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Is this worth $300.00? DVDO iscan pro

post #1 of 16
1/29/07 at 9:19pm
Thread Starter 
I was offered one for $300.00 but I was offered it for $250.00 is it a good buy?
LL
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post #2 of 16
1/30/07 at 11:42am
they're very nice line doublers. nothing more or less. At the risk of offending ofer, I'd sell you mine for less. as would others, most likely. Super for their day, for the money - but what are you trying to do?
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post #3 of 16
1/30/07 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
I want to improve my dish feed to look better with my projector and tv that accepts 480p 720p and 1080i ,That's all ,as for my dvd player I have an oppo 970 and a samsung hd-841
(which I am willing to trade) so what I really wanted was to make my dishnetwork feed look better,
I also came accross this other item and I am looking for advice on which will give me better quality.

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=3694038
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post #4 of 16
1/30/07 at 4:01pm
Quote:


so what I really wanted was to make my dishnetwork feed look better,

This device is not a scaler - it is a deinterlacer, and as such is limited to 480p.
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post #5 of 16
1/30/07 at 4:25pm
And is DVDO even using that deinterlacer chip now. Was that the SIL504? Or is the newer chip only in some of the higher end VP series. Either way, I remember a review at Secrets in the last year where they said that the SIL504 was good in its day, but not so much now. I don't have an opinion on that deinterlacer.

I've always wondered if those expensive Faroudja DCDi outboard processors from 5 or 6 years ago are any different from the what I see integrated into some TVs. Maybe after they recover their R&D expenses, they can sell it for little.

I'll more easily buy an old amplifier than something which is software or chip based.
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post #6 of 16
1/30/07 at 5:12pm
lou - much as I'd love to sell you mine, if your tv accepts 720p and 1080i, I wouldn't bother with the pro. I used mine with my first crt pj - the doubling - 480p output made my crt look much better. But my new DVDO VPs do so much more, and look much better. You'd be better served to find something with the DVDO ABT dl card - which is much better then the dl chip in the Pro. Course, it'll set you back 1900 bucks instead of 200, but you get what you pay for.

PLUS - I needed the Pro for the transcoder function - as a good component to VGA transcoder, it can't be beat; throw in the deinterlacing, and it really is good at what it does. It just doesnt do what you need. It only accepts 480i, S-vid, or composite. Won't take progressive scan input, won't accept or pass thru HD. While it may improve your Dish feed, I wouldn't count on the unit being much better than what is in your pj (unless you pj has an absolutely horrid internal solution.)
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post #7 of 16
1/30/07 at 8:09pm
Thread Starter 
The dish feed is only 480i and I wanted to use the gadget to upscale the signal to 720p for my projector,That was my original idea,as for spending $1,900 well I don't have that kind of coin since I live on a fixed budget .
So my last and final question will be ,will the gadget I descirbed above improve the picture quality coming out of my projector since it accepts 480i,480p,730p,768p and 1080i but does not upconvert.

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=3694038

Convert between resolutions and video formats with StarTech.com's VID2VGATV, a composite/s-video/YCbCr/RGB component to VGA/HDTV scaler. The VID2VGATV automatically detects your source's input resolution and allows you to customize its output resolution and refresh rate through an easy to use on-screen-display menu.

Great for home theatre peripherals like DVD players, the VID2VGATV lets you connect non-VGA/HDTV enabled equipment to VGA or HDTV display devices like CRT monitors, projectors and HDTV sets.

Features:


Applications and Solutions

Display video feeds from DVD players, VCRs and more on VGA monitors, plasma displays, VGA input projectors and HDTV sets
Home Theatre
Security
Education
Medical
Conference Room
The StarTech.com Advantage

Automatically detects the input resolution of the signal while allowing you to customize the output resolution and refresh rate using the on-screen-display menu and front panel buttons
Convert video signals into VGA/HDTV output for computer displays or HDTVs
Pure hardware design, no software or drivers required
Features

Adjust picture brightness, contrast, color, RGB level and horizontal/vertical positioning
Output is analog RGBHV or YPbPr via the HD-15 VGA connector
Compatible with input from broadcast formats worldwide, including NTSC and PAL
A 48 MByte frame buffer eliminates image tear/video hiccupping
Includes a memory recall feature that automatically reinstates the setting last used

Technical Information:


Color Black
Connector Types
1 - DB15 High Density Female
1 - S-Video Female
4 - RCA Female
Input Formats Composite, S-Video, YCbCr component or RGB interlaced
Input Signal Levels
Video @ 1V p-p, 75 ohm
Y @ 1 V p-p, 75 ohm
Color @ 0.7V p-p, 75 ohm
YcbCr
RGBH
Output Format YPbPr/HDTV
Power Adapter Specifications 5V DC @ 2A, center positive
Output PC Resolution Support

VGA 640 x 480 @ 50/60/72/75/85 Hz, RGBHV, progressive scan
SVGA 800 x 600 @ 50/56/60/72/75/85 Hz, RGBHV, progressive scan
XGA 1024 x 768 @ 50/60/70/75/85 Hz, RGBHV, progressive scan
WXGA 1280 x 768 @ 50/60 Hz, RGBHV, progressive scan
SXGA 1280 x 1024 @ 50/60 Hz, RGBHV, progressive scan
Output HDTV Resolution Support

