Hypothetical 50PH9 Question

Chris5

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Hiya
I'm looking at getting a 50PH9 as a stop-gap solution.

I'm planning on using HDMI 720p via an IScan VP50. Does anyone know how much picture quality is compromised because the plasma can't be driven at it's native resolution ?
 
You're going to use the IScan to upscale all your non HD inputs, before feeding the output to the panel?
It might be worth your while to take the IScan with you to a local dealer and set it up and see for yourself what difference there is with it in circuit and out of circuit.
You can drive the panel over VGA at native resolution, but unless the iScan can output over VGA at 1366x768, then you're always going to scale an already scaled signal.
No matter how good external scalars are, I can't see how they can produce a better picture than the original signal dealt with by just the panel's scalar.
Maybe there's a bigger difference in the deinterlacing process, and using the IScan to do this function only (if possible) is the best solution.
An expensive solution somewhat, but.......
 
Hiya,

I don't want to get involved in the pros&cons of scalers. just how much worse the picture will be by the Plasma scaling from 720 to 768.
 
pjskel, there's certainly a difference in the deinterlacing process, and the vp50 can output that res (or just about any res) over analog but obviously not for HDCP sources :(

Anyway, I can't give you a direct answer to the question Chris, but I didn't see the point of spending all that money and then outputting 720p so I went down the naughty box route, into 5BNCs, rather than use a digital signal to the screen.
 
Well, that answer is in part related to the Pros and Cons of using an external scalar.
The only way it can be answered is to go and look with your own eyes.
I've not played with an external one, so I can't pass comment on how good they are - I know a number of members use and swear by them, but I think the majority use them with projectors (CRT and/or DLP).
Maybe some of them have done the playing around thing, and in that forum, would be more able to answer your questions.
But I still think no matter what they say, you've got to see it for yourself to see if you find it better than the internal solution.
I would hazard a guess, not many (even those in the trade) would have put this combination together, even if to 'just see' what the outcome is.

Find a good local specialist dealer, and ask them if they have tried it already or if they would mind you having a play to quell your curiosity before taking the plunge.
 
pjskel, there's certainly a difference in the deinterlacing process, and the vp50 can output that res (or just about any res) over analog but obviously not for HDCP sources :(

Okay, and yes, I know the HDCP limitation, but I think Chris wasn't looking to use the iScan with those, only his anaolg SD material, unless I assumed he too knew HDCP would limit his options on what he could plug into it, instead of directly to the TV.
 
I'm pretty certain HDCP is the only reason he'd consider using 720p (oops he answered in the meantime :) )
 
Ah.......!
The way I read the first post was that the IScan was going to output 720p, hence my asking the question in my first rely "You're going to use the IScan to upscale all your non HD inputs, before feeding the output to the panel?" which seems to have been overlooked by Chris.

Can we start again? :(
 
pjskel.

The panel does not support native res of 1366x768@50Hz into its HDMI input. the closest resolution the panel supports is 720P, so yes the VP50 will have to be configured to output 720P because that is all the panel will support.
I hope that clears things up for you.

I suppose my question is really, Is it worth spending an extra £150 odd quid for the HDMI to Component HDCP stripper box + analog cables to feed the panel it's native res of 768P over component?

Please only reply to this thread if you actual know the answer. No guesses from people who don't have experience of this panel please.

Thanks
Chris
 
May be worth doing some more research as I seem to recall some issues feeding the VGA native input from the IScan.

Threads were in the VP section of the forum.

Neil
 
Ok thanks.

Perhaps I'll just stick with HDMI, I can't see that there can be that much of an issue with the panasonic doing the final 10% of scaling.
 
having tried a Lumagen scaler i would have to say that the cons vastly outnumber the pro's - i've spent a lot of money on AV gear and the scaler offered the worst value for money and customer support is less than ideal!!
 
Hi udsf

This thread is not about scalers, please read my origanal posts
 
pjskel.

The panel does not support native res of 1366x768@50Hz into its HDMI input. the closest resolution the panel supports is 720P, so yes the VP50 will have to be configured to output 720P because that is all the panel will support.
I hope that clears things up for you.

I suppose my question is really, Is it worth spending an extra £150 odd quid for the HDMI to Component HDCP stripper box + analog cables to feed the panel it's native res of 768P over component?

I know HDMI doesn't provide native rez. As a TV input it's limited to the main SD (PAL & NTSC) and HD standards only - that's why I mentioned VGA in my original reply.
And as far as Component goes, I'm not aware of it being implemented as a TV input in such a way as would allow for anything other than the same resolutions the HDMI protocol adheres to or is implemented to accept.
So, I fail to follow your talk of feeding native resolution signals to anything other than the VGA input of this panel.
You have me very confused even though I understand what your objective is, since you're referring to inputs with signal resolutions they weren't designed for.
 
Pardon me if i'm incorrect but can't you get a 1:1 signal to the ph9 via dvi?
alternatively the panels seem to be compatible with: 1080/60i, 1080/50i, 1080/24p, 1080/24sf, 1080/25p, 1080/30p, 720/60p, 720/50p, 480/60p, 480/60i
in which case you can use the external scaler ( such as a vp50 or lumagen) to feed the 768 signal, and handle the de-interlacing/interlacing/upscaling/downscaling...
I would imagine that would be the best way to get best pq (relying on each components core functions)
please correct me if i'm mistaken., would be happy to learn
 
I would just go into the panel 1366x768 over vga, the hdmi input on the Panasonic has no advantage at all as the analogue is so good. And the YUV from the sku HD box is also just as good as the hdmi too, set the hd box to 1080i out and you are away.
 

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