Upscaling DVD on a HTPC?

[medicmanonet]

Hi all,

I've got a few questions before deliving into making a HTPC so could you give me your opinions please

1. How good is a HTPC using something like FFShow at upscaling dvd's compaired to a dedicated HD-DVD player (HD-E1) / Blue-ray player or the PS3 (with latest patches).

2. If I installed a Blue-ray drive how good would the picture be compaired to a dedicated Blue-ray player or the PS3?

You see I'm in a dilema. I am probably going to buy a laptop for colledge work and will lilkly only get a cheap less powerfull one so it is unlikly to be much good at playing HD videos. I am tempted by the PS3 as this can play most HD format videos (from the net) such as AVC and maybe wmedia and surf the net.

My main use would be a DVD and HD/BR player, with maybe a bit of net surfing. The ability of being able to play other HD media files would be nice.

Ultimately, the wife can't beat just sticking a disk in and pressing play on a remote!

What is the lowest spect laptop needed to play HD movies at 1366x768?
I have tried some files ona works ;laptop with (I think) a 1.7mhz processor and onboard intel 945 graphics and it played on the laptop without stuttering.

thanks all

 

[SeanT]

1. Better - much better than any DVD player on the market less than a grand.
2. Pretty much the same, although the downscaling to 720p / 768p will be better if necessary imho because of sheer processing power.

Caveat - it's more of a mission than a purchase

 

[tinners]

1. Better - much better than any DVD player on the market less than a grand.
2. Pretty much the same, although the downscaling to 720p / 768p will be better if necessary imho because of sheer processing power.

Caveat - it's more of a mission than a purchase

Agreed, especially the bit about it being a mission.
My other caveat would be that Bluray / HDDVD playback in Media Center is still not integrated into a nice friendly front end. But it looks fantastic, and with either HDDVD or Bluray drive now £120 you cant grumble.
Upscaling DVDs are better than on my DVD player or Xbox 360 and with FFDSHOW I can tune the picture / upscaling to the minutest detail to fit my screen

 

[Trancerii]

I've put a basic guide up here: http://www.projecthtpc.co.uk/software3.html with some examples based on those settings. This is just the begining with ffdshow, and theres loads more settings in there.

 

[medicmanonet]

Hmm.

it kinda looks like building a HTPC with a Blue-Ray drive might be the way to go then. MInd you using a laptop to upscale dvd's with FFDshow might be a mid-term solution.

Thanks for the infor (already read the thread on the HTPC built and FFshow software).

Now onto laptop selection and HTPC build. I think I'll research / ask in another thread to get me started.

Basically, I will need a laptop to be able to play at 1366x768 only (or maybe 720p). so nothing too fancy. reecon I 'd get it for less that £500 ?

cheers all

 

[badbob]

Too much hassle, if you've got the hardware already play around with it. I did, and decided to just get a normal DVD player.