How dot I get a decent image from LD on a Toshiba 50HX81 (1 Viewer)

[Gregg F]

I bought a Toshiba 50HX81 last week and would like to get the best image possible from my Pioneer Elite CLD-99 Laser Disc player. It has an S-video out. What settings on the 50HX81 will accomplish this. I expected a noticelable difference due to the line-doubler, etc. but this is so bad I can't even watch it.
Thanks,
Gregg Ferencz
My DVD Collection

 

[Rachael B]

Gregg, you might want to try de-interlacing your player with a DVDO iscan V1 or V2. Then use an RBG > to component cable to feed one of the set's component inputs. The doublers in anything but Elte sets aren't kind to LD in my experience. Best wishes!

 

[Gregg F]

Thanks Rachael.

I noticed that the DVDO iscan V2 has component outputs. Is this adequate or would you still recommend going with an RGB-component breakout cable as mentioned in your post.

:b

 

[Allan Jayne]

I am surprised that LD would look so bad while playing VCR tapes or viewing TV shows looks OK. I don't know of any intrinsic difference in the video signal from an LD player. But if you can identify consistent shortcomings with the TV built in doubler, that is what an iScan is meant to help you with.
Double check to be sure nothing is plugged into the composite jack next to the S-video jack being used for the LD player. If so, move one of the cables to a different input bank.
I am using an LD player (much cheaper than the CLD-99) with an iScan V1 and the picture looks great. My iScan also has component output but using the same VGA jack. I think all the iScans are that way so you still need a cable with VGA plug on one end and RCA plugs on the other.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[JohnnyG]

When you say it's so bad you can't even watch it, what exactly are you seeing?

 

[Gregg F]

Lots of edge artifacts, blockiness throughout the image. The image varies with the transfer. Star Wars (Definitive Collection) looks very similar to regular VHS on a large screen. It is watchable but none too purty.

Ohter stuff , like The Godfather Trilogy, looks like regular VHS recorded in EP mode and displayed on the big screen. That stuff is really bad.

The iscan looks like the way to go. Saw a new v2 on ebay for $398. Is that good?

Thanks, fellow enthusiasts,

Gregg

 

[Gregg F]

I am surprised that LD would look so bad while playing VCR tapes or viewing TV shows looks OK. I don't know of any intrinsic difference in the video signal from an LD player.

Allan Jayne

I negelcted to mention that I haven't hooked up satellite or a VCR. Only the LD using a y/c input and the Progressive DVD with component connections.

Apparently, the iscan will accept multiple devices.

 

[Quentin]

Hmmm...I have a 57hx81 and my LD player plays films just fine. I've watched "Die Hard", "Scarface", "Amadeus" and many others.

Granted, it does NOT look as sharp as my DVD player, but it's far better than my satellite pic (compression) and SVHS.

 

[Philip Hamm]

I negelcted to mention that I haven't hooked up satellite or a VCR. Only the LD using a y/c input and the Progressive DVD with component connections.

I can't help but wonder how you can state that LD looks like "regular VHS recorded in EP mode" if you haven't even got VHS hooked into the machine.

 

[Gregg F]

I can't help but wonder how you can state that LD looks like "regular VHS recorded in EP mode" if you haven't even got VHS hooked into the machine.

Philip Hamm

I mean that the image is akin to what i see when i play an EP tape on my old direct-view Proscan. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[JohnnyG]

Try the LD player using a composite connection to the display. The comb filter in the TV is probably superior to the one in the LD player itself.

Other than that, I did have a customer that had a pretty weird hardware problem with his 65HX81. Certain parts of the image, in blocks, would seemingly change in sharpness - sharp one moment then a fuzzy mess the next. Toshiba replaced the 'Hyper' board but that didn't fix it so they ended up replacing the entire light box (all the 'guts'). This is definitely not a common problem though.

 

[Gregg F]

I have tried composite and S-video connections from the player and am not thrilled with the results. After much info gathering and reading all these posts, I have ordered an iscan v2. Got it new on e-bay for $398.

I'll be sure and post my findings once the doubler arrives. Thanks for all the help.

Gregg

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Gregg:

Please let us know how it works out. I tested my Panasonic LD player with my SE13HD front projector, and things looked a lot worse that I expected. S-video and composite looked pretty much the same. I'm hoping your IScan experience is positive.

 

[Gregg F]

I'll be sure to report back on the results.

For the record, I do see a difference between S-video and composite with laserdisc. Composite out is somewhat better, though not good enough.

Cheers

 

[greg_t]

Gregg F,

Have you recieved and hooked up the Iscan yet? I have a Cld 79 and will soon get the Toshiba 50H81 or the 82, and am curious to see if the iscan makes a big enough difference for the money. Thanks,

 

[Gregg F]

The iscan arrived today but the breakout cable probably won't arrive until the 10th or 11th. I tried to fabricate a cable but I have the wrong tools and wire so I bit the bullet and ordered one.

I'll let you know as soon as I test it.

GF

 

[Gregg F]

I finally got a chance to hook up and test the DVDO iscan v2.
I have a non HD DirecTV receiver made by Sony. The image from this source was the most dramatic improvement I saw using the iscan. As you know, the DirecTV signal is very compressed and the 50HX81 really makes this obvious. With the iscan, the image appears much cleaner albeit on the smooth side.
Getting a better laser disc image was a bit more problematic. First, I connected the LD player (Pioneer Elite CLD-99) to the iscan with using the composite input. While I did notice that the image appeared smoother it still looked like a public domain VHS flick. Then I changed over to the s-video connection and things began to improve. I turned on the DNR on the 50HX81, turned off the noise reduction on the LD player and then dropped the color level on the TV. The result is an image that's comparable to a non-anamorphic dvd.
All in all, I am pleased with the improvement. I own close to 500 laser discs so it would've been a real shame if I couln't enjoy them on the 50HX81. I don't watch much broadcast TV but my wife does and she is very happy that her favorite shows on HGTV network are now watchable.
Thanks to you all for your advice

 

[greg_t]

Thanks for the review. I might have to start searching ebay for one.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks, Gregg. Now I have something else to save up for!

 

[Rachael B]

Greg, I knew the iscan would help. The "dublars" in most HDTV monitors I've tested are lame, so far Elite is the only good'un I've tried. I've never tested Tosibas because the only dealer 'round here is Busted Buy. Now to complete the LD nirvana package just add an LD-S9 or HLD-X9. You'll see colour on your LD's that you didn't think they had. Best wishes!