baseline on what your system is *supposed* to sound and look like (in theory)...then get it. It will take you through setting both your sound and audio up quite well. You'll probably learn quite a bit also as you view the DVD for the first time. Afterwards, can make changes based on personal preference.

Will you see a drastic change in a 27" TV and an out-of-the-box HT system??? I have no idea...maybe, maybe not. I doubt it's going to make anything worse.

I like the VE discs a lot, because I go through DVD players about one every 6-8 months. It's a nice way to make sure the new player is calibrated correctly. Also keep in mind that if you're going to be half-way serious about using the DVD, you'll need to run out to Rat-Shack and buy an SPL meter from them for around $30 or so bucka-roos.

Cheers.

 

[JohnSterling]

I sat through most of the DVD today. It's quite a bit more detailed on the various HT technologies than the first disc. (No surprise). To be honest...some of it is borderline snoozeville material...but oh well. All the testing stuff is really good. The tri-color see-through filters are nice and I also like their new/personal verion of 'pluge'. I *REALLY* like the audio test sections call 'rattle test'. Those really work and helped me track down some minor annoying rattles that had been bugging me for a while. (Couple wine bottles of all things...). I don't like the new sample movies/video scenes. I think the first DVD had much better sample movies/video in general. All in all, though...it's still a very good DVD. Well worth the $$$$$$.

 

[Todd K]

Got this from Amazon in less than 48 hours. I ordered it Wednesday, and Thursday morning I got an e-mail saying it had been delayed. However, later in the day when I checked the tracking page, I saw that the disc was already on its way. It arrived this morning (Friday).

I'm very much looking forward to using it, though I'm afraid that my (hypochondriac) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is going to kick in and I'll end up paying for my standard definition Wega to be professionally calibrated.

 

[Neil Joseph]

I now have mine, got it yesterday, but I will wait until this weekend to go throught he disk in detail.

 

[Omard.]

I connect my DVD player through s video can I use DVE? My player is old does the player need to meet requirements? Also if I use the DVE does this calibrate for all viewing DVD, cable, HDTV? Also how hard is it to use for a complete novice? Sorry if the questions are stupid new to this and trying to learn.

 

[Daryl L]

I haven't seen the new DVE yet (mines on backorder) but I'm sure by viewing the intro's it shouldn't be too difficult. The rest of us were beginners once when we got our first calibration discs and we learned. I currently own Avia, S&V HTT, VE and soon DVE. S&V HTT is probably easiest for beginners followed by AVIA and VE. I prefer Avia for video calibration and VE for audio calibration myself. With the new DVE It should allow me to prefer it for both Video and Audio calibbration. I think DVE should turn out to be more user friendly than Avia and VE.

If you use S-Video connections for your dvd player and cable than the calibration will be correct for cable and dvd's if you follow the tutorials. For HDTV it may be close but not totally accurate since the HD signal uses a different input path and connections.

 

[Page]

You can calibrate for each input on your TV. It's not hard to use--just follow the instructions on the disc. Pretty much you'll be adjusting the television's contrast, brightness, tint, color, sharpness controls on your TV. (There are also additonal test patterns which can be used if you have more advanced calibration equipment and get into the service menu of your TV.)

If you have a surround sound system you'll also be lead through the proper set-up and proper level for your speakers.

(Your questions aren't stupid. Everybody has to start somewhere!)

 

[Omard.]

Actually I have component connections for my DVD player. But due to cash/female obstacles have not purchased any cables as of yet. Also my cable/HDTV is connected thru component cables. And I due have a surround system very modest though. Will the DVE work with my configuration? Here is a pic of my system http://images.snapfish.com/338654272...463%3C79nu0mrj

 

[Daryl L]

Sure, it will work with basicly any audio/video setup. Just disconnect the HD cables from the cable box and connect it to the dvd player long enough to calibrate your hd inputs.

 

[Omard.]

thanks for the help.

 

[John Royster]

anybody else noticing the disks entire content is outside the 5% safe zone for overscan?

I'm not talking the patterns, but the actual material itself seems to push all the way to the edge of the frame, frequently going beyond 5%.

 

[Omard.]

Where is the best place to get this video?

 

[JohnSterling]

John,

I got that...but assumed it was just my TV's settings. (As in, incorrect settings).

For me, the right side of the picture is maybe 1 or 2% over...but the left side is the full 5% like you say.

Interesting...eh????

 

[Dave Pobuda]

I thought it was my set's overscan but now I'm starting to wonder..

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Wouldn't be a surprise; the original VE's overscan diagrams were off-center substantially, making them essentially useless. If that's happened again, someone in Joe Kane's outfit must be slightly cockeyed.

 

[Daryl L]

Most tv sets Out Of the Box is ~5% overscan. Usually 3% overscan is recommended. Thats a total of 4% more viewing area. That 3% overscan may be how they have the material set to be viewed with.

JohnSterling,

That means if you were to use the HPOS (horizontal position) in the service menu to shift your image to be centered you would have ~3% overscan on the sides.

 

[Omard.]

Where did you guys get your copy of DVE at?

 

[Daryl L]

Ordered mine from www.DeepDiscountDVD.com but hasn't shipped yet but today I noticed they switched status from backordered to preorder. Ugh.