[lemt]

I had this PJ Sony-1271 since 1 month. Now I want to add a video processor but I don't know which one to go the line-doubler or the scaler (Let beside the HTPC). Why i choose one over the other and which one is the best match with this PJ.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Sean Max]

Need a little more info, like screen size and seating distance. For anytihing lager than 72" wide and a seating distance closer that 2 x screen width, I'd go with a scaler. This projector runs very well in the 600p range, or with line tripling. Further back or with a smaller screen, you have your choice. The scaler will still likely produce a better pic, but then you have to consider lots of other things.

 

[lemt]

Thank Sean, after more than 50 views ,you're only one to reply to my post.

My screen size is 76x43 (ratio 16:9) and seating at 2.5 screen width. I see scan lines not always but often. The input video are DVD and TV program. I wonder if the line-doubler give a smooth AND sharp image or only one of these ?. what others things do i have to consider with a scaler or with line-doubler.

Any help.......

 

[TGroom]

Personally if you can afford it, go with a scaler. I use a 72" wide screen and use a IScan doubler, it looks pretty good for the price. I would use a scaler , but funds are kind of tight right now so the doubler will have to work until I find a used Quadscan I can afford. Hope this helps.


Tim

 

[Sean Max]

Well, when you are considering the difference between a scaler and a line doubler (really it's a deinterlacer these days since the unit does not try to interpolate the missing lines of information in an interlaced field, but combine two fields into a progressive frame, but I digress) is the quality of the deinterlacing and the line density on the screen for a given resolution.


For instance, on a 100" 4:3 screen, a 480p image will only yield 8 lines per inch, whereas a 600p image will yield 10 lines per inch, resulting in a smoother picture with fewer visible scan lines. It has been my experience that anything greater than 10 lines per inch of vertical height will look fine from greater than 1.5 x screen width. With a 480p signal on a 43" high screen, you will get 11.1 lines per inch. From your seating distance this should appear very smooth and film like. Your projector (and mine, I have a 1271) has a sweet spot of around 600p. You can drive it higher, but the image will begin to look soft. At 600p, your lines per inch are 13.95, which is more than enough, but again, we are now speaking about a matter of degree. 11.1 should be more than adequate.


And then there are the other, more standard considerations to take into account when selecting a video processor: number of inputs if you need it to do switching, vga passthrough for a possible computer or HD tuner connection, picture controls, aspect ratio control, ease of setup and use, remote control, price, and so on. If something like the Iscan Pro, meets all of your needs in the above categories then it will likely give you the picture that you're after, and it should be sharp enough as well. Of course, the only way you'll ever truly find out is to try one out in your system. You may also want to keep an out for the FX2 from Immersive/Vigatec and the Videon Omega One. Both are deinterlacers with the Sage/Faroudja chip in them, which should give them supior quality to the Iscan.


Edited for speelllling mistakes.

 

[lemt]

Tim,

After Sean, basing on my screen size and view distance, The line-doubler give 11.1 lines/inch , that is enough to get image film-like. Your screen is a little smaller than mine. I suppose you get a good image. Do you test a scaler on your PJ ?


Sean,

For clarification, basing on your reasoning, in my case, the line-doubler is more adequate. A scaler risk to give a soft image du to overlap of lines. Right ?

For input, I have only S-video and composite may be later a component.


thanks guys.

any thought will be appreciate.

 

[Sean Max]

Lemt,


There is that possibility, yes. I think the 12xx's get a little soft at 768p on a 4:3 image. If you take just the 16:9 portion of that image, you get 575 lines. If you take an 600p signal and compress the raster to fit it in a 16:9 frame, then you may get overlapping scan lines. Every projector and setup is different, so I don't want to tell you that it will overlap definitively, but, the odds are that it will. Others have reports running 600p in 16:9 with no problem. When I run it on my PJ, the scan lines are very close to touching and are not visible from more than a couple of feet. I suspect that the sweet spot for a 16:9 image on this PJ is probably somewhere between 480 and 600p. Only a HTPC or the Rock will let you try out these in between resolutions. On your screen size, I'd buy a high quality deinterlacer and compress the image size to 16:9.


Edit - I forgot about 540p. This might be the best resolution for your situation, but I'd only try it if you aren't happy with the results of 480p. There should be a few scalers that do this res.

 

[Mark Rejhon]

Hi,


It's hard to say...


In either case, even a mere line doubler would be superior in all cases than interlaced on your projector. For a PJ like the 1271 that has a pretty low sweet spot (under 600p for 16:9) you already get over 90% of the picture quality improvements just by going to a doubler. (Compared to the original interlaced image)


Of course, if your budget can go further, then a scaler is good!


For CRT projectors that have a sweet spot of 720p or better, then a scaler will provide truly noticeably superior benefits over a doubler. If you are an expert at calibrating an old 1271, then a scaler is good too.


Screen size certainly also factor in, as the others said too.

 

[lemt]

Thanks guys for your helpful, Now it is easy for me to take a final decision. I understand more the capacity of my PJ.

 

[TGroom]

Sorry I was a little late getting back to you. Yes in my opinion the doubler gives a very good image. No, I haven't had the chance to try a scaler on my system yet, (Anyone with a used Quad they want to get rid of? )


Tim

 

[lemt]

Do I need features on Iscan-PRO or the version V1 , V2 is enough. Seem on the second option the color control is disconnect from PJ . but I have no idea if it is important or not.

Delight me.

 

[Sean Max]

The Pro has Component Video Inputs and picture controls. I think that both the Pro and the V2 have aspect ratio control, but I could be wrong. You probably don't NEED the features on the pro, but do you WANT the features on the pro?

 

[lemt]

Finally I got Iscan-Pro for a good price. I connect VCR, Cable through composite and DVD player (Toshiba 3209) through S-video AND Component to IS.

I don't see scan lines even at 1 foot away my screen (76x43), even with Pan&Scan DVD zoom out to fit my screen.

On another side i play a switch in front of IS to choose the input S-video or Component . With Component input , the image become darker....TOO DARK for my taste , less 3D , and less warm color (lightly green) vs S-video input. For to get the same bright and color image as S-video ,I have to boost contrast on my 1271 from 70 to 85 or to play with video and color control on IS. It bother me because I have to set every time i switch TV to DVD, and i risk to burn my CRT rapidly. I wonder if it's normal or not. Is it due to my long run or quality of component cable (25f), S-video have the same length , I would like to hear from someone had this problem and how he solve it.

 

[Dave Harper]

lemt,


It sounds like your DVD player is set for it's "Enhanced Black" mode that drops the black levels from 7.5 IRE to 0 IRE, that's why the image gets darker than the S and composite which has it's black level set to NTSC standards of 7.5 IRE.


What DVD player are you using? Go into the setup menu and look for a setting that will change the output from a "darker" setting to the "lighter" one (what it's called on my Denon 3300).


Look in the manual and see if there's a page that explains this setting (I know, it goes against all manhood...but do it anyway, you won't be sorry)!!!


Give that a try and let us know if it helps.

 

[lemt]

I'm sur, my dvd black level is set Normal NOT Enhance. The problem is not there.

Other idea ?????

 

[lemt]

Any feedback ????.

I expect component intput give a better image than composite or S-video NOT the opposite.