What is the best upscaling player (up to 1080i) for my budget....

[nero0410]

As title

Not a mistake 1080i is what I want to upscale to (highest my tv and projector can take)
I would like to achieve this via component (if possible)

MY budget is around £40-50, I would preferably like to buy online, and do not mind if it is second hand.

divx capability is a bonus but not essentional, must have optical out.

Please advise as I'd like to try to get one before christmas

Thanks

tris

EDIT:

My current player is the Pioneer 575A which has 576p but I'm not sure what the interlace is (1080i or not)

I guess I would have to be looking for aplayer that does 720p?

again please advise

[Liam @ Prog AV]

THe 575a has very good film deinterlacing to 576p.

Upscaling DOES NOT IMPROVE A PICTURE.

If your display is anything other than 576p resolution then it will down or upscale from 576p to whatever it's resolution is (e.g. 1366x768, 1280x720). The key is to find a DVD player that can do this process better than your display already can.

Whatever the matter, upscaling an image softens detail. Often the upscaling chip will add "edge enhancement" to try and balance this out. Unfortunately edge enhancement in itself is also an artefact! So, you must try to use the better upscaling solution, but really you only want to upscale at one point.

Unfortunately with LCDs and Plasmas, they all tend to be 1024x768 or 1366x768. So if you have a DVD which upscales to 720p, the plasma must upscale again to 768. In many cases, you would actually have been better off just leaving the DVD player at 576p.

1080i is an even worse idea!!! Because it is 1080i (not "p") the TV must deinterlace the signal all over again! So you are getting

576i to 576p deinterlacing in the DVD player
576p to 1080i reinterlacing, and scaling in the DVD player
1080i deinterlacing in the display
1080p down to whatever downscaling in the display

This loses quite some detail, and also is the highest risk of gaining deinterlacing artefacts such as resolution pumping, jaggies, detail loss, combing.

Long story short, for 50 quid I'd keep the 575!!

[badbob]

The picture from the Oppo 981 in 480p/576p was superior to that of 720p/1080i into a 50" Pioneer plasma (720p) Only one scaling process.

However on my Samsung 1080p, the picture is best at 1080p on the Oppo. At 480p/576p it's more blurry and lacking detail. I guess the Oppo de-interlacer/scaler is of higher quality than the Samsung. Only one scaling process.

On both displays, if sending 720p/1080i there's either upscaling, or downscaling involved.

[Liam @ Prog AV]

That would certainly mirror my experience - the PIoneer screens have excellent upscaling abilities, the Samsungs the complete opposite!

[groof]

El cheapo dvd player here

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...nd%2Bvideo.htm

[nero0410]

Liam @ Prog AV

Thanks for the in depth advice ( that even I can understand), so even if I did get a player with HDMI (for use with just the projector, a sharp xvz 3000) and set it to 720p, I would have no difference in image quality?

Is there anything above the pioneer thqat would improve on the picture quality? (although I think the pioneer is very good)

Originally Posted by groof

El cheapo dvd player here

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...nd%2Bvideo.htm

Cheers bud, I had a look at that this afternoon as it caught my eye. I thought about it as I would have only used that with my projector, but it doesnt have an optical out for the sound just a coaxal (which would require me investing in a coaxal cable of about 7.5-10m)

Out of interest, does anyone have any expierance with this player? divx maybe? (I know argos doesnt always list all the features)
As the last wharfedale I had was from ebuyer and it was great for quite a while, but the decided to start pausing/stuttering all most the time

tris

[TommyVecetti]

Originally Posted by Liam @ Prog AV

THe 575a has very good film deinterlacing to 576p.

Upscaling DOES NOT IMPROVE A PICTURE.

If your display is anything other than 576p resolution then it will down or upscale from 576p to whatever it's resolution is (e.g. 1366x768, 1280x720). The key is to find a DVD player that can do this process better than your display already can.

Whatever the matter, upscaling an image softens detail. Often the upscaling chip will add "edge enhancement" to try and balance this out. Unfortunately edge enhancement in itself is also an artefact! So, you must try to use the better upscaling solution, but really you only want to upscale at one point.

Unfortunately with LCDs and Plasmas, they all tend to be 1024x768 or 1366x768. So if you have a DVD which upscales to 720p, the plasma must upscale again to 768. In many cases, you would actually have been better off just leaving the DVD player at 576p.

1080i is an even worse idea!!! Because it is 1080i (not "p") the TV must deinterlace the signal all over again! So you are getting

576i to 576p deinterlacing in the DVD player
576p to 1080i reinterlacing, and scaling in the DVD player
1080i deinterlacing in the display
1080p down to whatever downscaling in the display

This loses quite some detail, and also is the highest risk of gaining deinterlacing artefacts such as resolution pumping, jaggies, detail loss, combing.

Long story short, for 50 quid I'd keep the 575!!

None of what you say here tends to apply to my Denon player, where the picture becomes more detailed with each step up in resolution setting. If any artifacts are being introduced along the way, they are hardly noticeable and infinitely more preferable to letting my display do all the work.

[depot]

How about a cheap (maybe second hand) toshiba e1. Mine gives very good scaling at 1080i to a 42" plasma.
But only region 2

[Crocodile JD]

Originally Posted by Liam @ Prog AV

THe 575a has very good film deinterlacing to 576p.

