[bcar473]

To those with their scalers or HTPC's hooked to HDTV RPTV's:




Is 540p (or 1080i) hooked up to their TV's...how does it truly look???? Is it a MAJOR improvement?




I want to spend very little on a HTPC setup, like $1000 or far less, being that I have seen the Crystalimage and other nice scalers for sale on the used side for around that price (which I have heard can do 540p).




I also feel like I would like to see MAJOR benefits from either a HTPC or scaler over just using standard component and s-video inputs and internal upconversion. I want to see the computer scale stuff to 1080i type resolutions and make "regular" TV watchable.




Either way, Is it a BIG improvement???? Can I achieve what I am looking for??? Or will I be disappointed in spending the money?

 

[RTK]

many or most of the newer rp hdtv sets upscale to 540p/1080i automatically. if your only interest is to "make regular TV watchable" you would probably be content without any additional hardware. thats not to say an htpc with good components wouldnt do a better job, its just that it probably isnt going to turn ntsc content into hdtv... garbage in, garbage out. you might find the line doubler built into the rphdtv to be sufficient. spend some time looking at some of the different models and see well they handle the sources you will be viewing. do you see any deinterlacing artifacts?


are there other good reasons for you to have an htpc with a rphdtv? absolutely, pvr functionality, progressive scan dvd player, surround sound, gaming. mine is networked so i love the fact that i can be watching a football game sitting on the couch and jump into a web browser and check my email during a commercial. an htpc is not exactly a plug and play device, it takes time and effort to tweak everything for a perfect output. even then, most of us still are never content


good luck

 

[bcar473]

Thanks, I guess I don't need an HTPC for DVD or PVR because I have a great Tivo and will be getting a Prog. DVD soon to replace my DVD. I just wanted to know if there was a way to make miracles out of the garbage that cometh through the unit to the TV from DSS and Tivo....I guess not....


Does any one else have any input?

 

[Hugh Magoo]

games? I think your question would receive more opinions in one of the HDTV forums. There are many users there who have HTPCs, but maybe you would hear both sides to the story. The people on other forums who care not to use HTPCs could tell you why they don't.


With an HTPC you are always more flexible for future upgrades. If you can't take any advantage of the additional features in the HTPC than you may be better off without one.