image quality comparison CI to HTPC  

Frank
I think you will notice more of a difference when comparing on a crt projector. The HTPC does have the edge but the ci is a great unit not far behind.

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Thanks Very Much!

Alan Gouger
AV Science
www.avscience.com

Frank,

Though DVD playback aided by the CI scaler and 9015 D-ILA can be very satisfying, I still give the HT-PC the edge in overall performance terms. It is a bit hard to judge which is better, until sometime is spent watching through either one at lenght. Since I got both options, is just a matter of switching to either one. Thus I tend to prefer watching DVDs via the PC.

BTW, for me the experience is been that both the CI and HTPC exhibit certain operating problems. The CI, in its 2.0 (or thereabouts) original version, being the worst of the two because it fails to provide the primary reason for its purchase: to obtain progressive scan playback at the highest resolution possible from laserdisc and other NTSC sources in the same way it does with DVDs, which is oustanding; and the HTPC because it fails to perform without occasional hicups and such irritants.
These are the sort of quirks that could drive a HT fan to the looney farm!...

-THTS


[This message has been edited by Frank J Manrique (edited August 04, 2000).]

Frank, I find that laserdiscs look quite good through my CI with version 5.2 software. Have you upgraded your unit yet? If not, your experience is not really indicative of what someone would experience if they purchased a new unit today. I just watched my Lawrence of Arabia laserdisc, purchased from a fellow AVS forum member, through the CI and it looked really good; Not as good as an anamorphic DVD, but the CI is a scaler not a miracle worker. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

Jim,

I think you were addressing me and not my namesake since we've talked about the CI versions and Lawrence Of Arabia before.

Well, I find your words very encouraging as is my wish to be able to view many movies that are available only on laserdiscs thus far, but without the current problems that the CI exhibits. I am supposed to get a new 5.2 CI scaler...and am still waiting its arrival (though my patience is wearing awefully thin!). Hopefully soon...

-THTS

Frank M., yes I was addressing you. I hope you get your CI upgrade soon. How long have you had to wait? Whenever I had a problem with earlier versions of the CI I called Alan and he was very responsive. I think you will be pleased with how the improved CI handles laserdisc. The upgraded version does not just provide new software but also a new color decoder which especially lead to a large improvement in the quality of laserdisc video.

[This message has been edited by Jim Tittle (edited August 05, 2000).]

Hi, Jim T!

I find your statements about the CI 5.2 scaler and laserdisc playback highly interesting as this was the PRIMARY REASON for my buying the CI in the first place, and not do DVD with (for DVD playback I rather use the HT-PC), but haven't been able to because of previously expressed problems.

Since I read one of your recent posts where you said your DLP projector does great with the 5.2 CI and laserdisc playback outputting 800x600 with nary a sync problem, perhaps you can lend me a helping hand with the following...

I had the initial notion that regardless of what NTSC input sources the CI would receive, it should output a signals that was preselected from the output mode settings. To illustrate, consider the following: since I use a D-ILA (9015) projector, which needs to work at its native resolution (1363x1024 @ SXVGA3 input setting), it only seemed natural for me to select and output the 1360x1024 pixel rez from the CI scaler to the 9015's SXVGA3 input setting. So far so good, yes? Well, then why does the CI goes all to pieces when attempting to play laserdiscs? By this meaning the CI becomes unstable and it doesn't sync properly, causing severe bending of the active image, while wanting to work at a lower resolution level, which would be okay to a point, but the ensuing artifacts now being created by the 9015's internal scaler attempting to upscale the signal to its native resolution level are visible results that frankly just aren't acceptable! Incidently, that setting mode works superbly with a conventional DVD player (Sony DVP-S7000 outputting component video), so why can't it with laserdiscs (and perhaps other NTSC sources, which I haven't tried yet)? This has me scratching my head as now just don't fully understand what is at work here. Care to comment, Jim (others are invited too!)? Thanks! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

-THTS

[This message has been edited by Frank J Manrique (edited August 06, 2000).]

Frank M., because I`ve only used the CI at 480p (16x9 direct view TV) and 800x600 (DLP projector) I can`t really give you any information on performance at the higher resolutions you describe. However, I must repeat that the first thing you should do is get the upgraded unit and see if it still has these synch problems. I distinctly remember the bending of the image you describe from an older version of the CI. However, I haven`t had that problem in a long time. Alan told me that one of the fixes in the later versions of the CI was designed to help it synch better with DLP and DILA projectors. Even now the synching is not perfect, and before I start any DVD or laserdisc movie I have to get the projector to resynch at 800 X 600 (takes about 30 seconds). However, this does not bother me because once the synch is established it always holds until I start up a new disc. This is a minor quirk that I am willing to live with because of the image quality I get from the CI.

I know I didn`t really answer your question, but until you test the upgraded version on your projector it is impossible to know if there is still a problem.

Hi, Jim!

Thanks for replying...

I am awaiting the arrival of a new Version 5.2 CI scaler processor, which should be here sometime this week. Yes, I guess you're right; I wouldn't know what or how will work with the new upgrades. Even so, by what you state there still seem to be some sync "problems." Uhmm...Oh well...I'll see what happens...

-THTS