Panny 50" - Scaler worth the money

[1ofaKind]

Hi All,

I'm currently looking at various options for a new extension. I'm favouring towards the 50" 7 Series Panasonic. I would primarily look at DVD, consoles and some limited PC usage - got to run Half Life 2 on a big screen at least once

In terms of DVD I was looking at maybe Denon 3910 or Pioneer 868 (maybe Arcam DV79) and would try to connect via HDMI or DVI. I know both the Denon & Pioneer offer scaling abilities.

I'm not fussed about TV usage at worst I use a portable TV (its only there most of the time for background noise) - at best I was thinking of just using a Panasonic E95 or something similar and using the progressive component output. I know the picture quality is most likely going to be poor. I can't have Sky/Sky+ in the room or a digibox as I have loop through RF from downstairs (where the Sky systems reside - can't be moved - don't ask).

The question is for this limited use is a scaler of importance (particularly if I can get the DVD player to scale) and subjectively will it give £1K+ worth of
better picture?

Regards

[hornydragon]

I reconmend a demo there are a selected group of retailers who have facilities to offer demos with and without scalers connected i suggest you go a see some demos before you decide whether they are worth £1k or not BUT IMHO they are worth the extra on a 42" Hd panel let alone a 50"..... they can always be added later...

[Joe Fernand]

1ofakind

Its a no brainier - having just spend the last 48 hours demonstrating a Panasonic TH-50PHD7BSJ + Lumagen Vision Video Processor to hundreds of visitors to the Scottish HiFi Show I think everyone who visited our room would say add the external processor every time.

The Video Processing (scaling) within a Pioneer or DVD player is not in the same league as that provided by the Lumagen - for a start neither of the models you mention can scale to the Displays native 1366x768 pixel array; they can output 720P or 1080I but then the Plasma has to reprocess the image to make it fit the pixel array.

Your shopping list should be as follows:
1 x Panasonic TH-50PHD7BSJ
1 x TY-42TM6DB (DVI board)
1 x Lumagen Vision HDP (SD and HD processing)
1 x DVD player to act as a transport*
1 x Installation, Configuration and ISF Calibration

You'll be amazed at the results.

*personally I'd go with the Pioneer DV-868AVi as it allows you to output 480i and 576i via its HDMI output so you leave the Deinterlacing and Scaling to the Lumagen whilst the Denon only outputs 480P and 576P and the Faroudja Deinterlacer in the Denon is not as good as the Deinterlacing in the Lumagen.

Any questions please shout.

Joe

[1ofaKind]

Thanks for the reply Joe - Good info as usual

Another couple of questions :-

I have an older amp which doesn't have component conversion or audio delays. I have been considering swapping to a newer amp which has this and also Dolby ProLogic 2X.

Would you recommend getting a good upmarket amp such as AX10aiS (this would be a good pairing with a 868?) or Yam Z9 or possibly a Denon 3805 and use this to convert to component and then route component into the scaler or is it better/easier to go straight into the scaler? The only reason I ask is because of the number of potential devices to connect (PS2,Xbox,Gamecube etc..) and this will only grow

Do these Amps do an adequate job of converting or is there 'loss' of some form?

Will I have any problems with audio delay? (Will the amp deal with this or does the processor deal with it).

Finally so the only board needed for the plasma would be DVI?

Cheers

[hornydragon]

let the scaler do the converting and up conversion Amp converting then passing to the scaler is like buying smoked salmon and eating of a paper plate with a gold encrusted fork......... let the scaler do all the switching and converting..... something like the Iscan HD can take the RGBS signal for Scart on Sky/cable/FV etc direct and output as DVi/VGA component etc at the res/sync required. The Iscan also has Audio delay for digital audio so upgrade to Sky+ is well worthwhile. (can Run S-video from Sky+ downstairs to scaler upstairs at stupid lengths over CAT5 (10m on normal cable)

[pemberto]

Without wanting to take over this thread. What are people thoughts on the new Denon AVC-A1XV amp and DVD-A1XV. Using the amp as a scaler and image switch?

Cheers

[1ofaKind]

Many thanks for the great replies so far.

I have had a browse round and downloaded the manuals for both the Lumagen & Iscan scalers.

Am I getting hung on with worry on audio delay problems with a plasma. The reason I ask is that I notice the Lumagen has no audio inputs but the Iscan does. For example Xbox - Digital, PS2 - Digital , Laserdisc - Digital, Dvd Player - Digital , DVD Recorder - Digital - Gamecube (Phonos stereo), VCR (for example phonos stereo) - and other older kit which is no doubt stereo phono's (Dreamcast etc - yes I am a console addict).

If audio delay is a problem (my friends SD panny has no problems that we have witnessed) whats the most cost effective solution.

Is there much to choose between IScan & Lumagen - I notice price points seem similar.

Sorry to be a pain - I'm try to get as much information to sort out budgets once my building work is finalised. Also helps me work out what if any cables need burying in the walls

Cheers

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Any video processing involves delaying the video in relation to the audio. Any new amplifier is likely to have lipsync delay built in. If it doesn't or you have a legacy amplifier(mine doesn't have any lip sync) there are off board delays or other methods of setting up your system to compensate.

Gordon