The way DVDs look on HDTVs! (1 Viewer)

[Greg_S_H]

I can assure you, that this wasn't the case. The DVD player was set to output progressive scan, as well as 16X9 Widescreen (as opposed to 4:3 letterbox). The TV itself was also in the correct full mode, where anamorphic DVDs automatically would stretch themselves out, and fill the screen (although, there were still black bars, on top and bottom, because we were watching 2.35:1 movies) {Except for Sleepy Hollow}.

I wasn't dismissing your experiences. I was relating my own, which seemed to be what you were looking for with your last sentence.

 

[Richard Stammer]

I have been in pig heaven ever since our move to Florida and my wife's agreeing to allow me to upgrade our home theater, especially the monitor, from a 31" Mitsubshi direct view (calibrated with Video Essentials) to a 50" Sony Grand WEGA LCD RPTV (also calibrated with Video Essentials, as well as user menu calibrations I learned from the AVS Fourm).

There is simply no comparison in picture quality between the two tv's My mouth is perpetually open in amazement and pleasure at the tremendous picture the Grand WEGA provides, particularly after tweaking. Scan lines gone, incredible brightness and clarity, and definitely a filmlike, even 3D quality to the picture. Not to mention, of course, size. Every DVD is a completely new experience.

I had previously been underwhelmed with RPTVs due to many poor presentations in B&M stores and in other people's homes. Basically, I believe that most RPTVs can achieve a great picture with proper tweaking. But I doubt that most owners are aware of how to make the picture better. Most people who visit our home are amazed at the quality of the picture.

 

[Richard Waller]

After watching DVDs on a 31 inch TV for the past couple years, it took some getting use to watching them on my 51 RPTV. After ISF calibration, I'm able to appreciate these movies on a whole new level.

 

[mark alan]

John,

I see the advantages of front projection (besides picture size) to be:

1. Wider viewing angle.
2. takes up no floor space.
3. lower cost (entry level home theater projects are around $1,300.
4. More exotic, more impressive for guests.

they also have disadvantages including.
1. Shorter bulb life, and expensive bulb replacement
2. Require better light control
3. Setting up and wiring can be a pain, and expensive if done professionally.

I think most people would be sold on a FP system if they could set it up in their home, but it is difficult to do so. You basically have to make the decision to go FP, sometimes without ever seeing one in action.

 

[Paul_Scott]

i was just in a high-end store yesterday looking at the array of widescreen HD rp's, and yeah, the feed from HDnet looked nice, but if i was laying out a couple thousand i could still find issues with the pictures .
far away (2,3x multiple screen widths) the pictures looked great, but up close- like within 5 feet or so, and i could still see a somewhat 'processed' look to the picture.
i assume thats just the cost of compression, transmission,etc.

i also had them put on a DVHS tape (Independence Day) and while it generally looked great- i'm still torn over whether the picture is that much greater that some of the better dvd material i've spun on my pj.
many times i've found myself thinking "this is incredible...iof everything were this good, i could probably go another 15-20 yrs without HDdvd"

 

[Dan Hitchman]

1080p HD masters scaled to 1080i have been filtered up the wazoo to minimize interlaced scanning artifacts. You lose gobs of detail and color fidelity.

We should be looking for 1080p video with no filtering and VERY, VERY good compression technology.

Dan

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I find this pretty surprising. I went from a 27" direct view to a Toshiba 65" 16:9 RPTV, and was immediately VERY pleased with the quality of DVD on the set. Poor transfers stick out more, but good ones really look terrific. It got even better when I enabled the 3:2 pulldown and had the ISF calibration.

Now, I would agree that cable on the big set can be taxing. I've gone to watching almost zero television; I watch almost nothing but DVD.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

John wrote,

I see the advantages of front projection (besides picture size) to be:
1. Wider viewing angle.
2. takes up no floor space.
3. lower cost (entry level home theater projects are around $1,300.
4. More exotic, more impressive for guests.

Mark, this is a joke, right?
You see no picture quality difference between a FP & RPTV?

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Could have been the burn in time. Maybe the ISF was done poorly.

Had a month for burn in.
He checked the ISF calibration against the VE disc and found the set to be spot on.

It was his first time viewing a RPTV.
And he likes his TV.
I would take all of this with a pound & a half of sea salt!

 

[Bryan]

Wow, that must have been a huge dissapointment for her to hear you say her TV didn't perform well.

Even though it had been ISF'd, maybe she reset the tv settings (like sharpness et al). Could have been the burn in time. Maybe the ISF was done poorly. Just thoughts.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Ed,

do tell, please, what IS the difference in terms of image fidelity between a FP and a RP?

If they're both top shelf, calibrated, connected to a top shelf dvd player and everything is tricked out as much as it can be tricked out, what difference am I going to see other than a size one?

From your statement to Mark I figure it must be a pretty dramatic difference, I just don't understand why? With the state of technology for RP today, their should be no reason for a FP to look THAT much better with, again, all things being equal.

 

[mark alan]

I don't think that you would see much difference between a good FP and a good RP, if both set up properly. I do, however, believe that the FP is more viewable, both because of size and because you have more of a viewing angle.

I think that everyone can agree that they are both a huge improvement over what you could have gotten ten years ago, and we are lucky that we have a choice.

 

[Jerry Gracia]

Not that great when compared to a real HD signal.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

quote...
"The way DVDs look on HDTVs!"

Excellent when NOT compared to a real HD signal, which isn't fair and shouldn't be done in the first place.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well-made CRT-based front projectors using eight- and nine-inch CRTs can resolve all the resolution available in a 720P or 1080i signal, something which is beyond the capability of most if not all RPTVs currently on the market. And a good DLP-based front projector, such as the new Sharp 10000, not only can resolve more but have a much better contrast ratio and incredible light output.

Add to the above the more immersive experience of watching a film on an 82- to 110-inch-wide screen, and there you go.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Thanks Jack, that sure answers my question. Now though, I REALLY want a FP!

 

[MarkHastings]

When I was looking at RPTV's (a few years ago), I saw this RPTV (I forget exactly what brand, but I seem to recall it being a Panasonic) that used a plasma display for it's projection. Basically, there was a small plasma display inside the tv (like 12" or something like that) and it used that to project the image on the tv screen. The tv was quite expensive but the picture looked incredible.

Has anyone heard of this? Did this technology stick around or did it die out?

 

[Dave Poehlman]

I find this pretty surprising. I went from a 27" direct view to a Toshiba 65" 16:9 RPTV, and was immediately VERY pleased with the quality of DVD on the set. Poor transfers stick out more, but good ones really look terrific.

Agreed. Perhaps the original poster just had his expectations set too high.

Overall, I was floored by the quality of my DVD's. I will admit, however once I had seen a true HD signal, my opinion of DVD quality has dropped slightly... but.. that'll all be fixed by Blu-ray, right?

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

Uh, how far away from the HDTV screen are you sitting? It's a growing problem: TV screens are becoming too big; the typical living room isn't big enough to hold both the set and the couch at the proper viewing distance.

 

[mark alan]

Wayne, as I said, advantage #2 of FP. The screen is on the wall, 2-3 feet further back than a RPTV.