[rashid11]

Alternative title: "Splitting hairs in quest for PQ Perfection"

We have tons of useful, sometimes obsolete and occasionally confusing info in Powerstrip-sticky and ATI 2*** thread. Methinks I am not the only one that could use some clarity on basic issues .


My setup: HD 2600 XT driving Samsung HTL 5087 through 5 port HDMI switcher and Onkyo 604 receiver. I don't have any problems per-se and enjoy my HTPC very much .


The questions (assumes 1080p display):


- to enjoy the _sharpest_ Bluray/HD DVD PQ, do we _have_ to run displays in 1920x1080, w/o using things like custom rez (anything but 1920x1080) OR "scaling" feature of ATI driver ?


- assuming this is the only way, most of us will have severe overscan (desktop larger than screen's area). Does PDVD somehow account for it ? In other words, will we have cropped picture displayed or will it somehow shrink it during PB ? I read somewhere that movies are made to account for overscan - so that the extremities are _expected _ to be cropped out during PB ?



Some observations: in my case, with [email protected] resolution and no scaling, I do have may be 5% overscan. Somewhat annoying. But it is in this mode only that I have the sharpest text. When adjusting via "scaling" feature of Catalyst driver, I have no problem resizing to where desktop fits the screen. But the fonts blur somewhat and I'd imagine, video rendering will be subject to similar "blurriness" ?


When selecting custom one of custom resolutions of ~1700x1000, text stays sharp, but the picture is now underscanned to where there is a 1" black border around the perimeter.


I toyed with Powerstrip a bit, but so far I am unable to get a custom resolution created that fills the screen 100% and works

. Probably matter of adjusting timing parameters.


But irrespective, if the only proper way to have BR/HD DVD playback is with 1:1 mapping @ 1920x1080p, then this quest for custom resolution is almost pointless, IMO.


I think I can live with the following: have scaling engaged to where desktop matches the screen size for regular "desktop" stuff. When I am to play a bluray or hddvd, I will jump into catalyst menu and disable scaling before I start the movie. Bit of work, but not to much.


There seem to be an easier way of jumping through resolutions via "multires" program (available from powerstrip's website) - but it requires having second custom resolution created.

 

[walford]

What Picture Size option are you using? I was under the impression that the HL-T series had a no overscan option.

If not then there may be an option in the service manual to disable overscan like there is in some of the HL-S units.

Also you could use the VGA interface since it has not overscan since it is designed for use with a PC.

 

[rashid11]

I almost don't want to muddy the waters with my particulars as it will obscure the basic nature of questions I have

- the ones about "proper" rez, 1:1 mapping etc.


All of my components are fed to Sam HLT-5087 via "HDMI 1" input. The sources: PS3, Xbox, A30, HD STB, HTPC are all connected to an HDMI switcher, from there to Onkyo 604 and then into the TV. Again, I don't really have a problem, just wanted to ping the collective on the "proper" way to play bluray and hd dvd on an HTPC - as it relates to resolution, scaling, pixel mapping, content cropping

. When HTPC is set to 1920x1080 with no scaling, desktop is larger than the screen area.

 

[rashid11]

To get some closure on my own questions:


I tried PDVD PB with both overscanned 1920x1080 (no scaling) and scaled down version of same (via Catalyst's "scale" option). To my eye, there doesn't appear to be any difference between the 2 visually. CPU loads are identical - about 10%.


As far a 1:1 mapping goes (and lack of thereof when in scaled down mode), not sure if it matters at all - but again, visually one can not tell a difference.