SDI dvd players - Page 2  

I thought that Macrovision was an analog thing, added to the analog signal as it's sent out, so I would imagine that SDI just inherently bypasses, right?

Right. The Macrovision signal modifications are typically made in the video encoder for 480i or DAC for 480p (although they insist on calling it 525p). The digital signal which is fed to the SDI transmitter is picked up ahead of this.

- Dale Adams

Dean,

"Hmmm.... There's no protocol shown here:"

You are right, I could have sworn I saw a 2900 document somewhere but I can't find it right now. The 2900 has a serial port and it isn't used for firmware ugprades as that is done with a CD-R.

"I saw your basic pictures and whatnot on the DC web site, but I'm not sure I'd want to take it on with just that to go by."

The pics posted on the PMS forum here:

http://pmsvideo.com/index_topic.php?...2fa0c9fd7f3d4b

As far as what you need to do the mod just this:

http://pmsvideo.com/index_topic.php?...didpath=/17/61

and some wire wrapping wire.

" But without pretty explicit instructions, I'm not sure I'd want to attempt it."

Wanna make a trade? ;)

Shawn

I posted this on another thread, but since this one is even more on that topic, I'll repeat it here... I'm thinking of getting the 2900, because I need a DVD player that is highly automatable, in order to set up a reference/demo control and automation system for CQC. The 2900 is probably the lowest cost player with that extensive a control protocol (serial.) However, I have the HD Leeza, and I'd like to have the SDI mod put into this box if I get it. But there are concerns, or at least concerns were raised, that the HDL has trouble with some or many non-Key Digital modified SDI players.

I was thinking of having the PMS SDI kit put into the box, so I was wondering if I could get a confirmation that anyone is using this kit in conjunction with the HD Leeza. I have very little money here, so I can't afford to experiment. If there's no proof it'll work, I'd have to skip on the SDI mod, at least for now, and just us it via HD component in. It has no DVI so that's not an option, you have to go up to the 5900 for DVI.

Dean,

I am looking at the Panasonic based Yamaha S2300MKII
for its automation potential. It is on the JVB list of SDI modifiable
players.

I think it based on the RP-82 MPEG decoder, but I am not
absolutely certain.

It is in the same price range ($700-800 street) as the 2900.

Serial protocol can be found here
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/c...r_protocol.pdf

My JVB modded Pioneer 868 is pretty damn good. I havent tried the SDI yet (Since my Lumagen has not arrived yet) but multiregion and UOP disable work great. The player was shipped and delivered very fast and the company is very helpful (I dealt with the Dutch branch). Recommended.

BTW: I would go with the Yamaha Option.

Thanks. I took a quick look at the serial protocol. As usual, it's an incomprehensible block of goop that will take a couple days to understand, but it looks comprehensive. It might be a good alternative.

I got a reply back from PMS, which was basically "Whatever is wrong is not our fault". I sent back a reply indicating that I don't really care whose fault it is, or even if there is a fault, but that I'm not going to spend money on it unless I know it works and perhaps they might want to try it and find out so that they can know whether they should sell it to customers of the HDL or not.

I don't think it should require a business genius of my stature to figure that out. The HDL is obviously going to be fairly important in the crowd who would give a crap about SDI. So you'd think that they'd want to work out any issues and at least verify compatibility, or lack thereof, so that they could indicate that to potential customers.

I'm guessing I won't even get a reply back, but we'll see.

I found some 2300's at about that price. Is there a regular 2300 and a MkII 2300, or am I looking at the right thing? There seems to be little about it on Google, and much of that not in english, and unfortunately some turntable manufacturer has a 2300MkII that is most of what the hits are for.

I looked on JvB, at:

http://www.jvb.nl/jvb.asp?cur=1&leve...archstring=sdi

and didn't see it in that list.

Oh, ok here it is:

http://www.jvb.nl/jvb.asp?cur=1&leve...itle&title=105

But geez, Louise, that's almost $500, on top of the $700'ish for the player. I sincerely hope that includes the labor and well as the device.

Dean,

It includes Labour. They'll prboably do the multiregion upgrade for nearly nothing if you have it done at the same time.

Hey Everyone,

I'm in the same boat as many of you...I'm looking for the best player (both audio and video) to do the SDI mod on and then run into a processor with SDI input.

Then I had this thought....why not go with a Denon 5900 and output 480p (or 480i) via DVI into something like the VisionHDP, then scale to whatever resolution I need.

Would a SDI path still be better?

Since the 5900 already has the DVI output, would the addition of an SDI output improve the resulting picture?

Am I missing something?

I just went back and reread the thread on the new Lumagen products. I guess my idea won't work (as I'm one of those CRT dinosaurs!)

Guess we keep searching for the perfect SDI mod player. Maybe its still the 5900 however?

jkscherk:

I've been through the same process. The problem (as I understand it) is that 480i will not pass through DVI. Therefore, if you use DVI, the interlacing will be done by the player instead of scaler. The reason that sdi is preferable..is that it passes 480i and this allows the presumably higher quality deinterlacing to go on in the scaler.

I'm currently using a Denon 2900 with SDI output to a Focus Enhancements CS-2 to a Marantz VP12S2.

Harry

Jkscherk,

The DVD-5900 woul be perfect except for it clipping a couple of pixels. Most of the Pioneers problems would be sorted by the Lumagen. The Pioneer would still have one of the four CUE bugs (Although the one left would be masked by the Lumagen) but would not image crop like the Denon. With the new firmware update the Denon would also be more responsive than the Pioneer but what clinched it for me was the fact that the Pioneer is quite a bit cheaper.

