[keysersoze123]

Hi guys,

I've had my Pioneer lx5090 for almost a year now. I've just been watching it with the supplied speakers so far - heresy, I know!

Well, I want to get into the world of home cinema, including surround sound, and I've just learnt that you can get dedicated 'video processors'. Yet another expense, as I'd just begun to learn about the whole AVR side of things, which I now learn is basically only about audio reproduction.

I have a few questions, and if you could shed any light on any of the points raised hear, Id be very grateful indeed.

Firstly, is it possible to significantly improve the picture quality on my Pioneer with a video processor? Would the dedicated external video processor basically take on all the functions of the current low(er) grade processor inside the Kuro TV?

Can I expect to see big improvements in broadcast television PQ (picture quality) if I use a dedicated video processor? After all, much as I despair, most of the TV being broadcast is still SD, so if I could get big improvements in SD television content, that would be an enormous incentive to buy one.

Also, if video processors can make a really big difference, does that mean that the "Kuro" range isn't necessarily the best, it just has the best 'on-board' video processing? As in, if you have a really good video processor, could you get stunning PQ from a much cheaper TV than a Kuro that wasn't using an external video processor? I imagine there's more to it than that, but I'd feel quite gutted if I could have bought a lesser TV than the Kuro, added a video processor, and ended up with better PQ, for less money.

An improvement in SD performance is what I'm most interested in, because Blu-Ray (even through my ps3) is already pretty stunning, but does a video processor increase the quality of HD viewing as well? That would be the icing on the cake.

Also, can I use a video processor with an AVR (all in one) solution? Or do I have to use it with a separates system - e.g. a separate audio processor and separate power amp?

How much sort of cash do people spend on these video processors, if they want a big boost in PQ?

Thanks for reading and any tips,

Keyser

[choddo2006]

Originally Posted by keysersoze123

Hi guys,

I've had my Pioneer lx5090 for almost a year now. I've just been watching it with the supplied speakers so far - heresy, I know!

Well, I want to get into the world of home cinema, including surround sound, and I've just learnt that you can get dedicated 'video processors'. Yet another expense, as I'd just begun to learn about the whole AVR side of things, which I now learn is basically only about audio reproduction.

I have a few questions, and if you could shed any light on any of the points raised hear, Id be very grateful indeed.

Firstly, is it possible to significantly improve the picture quality on my Pioneer with a video processor?

Define "significantly"?

Would the dedicated external video processor basically take on all the functions of the current low(er) grade processor inside the Kuro TV?

Yes

Can I expect to see big improvements in broadcast television PQ (picture quality) if I use a dedicated video processor? After all, much as I despair, most of the TV being broadcast is still SD, so if I could get big improvements in SD television content, that would be an enormous incentive to buy one.

The Pioneer is already reasonable. I guess it all depends how much cash you've got to throw at it. Are you using SkyHD?

Also, if video processors can make a really big difference, does that mean that the "Kuro" range isn't necessarily the best, it just has the best 'on-board' video processing? As in, if you have a really good video processor, could you get stunning PQ from a much cheaper TV than a Kuro that wasn't using an external video processor? I imagine there's more to it than that, but I'd feel quite gutted if I could have bought a lesser TV than the Kuro, added a video processor, and ended up with better PQ, for less money.

Well that's exactly what I think I did (sorry ) but the blacks on the Kuro can't be matched by anything else at the moment.

An improvement in SD performance is what I'm most interested in, because Blu-Ray (even through my ps3) is already pretty stunning, but does a video processor increase the quality of HD viewing as well? That would be the icing on the cake.

Slightly. The Kuro does ok with 1080i anyway.

Also, can I use a video processor with an AVR (all in one) solution? Or do I have to use it with a separates system - e.g. a separate audio processor and separate power amp?

You can use it with an AVR - I use mine in front, so I send one sound cable out to the AVR and one video cable out to the display.

How much sort of cash do people spend on these video processors, if they want a big boost in PQ?

How much have you got?

[keysersoze123]

Well I'm working with roughly a £5k budget I think, but that's for speakers, AVR amps, and now quite possibly a video processor.

So people don't generally buy video processors to increase HD performance, seeing as you said HD would probs only improve 'slightly'?

I use Virgin, which has quite a lot of HD movies for rent, and barely any HD channels (about 3 I think), but even with Sky HD, which my mum has (I'm at her house right now and for a while longer) most of the good channels are SD anyway... It's a shame we don't get more HD content broadcast, I might change to Sky when my contract runs out, but the "on demand" features of Virgin are sooooo superior, that's the main reason I use them. Hundreds of tv shows and movies on demand at any minute.

With sky on the other hand you usually have to wait at least half an hour before each "on demand" film starts, it's a bit of a joke. Plus they don't have nearly as many "on demand" films either. I've heard this is because the "satellite" system is not nearly as adept at this kind of streaming as cable (as used by Virgin).

You say define "significantly" and then ask how much I'm looking to spend.

Well, I wouldn't spend a lot of cash on a special video processor if it wasn't gonna make a big improvement on the SD television I watch every day. I don't really know how to define "significant"?

I'm not made of money, so I would want a noticeable, clearly nicer picture than before, if I spent proper money.

But if the SD picture could genuinely be made a lot better, then yeah, I'd be happy to drop £500+ on a video processor... If it would lead to a big improvement in picture quality. Maybe I'd spend more, but if it's only really about improving SD performance I'd be reluctant,

Thanks for your input.

[Liam @ Prog AV]

The virgin box doesn't do a native SD output via HDMI so it's quite a pain in the neck to good SD quality out of it. You have to rig up a scart connection and then manually through the (awful) menu system turn off HDMI and turn on scart, and switch your processor to the scart input. Then when you want to watch HD stuff you have to manually turn off scart, turn HDMI back on, and switch inputs over again.

[choddo2006]

Indeed the V+ On-Demand service is far better. The new xbox 360 Sky Player's movies on demand is a nice substitute if you've got an xbox.

I recommend you take a look at the DVDO EDGE. Does some nice things for a reasonable price.

[keysersoze123]

Originally Posted by choddo2006

Indeed the V+ On-Demand service is far better. The new xbox 360 Sky Player's movies on demand is a nice substitute if you've got an xbox.

I recommend you take a look at the DVDO EDGE. Does some nice things for a reasonable price.

Cool. So would something like the DVDO EDGE do all of the upscaling, even if I had a 1080p upscaling DVD player plugged in? Would I need to turn 1080p upscaling off on the DVD player? (This is all hypothetical - if I get a standalone player besides my PS3, it'll be a good Blu-Ray player, with good DVD functions, but again, if it did DVD upscaling, would I need to set it to "off", and let the DVDO EDGE upscale instead?).

I do have an Xbox 360 but never got round to signing up for live, crazy seeing as how much I game. I'm the only one of my friends who doesn't have Live! Do you know how the movie catalogue compares in size to Virgin's "Filmflex 500" (500ish films)? Don't worry I'm sure google can point me in the right direction.

On DVDO EDGE's site it says it can "dramatically improve" pictures from Blu-Ray players, which seems to contradict what the original person who replied in this thread said.

What is the general consensus?

Can a dedicated video processor really improve HD?

And as for SD? I don't expect miracles, but if it could make a big difference, that would be amazing! I do however realise that some SD channels are encoded better than others.

[Avi]

Originally Posted by keysersoze123

On DVDO EDGE's site it says it can "dramatically improve" pictures from Blu-Ray players, which seems to contradict what the original person who replied in this thread said.

What is the general consensus?

Can a dedicated video processor really improve HD?

And as for SD? I don't expect miracles, but if it could make a big difference, that would be amazing! I do however realise that some SD channels are encoded better than others.

The Edge can help improve SD performance compared to Sky. One of the biggest issues with these boxes is the ability to send a native SD interlaced signal over HDMI i.e they don't. Edge has a feature called PReP which enables it reprocess these signals back to the original fields and then deinteralace them. The result is usually better than the original unit but the Edge isn't perfect at this (no product is). There are different approaches to scaling (interpolating the resolution) and some methods exaggerate edges to create the illusion of increased sharpness. The Edge falls in to this category but some people like the effect and it's less noticeable on smaller screen sizes.

Bottom line is garbage in, garbage out but the Edge may improve some material. If the deinterlacing of the box is very poor then the Edge can make a very noticeable improvement. I'd say the Edge does very little to "improve" 1080p/24 Blu-ray material. It may help if player has issues with SD DVD or 1080i Blu-ray material. Again it depends on what you compare as the Edge may also exhibit issues with PAL material.

AVI

[Liam @ Prog AV]

Please remember the virgin box does not give any kind of 576 output via HDMI, P or I. It's not as plug and play as the Sky HD box and Edge combo are in this regard. You will need to do the scart thing as I posted earlier.

With DVD/PS3 set your player to do 576p/i or PS3 with upscaling off. This way whether the DVD/PS3 deinterlaces or not the prep in the edge fixes it and uses it's better deinterlacing to deal with the signal.