Anyone use the AV Toolbox AVT-3190? How is the quality?

I'll primarily be using it for down-converting from HD to SD, but I'm also curious how well the HD bypass works.

Anyone use the AV Toolbox AVT-3190? How is the quality?

I'll primarily be using it for down-converting from HD to SD, but I'm also curious how well the HD bypass works.

your post about this in the Polaroid thread has peaked my interest. Do you now have this? Does it exhibit excellent pic quality? how does the HD pass work? Is there any delay issues with audio caused by the time to process the video? Have i forgotten anything? :)

Just picked up this unit, & posted initial impressions to Larrimore, thought I would share w/ all. This is a component in/out downconverter with HD bypass that I am using to scale HD content for DVD recording. Product info here: http://www.avtoolbox.com/avt3190.shtml

I have Comcast/TWC HiDef via a Motorolla DCT5100/6200 box at 1080i. I'm running through the 3190 to a Polaroid DRM2001g DVD recorder. Both the processed and the HiDef signal are running (via 2 sets of component) to my Samsung LCD display.

- Recorded some content off ESPN HD (lots of talking heads, good for evaluating lip-sync). Good news is, no time lag on the audio. I tried some commercials and history channel as well, just to be sure.

- Tried discovery HD next, an underwater special. Picture quality on playback was stunning. Not HD quality, but I was amazed that what I was looking at was actually a recording.

- Turned to History channel next (standard definition). I mainly wanted to make sure that the 4:3 content would record ok with the AVT3190 at the same setting (I don't know why, but I was worried that with the unit set for 16:9 full screen, it might not play back 4:3 properly, which would have been a drag!). Aspect ratio played back correctly for both 4:3 and 16:9 on my widescreen LCD.

I did notice, however, that the SD content had a very discernable "pixelation" to the image. Especially with objects small or out of focus onscreen, for example someone standing in the background, I would get "jaggies" around the edges. This was pretty consistent for all SD channels. I'd say PQ is still superior to VHS, but I don't know if I'd necessarily go for really big-screen (ie projector) playback.

- Recorded small samples of HBO & Showtime on demand. Mostly did this to check out the copy protection behavior, because I'd heard that some recorders have had trouble recording On Demand content. Recording worked without a hitch, no CP flags went up.

I did notice that while transfers are mostly crisp & color reproduction is for the most part accurate, there is a slight blue cast on the recorded content. Not sure if this is the Polaroid or the 3190, & I probably wouldn't even see it if I weren't switching back & forth between the DVDR & the cable feed, but it is there. Mostly noticeable on things like trees/grass (makes them look much brighter).

So to summarize:

- HD passthrough on the AVT3190 is indistinguishable from the direct cable feed.
- No discernable time delay on audio through the processed port.
- Some pixelization on recorded SD content.
- No copy protection issues so far.
- Slight blue shift from original source.

Next steps (maybe this weekend):

- Try DVD burning.
- Try playbak on my 4:3 CRT.
- Evaluate PQ of recorded content on my projector.

Overall setup strong points: recording HD content; convenice factor (don't have to keep switching cable box output res).

More to come.

Next steps (maybe this weekend):

- Try DVD burning.
- Try playbak on my 4:3 CRT.
- Evaluate PQ of recorded content on my projector.

Overall setup strong points: recording HD content; convenice factor (don't have to keep switching cable box output res).

More to come.

update?

Could anyone describe how the zoom/size/pan works on the AVT-3190? Does it have a continuously variable zoom that can be used to zoom a letterbox image to eliminate the horizontal bars on a 4:3 screen?