Sound wise it depends iif you use analogue or I-link for DVD-A/SACD. If its I-link then there wont be much difference if any between the Pioneer or Denon, people reckon the Denon has a slightly better analogue audio section though.

If you dont need I-Link but do want DVD-A/SACD then consider the Yamaha. If you arent interested in SACD or DVD-A, just want top notch DVD and CD and have plenty of cash then the Ayre DX7 is probably worth a good look.

If you just want good DVD-Video then get a modified Panasonic.

JVB's pricing is steep, but it sounds like their service and work probably justify it. What I am trying to figure out is the SDI mod for my F727 is $550, while for the elite F07, it is $450. The two players are COMPLETELY identical, except the F07 has rosewood end caps on the case and the subs legato link DACs in the analog audio chain for the F727's burr browns.

So why the ding to people who probably have less money or they'd have bought the nicer unit? Unless they maybe have the prices switched on their web site.

BB

Phone call solved that. Website error. Bother prices are the same, @ the lower amount. :) :)

BB

Once you go SDI, much of the potential differences between players go away, since much of the tricky stuff of creating a good image had to do with having good analog output video signals and/or scaling/deinterlacing. But you don't use any of that part of the player when you have an SDI/DVI output. So as long as it has a good MPEG decoder (no chroma bug and so forth), and most of them probably use standard decoder chips anyway, the player is really just a transport, so as along as it has good transport features (and in my case good automation features), that's good enough. Most folks will do calibration in the projector or downstream scaler on a per-source basis, so it doesn't particularly need extensive image teaking capabilities either (and some of those will only be related to the analog signal anyway.)

So once you go digital out, the whole 'boutique' player phenomenon kind of goes away, and much of what was previously used to evaluate players no longer is so important.

Maybe the best option is still 2 machines? One basic SDI-modded player for video. One very good universal player focused only on audio.

video-Panasonic RP82 (or the like)??
audio-Marantz DV8400??

or...

Denon 2200 w/SDI that will do it all and throw it away in 2 years after HD-DVD arrives?

It'll take YEARS for there to be a subtantial library of HD content out in whatever (or whichever if there ends up being more than one in a format war) format. So you won't be throwing away the DVD player any time soon unless you are willing to live with a pretty limited library of content. Now, I'll admit that I could watch my D-Theater demo tape over and over again because it just looks soooo good, but a movie once in a while is nice. And if you like anything other than blockbusters, it'll be that much longer before you get it in HD on a shiney disc.

Dean,

Given the competing stard HD players will be downward comaptible and output upscaled, 2 years may be aggressive but not out of the question.

Anyone tried the Arcam FMJ DV27 SDI mod?

I'm thinking about getting this done and interested in any feedback.

StooMonster

An old question which nobody has been able to reply:-

- any SDI-moddable DVD/HDD recorder(s)?

Are Pioneer's 310/510/810 and Panasonic's E60/E100/E200/E500 SDI-moddable? If so, any CUE problem?

I know the US version of Philips DVDR75 sucks, but the Asian version is equipped with DCDi. Anyone knows whether it is SDI-moddable or not?

Sony's and Toshiba's?

And the cheap China/HK brand DVD recorders like Skyworth, BBK, ACL ...?

:)

AK47,

If your using SDI then DCDI is unlikely to matter. Any form of deinterlacing on the player is irrelevant unless you plan to use SDI and some of the other outputs simultaneously. The Pioneer DVR-57H has no CUE and I would look in to getting that one modded (Dont know if its possible).

Thks, Krober.

The problems with Pioneer 57H are that it's only got an US tuner, and carries a USD1.8k pricetag. But if it's SDI-moddable, I think the younger brothers could probably be SDI-moddable as well. Pls. let the crowd know the result soonest.

:)

I want to report that I own a Proceed PMDT with an SDI card from vigatec I believe and it rocks. This player used to be $6000 new and now can be had for much less on the net. The sound is signature Levinson. Expensive, yes... but it is probably the best dvd player out there. It has had its share of problems, but with the latest software and hardware it is stable as a rock.

Pablo

Soon! :grin: As i mentioned to Gordon, the arcam will be ignored for various reasons despite the UK's top guys thinking it is one of the best

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I'm not sure about that particular Arcam model, but some of the Arcam DVD models also have good control protocols, so if they are SDI amenable they could be a solution for someone like me looking for a solution with SDI and controllability. Dunno the costs though for someone on this side of the pond. With the dollar falling, I'm sure it's not helping us.

I would be interested in doing an SDI mod to a Panasonic DVD F87.

EDIT - is this even possible on this player? It may have one of the Panny all-in-one chips.

This probably wouldn't be easy, but I'm sure compiling a list of MPEG2 decoders that have available pin-outs for an SDI modification board and SDI modable DVD players would be helpful.

Joe,

"but I'm sure compiling a list of MPEG2 decoders that have available pin-outs for an SDI modification board"

This alone isn't enough information as I believe some MPEG2 decoders can be configured to output either bt601 as well as bt656. Currently most/all of the available SDI outputs cards work with bt656 but not bt601. So the chip alone isn't enough it is how it is implemented, which will be player specific, is what really needs to be done.

PMSVideo has a list of some of the players their equipment has been installed in in their forum.

Shawn