[Fat Elvis]

I'm going to be getting HD cable here in a couple of weeks and I had a question regarding the X1 and the DCT5100 HD cable box that I will use.


I will be using componant out to a VESA adapter to feed my X1 HD material. My question is this: Should I also use the same componant out to VESA adapter to view SDTV, or should I get an S-video cable and run that to my X1? If I just use the same VESA adapter for SDTV that I use for HDTV, I believe I can set the cable box to output SDTV to 480p, but with a loss of on screen menus such as the TV Guide (which is kind of nice when you have a couple hundred channels to surf through). Is there any other benefit of using an S-video cable? Just curious.


If there is a benefit of using S-video, where can I find a 35 ft. S-video cable?


Thanks for the help


Fat E

 

[NizZ8]

I ran both to my x1, (component / composite) and will use both, depending on lazyness.. i can't really tell the diff for when i'm doing SD throgh composite or through component.. if you just do component then you just have to change the output default option under the menu.. not too much of a pain to do...


Also if you want to go long range Svid cable.. i picked up 2x50f svid cables off ebay for approx 8$ shipped.. they worked fine for this same kind of application..

 

[HouTxGuy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Fat Elvis I'm going to be getting HD cable here in a couple of weeks and I had a question regarding the X1 and the DCT5100 HD cable box that I will use. I will be using componant out to a VESA adapter to feed my X1 HD material. My question is this: Should I also use the same componant out to VESA adapter to view SDTV, or should I get an S-video cable and run that to my X1? If I just use the same VESA adapter for SDTV that I use for HDTV, I believe I can set the cable box to output SDTV to 480p, but with a loss of on screen menus such as the TV Guide (which is kind of nice when you have a couple hundred channels to surf through)

I have this same setup. I originally thought I would use the svideo for SDTV, but I didn't want to have to switch the X1 to video each time I went from HDTV to SDTV. I use the VESA and component out on the 5100 to send all video from the 5100 to the X1. I set the 5100 to send all output at 1080i (SDTV and HDTV). If you set the SDTV part at 480p or 720p, then you will have to wait the couple seconds for the X1 to switch to 480p or 720p. This gets annoying when you're surfing through channels. Hope this helps

 

[Mit07]

The Motorola 5100 actually has a much better PQ using S-video than component for SDTV.

 

[tkx1]

You will need to experiment for yourself, and it seems to depend on the quality of the SDTV channel.

-Using component bypasses the DCDi, so poor quality feeds aren't cleaned up and look more hazy thru component than Svid/composite. Many channels look about the same- especially th higher "digital" channels.

-Subjectively, setting SDTV to 1080i yeilds a worse picture than 480P (likely due to all the extra scaling going on), but whether this is worth the trade-off of waiting fro the [X1} to cycle from HD to SD signals is up to you.

??I am still experimenting with the HD out to see whether I prefer ther 720 or 1080 output. They look diferent, and are both scaled by the X1 to 800X450, but I'm not sure which is superior. I'm interested in seeing other peoples set-ups.

-There is a lengthy (80+pg) 5100 post on the HDTV forum.

 

[Roto]

I would just go ahead and use the VGA end of things and decide after that if you want to bother trying an S-Video cable. I have my 5100 set to convert all SD to 480P. I don't think I even have an option to upconvert SD to 1080i, but I'm viewing all HD at 480P as well since the X1 doesn't actually display any higher than that.

 

[HouTxGuy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Roto I would just go ahead and use the VGA end of things and decide after that if you want to bother trying an S-Video cable. I have my 5100 set to convert all SD to 480P. I don't think I even have an option to upconvert SD to 1080i, but I'm viewing all HD at 480P as well since the X1 doesn't actually display any higher than that.

I tried all my HD at 480P, but the picture just wasn't as good for HDTV as it is at 1080i. Here are my thoughts, but if anybody thinks I'm totally off in my assumptions, let me know.


(FOR HDTV) I think the X1 does a better job of scaling the 1080i signal down than the 5100 does. So if I send 1080i from the 5100 and allow the x1 to scale it down, the picture appears better than when I make the 5100 scale the 1080i down to 480p.


(For SDTV) The other post suggests that the 5100 sends a better picture through the svideo than the component. I agree, because I think the 5100 degrades the pic when it tries to scale it up to the 1080i content.


I leave all output (HD & SD) set to 1080i on the 5100 and let the X1 scale as needed. I find this gives me the best HDTV picture and an SDTV picture that isn't that much worse than when using svideo. I don't have to wait for the X1 to switch resolutions which is probably my main reason for choosing this setup. Since I've gotten my projector, I have to admit I find myself avoiding most non-HDTV content...

 

[tkx1]

I would not set HD to 480p. At this setting a 480 line signal is sent to projector capable of 600 lines. This probably does nor degrade 16:9 pictures (it uses only 450 lines), but some programming is intended for 4:3, and these pictures appear degraded. Also, subjectively, the HD signals at 480P look worse in all formats- but decide for yourself. If you don't want to cycle thru setting set HD to 720P and non-hd to OFF.


BTW- if you use a s-vid connection be sure to set the SD setting to 480i, otherwise you will lose menu control via s-vid (it will still work thru VGA)

 

[Fat Elvis]

Thanks for the input. I decided to go ahead and get an S-video cable (50' for ~$15, so why not?) and try that out along with the componant to VESA. If it works, great, if it doesn't that is fine as well.