1080 Upconversion and other questions

[MxM]

I have Hitachi 51G500 (link to PDF file) HDTV capable of 1080i, and which has digital DVI input. I want to understand if I can play DVDs with better quality (1080i) than quality of simple s-video connection. As I understand I have the following options:

1) Buy progressive scan DVD player, connect through component video, and then up-convert image through build-in TV up-conversion function to 1080i.

2) Connect computer through DVI and put video card into 1080 line resolution and play movie using some kind of dvd player program (are some programs better than others for this?)

3) Buy one of the new DVD players that have 1080 up-conversion build in. The problem is that up-conversion works only with HDMI output. So, I can buy HDMI to DVI adapter, but then I do not know if my TV can show the signal, because obviously TV DVI does not have any DRM, and HDMI has HDCP. So I do not even know if it works.

What are advantages and disadvantages of each method? (I have unused old PC, so price for #2 is probably not big issue)

 

[Dracy]

Have a Hitachi 28" lcd tv with DVI in but no HDMI. Bought a Panasonic DVD upscaling recorder EZ25 which upscales through HDMI socket, so bought HDMI to DVI cable. What I've now discovered is that HDMI is an anti copying device primarily, using I think HDCP which must be present in both devices otherwise no upscaling takes place. Even though my tv can display hi resolution pictures, HDMI disallows it even though thats all I'm trying to do is upscale ordinary DVD. I feel totally conned. The quicker a gadget is released to bypass HDMI the better. I'd be very careful in what you buy for your TV because if you only have DVI in and no HDMI, than your in trouble with other HDMI devices such as DVD players and recorders and future HD stuff.

 

[rexter]

Seems like your best bet right now is computer DVI to TV DVI and set it to 1080 and see what happens.

Problem 1. Make sure your video card can handle 1920X1080.
Problem 2. Make sure your old computer is at least 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 or equivalent. Hope not to old. This will let you play HD movies.

Not sure if it convert to 1080 but DVD movies (which I think are 720p) so still pretty good. Check on PowerDVD or WinDVD if thier software allow upconvertion.

 

[haftarun8]

DVDs are only 480i, using 3:2 pulldown to play them at 60i. If you use a progressive scan player and use component cables, you can set the player to output 480p at 24fps (progressive reverses the 3:2 pulldown and reconstructs the original progressive film frames)

I'm really wary of using even HDCP certified DVI connections with the new HDMI upconverting dvd players... I own a Samsung 244t which is HDCP certified, but when using a Sony DVP-NS70H upconverting player via HDMI, I couldn't get an upconverted signal, even when messing with settings for a half hour. (unless they require HDCP certified HDMI to DVI adaptors). It's getting to the point where if sony has their way, your TV stand and couch will also require HDCP certification...

Finally to cover PC DVD solutions, if you use ATI cards you're all set with AVIVO technology, where with Nvidia your best bet is to purchase their PureVideo codec to work with geforce cards. Tom's has several articles which cover that stuff in great depth if you want to check it out.

 

[rexter]

You were right it's 720 x 480 for NTSC and 720 x 576 for PAL, I mess-up with the first numbers. That's where I'm not sure about "(which I think are 720p)". Thank you for the correction, I would have given a wrong spec to MxM.

DVD Format
Resolution NTSC 720 x 480 ±
Resolution PAL 720 x 576 ±
Video Compression MPEG-2, MPEG-1
Video bit rate 5000 ± Kbps
Audio Compression MP1, MP2, AC3, DTS, PCM
Audio bit rate 48 ± Kbps (32 - 1536 kbps)
Audio Frequency 48000 Hz
Audio Tracks 1 to 8 audio tracks with Dolby Digital, DTS, PCM or MPEG-1 Layer 2.
Size per minute 30-70 MB

 

[rexter]

This might be what you wanted/needed.

OPPO DV-981HD

"Oppo OPDV981HD. This is a DVI/HDMI only unit, so if your HDTV only supports component input, you don't want this player. The Oppo OPDV981HD uses the same Faroudja deinterlacer/scaler found in high-end Denon players costing thousands of dollars. Secrets Of Home Theater And High Fidelity rated the OPDV981HD as their highest scoring player ever (98 points out of a possible 100) using a proven test procedure involving 22 individually measured criteria. The 981HD upconverts all the way up to 1080p, but supports all standard HD resolutions such as 720p and 1080i. " from www.hkflix.com.

Furthermore:

"Since the coaxial or optical digital audio output has no copy-protection ability (i.e. pure audio stream without encryption and authentication), audio from DVD-Audio or SACD cannot be output via these interfaces. To enjoy high resolution digital audio from DVD-Audio or SACD discs, please use the 5.1-channel analogue audio output. If your A/V receiver supports HDMI 1.1 (or above) digital audio, you may also use the HDMI port, which has the required copyright protection mechanism (HDCP)." from their site.

 

[rexter]

Though I'm not implying anything this might bring some truth to that question. This may give MxM to ask around about it.

Many older high-definition television sets currently in use are not HDCP-capable, and this would negate some of the key benefits of HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc for those consumers. Also, the Microsoft Xbox360 game console, for which there is a HD-DVD add-on available, is only capable of analog non-HDCP-connections. If ICT would be forced, Microsoft's flagship console (note that MS is integral part of the HD-DVD camp, currently providing the VC-1 codec that is used in over 90% of all HD-DVD releases) would only be able to display a quarter of the actual resolution of the media, so movie studios are apparently in agreement to not include the ICT flag on any HD DVDs or Blu-ray Discs in the immediate future.

From this link.

Whenever I go and buy some stuff I prentend I don't know anything, that way I would know right away if the salesman is honest of what he's selling and if he knows more than I do.