H3d!!!!!!!

buns

Ex Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2001
Messages
6,099
Reaction score
1
Points
910
Age
42
Location
Belfast
Well There is good new to everyone who is interested in one of these, I can now confirm that it is a top notch piece of kit and, in my opinion, worth every penny i spent. To put this further into perspective, I have only had a chance to comprehensively test the s-video input.

I would do a 'mini-review' but to be honest, I will wait until I have a chance to test at least the composite inputs as well.

Basically the thing which impresses me most is that, apart from updates, I havent had to touch the mouse or keyboard! I literally have to press play on my dvd player, the H3D card and software do the rest on their own for me. Wonderfully simple!

Im sure Couch Potato and Jenz will come around soon and give a bit of their thoughts!

So, if anyone has a spare $900 and was looking a capture card, this boyo is a very good line to investigate!

:D

ad
 
Component in from a DVD player is better PQ than TheaterTek and the Svideo feed from Sky is very good, way better than my departing Pinnacle card. It uses Faroudja DCDi de-interlacing via the Fli2200 chipset. I'm now waiting for my SDI DVD player to check out the SDI input but am expecting high things. Just need to mend my Projector now :(

As far as ease of use, if your using it as a dedicated Video Processor it is exceptional. Once you've locked down your PC and hidden all icons and taskbar, it's definately got WAF. If you put Holo3D in the startup menu it fires up into fullscreen and all you have to do is select input type and source (from the included remote if required, oh and there's already a Pronto ccf avaialble!!) and you're away.

Cant wait for my DIGN case and with this in it I'll have a dedicated PC based Video Processor that looks stunning, both inside the rack and on the screen!!!

Highly recommended, if not exactly cheap. However it's a lot cheaper than the nearest black box equivalent :D

Edit, one of the EAP testers was Frank Doorhof of Cinematrix distribution fame, he regarded the SDI input as better than his (now retired) PSM-1, in his words, "It's my dream come true"!

Steve
 
Its good not having to rely on the HTPC for DVD work isn't it, no more messing with dodgy sound card drivers etc. Just wait till you see SDI, its gorgeous. :D
 
This is a sweet card.

Component Input from a DV27 is great. Even composite is not to bad for those old VHS tapes :D

S-Video is great also for GC...

Of course I now need component switching in my amp for Xbox and PS2 and Arcam :D

Anyone want an old IDS Falcon?

Jenz.
 
It is indeed a very nice card!

There still seem to be some issues with PAL and some digital receivers but those should be possible to solve.

Just thought I'd also point out that the daughtercard due out soon will also suppotr SCART style RGB which is very good news indeed.

Jenz, have you tried the latest DScaler with 72/75 yet?

John
 
Originally posted by Jeff
Its good not having to rely on the HTPC for DVD work isn't it, no more messing with dodgy sound card drivers etc. Just wait till you see SDI, its gorgeous. :D

And previously using TheaterTek I had to stick with the Radeon 6025 drivers, I can now move to Catalyst!! There was definite improvement as well.

Only trouble, my DVd player packed in last week, SDI modded player in transit :D, yesterday, my PJ went pearshaped, I've now got to talk the wife into an 808:eek:

Steve
 
Excuse my ignorance chaps, but with the onboard dcdi processor, how much is ther to be gained by running an extra application like dscaler or do they work together. My second question is related to the answer of the 1st and that is if you no longer need to run dscaler because all the processing is hardware based, does that mean that you don't need much of a PC around the card, i.e. slow old processor just with a decent PSU perhaps.
 
Originally posted by John Spicer
Excuse my ignorance chaps, but with the onboard dcdi processor, how much is ther to be gained by running an extra application like dscaler or do they work together. My second question is related to the answer of the 1st and that is if you no longer need to run dscaler because all the processing is hardware based, does that mean that you don't need much of a PC around the card, i.e. slow old processor just with a decent PSU perhaps.

John,

The 3 options are:

1. 480i-->Fli2200/DCDi-->480P-->Holo-UI-->GPU/Scaling
2. 480i-->Fli2200/DCDi-->480P-->Dscaler-->GPU/Scaling
3. 480i-->Dscaler-->480P-->GPU/Scaling

So you get to try out which option gives you the best PQ for you.
Dscaler will allow you to use Judder Terminator at 72hz and 75hz.

I'm sure John Ad will pop in and give you a much better answer.

You do not have to run Dscaler, the Holo3D's been designed from the start to be Dscaler compatible, you get the best of both worlds!!

You could run a cut down PC, minimal H/D, no sound card low end processor and lower RAM however processor and RAM prices are so low now :rolleyes:, should operate at a relatively low temp though so the option for a very quiet HCPC maybe.

Steve
 
So the benefit of dscaler is to provide additional resolution outputs and refresh rates?
 
Originally posted by John Spicer
So the benefit of dscaler is to provide additional resolution outputs and refresh rates?

No impact on resolution but allows the use of 72/75hz which is not available thro' Holo3D. There are some minor issues at the moment with H3D and PAL video sources where the Fli2200 isn't quite doing its stuff the way it could but no problems with DScaler.

John Ad: Help!!

