Hey.

I have the above DVD Recorder connected to TX-LXD700 via HDMI and Scart. And 'Standard' Sky Box going to DVD and TV via Scart. The DVD player is set to output 1080p. I've played with most of the picture settings on the DVD and TV. I still have two issues:

- DVD playback of some titles (i.e. Planet Earth, Shaun of the Dead) is not that impressive, and appears very 'grainy' and sometimes even unclear. (Star Wars III is very impressive however).

- Sky picture via the DVD player has problems. Quality is not great compared to the direct Sky>TV picture, and also has some kind of 'chequering' pixel problems when displaying the menu bars and some graphics. Therefore recording Sky programmes doesn't look as good as should.

Does anyone else have similar problems perhaps? I'm thinking of taking it back to Comet and trying a replacement. Or maybe even trying a different model completely. Unsure really.....

Many thanks,

Lee

[JayCee]

Originally Posted by leegod100

Sky picture via the DVD player has problems. Quality is not great compared to the direct Sky>TV picture, and also has some kind of 'chequering' pixel problems when displaying the menu bars and some graphics. Therefore recording Sky programmes doesn't look as good as should.

For the best pic quality from any Sky box connected to a DVDR requires the socket marked "TV Scart" on the Sky box is connected to the AV2 input of the DVDR.
Make sure RGB rather than PAL is selected in the "Services", "System Setup", "Picture Settings", "Video Output" menu of the Sky box and the AV2input of the DVDR is also set to RGB...that's as good as you'll get.

Originally Posted by JayCee

For the best pic quality from any Sky box connected to a DVDR requires the socket marked "TV Scart" on the Sky box is connected to the AV2 input of the DVDR.
Make sure RGB rather than PAL is selected in the "Services", "System Setup", "Picture Settings", "Video Output" menu of the Sky box and the AV2input of the DVDR is also set to RGB...that's as good as you'll get.

Aha - Thanks does this mean the Sky box only has 1 RGB Out - i.e. the one going to my TV? (what a shame) That would explain the difference then I guess. I'll try this when I get home.

Would I be right in assuming that I could then 'pass through' the Sky RGB picture from DVDR to TV - meaning when DVDR is off I'm still getting the slightly better RGB signal from Sky, only via the DVDR. (I'm hoping that I wouldn't 'lose' my decent Sky>TV picture).


Anyone got any ideas on the DVD playback performance?

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by leegod100

Aha - Thanks does this mean the Sky box only has 1 RGB Out - i.e. the one going to my TV? (what a shame) That would explain the difference then I guess. I'll try this when I get home.

Would I be right in assuming that I could then 'pass through' the Sky RGB picture from DVDR to TV - meaning when DVDR is off I'm still getting the slightly better RGB signal from Sky, only via the DVDR. (I'm hoping that I wouldn't 'lose' my decent Sky>TV picture).


Anyone got any ideas on the DVD playback performance?

The standard way of connecting is with the DVDR in line, this is what I do with the same model and the picture does not degrade the Sky signal compared to a direct connection.

In terms of playback of DVDs you will probably (though not certainly) get a better picture if you don't set the DVD to upscale. Even just going via SCART you should get a better image than Sky, it may or may not improve with HDMI though it's unlikely to be much better.

In terms of playback of DVDs you will probably (though not certainly) get a better picture if you don't set the DVD to upscale. Even just going via SCART you should get a better image than Sky, it may or may not improve with HDMI though it's unlikely to be much better

I'm confused.......I bought an upscaling DVD player cos I thought it would do a good job of what it says on the box - upscaling!!!

Surely if I turn it off then there's no point? Are you saying that the upscaling is useless? Or that the TV does a better job? If the TV does a better job then there's no point in an upscaling DVD player is there?!!! HELP?!!

[talismanamsilat]

set your dvd to 576p or 720p for better results with hdmi

Originally Posted by talismanamsilat

set your dvd to 576p or 720p for better results with hdmi

Thanks for the reply - but what makes you say this though? my TV is '1080p' so thought buying a DVD player designed to upscale to that format would give best results?

[talismanamsilat]

Scaling reasons and you didn't give the full tv model number - let the panel do the upscaling, set the recorder to 576p and adjust your pic settings to suit your needs.

Your panel accepts 1080p upscaling but its resolution is 1366 x 768.

Scaling reasons and you didn't give the full tv model number

sorry - the model is the new 32TX-LXD700.

let the panel do the upscaling, set the recorder to 576p and adjust your pic settings to suit your needs

Thanks again - I really don't understand this argument though. If this is the case then we are saying that there is no need for upscaling DVD Players. I just don't buy that. It's not as if you can use an upscaling DVD Player with anything other than a HD TV, so if we're saying 'turn it off and let the TV do the job' then that makes upscaling DVD a totally redundant feature/idea.

