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Experience with Kenwood VR509, Progressive Scan (1 Viewer)

Joined
Nov 4, 2001
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Hi everyone...first time poster, but I'll try to make it (relatively) concise:
With the Nintendo Gamecube supporting Pro Logic II, the Sony Playstation 2 supporting DTS, and the Microsoft X-Box supporting Dolby Digital, I've decided to upgrade to a new receiver.
Since I'm on a limited budget, the Kenwood VR509 seems like the best deal. I already have the speakers from an RCA RT2250 home theatre, so provided an RCA bare wire plug can be accomplished I'm good to go.
My questions:
1. By supporting Component Video, does the VR509 support Progressive Scan? Or is there a specific extra feature that is needed for that?
Gamecube and Xbox both support this feature so it is a key upgrade path for myself.
2. If I were to plug my consoles in using Component Video, could I still route the receiver to the TV through S-Video? Or would that require a seperate solution?
3. The VR509 retails for about $485 CDN - by far the cheapest Pro Logic II setup I've encountered. Is there any appreciable difference between the 509 and 510 to warrant the extra 215 dollar cost?
4. In general, any thoughts on the 509 you may want to offer would be helpful.
Cheers,
Richard Knight
 

Thomas_Berg

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 28, 2001
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Thomas
#1- it all depends on the dvd player. you sound like you're gonna use your console for that purpose, so it depends if the console's dvd sections passes a progressive signal. progressive scan capability is determined by the player, not your receiver. i'd just connect straight from the console to the TV and bypass the receiver, too. also (correct me if i'm wrong) the XBOX doesnt have component out, only s-video.
frown.gif
if only!
hope that helps!
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-Thomas
My HT
 

Rik P

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 25, 2001
Messages
111
I have the VR-510 only because I got a good deal. The 509 would of worked for me in fact I never use the THX setting on my 510 (save your money IMO).
As far as the X-BOX and video switching goes.
Does your TV have Component Video inputs & support 480p & 1080I?
If your worried about the receivers ability to pass progressive scan video why are you using S-video to your TV (S-video cannot pass progressive scan video). If progressive scan is not available on you TV, I would use the S-video on the X-box, and have the receiver do the S-video switching to your TV.
My TV has 3 sets of component inputs and I choose not to use the Receiver as my Component switcher because of the loss factor(I'm a quality freak) although there may be no noticeable loss id still rather the TV do the switching since I have enough inputs on it.
I pretty sure the X-Box does 1080I (remember reading about HiDef gaming on the X-Box) not sure about 480P, I would imagine so.
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2001
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Sorry guys - to clarify, I have an 8-year old 27" Hitachi TV that supports S-Video and RCA - no component. I read on a particular high-end HK receiver that it supported wide band component, so I don't know if that is just a bunch of tech words or a legimate extra needed to route progressive scan through the receiver.
The idea was to buy the component connections for the consoles so that I wouldn't have some useless S-Video cables later. I will need a new TV to support component and progressive scan, but avoiding a new receiver and another hundred dollars in cables would be nice.
What it boils down to is that with the X-Box, you can buy one of several packs at launch:
Advanced AV: Includes S-Video and Digital Optical Connectors (probably not cables).
Advanced HDTV: Includes Component and Digital Optical Connectors (probably not cables), with support for Progressive Scan.
With the Gamecube you can buy the Progressive Scan component cables directly from Nintendo.
While routing it through a TV eventually would be possible, a receiver seems pretty much required when I have will have 3 consoles - all using component, 2 using progressive scan, and 2 using digital optical ports.
Any further comments would be appreciated.
Richard
 

Sean Laughter

Screenwriter
Joined
Aug 3, 1999
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As far as I'm aware, Xbox only supports progressive scan for games, not for playing DVD movies. Of course, your TV doesn't support that right now anyway, you'd need a newer TV for that functionality. Some receivers can take different video sources and route them to a different kind of output (ie. you take a console to the receiver via composite RCA and the receiver can output it through S-Video). I'm not sure if that Kenwood does that though.
 

Chuck Kent

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 29, 1999
Messages
983
I'm pretty sure that the lower model Kenwoods do NOT support "wideband" component signals. Unless there are some recent exceptions, only some makers flagship models supported the ~50 mHz bandwidth needed for HD (1080i, maybe even 720p.)
I'm "guessing" that the Kenwoods go up to around 25 to 30 mHz. Good enough for 480p DVD. But I can't find any listing on my 509's specs.
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Joined
Nov 4, 2001
Messages
27
Thanks, Chuck.
With little to no information to be found on wideband or other signal information in regards to component video, it seems like a crapshoot. Nobody seems to mention wideband or signal MHz ratings...
I suppose I'll hope for the best - all I'm hoping for here is 480p, so I can play games in progressive scan when I can pick up the appropriate television.
One final question - how does the VR509 handle speaker inputs? I noticed bare-wire plugs for FR/FL/BR/BL, and an RCA for the Sub, but what about the center channel?
My speakers are all bare-wire so I'm hoping an RCA split job won't be too messy.
Thanks again to Chuck, Sean, Rik, et al for their helpful information, and if there is any other comments on the VR509 I'd love to hear it.
At the worst it provides great search material for others on the board! :)
Richard
 

Chuck Kent

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 29, 1999
Messages
983
The 509 uses the same screw down/banana speaker connections for the front left, center and front right. The surround left and right use spring clip connections. All would be compatible with bare wire. The subwoofer output is an RCA jack, which is the standard for powered subs.
(BTW, there is a 2nd set of spring clips but they are for running a second set of STEREO speakers (or speakers "B".) They aren't the speaker hookups you'd use normally.)
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[Edited last by Chuck Kent on November 07, 2001 at 04:44 AM]
 

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