1080p - component vd 1080i HDMI

[mudcat12]

First, I apologize if I have this in the incorrect category....but the end result has to do with display.

I purchased a Sony STR-DG920 to go with my Sony KDL52V4100.

I chose the 920 over the 820 due to the upconversion option. However, now that I have things running I've realized that I can't upconvert from HDMI to HDMI and must run component/optical from my cable box to the receiver and HDMI to the TV.

I like the convenience of the HDMI, but might like the ability to upconvert my displays to 1080p....I think.

Can anyone offer up any advice that changing the cabling with give me a much better picture? I think it's a given going from SDTV to 1080p upconversion, but is there much of a difference going from 1080i to 1080p.

I apologize if this seems like a very dumb question, but I'm extremely new to the world of 1080/HDMI/etc.

 

[TLS Guy]

First, I apologize if I have this in the incorrect category....but the end result has to do with display.

I purchased a Sony STR-DG920 to go with my Sony KDL52V4100.

I chose the 920 over the 820 due to the upconversion option. However, now that I have things running I've realized that I can't upconvert from HDMI to HDMI and must run component/optical from my cable box to the receiver and HDMI to the TV.

I like the convenience of the HDMI, but might like the ability to upconvert my displays to 1080p....I think.

Can anyone offer up any advice that changing the cabling with give me a much better picture? I think it's a given going from SDTV to 1080p upconversion, but is there much of a difference going from 1080i to 1080p.

I apologize if this seems like a very dumb question, but I'm extremely new to the world of 1080/HDMI/etc.

Forget component. HDMI throughout will give you the best picture.

 

[mudcat12]

What about all my non-HD channels? Will the SD signal be better over HDMI than upconverted through component? Will I gain on that end and lose on the other if I switch?

 

[jostenmeat]

What about all my non-HD channels? Will the SD signal be better over HDMI than upconverted through component? Will I gain on that end and lose on the other if I switch?

I would assume that your display will both deinterlace and scale better than your receiver. Bypass VP of the receiver, IOW.

 

[letrbuck2006]

This is great info helps me out a lot. Thanks everybody your saving me a lot of trouble and time instead of talking to a bunch of idiots at circuit city or best buy.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Upconversion can take place at any number of places, and it is incorrect to assume that your display, or the receiver offers the best upconversion.

What is for sure, is that SDTV looks like crap no matter what does the conversion. Most often, cable boxes are set to output 1080i, which means that cable box, with it's own crappy scaler, is already doing the bulk of the upconversion - which is a bad idea.

HDMI, most of the time, looks nearly identical to component video connections. When there is a difference in quality, most of the time it is the HDMI connection which provides the better image quality.

Yet, at the end of the day, if you want the best image, use the best cabling and let the product with the best scaler do the upconversion.

Since the products pretty much have stuck within the Sony family (for whatever reason), check out what type of scaling is in each one, and pick the one with the best scaling. I would expect that running HDMI everywhere, then letting the TV do the job will be just fine considering that it is all Sony stuff.

 

[rekced]

First, I apologize if I have this in the incorrect category....but the end result has to do with display.

I purchased a Sony STR-DG920 to go with my Sony KDL52V4100.

I chose the 920 over the 820 due to the upconversion option. However, now that I have things running I've realized that I can't upconvert from HDMI to HDMI and must run component/optical from my cable box to the receiver and HDMI to the TV.

I like the convenience of the HDMI, but might like the ability to upconvert my displays to 1080p....I think.

Can anyone offer up any advice that changing the cabling with give me a much better picture? I think it's a given going from SDTV to 1080p upconversion, but is there much of a difference going from 1080i to 1080p.

I apologize if this seems like a very dumb question, but I'm extremely new to the world of 1080/HDMI/etc.

First of all, you don't need your receiver to "up-convert" your SD cable. The only reason you'd want your receiver to ever do that, whether we're talking about cable or DVDs, is if you know for a fact that it does a better job of up-converting than your TV's processor can.

While we're on the subject, the difference in picture quality you'll see between component and HDMI is pretty much negligible. Component CAN support 1080p and send beautiful, clear image to your TV. The reason people think component is bad is for the following reasons:

1.) Standard def. up-converting DVD players are only allowed up up-convert through HDMI in North America. This leads some people to believe that component can't support HD resolutions at all.

2.) Most Blu-Ray players, cable boxes and home theater receivers have limited bandwidth set aside for component, limiting them not only to a 1080i signal, but a poor quality one at that. Almost everyone I know looks at that degraded picture and always assume it's the component format that's to blame. A lot of older 1080p TVs wouldn't accept 1080p through component at all. Most people just believe component maxes out at 1080i, as if there is a video card inside the cable that knows to make 1080i the max available.

3.) Component doesn't support surround sound unless you go through coaxial or optical, which gives HDMI an advantage with its massive digital audio support.

I chose the 920 over the 820 due to the upconversion option. However, now that I have things running I've realized that I can't upconvert from HDMI to HDMI and must run component/optical from my cable box to the receiver and HDMI to the TV.

Your receiver can up-convert from HDMI to HDMI, but it might not try if it detects that it is a cable box. There is no need for your receiver to up convert 480i, 720p and 1080i TV signals when your TV does an excellent job on its own. Ditch the component cables/optical/coaxial and keep everything digital with HDMI. You'll be better off.