Okay here is the situation. I am have a Davis DL450 clone projector (800x600). And I am looking for a better then DBS picture on it. Seeing that the projector is only 800x600, I figure that widescreen on it is rather close to 720x480. My thought is seeing that the pixels used for widescreen are close to the resolution that the good old wintv-d outputs (I would run it though dscale) I am not going to get any better a picture with a real HD STB or Tuner card. Am I correct?
800x600 Projector--Should I just get a Wintv-D?
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I am using a similar SVGA projector, the Infocus LP400. I feed it HDTV from an RCA DTC-100. The quality of the overall presentation is vastly superior to normal NTSC or even to SD digital.
I think that there are a number of things going on, one of which is that NTSC is so inferior to what it could be.
I suggest trying an HDTV signal somehow. You will, I predict, be very surprised.
Your Davis was very highly thought of for HT in its day BTW.
Bob
I think that there are a number of things going on, one of which is that NTSC is so inferior to what it could be.
I suggest trying an HDTV signal somehow. You will, I predict, be very surprised.
Your Davis was very highly thought of for HT in its day BTW.
Bob
Yeah the DL450 (Mine is a Kodak DP850) Is a great projector compared to the old vga 100:1 140 lumen projector I had before it! I bought it off of a AVS forum member for a fair price. Mostly What I am woundering is that seeming that the 16:9 resolution of 800x600 is so close to the resolution of 480p (Fox widescreen if you will) I am woundering if it would be worth a real HD turner, or should I just get the Wintv-d computer capture card (which is an HD tuner, but downcovers everything to 480i/p).
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Quote:
You may be able to get a better picture with a real HD STB or tuner card.
The WinTV-D produces a 480i S-Video signal (or optionally a composite video signal, but we'll ignore that). That S-video signal may then be processed by DScaler, by your VGA card, by an external scaler, and/or by your projector's internal scaler. In any case, the quality is constrained somewhat by the inherent limitations of S-Video such as interlacing and modulated chroma.
An HD STB (or tuner card) typically produces a YPbPr (or RGBHV) component video signal, at scanning rates of 480i or higher (such as 480p, 720p, and 1080i). In general, component video has higher quality than S-Video, especially if the component video is 480p or higher and the source is 480p or higher.
So an HD STB can produce a better video signal than the WinTV-D card, and your projector may produce a better picture when it is fed a better signal. However, there may be some cases where it would be a close call, such as in the following comparison:
1. The WinTV-D's S-Video is fed directly to the projector, and the projector uses its internal deinterlacer/scaler.
2. DScaler produces 480p by deinterlacing 480i from the WinTV-D, and then your VGA card scales it to 800x600 to exactly match the projector's native resolution.
3. The HD STB is configured to produce 480i component, and the projector uses its internal deinterlacer/scaler.
4. The broadcaster is transmitting 480i, and the HD STB produces 480p component by using its internal deinterlacer.
By the way, I have a WinTV-D and an HD STB, and my projector produces a better picture at about 800x450 pixels when I use the HD STB to watch HDTV.
| Originally posted by mikejz84 My thought is seeing that the pixels used for widescreen are close to the resolution that the good old wintv-d outputs (I would run it though dscale) I am not going to get any better a picture with a real HD STB or Tuner card. Am I correct? |
The WinTV-D produces a 480i S-Video signal (or optionally a composite video signal, but we'll ignore that). That S-video signal may then be processed by DScaler, by your VGA card, by an external scaler, and/or by your projector's internal scaler. In any case, the quality is constrained somewhat by the inherent limitations of S-Video such as interlacing and modulated chroma.
An HD STB (or tuner card) typically produces a YPbPr (or RGBHV) component video signal, at scanning rates of 480i or higher (such as 480p, 720p, and 1080i). In general, component video has higher quality than S-Video, especially if the component video is 480p or higher and the source is 480p or higher.
So an HD STB can produce a better video signal than the WinTV-D card, and your projector may produce a better picture when it is fed a better signal. However, there may be some cases where it would be a close call, such as in the following comparison:
1. The WinTV-D's S-Video is fed directly to the projector, and the projector uses its internal deinterlacer/scaler.
2. DScaler produces 480p by deinterlacing 480i from the WinTV-D, and then your VGA card scales it to 800x600 to exactly match the projector's native resolution.
3. The HD STB is configured to produce 480i component, and the projector uses its internal deinterlacer/scaler.
4. The broadcaster is transmitting 480i, and the HD STB produces 480p component by using its internal deinterlacer.
By the way, I have a WinTV-D and an HD STB, and my projector produces a better picture at about 800x450 pixels when I use the HD STB to watch HDTV.
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Assuming your Davis' scaler will accept and downconvert 1080i/720p, go for a card or STB that outputs true HD resolutions. I also have a meager SVGA projector (NEC LT84) and was shocked at how much better HDTV looked as 1080i downconverted by the NEC's scaler, versus 480i upconverted to 800x450.
Of course YMMV depending on the quality of the scaler in your Davis unit, but the bottom line is I seriously doubt you will end up kicking yourself for spending a few extra bucks on a device which will output HD at HD resolution.
Plus you never know when you may stumble across a deal on a new higher res projector that you just can't refuse.
Of course YMMV depending on the quality of the scaler in your Davis unit, but the bottom line is I seriously doubt you will end up kicking yourself for spending a few extra bucks on a device which will output HD at HD resolution.
Plus you never know when you may stumble across a deal on a new higher res projector that you just can't refuse.
Well the Davis was not designed specifically for HD, but from this forum many report that it will still sync to 1080i---though results are mixed. An option is also the MyHD card which will scale down HD to 800x600 (LBX) or the Fusion software HDTV card. Right now I just want to get some opinions on this matter.
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