Receiver that can upscale digital TV?

[Shimmie]

I'm wondering if there are any (affordable!) AV receivers that can take a digital (but non-HD) signal from an NTL box, and perform some up-converting magic before output to a TV?

I'm getting a Panasonic 42PX70 this weekend, and I have NTL digital. Am wondering if the signal from NTL will be good enough to enjoy the TV to its potential, or if there's any way to upconvert the signal in the same way good DVD players can up-convert non-HD DVD's?

One man's "affordable" is another man's pocket money - so lets say something up to say £350-ish?

Forgive me if this is an inane question. I'm entirely new to this world and only learning as I go, mainly from forums like this and magazines.

One thing I've noticed is that while the NTL digital box has a Scart output (as well as optical digital audio out), the AV receivers I've looked at / read about generally do not have a Scart input - am I missing something?

Thanks in advance!

Simon

[lazymatt]

There are no amps that upscale at that price level (although you can get them to upconvert - ie change the input say from S video to component)

However, your TV will scale the signal from the NTL box anyways (otherwise the picture wouldn't fill the screen) so I wouldn't bother with upscaling - your TV will have a pretty good scaler built in, and it's only really when you're spending a lot on a dedicated amp (thing £1k plus) that it'll have as good a scaler as your telly.

[eastman3000]

Just to expand on this a little.

Do you think that I woul dbenefit from getting a scart to component cable - then using this as an input to the amp? (of course 2ch stereo aswell). I mean from an upscaling amp are there any benefits?

I hoping to do this for my sky box in the future.

[Shimmie]

I was actually thinking something similar to eastman3000.

Is there any benefit, in terms of picture quality, of using a Scart-to-component cable from the NTL box into an AV receiver, allowing the receiver to convert to HDMI and then using a HDMI cable to the TV? Or even allowing the receiver to do some image processing and then output via component to the TV?

Would something like the Sony STR-DA1200ES do the job?

Or in reality for any kind of image enhancement to standard digital TV images, are we talking about a fairly expensive piece of kit like you suggested?

Thanks again for the help.

[lazymatt]

The Sony 1200 will only up convert analogue sources to component, not HDMI.

I see no benefit - you are essentially adding further layers of processing before the image gets to the TV, where it will be scaled again by the telly anyway. You should always try and have as few processes as each would could degrade the signal.

Just rely on the internal scaler of the TV. (unless you're going to spend thousands)

The Sony 5200 is supposedly the best cheap amp/scaler combo, and this has been known to cause image problems. Many people don't use the scaler in the amp as it introduces digital noise.

[Mr Incredible]

Just a quick $0.02.

SCART is a connection method. Also known as Peritel or Euro socket. The SCART socket can carry a number of different signal types: RGB, S-Video, Composite and very seldomly, component signal. RGB and Component are different and not interchangeable. There needs to be some form of conversion between the two. You cannot just get a SCART lead with a SCART connector at one end and some coloured leads (red, blue and green) at the other thinking you can hook up a component source to a SCART TV, or vice versa. IT JUST WON'T WORK!!

[Shimmie]

You've convinced me. So a quality Scart cable from the NTL digital box directly to the TV, with an optical digital audio connection from the NTL box to an AV receiver, is the way to go.

Now to choose a receiver for about £350.... ;-)

Thanks again for the help, been very useful indeed.

Simon

[franko3]

Why not just upgrade your Ntl/Virgin subscription to include the V+ box - these will upscale everything to 720p/1080i already and output via hdmi or component.

[eastman3000]

Donought stand (say it quick).

lazymatt

So these conversion scart to component wont wok if connected from the sky box to the tv?

Oh boy - i have a lot to learn still!!!!

thanks

[Mr Incredible]

JS Technology RGB to Component converters are (have been) very popular in these forums for those wanting to connect SKy (or Sky+) to an upscaling PJ which uses component. Sky HD not only has HDMI but also compoent out, so these converters are redundant for some.

There's one for sale now in the classifieds.