[PAP]

I'll keep it simple. I've got an older panasonic A310 that I've had for probably 5 years now. It has been fine but recently has started to have a horizontal pixel problem at the bottom of the screen.


I'm using a Quadscan (scaler) which does NOT take a 480P signal, and running my XGA front projector (Plus UP1100), so I need a regular non-progressive DVD player.


I basically want one with a digital out (non-toslink) and NO chroma bug. I don't really care about MP3 files, a nice remote would be nice. SACD etc I could care less about - this is for watching movies 99% of the time.


Can anyone just give me a model number so I can stop beating myself up over this. I bet I've just spent 2 hours reading posts here and put 2 or 3 players in various shopping carts and each time I either find out they only have toslink (ala many of the panasonics) or they have chroma bug.


thanks so much in advance for your help. Oh, and budget wise I want to be under $500 and the lower the better (i.e. under 250 would be dandy!).

 

[sspears]

You can get a toslink to coax converter. In that case an RP56 would be great. Another option is the RP91. It is a good interlaced DVD player. In fact, it is a better interlaced player than it is a progressive player. The RP91 even has a better MPEG decoder than the RP56.

 

[Matt DeVillier]

Give the new JVC 500BK a whirl - it would appear to meet all your requirements. I've been using mine for a few days and love it. You could also go for the 300BK since you don't need progressive, but it lacks the scaling features of the 500BK since they are done by the deinterlacing chip (which is why I went for the 500 even though I run an interlaced display).

 

[PAP]

You're sure this does not have the chroma bug?


Also, can you elaborate on what you mean by scaling feature? If I'm limited to interlaced output (again, my scaler will not scale 480P, just 480i) what else can I output and why would i want to?


That is to say, what benefit would I get looking at the more expensive model assuming I'll never use the progressive output.


And as to the converter idea - thanks but I really want to keep it simple, and adding a converter just doesn't seem like the way to go to me.

 

[chewitt]

I have the Denon DVD-3300. It is an interlaced player, no chroma bug (uses Panasonic MPEG decoder) and has TOSlink digital optical and coaxial audio outputs. Decodes DVD Audio. Not cheap, I paid $700 from an internet dealer. I had it SDI-modified by Immersive Inc. and feed it to my Leeza scaler for a pure digital data stream.

 

[Matt DeVillier]

PAP,


100% sure - no chroma bug. By scaling I meant upconverting letterboxed material to pseudo-anamorphic, and compressing 4x3 material to fit a 16x9 frame. Depending on what your scaler and projector can do, this may not be of any use to you at all. I use the scaling function to take advantage of the 16x9 mode my 4x3 sony wega has. Also do note that the 500 has a 10-bit/54MHz video DAC versus the 10-bit/27MHz dac in the 300. I'd guess the higher bandwidth DAC is needed for progressive scan and doesn't affect the interlaced output, but someone more knowledgeable than I would have to confirm that for you

 

[PAP]

Wow, that sounds pretty neat - those scaling features work even in interlaced (480I) output? If so, I'm buying one tonight!

 

[Matt DeVillier]

yes, they do - in fact I'm using it that way.


The scaling is done by the deinterlacing chip (mediamatics pantera II 2), so for a given field, it is first deinterlaced, then scaled, then re-interlaced before output. It has to be done that way because it would be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to scale a single field correctly without knowing the previous/next fields as well.

 

[PAP]

Matt - I owe you one man. I'm ordering tonight and thanks for all the help. I'm glad I can quit banging my head against the wall at last


I bought my A310 years ago and never had a complaint - I wonder if I'll notice a difference in picture or audio quality... will report back when I get it installed.


Thanks again.

 

[stu benedict]

Matt,


I just bought a region-modded 500BK and your scaling comments intrigued me. I too have a Sony Wega w/16:9 capability and I'm using 16:9 (Auto) as my player setting (w/480i). Is this what does the scaling? If not, could you explain what settings, controls, etc. are involved? I've only had it a couple of days, but I'm very impressed so far.


Thanks,

Stu

 

[Matt DeVillier]

Stu,


you set the display type to the top one (can't remember if it's 16:9 auto or 16:9 normal). then, set your wega to 16:9 mode. if you're playing a disc that is letterboxed (and is flagged letterboxed) then it will be "scaled up" so it appears to the wega as anamorphic, and will display in the correct aspect ratio. if the disc is improperly flagged, you have to turn off 16:9 mode on the wega and set the video output type on the player to the "other" 16:9 setting (whichever one doesn't do the scaling).


I don't have my 500bk at the moment as I returned it so I can get the region-modded one.

 

[S Goff]

I'd take Stacey's advice and get the RP91. It does have a great interlaced picture.

 

[Matt DeVillier]

Quote:

Originally posted by S Goff I'd take Stacey's advice and get the RP91. It does have a great interlaced picture.

that it does, but it's $450+ vs $180. he could also get something like a Panasonic RV-80 (one of the best interlaced players ever made supposedly) for $200 or so used.

 

[S Goff]

I have the RV-80, which is also very good, but may be hard to find.

Steve

 

[Matt DeVillier]

Steve,


would you happen to have compared the RV-80 to the RP-91 for interlaced output?

 

[S Goff]

No, I have not made a direct comparison. Perhaps other have.

Steve

 

[mikea28]

so how good is the interlaced output of the JVC 500BK?


I'm thinking about getting one to use with my interlaced sony 32" 4:3 TV until i upgrade to an HD 16:9 RPTV (probably waaaaay down the line, we're talkign years). would like to go ahead and get a DVD player that will last me indefinitely (yah there will probably be something else i want then, but this isn't THAT much more for th 500BK over the 300BK - $50 or so).


I read the secrets review of the older JVC model and am a bit concerned about some of the quirks they mention.


I do like the JVC's for their good MP3 support, which is why i'm leaning towards them...


any other suggestions for players to check out? comparisons to the RP62? (there was some reason i didn't like the panasonic players ealier that i can't remember at the moment)


*edit* - i didn't like the panny's because they dont have coax digital outs. i only have one optical input on my receiver and it's being used by my xbox currently. if the panny has significant advantages, i can always pick up a toslink to coax adapter.

 

[PAP]

I'm very pleased with mine. The zoom function is interesting, but it doesn't do reverse anamorophic squeeze like I hoped it would, so I still have panamorph issues with letterbox (non anamorphic) discs when fed to my quadscan scaler.


However, picture is definitely improved with regards to fast panning artifacts compared with my A310 (years old, of course). I'm not thrilled with the remote, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.