One other point I'd like to make is the level of support is outstanding, speaking from personal experience of receiving a DOA card I had a replacement within 48 hours!

Steve
 


No impact on resolution but allows the use of 72/75hz which is not available thro' Holo3D. There are some minor issues at the moment with H3D and PAL video sources where the Fli2200 isn't quite doing its stuff the way it could but no problems with DScaler.


Ok, I think i get it, the card just takes the input and then passes it onto the graphics card for scaling, but if the graphic card is doing the scaling then whats the processor for?:confused:

Sorry for all the questions, I'll get it soon:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by John Spicer

but if the graphic card is doing the scaling then whats the processor for?:confused:

De-interlacing, changing aspect ratio's, allowing video source switching!! It takes the interlaced signal does its magic and outputs the Progresive signal to the GPU

1. 480i-->Fli2200/DCDi-->480P-->Holo-UI-->GPU/Scaling

I'm sure if I'm getting this wrong somebody who's more knowledgeable will bale me out..... please bale me out :p

Steve
 
Steve

You're explainations sound good to me. THe FLI2200 takes 480i and converts to 480p (or 576i -> 576p) this is does very well indeed, the scaler in the graphics chip takes the 480p and scales it to whatever you device is running at.

What the software is doing here isn't much when using the fli2200, but it is important, the software must take the input and display it at the right times and in the right place, which is not as simple as it sounds. It must also control the hardware and set it up properly when you change inputs or formats.

On why you would use DScaler, well most people won't, CRT owners who want to get rid of 3:2 judder are the most liekly to make the switch. It can sometimes also be useful if you want to use the noise filters or the logo killer with annoying DOGS.

Joh
 
Thanks guys, think I've got it now.:)
 
Oh and for those who know the name, the S/W developer for the Holo3D is Mark Rejhon, couldn't really be in safer hands :D

Steve
 
JohnAd wrote...

...or the logo killer with annoying DOGS

This sounds intriguing. Do I read your post aright? This is a feature of Descaler?

What exactly is the visual effect?

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk
 
Originally posted by Couch Potato


No impact on resolution but allows the use of 72/75hz which is not available thro' Holo3D. There are some minor issues at the moment with H3D and PAL video sources where the Fli2200 isn't quite doing its stuff the way it could but no problems with DScaler.

Steve

To add, i think the word 'yet' is perhaps missing!

Ad
 
Although not a H3G owner, I would reall miss the CRT preserving Orbit feature on DScaler as it allows playstation type games on-screen without worry of tube-burn because of any bright stationary crosshair/text/score/health bar, etc as DScaler slowly moves the whole screen around.

regards,
Rob.
 
Originally posted by Rob.Screene
Although not a H3G owner, I would reall miss the CRT preserving Orbit feature on DScaler as it allows playstation type games on-screen without worry of tube-burn because of any bright stationary crosshair/text/score/health bar, etc as DScaler slowly moves the whole screen around.

regards,
Rob.

You can of course use descaler, i have the alpha installed and it works ok. I believe that there is a possibilty that descaler will become more a part of the h3d program. I certainly like the idea, but time will tell!

Ad
 
Rob,
I'm using my X-Box with D-Scaler via the H3D card to avoid burn-in. Works a treat although I'm only using bounce as I've never managed to get me head round the orbit feature :confused:

What are your ini settings?

Bounce=1
BouncePeriod=1800
DeferedOverlay=1
BounceTimerPeriod=1000
BounceAmplitude=25
Orbit=0
OrbitPeriodX=2700
OrbitPeriodY=3600
OrbitSize=8
OrbitTimerPeriod=60000

Here are some pics (stolen from AVS) of the UI of this excellent card:

Holo3dgraph montage
 
Originally posted by John DB

I'm using my X-Box with D-Scaler via the H3D card to avoid burn-in.

burn in?

I just am using h3d for the most part, not descaler so cant help much. If you get really stuch im sure johnad will help!

ad
 
If I remember correctly (I didn't do all the aspect code) I think the oribit feature moves the picture around within a fixed blanking area. Orbiting should help with DOGS and fixed screen clutter and also works with stuff that fills the screen whereas bounce only works if there is blanking. To use orbiting you ned to have overscan > OrbitSize

John
 
I don't know all of Mark's plans for the H3d app but I do know they would be interested in getting DScaler's filters running on the stream. This should be possible but will take a while.

John
 
Originally posted by Bert Coules
This sounds intriguing. Do I read your post aright? This is a feature of Descaler?

What exactly is the visual effect?
[/B]

Bert

The feature is new and changing frequently but basically you blur the background over the logo. At the moment this can look obvious and is slightly distracting, but often is a lot less distracting than the logo.

I've used it in anger at the BBC Choice logo and it works quite well, on the old 5 logo it worked OK but that is a bigger and less obtrusive logo anyway.

John
 
John,

Thanks for the explanation. Is this something you have to adjust every time for each individual channel, or can the settings be stored and recalled?

I don't understand why some enterprising manufacturer hasn't marketed a small black box which generates an adjustable blanking signal, either to blur the logos or eradicate them in some other way. Wouldn't that be a best-seller?

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom