Can a VERY good upscaler even touch HD DVD?

[BandofBrothers]

Hi guys, a simple\generalised question.

Could a very good dvd player (Denon 3930) pump out some visuals (upscaled) that are NEAR hd-dvd quality? or is HD DVD simply BETTER?

(I realise this may be a VERY broad question)

Does anyone have any reviews with pics of the denon upscaling?

Thx for any help

 

[Likvid]

Hi guys, a simple\generalised question.

Could a very good dvd player (Denon 3930) pump out some visuals (upscaled) that are NEAR hd-dvd quality? or is HD DVD simply BETTER?

(I realise this may be a VERY broad question)

Does anyone have any reviews with pics of the denon upscaling?

Thx for any help

I have tested with my VP50.

SD DVD is 576p and HD-DVD is 1080p stored on discs.

You can't make a Ferrari out of a Fiat, what i mean the video processor can't add information.

 

[jw250]

If you A/B test the same movie, one a SD DVD via upscaling and the other HDDVD for example, you would see a huge improvement on the HDDVD. I'm afraid there is no way upscaling can make it in anyway confusing - unless your HD screen isn't huge (a 26-32" medium quality LCD for e.g.) and not showing you the best that HD offers.

 

[BandofBrothers]

thanks for the info

I thought that would be the case, its just I see loads of people still spending £1000+ on a normal dvd player

 

[Corrado]

Try the Denon DVD3930 - I think you will be very enlightened!

 

[Greg Mandel]

Upscaling is always an approximation. The scaler (whether in your TV, player or a dedicated unit) is going to make a lot of guesses and use a lot of tricks to take a SD source and try and make it look good at higher resolution. It basically has to "fill in the gaps" via interpolation techniques when you take a smaller SD frame and make it big enough to fill a much higher resolution HD frame. Higher resolution = more data, SD = less data.

A HD player with a HD disc has a lot more information available to it. There is no need for upscaling or the various guesses and interpolation that SD requires, so you should see much better picture.

Having said that, some of the quality (and expensive) scalers are very good, but you can get a HD-DVD player for less than a good one.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Upscaling can be decent in good equipment but HD DVD and BD are in a different league. Basically you can't get something for nothing, SD just does not have the information on the disc. It will get 'closest' with video processors, Arcams DV139 or the big Denon thingy, which use better quality scaling solutions.

 

[Timbo21]

or the big Denon thingy,

 

[Mep]

or the big Denon thingy

woo...less of the techy talk please

 

[Moviebuff]

the big Denon thingy.

We couldn't accuse you of giving to much information!

 

[Timbo21]

We couldn't accuse you of giving to much information!

Oh you think you're so clever.

Just because you've got one of those Big Denon Thingies !

 

[Nic Rhodes]

We couldn't accuse you of giving to much information!

well it's got lots of Xs and As and Vs and there is 1 in there somewhere aswell, mind you so does the model down, and last years model.....and the receiver as well Always happy to help with the tough technical questions .

 

[Timbo21]

I think in terms of very good upscaled vs. HD (I haven't viewed any HD DVD) I think you will find the odd shot on HD that you may find doesn't particularly better DVD at it's best, and likewise there are the odd shots on SD DVD that look utterly stunning. However, you'll find that other scenes more than give it away.

 

[Cheekster]

Moviebuff would be one of the most qualified to answer this question as he is now the proud owner of a Denon DVD-A1XVA (arguably the best SD player out there right now!).

Cheekster.

 

[leon]

i think it is to early to jump on the hd wagon seing as one of the wheels might fall of soon you can get an amazing upscalled pq and its cheaper than replacing all your dvd for one of the new formats .. im buying a dv139 arcam with an upscaler and waiting another year for the new formats to get better alot of the disks out there are old ones upscaled and remastererd to make them look better ..i cant see how some of the films from 5 or 6 years ago can be launched as a hd /blue ray dvd when they didnt have hi-def cameras back then in the film industry //. not that i work for pinewood studios

 

[Nic Rhodes]

i cant see how some of the films from 5 or 6 years ago can be launched as a hd /blue ray dvd when they didnt have hi-def cameras back then in the film industry

not that i work for pinewood studios

Really ? Film cameras have had resolutions orders of magnitude higher than HD cameras since the 1930s!! Any of these, if the film is good conditions, is capable of some VERY high resolutions, well in excess on 'lowly 1080p'. Just go and watch the 1938 The Adventures of Robin Hood on HD DVD.... It's great as good as the best DVD has got, it can't compete with the best HD.