[Neil_123]

Hello all,


I'm going to be buying an AE 100 shortly, and I was hoping you could help me out with a few questions.


I am considering buying a progressive DVD player vs. iscan plus v2. From reading Li On's posts, I understand that he favors using the iscan with a non-progressive dvd player because the iscan can also be used to line double other sources.


I have three questions:

1. Are you more able to optimize the picture settings if you use the VGA input on the AE 100 (as opposed to using the component inputs)? Is this the advantage of using an interlaced DVD player with the iscan outputing VGA vs. using a progressive player and the component inputs on the AE 100?


2. If I buy an iscan, one of the main benefits will be using it as a line doubler for other sources in addition to DVD. What is the quality of digital cable/VHS/etc using iscan on the AE100?


3. What is the difference between iscan plus v1 and iscan plus v2 . . . I can buy a v2 for $398 . . . will it still work with the AE 100?


Thanks for your help,

Neil

 

[Huey]

Not having AE100 personally but from what I read I'll try to answer:

1) component of AE100 kinda suck so VGA gives sharper, better image.


2) garbage in-> double garbage out (through Iscan). If signal is good, line-doubled image will be great. If crappy signal then line-doubling won't help much. Normally best image quality (ranked from best to worst): OTA HDTV, DSS HDTV, DVD progressive, DVD interlaced into good doubler and then PJ directly, LaserDisc via Svideo into doubler and then directly into PJ, DSS upconverted with HDTV processor, OTA TV using decent antenna into SVHS VCR's Svideo into doubler, analog cable TV using SVHS VCR's Svideo into doubler, digital cable TV via its Svideo out into doubler, DSS Svideo into doubler, SVHS with Svideo, VHS with Svideo, anything via composite. Of course depending on how good your PJ's processor is it may render your doubler obsolete (Piano has Iscan doubler built-in, Infocus LP530 has Faroudja's processor, etc.).


3) Iscan v1 ($200-400)=Svideo, composite input. VGA and progressive component output (requires breakout cable as output is standard 15-pin, VGA type connector). Iscan V2 ($400-600)=V1 with better deinterlacing software and image control (aspect ratio, etc.). Some swears that V1 gives better image though. Iscan Pro ($600-800)=V2 with component input and more image tweaks.


Another choice of the Iscan Pro class is Omega-1 as it has more inputs which allows for more source switching and Faroudja deinterlacing chip. Open-box buy from Jason here can be as low as $800.