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Composite Video?

451 views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  Jonas2 
#1 ·
Trying to figure out which direction I want to go in a receiver/processor, really interested in Anthem, but the ones in my price range do not have composite video inputs. I have a LD player that I still would like to use, and it has composite or S-Video as outputs.

So, I'm wondering about composite to hdmi converters and if they are any good, or cause issues with receivers? If they do work decently then I won't worry so much about getting a receiver that has the inputs, in other words, stick with Anthem that I can afford. :roll eyes:

Interested to hear anybody's experiences which such devices, or other recommended alternatives for "legacy" gear. Thanks! :D
 
#3 ·
I have a monoprice Composite/S-Video Upconverter/Transcoder ($55?) that works great for my Pioneer LD player to my '14 Marantz AV7702 AVP. Switches to HDMI BTW....
It really has no issues that I can speak of ;) It's great to see Star Wars 'Faces' LD's in their original uncut form thru my system this way (esp. with my anamorphic lens). This device can upscale to 720 or 1080P, both of which my Marantz can see nicely....
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thank you both for the reply! That's encouraging. :) I'd hate to scrap my LD player - it's in perfect condition, low miles, and I really don't want to convert my LDs to DVDs.

One of these salesmen at my local AV specialist that I visited today indicated that most TVs still have component inputs and that the composite video output could still be connected to the green jack of the composite input on the TV and then the sounds could still be handled through a receiver with the digital audio input. :confused:
 
#5 ·
Thank you both for the reply! That's encouraging. :) I'd hate scrap my LD player - it's in perfect condition, low miles, and I really don't want to convert my LDs to DVDs.

One of these salesmen at my local AV specialist that I visited today indicated that most TVs still have component inputs and that the composite video output could still be connected to the green jack of the composite input on the TV and then the sounds could still be handled through a receiver with the digital audio input. :confused:
I remember hearing the same thing, about 15 years ago...I wonder if that really works???
 
#7 ·
Hi Jonas2,
From what I have read on the Internet, to watch laserdisc effectively on a Digital Display you need a Video Processor with a 3D Comb filter. This gives you the ability to change the Aspect Ratio and the Black Level IRE (7.5 for ntsc), amongst other things too. The Lumagen HDQ has analog inputs and a DVI output. The DVI output can be changed to HDMI via a plug convertor. I am still after Lumagen HDQ myself, to try it out.
I too got stuck with this problem when my Sony CRT Projector had some issues. I decided to buy a new projector, as I could not find a reliable repairer. I used to happily watch Laserdisc (for many years) with my Pioneer LD-S9 connected to a Lumagen Original Vision Processor (analog RGBHV or component outputs) to the Sony 1271 running at 768p. On a 100" 4:3 screen, I was very happy with the image on the screen.
My current setup is a Pioneer LD-S9 connected to an Anthem MRX-700 then to the Projector a Mitsubishi HC6500. The image I have is very poor, greenish in colour, dark and grainy. I too still want to play my Laserdiscs, in the best possible way.
May I suggest that you search on this AVS Forum to see if anyone does have their Laserdisc Player connected to a Digital Display, with satisfactory results. I will too. This is an excellent Forum, you have a very good chance to get some knowledgable advice from the people here. I am no expert in anything, but I have learn't so much from AVS Forum over the years.
As I mentioned, I will still be on the lookout for a Lumagen HDQ in my Country. I hope this is of some help to you.
Regards, Juz:)
 
#8 ·
Thanks Juz for all that good info! :)

Since all of the converters I'm seeing are pretty inexpensive, I'm tempted to just buy one and try it out. Although I don't have a new display yet at home, I can take the thing to work and try it on one of our flat panel displays and see what kind of results come out. I sure don't expect perfect, but if the quality is good enough, I'll take it.

