[texas_nightowl]

I've been trying to do some additional reading to try to understand some of the terminology. I haven't shopped for audio equipment in a long, long time and quite frankly feel a bit overwhelmed. Originally I was basically looking at the most popular recommendations...Onkyo 605, Yamaha 661, Sony DG910, HK 247, etc. However, I want to make sure whatever I buy will really do what I want and also started seeing posts about how you can't turn off the scaling on teh 605 for example or how some AVR's downscale 1080i to 720p, etc.


Now, I am initially going to have 3 non-HD sources connected to my tv (Panasonic 42" 760p plasma - 42PX75U). Those 3 things are: Nintendo Wii, Toshiba DVD player (3 or 4 yrs old), and Series2 non-HD Tivo. Now, since the TV does upscale, why should I care to much if the AVR does? Also, I will probably be replacing the DVD player with an HD/Upscaling model which leaves only the Tivo and Wii as non-HD sources.


If I want to rely just on the TV for scaling, which it does anyone, ie. taking 480 source and displaying it at 768, then what would be a good receiver that only transcodes...ie. takes any input, SVideo or component or whatever and relays it through HDMI. Or, which ones allow you to turn scaling off but will still transcode?


I think I am understanding those terms correctly now...right? Transcode/upconvert takes source from the inputs and codes it to be transferred via HDMI. Scaling changes the resolution. Right? Or am I still confused?


I thought I saw a thread that the Sony DG910 can do this? As well as one or two of the Marantz models?

 

[the rick]

I dont know about the sony.


The marantz SR7002 will do what you are asking. It will transcode signals that aren't HDMI to HDMI but will not upscale hi def signals, it will just pass them through


The sr4002 and sr5002 will pass hdmi but will not transcode from say component to hdmi

 

[j98c]

i have the sony, it only transcodes, no scaling but no svideo at all

 

[MichaelJHuman]

Most upconverting AVRs also scale, but you can turn it off.

 

[texas_nightowl]

So I am understanding the terminology right in this case?


Is transcoding only, no scaling, a good idea? This way the video is only being touched once - by the TV?


I guess the downside would be that the TV may not do a good job of it?


Besides the Onkyo 605, which other upconverting receivers do NOT allow you to turn off scaling? (I think I'm remembering right that it is the 605?)

 

[MichaelJHuman]

I use HDMI upconversion (transcoding) for my last remaining component video source (XBox 360,) and it works well. That way I run a single HDMI cable to my TV.


As for being a good idea, as I see it, I convert component to digital and then send it to my plasma TV which only has to rescale it to it's native resolution, which it would have had to anyway. I have no issues with any signal degradation that way.


I have a Tivo Series 3, and I have various options for dealing with video. I don't see a big difference. I think I have it set to output 720p, which I probably shouldn't do because it's scaled multiple times, but it looks fine.


I set my DVD player to output 480p, to use it's supposedly decent DCDi deinterlacer