[SkuttleDude]

I have a DirecTV/Tivo box that I use on my old TV (I have no cable or digital cable in my neighborhood.) However, I will be buliding a new dedicated HT with hopefully a DLP projector. Can I use my TIVO/direcTV box going thru a DLP projector onto a screen (unknown dimensions yet).


The reason I ask this is because some people that have nice big screen TV's say that due to the Tivo and its video compression, that the picture comes out bad and gets worse with larger TV's. Is it the same with a big screen from projector??


I need a way to watch not only good movies but a high percentage of TV viewing thru a projector onto a large screen with great quality. What are my options?


Is the resolutions (800X600 etc..) on projectors to be a major selling point and a factor since I'm using my TIVO box? What additional accesories might I need to have a higher qulaity picture and how do they work?


Help,


Dave

 

[Markito]

These are all very good questions. And if I might add to them, I am curious about the same with a ReplayTV unit.

 

[Angus Young]

I've got DirecTV & a Replay unit which I occasionally run to my DLP downstairs. It's ok for football parties & such, but for normal TV viewing it pretty much sucks. The resolution from DirecTV is just not there to make it really watchable on a big screen. Bypassing the Replay unit dosn't help a whole lot.


If you want good PQ, watch DVDs and/or get HD sattelite. I understand i-Def Tivos & Replays are coming out sometime this year...now that'd be the setup!

 

[ianken]

Quote:

Originally posted by Angus Young I've got DirecTV & a Replay unit which I occasionally run to my DLP downstairs. It's ok for football parties & such, but for normal TV viewing it pretty much sucks. The resolution from DirecTV is just not there to make it really watchable on a big screen. Bypassing the Replay unit dosn't help a whole lot. If you want good PQ, watch DVDs and/or get HD sattelite. I understand i-Def Tivos & Replays are coming out sometime this year...now that'd be the setup!

This pretty much sums it up.


I've got cable, I've got DirecTV and I have a big satellite dish. Only the big dish delivers a SDTV picture that actually looks good on a big screen. Which makes sense since that signal is direct from the broadcaster and has no middle man over compressing it. It is a studio feed with a quality that can be as "bad" as a good SVHS tape and as good as DVD, depending on the broadcaster.


The bummer is the only currently in production big dish reciever : the Motorola DSR-922 4DTV is a complete buggy POS. It works but I only reccomend it to people for whom video and audio quality are absolute overiding factors in purchasing decisions.

 

[clayfree]

I own a DirecTivo and a Sharp DLP.


When you hear other people talk about the Tivo video compression they are talking about stand alone units , not DirecTivo. A DirecTivo captures the compressed digital signal from the satellite and decodes it when you play it back so there is ZERO quality loss.


I did not watch my Tivo on the DLP (with 92" screen) because I was unhappy with a straight NTSC signal at that size. I have always watched HDTV and scaled DVDs. A couple of months ago I bought an Xcapture card and I run the signal through my HTPC using Dscaler and I couldn't be happier. I am amazed at the picture I can get considering it's an NTSC source.


Clay

 

[SkuttleDude]

Thanks guys for the input.

Clayfree- your setup is rather close to what I want mine to be. However, when you said you were unhappy with a straight NTSC signal...can you be more specific. Did it look really bad to watch TV thru your Tivodirectv box thru projector?

What source do you watch HDTV from? (not thru your Tivo box right?)

I heard too that later this year they are coming out with a HD TiVO box..that'd be great but its rumored to be 4th quarter I think.


Since I cannot get digital cable, and must use my TivoDirecTV box and want to watch TV on a huge screen, what are my options?

HTPC? (that'd be fun, but do not know much about it yet)



Truly,


Dave

 

[chexi1]

I have the Sharp M20X (DLP) and a DirectTV-TiVo receiver. I do not have a descaler. I connect the DirecTV to the PJ through my Yamaha receiver via S-video.


Regarding your question about a DLP projector, I think there is an implied question there, namely will DLP look worse/better than LCD. I cannot say for certain, but I do not think it will matter, because in both instances you have a lower resolution picture being blown up. The quality is disappointing compared to DVD, but in all honesty, it still looks better than a Rear Projection Big Screen TV. It is watchable, but will not provide the cinema-like experience you will get from DVD's or an HD signal.