I am also considering an av processor that has composite inputs, Marantz model. I trying to decide on a processor/receiver right now, including Anthem, but Anthem doesn't have composites on the units I can afford. Not a make or break as far has the processor goes, but it's a plus for the Marantz for me. Still, you saying you get a greenish picture from your Anthem is a bit disappointing, wonder why? :confused:

And per your suggestion, I will comb this forum to see what I can find. You'd have thought that would have been obvious to me from the get-go. :eek::D
 
#9 ·
Hi Jonas2,
That would be wonderful if one of those inexpensive convertors worked for you. Once the signal is converted it will be interesting to see what your Display does with it. I am quite surprised how some brands of TV's handle SD Video. Some do it very well. I will be interested to see how you get on. How is the picture quality when connecting it directly to your TV?
In regards to your AV Receiver considerations, I was surprised to see that the 2nd and 3rd Generation Anthem Receivers have only one Composite input. On the US Marantz Website I see their models have more Composite Inputs.
So if you were considering Anthem, maybe a preloved MRX-300,500 or700 may be on your list as they have more Composite Inputs than the current models, as well as the Marantz. I think Marantz make some wonderful sounding Amps and AV Receivers. As we said before, reading the wealth of information here is a good start.
As you may have discovered, buying an AV Receiver really depends on what equipment "you" have to connect to it. Analog or Digital devices, audio channels, etc. Then going to have a look and listen to it, with a similar setup that you may be using at home.
Regards, Juz:)
 
#10 ·
The picture quality right now when I connect directly to my TV is great! But I'm still using a CRT, Sony Trinitron with composite and the image is what you'd want/expect from these older electronics.

I've just got too many LDs that will never be produced on DVD or BluRay, or that are simply too cool as LDs to ignore. :cool: So I'd really like to make this happen.

As I look more and more into receivers and processors, the more I become disappointed that I can't find simpler arrangements - I can find exactly what I want, unfortunately not in a price-point that is affordable to me. Oh well, can't always get what you want. ;)

Here's another one I found, but it is a lot more expensive. Still, 30-day return policy, so it might be worth trying if one of the cheaper ones doesn't do the trick!

http://www.hdtvsupply.com/svideo-to-hdmi-scaler.html

In searching through other threads here, there is a fair amount of suggestions of Lumigen processors. Wish they made a simple one! Unfortunately, what they do make is far too beyond what I need, not to mention pricey. I'm just going to hope a "cheap" solution achieve the result I want - no I do not expect Bluray quality or anything like that! I just want an image that is as clear as I can see now on a CRT without artifacts or color distortion.
 
#11 ·
Well, I figured why not finally just try one, so I ended up with this:

http://www.amazon.com/CSRET-Composite-Converter-Adapter-Supporting/dp/B0152E8UEG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457635819&sr=8-1&keywords=B0152E8UEG

Electronic device Technology Product Cable Electronics


Looks like 1,000,000 others on Amazon, assume all made by the same company and put in a different package for whatever reseller.

Anyway it works. Got picture and sound no problems. Both on an LG 1080p TV as well as a Sony WUXGA projector. Is the picture any good? Well, no problems with color, no artifacts, and weirdness going on really. Low resolution of course so it looks blocky as I expected. Watchable? Well, that's subjective. I suppose, but it's gross of course (and not fair) comparing to DVD or BluRay. Looks much better on a CRT at 4:3, but that's what the LD player was designed for, so.....worth $24.00? Yeah, probably. They all claim to be "upscales", of course they're not, at least not by my definition of upscale, so NO it does not 1) improve the quality/resolution (I would not actually expect it to) 2) It does not fill the screen of course (didn't know if it would do this or not - but if it did, it'd probably look REALLY crummy). SO yeah, you get huge black bars horizontal or vertical depending on which aspect ratio you're using.

It's better than nothing! But I'd still like to try a real signal processor just to see if there would be an improvement.
 
#12 ·
And for what it's worth, I connected to a projector through an Oppo BDP-103 and everything played very nicely. :) There was no real improvement in picture or round quality (was kinda hoping there would be), BUT interestingly the Oppo did clean up the LD player's function words (don't know what they are really called), but you know "PLAY", "OPEN", "NO DISC" - those words in white text. Where they had shadows before when I direct connected to projector / TV, the shadowing is greatly reduced going through the Oppo for some reason.
 
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