480p 720 x 480, 50/60 Hz, YPbPr/RGBHV, progressive scan
576p 720 x 576, 50/60 Hz, YPbPr/RGBHV, progressive scan
720p 1280 x 720, 50/60 Hz, YPbPr/RGBHV, progressive scan
1080i 1920 x 1080, 50/60 Hz, YPbPr/RGBHV, pseudo-interlaced
Product Length 5.75 in [146 mm]
Product Width 3.03 in [77 mm]
Product Height 1.18 in [30 mm]
Product Weight 0.53 lb [0.24 kg
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post #8 of 16
1/30/07 at 8:58pm
Quote:
The dish feed is only 480i and I wanted to use the gadget to upscale the signal to 720p for my projector,

I don't know how to make this clearer to you. This device (iScan Pro) *does not scale* - it's a deinterlacer, and ONLY a deinterlacer.
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post #9 of 16
1/30/07 at 9:12pm
Even newer processors may not help you garbage in garbage out.
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post #10 of 16
1/30/07 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mswlogo View Post

Even newer processors may not help you garbage in garbage out.


Now that comment makes no sense at all , because if that were true then wtf are scalers line doublers etc invented for if I want to make an interlaced signal look better going to my display,and all I wanted was a yes or no.
So "mswlogo' if you have nothing creative and helpful to say then don't bother and keep your unhelpful comments.
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post #11 of 16
1/30/07 at 11:55pm
Quote:


Now that comment makes no sense at all.

I think you may have mis-interpreted mswlogo - the "garbage in/out" is an expression used to describe the futility of trying to process a poor source (blood from a stone, etc.). He is not trying to insult you.

If you want to improve your 480i source, you will have to spend money. Your issue is most likely not due to deinterlacing, but rather artifacting caused by compression, the transmission process, and at 480i, lack of resolution. You want a device with a noise reduction function, such a scaler with the newer Gennum or SO chips, or a dedicated device such as the Algolith Mosquito.

You have received several (helpful) recommendations to avoid the iScan Pro, because it's not going solve your problem. If you want to see results, you need to get a higher quality source, or compromise with a noise reduction device.

Quote:


because if that were true then wtf are scalers line doublers etc invented for if I want to make an interlaced signal look better going to my display

They were traditionally used with high-resolution CRT monitors or projectors, where scanline structures were visible, or on displays which revealed objectionable artifacts from an interlaced signal. In the case of (most) digital displays, these functions have been incorporated into the units, at varying degress of quality.
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post #12 of 16
1/31/07 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 
Ok then forgive my misunderstanding,
Now if the first gadget I described is not what I am looking for then will this item help me in any way,As this is another item that was reccomended to me as well,
Please look at the link posted below:
STARTECH.COM COMPONENT/COMPOSITE S-VIDEO TO VGA/HDTV SCALER/CONVERTER

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=3694038
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post #13 of 16
1/31/07 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Axatax View Post

I think you may have mis-interpreted mswlogo - the "garbage in/out" is an expression used to describe the futility of trying to process a poor source (blood from a stone, etc.). He is not trying to insult you.

If you want to improve your 480i source, you will have to spend money. Your issue is most likely not due to deinterlacing, but rather artifacting caused by compression, the transmission process, and at 480i, lack of resolution. You want a device with a noise reduction function, such a scaler with the newer Gennum or SO chips, or a dedicated device such as the Algolith Mosquito.

You have received several (helpful) recommendations to avoid the iScan Pro, because it's not going solve your problem. If you want to see results, you need to get a higher quality source, or compromise with a noise reduction device.



They were traditionally used with high-resolution CRT monitors or projectors, where scanline structures were visible, or on displays which revealed objectionable artifacts from an interlaced signal. In the case of (most) digital displays, these functions have been incorporated into the units, at varying degress of quality.

Thanks for backing up my response with a great follow up.
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post #14 of 16
1/31/07 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
Could someone please reply to the question in post number 12 ,
Thanks alot .
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post #15 of 16
1/31/07 at 3:57pm
You get what you pay for. That $160 "scaler" won't be much improvement over your PJ's builtin scaler. You need to spend over $500 for a true improvement. The CS-1, CS-2, CS-HD discontinued scalers were the last of the true value scalers. Try Epay.
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post #16 of 16
1/31/07 at 5:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by louthewiz View Post

Could someone please reply to the question in post number 12 ,
Thanks alot .

Not with personal, anecdotal knowledge - I really doubt if anyone on the forum has ever seen, let alone tried one of those. While it is antiquated and very limited, I'll take my Pro over that unit any day of the week. Sorry - you really are going to have to spend some money. If you wait a long time, and are very lucky, you might find a used, rebadged Lumagen for under a grand. (I missed one last year - so I know at least one changed hands.)

I wouldn't even give the CS units a very big thumbs up. Maybe a used Iscan HD?
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