Best quality VIDEO streamer for bluray content from PC

What do you not like about the video quality on a Dune D1?

Really, for the low cost folks, there are really only processors made by 2 companies, Sigma and Realtek. All Sigma based ones look similar and all Realtek ones look similar. If you want to get something better, you will either need to build it or purchase something in the 5 figure range and then you get into the laws of diminishing returns.

A few companies will be showing products at the Consumer Electronics Show built around the upcoming generation of the Sigma and Realtek chips that promise better processing (the current sigma chips are 3 years old now!). That show is in the second week of January.

I actually had my TV HDMI input with the Dune attached calibrated separately to adjust for the differences in the Dune output with excellent results.

I have owned both and finally sold my oppo when I was able to get quality SACD rips.

I was convinced that building a HTPC and using Media Player Classic provides better quality bluray playback than stand-alone bluray players. Is this not true?

I would think that MPC would be worse quality than bluray players...I have heard that the quality gets worse if you switch to 16-235 from 0-255, and of course 0-255 is not the native color space of Blu-rays. Could be wrong though.

My main complaint about HTPCs is that it is tricky to get them to output the correct frame rate AND the correct audio sync. In fact I think it is impossible without nvidia and a custom res.

I feel like I need to chime in here (not even sure how I ended up in this thread). I can't comment on the issue of converting from PC to TV colorspace, though I would bet there are solutions which override any need to perform conversions. But as far as picture quality goes, one of the things a HTPC can do which it is nearly certain no dedicated media player mimics is the ability to post-process the chroma channel and effect a resolution similar to the luma. This is an important step because the TV sure as heck isn't going to do it. Fairly CPU demanding and somewhat esoteric, this function would probably be responsible for the biggest difference in picture quality, all else being equal.

That said, I wholeheartedly concur with the concerns over a reliably stable framerate coming from any PC OS.

@ OP - when you are talking about BR rips- are you streaming MKVs, ISOs, or m2ts?

I've seen the Nixeus Fusion XS at the gdgt show and I do notice that Video quality is better than Sigma and Realtek (They had they're Fuson HD using Sigma to compare)... they told me it was because of Marvell's Qdeo Technology video post processing... but if you are streaming BR ISOs I don't think it supports it...

I think Dune is coming out with a new player, the DUNE HD PRO, that uses a Sigma Designs 8910 chipset with VxP (Video Processing) and may retail in the $1000 USD+ range.
http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2011...s-dune-hd-pro/

The VxP competes and works similar to Qdeo in the Nixeus using the Marvell 88D3010 chipset...

It would be great to have a player with Sigma 8910 for about $200.

Whoa is this true? Stand alone blu players look more detailed and crisp than these media devices on this forum?

I would be concerned that the difference you are seeing might be some post processing done by the player (aka. DNIE frrom Samsung, which artificially enhances contrast) or improper setup. Its important to compare apples to apples. I've compared the PS3 to my PCH A-110 on BD and I can see no difference.

I can clearly see a difference on DVD which the PS3 does a much better job of de-interlacing and scaling the image.

Not saying your comparison is not valid but it could be more complicated than what you think.

every HT enthusiast should own a copy of this:

http://www.spearsandmunsil.com/

Have you run both players through a spears and munsel setup to make sure you have everything setup correctly and consistently. That might help you figure out if there is a real difference on maybe a setup or post processing issue. great learning experience even if everything is setup correctly.

best of luck
Sean

I agree! I don't notice any difference in PQ with my A200/110 compared to my PS3 on my plasma or my JVC RS20.

There have been reviews and tests done extensively regarding PQ in media players and HTPC - I think there are some AnandTech articles talking about this when they did a media player comparison using HQV 2.0 benchmark showing there were picture quality issues in Sigma 865x & 864x, RealTek, and even HTPCs using AMD/Nvidia graphics cards. From their tests it showed no real difference in the Sigma 865x & 864x players but Sigma was better than Realtek - but I'm pretty sure the new Sigma 8910 with VxP would blow them all away.

- though maybe most people may not have two large HDTVs to compare, but if You look at players you have side by side you will notice a difference with stand alone Blu-Ray Players and media players using Sigma and Realtek. Wither they use post processing or not - the quality is noticable in terms of color quality, clarity and jagged edges on videos/movies. Even if you don't have two HDTVs - just hook up your players to the HDMI ports (if you have more than one HDMI port on your TV) and stop at the same scenes and compare by switching HDMI outputs.

I have multiple media players including some new ones I just received recently (all under $200) includng a powerful gaming PC that doubles as a HTPC - will test and compare when I have time this weekend.... Happy New Years Everyone!

Yes it is true... I've compared them side by side... but it also depends if you have a good BR player or A/V Receiver with post processing - there are some new A/V receivers I saw on sale over the holidays that are also using Qdeo Technology...

this is a nice thread,just found it today heh:P anyways i would like to say that it's no surprise the standalone blu ray player looks better than a media player.i just noticed the roku LT+xbox 360 has better picture quailty than the wdtv smp when playing netflix.my old briteview cinematube 5005 probably had better picture quailty when playing dvds.netgear 550 looked the same.does it depend on the coders from wdtv,netgear,etc to make the picture quailty better or is it the video chips installed?

Wow I wonder if I should cancel my Dune and just go Blu Ray player only. I want the best, clearest sharpest picture I can get

It depends on the SoC (Video Chips) installed. Currently there is only one chipset in media players that does video post processing to improve overall picture quality - the Marvell 88DE3010 with Qdeo Technology which is available in the Nixeus Fusion XS Network Media Player. The Fusion XS is still very new and may need time to mature. Qdeo is already in some A/V Receivers and been in Blu-Ray Players for several years now. The only other SoC that will have video post processing is the Sigma 8910 using VxP - which may not be available till much later this year.


Or you can get an A/V Receiver with Qdeo or VxP to do this for you. My friend just bought an Onkyo A/V Reciever with Qdeo over the holidays - if I have time I'll bring over my media players that don't have Video Post processing built in to test if it does improve PQ and report back here...

Two questions:
- How are you ripping your SACDs?
- Does the Dune Lite 53d playback SACD format?

Looking at getting a Dune, but use my Oppo BDP-83 for SACD playback....

yes and please send me a pm and let me know if you see a difference or not. That is all im looking for is a device that will play full on Blu Ray with no stutter or pixelation with the sharpest, cleanest image available.

Rip your SACDs using the PS3 method... feel free to PM for more info. NEVER buy the Dune Lite... any other Dune will be better. Dunes do not play DSD (SACD format) directly. You need to convert to either flac or wav.

So you don't care about audio quality?

how abt dvd audio for ps3?

Somewhat but I live in an APT and cant blast my surround like I want to. So at this point PQ is more important

The sacd is not FOR the ps3 but ripped USING the ps3. Dvdaudio can be ripped using a standard computer DVD drive