New 51" Sony HDTV - what would composite vs. component look like? (1 Viewer)

[Kenneth Harden]

OK, my mom's boss/family just bought a new 16:9 51" Sony HDTV and it will be delivered in a week.

They have a cheap DVD player and I told her she should get a new one with progressive scan (just to make sure they get SOMETHING, I told them to get the $100 Sony with progressive scan, better than nothing) - she said it sound like a plan.

I want to ask a question. I an a videophile, and I see the chroma bug and other video issues. I certainly notice the difference between composite and component video on my 27" JVC (I'm poor, OK?)

My question is: to someone who is paying attention, will the difference between doing a A-B test from interlaced composite video to progressive scan component video be so freaking huge, that there is no chance that I will be embarrased? I am pretty confident it will be a huge enough difference for them to see, but what do you think?

 

[Kenneth Harden]

Also:

Any setup advice? Should I just turn down the brightness a bit to save the TV?

 

[John S]

The difference on my TV from SVIDEO, to 480p component video is way significant.

I am not so sure that if your TV has the ability to provide Progressive Scan if she would really need a new DVD player as long as the older cheap one has Component video out.


I thought I was going to have to replace my old cheapie DVD player, but using component video, and letting the new HDTV perform the Progressive Scan is extremely impressive.

So if the Sony has the same ability, the difference won't be vast at all.

Now, they say if you go to a higher end Faroudja based DVD player with 3:2 pulldown and all that, then there should be an improvement.

But the average cheapie Progressive Scan DVD player doesn't do any better than if the TV is taking 480i from an average quality player and making it 480p. Or this has been my experiences on it anyways.

 

[Twisten]

I think the difference between composite and component would be fairly obvious for a "non videophile/tweaker/hometheater nut". Regardless of where the line doubling is being done.

The easiest thing to do would be to use one (any one really) of the test/set-up dvd's with the resolution pattern (the black and white lines, in the circles). With the composite input they should clearly see the moire effect (shimmering colors) from what should be just black and white lines. No one will miss that.

Obviously, with component (and just S-video) it goes away. Unless the composite in/out on the TV or dvd player is just extra terrible, demonstrating the moire effect would probably be better, in my opinion, than trying to look for the extra picture detail/clarity that you get with component vs composite. Let us know what they think. Later

 

[Kenneth Harden]

OK, so with progressive scan, would it just be 480p, or would it be higher?

 

[John S]

No 480p is has high as it gets, upconverting aside.

What I am saying is that, if the current DVD player is not progressive scan, has component video out, is of average quality and her TV provides progressive scan from 480i component sources, then it is going to be just as good as any average progressive scan player on that TV.

 

[ChrisWiggles]

What we're saying is that a lot of TVs now come with line doublers included. So you can get a non-progressive scan DVD player and let the TV do the doubling to 480p, and you'll get the same results. Of course, the quality of the doublers in the DVd player versus the TV comes into play.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Kenneth,

I own a 57" Sony Widescreen rptv and have it connected to a Faroudja chipped dvd player, a Panasonic CP72, via both component and S-video.

This particular player will output both progressive scan via the component cables and interlaced via S-video cable at the same time. When I do an A/B comparison I see very little difference in pq between the Faroudja chip in the player and Sony's de-interlacing.

There may be a noticeable difference between component and composite, but the average viewer would not notice much if any difference between component and S-video.

If their present player has S-video out, and otherwise works ok, they don't need a progressive scan player right away with that Sony set.