But on the otherhand, Mechwarrior looks absolutely incredible through my HTPC on the PJ.

 

[bk]

AFAIK there is nothing inherently bad about DLP (relative to other projector technologies) that would adversely affect TiVo viewing. The problem with ANY native NTSC source is its resolution just does not support good imagery on large screens.

 

[jpfieber]

I've got a DirectTivo (DSR6000) and a Dell 3200MP DLP projector putting out a 100" diagonal 4:3 image, I sit about 13' away from screen. I generally run the image through my HTPC via S-video and display via RGB using Dscaler software, but if the computer is busy processing something, I switch to a composite image directly from the DSR6000. I guess it depends on how picky you are about quality, but I generally find the image to be ok to watch. You will see some blockiness (I usually notice it around text on the screen), but I'm seldom distracted by it. In my opinion it just makes watching DVD's and HDTV that much more enjoyable...

 

[chexi1]

What descaler software do you use? I've tried watching TV through my Radeon 8500 just using their TV software and it always looks worse than just bypassing the computer.

 

[jpfieber]

It's actually called "Dscaler". Do a search in the HTPC area and their are tons of discussions on it. I haven't tweaked it to much yet, but it does seem to offer a huge number of variables to try and improve the image...

 

[deadman]

I run my tivo through the X1 onto a large size screen and the quality is very watchable...

 

[SkuttleDude]

Cool! This is all great stuff. I was having some doubts earlier about having a large screen and DLP projector with my Tivo box....but now it looks like it'll be ok...of course DVD's are going to look great


Thanks guys!


Dave

 

[clayfree]

SkuttleDude,


I have a MyHD card for HD viewing and I use TheaterTek for DVDs. Both of those put out a really good picture and in comparison the Tivo looked not nearly as good. Using S-Video I tried running it through the MyHD card and let it do the scaling, I've also had other tuning cards from time to time with average results. Once I found the Xcapture - Dscaler combination I have been really happy.


You are right about the HD Tivos. I'm using this Xcapture-Dscaler combo as a solution until HD Tivos come out because it was cheap($45) and the results are quite good.


Counting the days until HD Tivo comes out...


Chexi1,

Sounds like we have identical equipment, I also have a M20X and a DirecTivo. You didn't mention if you have a HTPC or not but if you ever saw what the Tivo could look like with the Xcapture scaler combo you would want to run out and buy one immediately.

 

[chexi1]

I do have a HTPC. It's an Athlon 1.2 ghz with Radeon AIW 8500 128 video card. I should have 1 free pci slot for this xcapture card. Kind of unfortunate I guess, seeing as I just purchased that AIW. But I'll check into the xcapture.

 

[chexi1]

Prolink Pixelview Xcapture Card (Model PV-CX881P)?

 

[deadman]

Here are the cards the dscaler website suggests..


Zoltrix Genie TV http://www.zoltrix-int.com/products/...8MMZXGENIE.htm

The WinTV series from Hauppage http://www.hauppage.com/html/products.htm

Guillemot maxi video 3 http://fr.guillemot.com/brand/gamme/...tvvidpci3.html

The Pinacle Studio PCTV http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage.asp?Product_ID=6

 

[boomertsfx]

I, like jpfieber, have a Dell 3200MP DLP and a DSR6000 DirecTIVO. The picture quality is pretty bad, you can see all of the MPEG artifacts, etc. It is watchable, and my wife doesn't seem to notice the bad quality, but I can't really handle it. I can't wait for HDTIVO!!!


Graeme


P.S. I'm having problems with getting my 3200MP to output colors that look as vibrant as my old 27" tube... anyone have any hints on calibrating it?

 

[deadman]

I have a hint for calibration... The Avia Guide to Home Theater DVD helped my X1 look awesome.


I have this off the Dscaler website...


Prolink XCapture\\


this Card Will Not Work With DScaler, Although Support Is Planned (CX23881)

 

[clayfree]

Prolink Pixelview Xcapture Card (Model PV-CX881P)?


That's the one. You may want to do a search, I've see a lot of discussion ablu the Flyvideo card.


Clay