Scaling, I'm confused (1 Viewer)

[Gordon Moore]

I'm slowly building the pc required to facilitate front projection one day (ssshhhh,just don't tell my wife..."Honey where did that 10' screen come from?" )
So I'm alittle confused on how the computer scales the dvd. I've checked AVS and here. Everyone talks about benefits of scaling (great I get that), but what exactly do you do?. Is it as simple as picking a custom resolution using powerstrip to display the image? Is this all overridden when using hardware accleration in the software player, or am I confusing things here? (I know that video overlay comes into play somewhere in all this but I've tried to understand it, and I get some of it but still have gaping holes in my understanding).
The goal is to one day build a media room. So I get the fact that with a compatible capture card and dscaler I can upscale the analog source (TV and VCR) to a progressive nature. But how is the image scaled when the dvdrom player is a digital source and therefore doesn't output on anything but to your software player and then out to your monitor or projector? By chosing a custom rez and timing, is that effectively scaling? I still don't get how it works because you can't add anything to the picture so if it's natively on the disc at 480i how does going to 720p or crazier rez's make the image any better (more importantly how do you go to the progrssive modes? Is that simply taken care of by the software player?). If anything wouldn't artifacts be introduced since your uping the resolution but not applying any algorithms to account for pull-down, motion compensation etc...(or does the software-player/graphics card do that?) I think I'm missing a piece of the pie. HELP
QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS everywhere....
Thanks for any help on this.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

If anything wouldn't artifacts be introduced since your uping the resolution but not applying any algorithms to account for pull-down, motion compensation etc...(or does the software-player/graphics card do that?)

The graphic card will do a portion of that. Specifically how it is achieved, I couldn't say as I don't do much work in the specifics of video processing.
But basically, you can take 480i sourced DVD, and using a good quality video card and software filters- the 480 can be mathmatically scaled to resolutions other than 480i. There is some debate as to which resolutions are best using which cards (is it best to do an even multiple? How about scan rates: is 60hz or 72 cleaner?)-- but the basic concept is the input is mathematically appoximated to a different output.
-Vince

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

If you want to see a really really basic example of the difference, find somebody with a HTPC plugged into a regular CRT television.

Watch something detailed on the HTPC through the television. Note the scanlines and stuff. Some of the forrest scenes from Planet Of The Apes comes to mind.

Now simply flip the display over to the monitor, set for fullscreen. Have the monitor resolution set to, say, 1024x768.

 

[Gordon Moore]

Thanks for the link Vince. I did a little more searching on AVS and things are starting to become more clear. It's obviously a very complex subject if you dig deep enough. I think if you have a basic understanding and play within the limitations of your projector, your eyes will fill in the rest as too what's working and what isn't. So the clearer I become on the subject of projectors, the closer I get to making that leap into the abyss. Thanks for your reply.

Gord