Upscaling DOES NOT IMPROVE A PICTURE.

If your display is anything other than 576p resolution then it will down or upscale from 576p to whatever it's resolution is (e.g. 1366x768, 1280x720). The key is to find a DVD player that can do this process better than your display already can.

Whatever the matter, upscaling an image softens detail. Often the upscaling chip will add "edge enhancement" to try and balance this out. Unfortunately edge enhancement in itself is also an artefact! So, you must try to use the better upscaling solution, but really you only want to upscale at one point.

Unfortunately with LCDs and Plasmas, they all tend to be 1024x768 or 1366x768. So if you have a DVD which upscales to 720p, the plasma must upscale again to 768. In many cases, you would actually have been better off just leaving the DVD player at 576p.

1080i is an even worse idea!!! Because it is 1080i (not "p") the TV must deinterlace the signal all over again! So you are getting

576i to 576p deinterlacing in the DVD player
576p to 1080i reinterlacing, and scaling in the DVD player
1080i deinterlacing in the display
1080p down to whatever downscaling in the display

This loses quite some detail, and also is the highest risk of gaining deinterlacing artefacts such as resolution pumping, jaggies, detail loss, combing.

Long story short, for 50 quid I'd keep the 575!!

nero0410 sorry to jump in but I like to ask Liam's advice on a similar upgrade matter if i may.

I have a Benq w100 PJ which is only 854x480. I currently connect via component Progressive 480p or 576p from a Yamaha s550 player but I want to connect using HDMI out, which the player doesn't have, to the DVI in on my PJ as I have heard on here from other w100 owners that this gives the best image (as does the manual). Again the question is what would be the best value for money DVD player to achieve this? Obviously from what Liam has said I don't need to do much (if any upscaling). I don't have any DVD-A or SACD discs although I would give it a go if the player had it but it is not essential. I do however want good DD/DTS and CD play back.

Can you suggest any good buys Liam. I don't mind considering a second hand bargain either BTW. I just want something that eeks out the best in my PJ for a while longer whilst I wait for HD to settle down a bit more.

Thanks Croc

[nero0410]

Originally Posted by Crocodile JD

nero0410 sorry to jump in but I like to ask Liam's advice on a similar upgrade matter if i may.

Thanks Croc

NP

Liam @ Prog AV

Thanks for the in depth advice ( that even I can understand), so even if I did get a player with HDMI (for use with just the projector, a sharp xvz 3000) and set it to 720p, I would have no difference in image quality?

Is there anything above the pioneer that would improve on the picture quality of my Pioneer? (say up to about £60 new or second hand) (although I think the pioneer is very good, I'm just getting fussy)

Or should I go back to my HTPC? (only the cpu fan noise that stopped me from using it, due to the low centre/too loud when in big action scenes as complained about with most av recievers)

tris

[TommyVecetti]

Originally Posted by nero0410

Thanks for the in depth advice ( that even I can understand), so even if I did get a player with HDMI (for use with just the projector, a sharp xvz 3000) and set it to 720p, I would have no difference in image quality?

Is there anything above the pioneer that would improve on the picture quality of my Pioneer? (say up to about £60 new or second hand) (although I think the pioneer is very good, I'm just getting fussy)

Yes there are DVDs players that will give you a better picture outputting at 720p or higher, but you will have to spend more than £60. You'll probably be looking to start at the £200 price point.

[BISHI]

Before I got my hdxe1 I bought the SONY DVPNS76H upscaling player for about £70. I was incredibly surprised at the improvement in quality over the previous Cambridge Audio progressive scan machine it replaced. It is now attatched to our HD bravia TV (its a couple of yrs old now) and it does produce a superb image ( not as good as the hdxe1 upscaler but it is a fifth of the price). I don't know if SONY still make this model or whether there is a more up to date equivalent but if your budget is less than £100 I would highly recommend this 1080i upscaling machine. Also be aware that it does not come with a HDMI cable that you will need to use the upscaling capabilities but you can now get these fairly cheaply. Good luck

[BISHI]

Forgot to mention that this is usually a single region machine but a hack is available and you will need a 4 in one remote to unlock it (I used a Kameleon)

[Crocodile JD]

Originally Posted by BISHI

Forgot to mention that this is usually a single region machine but a hack is available and you will need a 4 in one remote to unlock it (I used a Kameleon)

Unfortunately I don't have

[BrianPK]

Originally Posted by nero0410

As title

Not a mistake 1080i is what I want to upscale to (highest my tv and projector can take)
I would like to achieve this via component (if possible)

MY budget is around £40-50, I would preferably like to buy online, and do not mind if it is second hand.

divx capability is a bonus but not essentional, must have optical out.

Please advise as I'd like to try to get one before christmas

Thanks

tris

EDIT:

My current player is the Pioneer 575A which has 576p but I'm not sure what the interlace is (1080i or not)

I guess I would have to be looking for aplayer that does 720p?

again please advise

Don't wish to start an argument but as
I have reported on a no. of occasions here ,my experience with my Pana. 42PX60 1080i Plasma and my Pioneer 575a was that an upgrade to the Tosh.370E £50 approx., gave me a substantial boost to picture quality when upscaling.