[clarky78]

Just aquired this yesterday, after seeing rave reviews on the 575a. Got it home plugged it in to my my newly aquired 42" 7200 via the QED leads i also bought..... Terrible.

For starters it whirs always, so much you can here it whilst watching stuff. But via component, it was bad, skin tones were yellowish and blocky, and there was digital noise around everything, small writing being really bad. Switched to RGB through free scart i was using before, and things improved.... marginally.

So, it's going back, i'm sticking with the 4 year old Aiwa and cheap scart through RGB, way better!

What should i expect to look at buying to gain an improvement? I got this as a stop gap to gain component video till HD DVD arrives. should i look at the second hand market? Needless to say, i just bought the plasma, i've not got much cash. And it is component much better?

[Mr_Fantastic]

I got myself a Targa instead of the Pioneer 575 that I was considering. I am glad I did Plays everything I have tried including the problematic Packed bitstream XDiv files that many players have trouble with. Every XDiv file I have got recently have been PB so having something that will play them without problems is a good option. All three I got yesterday were PB movies. I didn't need SACD or DVD-Audio as I would never use them. Mpeg4 playback was my priority.

I haven't tried it on component yet as I don't have a TV that has component. I do want to get one when I can find the time to look for one (just moved home and have a million and one jobs to do). Maybe NX3 or anyone else can comment on the component output quality on the Targa.

I don't think aediscount has any more Targa players so the Pixmania LG version of the Targa is the only option at the moment, that is unless you phone Targa Germany and order one directly (which might be a good option, use the low cost calls outlined in the thread about Choosing a DivX player where the phone number was listed by me). I think the LG only comes in black whereas the Targa can be got in Silver or black, which ever you want. Hope that helps, oh and by the way the Targa/LG will only cost you about £40 + delivery, so far less than the Pioneer.

[Sofa1]

Originally Posted by clarky78

Just aquired this yesterday, after seeing rave reviews on the 575a. Got it home plugged it in to my my newly aquired 42" 7200 via the QED leads i also bought..... Terrible.

For starters it whirs always, so much you can here it whilst watching stuff. But via component, it was bad, skin tones were yellowish and blocky, and there was digital noise around everything, small writing being really bad. Switched to RGB through free scart i was using before, and things improved.... marginally.

So, it's going back, i'm sticking with the 4 year old Aiwa and cheap scart through RGB, way better!

What should i expect to look at buying to gain an improvement? I got this as a stop gap to gain component video till HD DVD arrives. should i look at the second hand market? Needless to say, i just bought the plasma, i've not got much cash. And it is component much better?

I have same doubts as you have, and have a lot of hard time on this forum, everyone were found to be unhappy with my remarks about component outputs and progressive scan. I have found the same results, and I have two machines, Philips DVD and one clone of Pioneer and such with Mediatek chip. both were pretty bad with component connections, with or without progressive scan on. Exactly what you've said, picture is yellowish and dark, and sharpness is not better either. Progressive scan is even worse on both machines. In theory, and I'm afraid it is what you will get as an answer, component is a way better than the rest of connections, but I really don't know how some people found it just the opposite.

[clarky78]

So are you using RGB instead? or still using Component? Dunno whether to get something with HDMI or DVI on it instead.

[Sofa1]

Originally Posted by clarky78

So are you using RGB instead? or still using Component? Dunno whether to get something with HDMI or DVI on it instead.

Yes, I'm stick with scart RGB. totally unsatisfied with PQ through component. PQ through scart has more brightness, more sharpness, more vivid colours and so on.

I don't know much about HDMI or DVI but hold your breath, it could be another form of superior connections which turn out not to be so great at home after spending significant sum of money. welcome to the world of consumer electronics

[David Mackenzie]

I'm really happy with my Panasonic S97 - give that a look perhaps?

[fluffrick]

I have a Toshiba DVD player going through component leads into the back of my Panasonic 32PD30 and the progressive picture is fantastic, dependent of course on the disc.

I do remember reading an answer to a query in What Video & TV magazine where the expert didn't believe there was quite the huge gulf in picture quality between component and a decent quality Scart feeding a good RGB signal into a decent monitor.

It's all subjective, but the picture on my telly just looks better somehow, using the connection route that I'm using - which is by no means reference quality or terrifically expensive. You could watch the same set and see something wholly different.

My wife has been with me to a couple of branches of Currys, which have had DLP TV's running what purport to be HD material(from PC's) and she's completely underwhelmed, whereas I've been fairly knocked out.

That whole subjectivity thing, in a nutshell...

[Sofa1]

I agree, we don't see the same things in PQ sometimes.

speaking about component and progressive I still want to know which picture has to be better 480p or 1080i? I have HD CRT and in my opinion its native resolution of 1080i is a way better than progressive 480p. should it be this way?

[mjbtin]

If you are just looking for a stop gap dvd player the Cyrus tuned limit DVDA900se £49.99 on www.Play.com,. It has good picture via RGB scart and good reviews on this forum with progressive scan supplied by the Zoran chip set, as used in some Arcam players. For £49.99 when you get your HD player you could then use the Limit as a CD player (which is excellent )

[Ekko Star]

A good RGB connection can be as good as component on interlaced. However in order to benefit from Progressive scan this can only be done when broken down via YUV component.

Progressive scan can smooth out the image and edges, but component on the whole is a superior connection. If you set your output to component interlaced the difference to RGB would be comparable. Obviously the quality of player comes into question as well.

[PJTX100]

I can't comment on the 585, but I can on the 575...

I have a 575 projecting onto a 83" screen via 15m component cables. I turn the BNR on, and set the sharpness to Fine. The picture quality is outstanding, it is literally like watching a 83" version of the 32" Pixel Plus Philips TV I previously had. Better than DVI from a 745.

Clearly this machine isn't for everyone but if it can produce that sort of quality on that size screen it can't be all bad...PJ

PS my brother bought a 575 too after seeing mine and was equally amazed, it also played all the discs his other players wouldn't touch...

[NX3]

I don't have any problems with the 575 output but I did buy a better quality scart cable from tvcables which made the RGB picture better e.g blacks blacker etc... I also have the Targa which I think outputs a very good picture using any connection. I've seen it running connected to a new Panasonic HD plasma via component and the picture was excellent imo.

To make sure your getting the most out your player make sure its running the latest firmware. Also use the best connection possible and imo invest in a decent cable over the free ones that get supplied but you don't have to go over the top buying ixos cable (imo!!)

[zoolap]

does the pioneer 575 read dvd +R,+RW,-R and -RW?

[spikey1]

Yes the 575 plays most things you throw at it +/- R & RW and Divx recorded on any disk including CD.

I understand that it struggles with packed bitstream but everything I've put in has played so perhaps I've just not recorded anything packed yet.

[zoolap]

so what is better about the 585 compared to the 575 - feature wise I mean (exclusding the comments above). I'm wondering whether it's worth going for the 585 for an extra £30 or getting the 575 for £100 from richer.

Also is there a 588 available or is that us model?

[Mark Haywood]

clarky78 - Hi there. Please don't take this the wrong way, but many people confuse component and composite connections, especially as sometimes a composite connection comes with stereo leads connected. It's just that your description of the image sounds very much like a composite picture! The leads you have are 75Ohm red, blue and green ones, aren't they?

Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick completely and the DVD player is simply a bit of a dud, it's just that I have owned the Pioneer 575 and thought it was OK.