[John Hastings]

I've got a Sharp 9000 and a Firehawk screen. I want the best picture within reason. Just to get started, I used a non-progressive scan DVD player with an S-Video cable. The picture was amazing. But, I couldn't wait to see how much better it could get with pixel perfection with an HTPC. I got the firmware upgrade in anticipation of an HTPC.


Then, on this forum, I asked if HDTV is better than DVD. The one response I remember best said that the worst HDTV is better than the best DVD. I recently got DirecTV. Now, when I watch HDTV with component cable, it looks good. A little better than my DVD, but not earthshaking.


Now, I'm thinking if an HTPC can't beat the HDTV picture I'm getting, I think I can do without it. On the other hand, maybe I don't have something set up properly, or maybe my eyes just aren't good enough to appreciate the improvements.


Is the difference an HTPC makes THAT dramatic, or, is the Sharp internal scaler so good the HTPC is really unnecessary?


Thanks,


John

 

[Phat Phreddy]

Having never seen a Sharp in action I cannot answer your question accurately...


All I can say is that a PC scales and deinterlaces well flagged DVD material exceptionally well (compared even to terranex or Snell and Wilcox scalers in the 30K territiory) adding SDI in for dScaler will also get sat feeds this power of deinterlacing... BUT...


They are not just a plug in and its done addition to a HT... Personally I find immense satisfaction continually tweaking / fixing / rebuilding / thinking of new things I can make it do but I never for a moment considered myself normal !!!


Perhaps you could look at it this way... Do you see artifacts when watching your Sharp ?? If not then whats wrong ?? My PJ is a cheap business PJ... Without a HTPC it looks hideous... I suspect a Sharp would look very different...


But then think... Would you be interested in having a CD jukebox built into your HT ?? How about big screen gaming (dont knock it till you have tried it !!!)?? X10 control of Theater lights ?? etc etc etc


With the modern HT projectors I suspect a HTPC is not absolutely required but I wont stop using one as I love the convergence angle...

 

[DRS]

I recently observed a Sharp 9000 with both a Panasonic progressive player (RP56) and my Radeon based HTPC running at [email protected] The difference was not small to me. The HTPC made the difference between 2D and 3D. IMHO the HTPC diminished the difference between DVD and HD on this particular setup.


If you are a casual viewer you will not be dissapointed by a good progressive player such as the RP56. But if you want the best overall picture it's a no brainer.

 

[WanMan]

John, send an email to Jeff Greenhut (greenhut on AVS), as he has used an HTPC with his Sharp, but I cannot remember if he is using the Greyhawk or Firehawk.


I think, though, that he has moved away from the HTPC for simplicity, and is quite happy with a calibrated 9000 and his Panny 56.