There must be benefits to upscaling DVD Players - alot of the reviews I've read suggest they do a good job and although not full HD, they do get "close".

Perhaps we are saying that the Panasonic just doesn't do the trick? (although not what I've read) In which case I need to take it back and get a different brand.

[maldonian]

Every HD flat panel TV can upscale. They normally have a limited range of input resolutions they can upscale or downscale to match the resolution of the panel. They have to, otherwise the picture wouldn't fit the screen.

There must be benefits to upscaling DVD Players

Possibly if you've got an older TV or a cheap TV, in which case the scaling performance of an upscaling recorder might be better than the TV's own scaler.

But your TV is a new model from a leading manufacturer so it's unlikely that any recorder costing a fraction of the cost of the TV will have a significantly superior upscaling performance. If anything it seems logical to let the TV do all the upscaling since a 1366x768 TV is going to rescale whatever you feed it anyway, and scaling twice seems a bad idea. But the only way to find out is to try each available resolution and see which you like best.

When playing DVDs of films you will probably see an improvement by setting the DVD output to progressive. Put simply, this is because films are inherently progressive and the panels in flat panel TVs are also progessive, so it's best to avoid interlacing in the recorder and de-interlacing in the TV when playing films. You have the choice of using progressive component or HDMI with a progressive setting (e.g 576p).

Originally Posted by maldonian

Possibly if you've got an older TV or a cheap TV, in which case the scaling performance of an upscaling recorder might be better than the TV's own scaler.

This doesn't make sense. Why would an upscaling DVD player only be benefical for an older or cheaper TV? Bearing in mind this 'older and cheaper' TV would still have to be HD. You cant be saying that the DVD is designed to give results with older HD equipment only? Its the latest 1080p model from Panasonic so I would be expecting to be impressed, especially if I was to compare it so a standard Panasonic DVD player. (maybe I should try and check this!)

I would imagine the processor in the DVD is dedicated and deisgned specifically for upscaling DVD picture, so should therefore be better than the TV which is designed for all sorts of inputs and pictures.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by leegod100

This doesn't make sense. Why would an upscaling DVD player only be benefical for an older or cheaper TV? Bearing in mind this 'older and cheaper' TV would still have to be HD. You cant be saying that the DVD is designed to give results with older HD equipment only?

It may make more sense if you know the real reason why HDMI connections are appearing on domestic equipment at all.

It is part of a long term plan...The analogue sunset.
The idea is to remove all analogue connections from domestic equipment by 2011.
Hardware makers realised a long time back that they needed control of the software, which is why during their boom times they made truly massive investment in the American studios.

Their economic plan depends on continued hardware development to provide consumers with improving products and new platforms, and new formats so that they continually have to spend to keep up.

The quantum leap of High definition development was thought a step too far by content developers because it effectively puts prime master material into the hands of the consumer and making it accessible to high quality duplication.

Content providers were not prepared to release HD material out to the public domain unless they could control very tightly what could be done with it.

THAT is the real purpose of HDMI. It allows those who control the content to prevent you copying it, how many times you watch it, and general conditional access control

The problem then was how to get HDMI phased into the public domain ... pointlessly when still using SD equipment.

Answer: Upscaling.

It is un-needed and ridiculously over-hyped.

[stash36]

I have the same problems as the OP.
What should I set the upscale on the EX77 to be to a th42px70? Not sure it can be switched off, i currently have it set to 1080i. Is this correct? Or given gavtechs reply, is it irrelevant.

[square-eyes-baz]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

It may make more sense if you know the real reason why HDMI connections are appearing on domestic equipment at all.

It is part of a long term plan...The analogue sunset.
The idea is to remove all analogue connections from domestic equipment by 2011.
Hardware makers realised a long time back that they needed control of the software, which is why during their boom times they made truly massive investment in the American studios.

Their economic plan depends on continued hardware development to provide consumers with improving products and new platforms, and new formats so that they continually have to spend to keep up.

The quantum leap of High definition development was thought a step too far by content developers because it effectively puts prime master material into the hands of the consumer and making it accessible to high quality duplication.

Content providers were not prepared to release HD material out to the public domain unless they could control very tightly what could be done with it.

THAT is the real purpose of HDMI. It allows those who control the content to prevent you copying it, how many times you watch it, and general conditional access control

The problem then was how to get HDMI phased into the public domain ... pointlessly when still using SD equipment.

Answer: Upscaling.

It is un-needed and ridiculously over-hyped.

Gavtech , your last sentence says it all for me. I think i realised when i bought a Toshiba 360(HDMI connected) to replace my old Toshiba SD2109 (S Video over scart) and saw no improvement, this player always gave a better pq over S Video than through RGB.
Im actually in the process of trying to find my component cables to put back on and let it go progressive scan.