Reon vs Faroudja

Is the Reon chip substantialy better than the Faroudja chip for video upconversion. I need to purchase an AV receiver now and I am trying to obtain real info on video processing differences in the 2000 to 2500 range for AV Receivers. I want the best video I can get as well as streaming audio capabilities. I am looking at the Integra 8.8 as the solution to these variables.

Reon is vastly superior if that answers your question.

The Integra DTR 8.8 is the equiv. to the Onkyo TX-NR905. They share very similar features with a slight edge to the DTR 8.8. The DTR 8.8 has two component video outputs as the Onkyo TX-NR905 only has one output. Each unit still features three component video inputs. The DTR 8.8 has an added feature for each of its zone outputs, each has a dedicated subwoofer output.

The retail price I have seen on the Onkyo TX-NR905 has been around $2000. B&H has it listed as $1995.00. The Suggested retail for the DTR-8.8 is set at $2400. Personally I don't like the look of the Integra, I wish they would put a drop down face plate on their units to give it a cleaner look like the Onkyos have been finished, as well as getting rid of that very stupid looking metalic grey volume knob. Either unit is a great choice and should perform very well.

The TX-SR875 has the Reon processing, but lacks the toroidal power supply, and likely overall power of the NR905 and the DTR-8.8, as well as the networking and USB facilities. It can go for as low as $1400, a member here is selling one in the classifieds for $1400 (he hasn't used it hardly at all and still has all accesseries to my knowledge).

At the moment there aren't any other receivers that feature the REON HQV processing that Onkyo/Integra has on their top model receivers and processors. Yamaha is now using Anchor Bay, which is a tad better than the Faroudja DCDi chip found in Denon and the lower to mid lines of Onkyo/Integra.

Good luck with your decision.

Who needs 2 component video outputs when you can have 2 HDMI outputs

I don't know and I don't care. Just laying out the differences.

I would like to add the Onkyo has a 2 year manufacturers warranty where the Integra is 3 years.

dsimanton said:

Is the Reon chip substantialy better than the Faroudja chip for video upconversion.

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Good question!!! Its something I have been wondering too.

Seth=L said:

Reon is vastly superior if that answers your question.

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Seth, how do you come to this conclusion? Any recommended reading, etc.?

agarwalro said:

Good question!!! Its something I have been wondering too.

Seth, how do you come to this conclusion? Any recommended reading, etc.?

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I have read some on AVS, but I don't have direct access to where it was. Faroudja DCDi is a few years old and REON HQV is brand new. REON HQV is the same scaler used in HD DVD players which gives them a very good edge for upconverting DVD over upscaling players in the same price bracket.

The Oppo 981 uses Faroudja and is cited as being as good or better than the HD-DVD players at upscaling though. Plus it does SACD and DVD-A

j_garcia said:

The Oppo 981 uses Faroudja and is cited as being as good or better than the HD-DVD players at upscaling though. Plus it does SACD and DVD-A

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Is it DCDi, I was under the impression that DCDi was an old chipset.

dsimanton said:

Is the Reon chip substantially better than the Faroudja chip for video upconversion?

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Both Reon and Realta are much better at providing jaggy reduction and (usable) noise reduction than the Faroudja FLI-2310 chipset. The Faroudja also doesn't do a very good job at motion adaptive noise reduction, or noise reduction while objects are in motion. This is based on my personal experience and quantification of various and asundry test patterns and real-world video clips. I've tested enough of all three flavors now to tell the differences easily. Faroudja is outdated and is currently the "budget" chip for people who want decent deinterlacing without paying the latest fees for a more robust solution like Silicon Optix provides.

With that said, for standard definition upconversion and scaling, Faroudja does a pretty good job, but the Reon does it better and has more flexibility.

I suspect most people on this forum either already have or pretty soon will have a hi-def DVD player (of either flavor) that will automatically be excellent for upscaling regular DVDs. As long as the receiver/pre-pro can pass 1080p, the upscaling chip is redundant in the receiver. That leaves SD TV channels or old VHS. As far as these are concerned, IMHO who cares, garbage in, slightly less smelly garbage out.

Nice to get some follow up info about these processors.....

Thanks

Do the Anchor Bay VRS compare to these?

I know Anchor Bay would be better than faroudja.
Are they better than or comparable to the reon/realta ?

Seth=L said:

At the moment there aren't any other receivers that feature the REON HQV processing that Onkyo/Integra has on their top model receivers and processors. Yamaha is now using Anchor Bay, which is a tad better than the Faroudja DCDi chip found in Denon and the lower to mid lines of Onkyo/Integra.

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I thought the Denon 5308 receiver and DVD-3800BD use the Reon HQV.

What's the difference between Realta and Reon?

I am not sure what the AVR-5308 has, but I believe at the time of that post it's specifications had either just come out or hadn't been published yet. I believe Realta is the higher end scaler.

Only the Toshiba HD-XA2 has the Reon HQV in it. The rest of their hddvd players do not.

Seth=L said:

...I believe Realta is the higher end scaler.

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Hmmm...If the Realta is the ultimate, I still might be buying the Denon DVD-3800BDCI just for the Realta HQV and the Bur Brown 1796 DAC.

Two days ago I saw the Samsung BD-UP5000 in action with a SD version of Batman Begins. The Samsung BD-UP5000 uses Reon HQV and it was doing a very good job. I thought I was watching a crappy HD DVD or something (or figured it was set-up incorrectly), it turned out it was a very well upscaled SD DVD. Thinking back I am very impressed with the image it was able to get out of standard definition.

How is it that an entry level projector, the BenQ W500 that sells for $800 has the Reon chipset, yet we're not seeing it in mid-level equipment?

I'm straying off topic a little, but its related. Does anyone know what sort of scaling solutions is being used in current graphics cards by ATI and Nvidea and how it compares to Reon and Realta?

Fred

fredk said:

I'm straying off topic a little, but its related. Does anyone know what sort of scaling solutions is being used in current graphics cards by ATI and Nvidea and how it compares to Reon and Realta?

Fred

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Graphics cards don't scale video. They do decoding via hardware and output to a specific resolution. When it comes to scaling the CPU will be the one doing most of the work with the video card just handling the decoding aspect of the video. For example in the PS3 the cell cpu is the one doing most of the upscaling while the the RSX just handles the encoders. Upscaling video is not the same as handling graphics textures in games.