Line doublers and so forth

Greetings everyone, I am new here. This site looks much more fun than the DVDR+RW site and the AudioAsylum!
I feel the desire to get a Pioneer Plasma 50", but am prevented from doing so by a couple of questions:
1) Is the only way to watch Sky from a Digibox with 625p to get a line doubler. If so which one, and would you put it in series between the RGB signal from the Digibox ad the plasma? Would it look any good, anyone tried such a set up? Seems a shame to spend so much on a plasma and not be able to watch a progressive result.
2) How would I go about getting my Pioneer DV939A hacked for PAL progressive (if I recall this is the 737A with DVDA added)? It is region modified at the moment. Seems a shame to spend money on a new player when the 939A produces good results at the moment. Anyone think I should replace, though, if so what with?

 

The problem I came across when doing what you're trying to do was that most line doublers don't accept an RGBs input (i.e. the type of RGB output you get from a Sky box via the scart connector). You can of course get a sync splitter to turn this into an RGBHV signal, but again most low(er) cost line doublers which accept and RGBHV signal just do passthru on it - i.e. don't double it. In the end, I went for a RGBs to YUV converter, which then enabled me to use one of the many doubler which take a YUV input. I went for the iScan Pro - and I've been very happy with the results, but it does mean lots of extra bits and pieces, cables etc.....

 

Thanks Pete
I have seen RGB to YUV converters advertised in the monthlies. Which one did you buy; I'm going to follow your recommendation here, as I had drawn a blank so am grateful?
Thanks
Tony

 

Hi

I got my converter from John Sim at http://www.rgbtosvideo.com - I'd used his rgb to svideo converter before and been happy with it, so went for him YUV converter as well - also works very well. The other option I came across was from our friends at Owl video (http://www.owlvideo.co.uk/). Their converter has to Scart inputs (vs. one from John's box), and does auto switching between the two, but I didn't need this (since my other sources are native YUV anyway) and it's about twice as expensive. I think Keene also do one nowadays but I don't know anything about its quality.

Hope that helps - PM me if you need anything more specific.

pete S

 

Hi
The Faroudja NRS does accept RGBS if specified and there are a number of US sites selling Extron and Faroudja kit from bankrupt companies. Check out ebay.com or http://www.avforsale.com/

I have used equipment from these guys.

Also I notice Gorden at convergent-av now stocks the key digital kit they do RGBS

Hope this helps

Dave