Going to test JVC 500BK and Panny RP56..what DVDs to use for the tests? (1 Viewer)

[Adam C.]

I cannot decide between the JVC 500BK and the Panasonic RP56. I have decided to purchase both and watch several dvds and specific scenes to determine which one I like better. Anyone have suggestions for dvds/ scence to watch. Thanks.

 

[Dalton]

Adam,
I have tested both of these players on my widescreen tv and the rp56 was FAR superior IMO. The picture quality of the JVC is ok, but the rp56 was much better. I have also had one of the earlier JVC models(FA95)and it was also much better than the 500. If you can find one of the earlier JVC progressive scan units it would be better than the 500bk IMO. Maybe i got a bad unit but i was not impressed in the least with the 500. I have tried several progressive scan players and the 500 was the worst one. Also the earlier model JVC units were able to scale non-anamorphic discs quite nicely, the 500 does not(neither does the rp56). As far as head to head picture quality, I found the rp56 to be the better unit(IMO). I would certainly encourage you to try both if you can. In the end it's your eyes that matter.

Good Luck,
Dalton

P.S.
Forgot to mention some test discs:
Blade
Sleepy Hollow
Fight Club
Training Day
T2
Seven

 

[John Royster]

superbit Fifth Element? Final Fantasy? Shrek?

 

[Sean Patrick]

I had the 500BK for a few weeks before replacing it with a RP91, and it did indeed do non-anamorphic scaling.

 

[Dalton]

Sean,
Perhaps i missed something when i was demoing it. How did you scale the non-anamorphic discs? My older JVC(the fa95gd 7 disc version) would automatically scale them perfectly and almost looked anamorphic. I could get no such result with the 500 bk. I would be interested in knowing how you got the NA discs to scale properly. I do not like to use the zoom feature. It doesn't help the picture at all.

Thanks,
Dalton

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Abyss SE, to demo the scaling. Note that the scaling feature works very nicely but relys on proper flagging of the disc. Abyss is non-anamorphic and properly flagged. Titanic is not properly flagged, nor is Fargo.

Shrek or one of the Toy Story movies to see what a direct digital transfer looks like--Final Fantasy was also digital direct by has some intentional "film grain" added.

Fast and Furious, 5th Element superbit,
for a nice film transfer with minimal color manipulation by the director/cinematographer.

On Saving Private Ryan--the scene in which you see the army staff car approaching the farmhouse to tell the mom her sons have died--watch the car's grille for combing.

Either of the Austin Powers movies, Moulin Rouge, or the newly released Great Race for brilliant vivid color.

Special features sections on most discs have a mixture of film and video based material which can be used to evaluate the player's ability to automatically shift from 3/2 pulldown and back again--use the "smart" setting on the JVC--"Auto" relys on flagging which isn't very reliable.

I have the older model 7 disc JVC, and am quite happy with it. I don't see combing often at all, certainly not enough to make me give up the scaling feature.

 

[Matt DeVillier]

Dalton,

you set the video output mode to "16x9 auto"

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Matt,
The older models like mine will only scale if you choose "16/9 Normal", NOT "16/9 Auto". This always seemed non-intuitive to me.

Has this changed on the current 500bk?

 

[Matt DeVillier]

Steve,
I might have the auto / normal thing backwards I don't have my S500bk anymore to check. I know it was whichever option was the topmost one though