Is there a "right" way?

[Pete Dzwonkas]

I confused, and therefore I'll not state this as accurately as I'd like.

There are processors in receivers, processors in processors, processors in DVD players, processors in universal players, and processors in projectors.

And the processors process both audio and video.

1. Which is the simplest, least expensive path to good sound and video?
2. Will one processor cancel out another's work downstream?
3. Are they redundant?
4. What signal is best left to which device?

In the swirling vortex of getting the best performance, I'm usually inclined to overspend for features I may never use. I don't want to boil this down to a discussion about equipment, but if I use a good receiver (I could use just a processor because I have a whole inventory of Hafler amps, but not sure I would be compromising the sound), a universal player like a Denon 2910, and a DVDO HD+, and a good projector, aren't I overlapping processors and perhaps wasting some good electronics in the meantime, as well as money?

I'll want to hook in laserdisc and VHS and HD satellite, so the DVDO sounded like a good idea, but good receivers also do some upconverting and video switching, so is it necessary and redundant to the projector's capabilities also?

Not a rookie, but feeling like one.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

If you lose the VHS VCR and instead find an S-VHS VCR then you could use the S-video outputs on your laserdisk, VCR, and satellite receiver. Since all of your sources will run on the same connector, you wont have to spend money on a secondary video-processor, and instead can use the S-video switching capabilities of most any A/V receiver.

And if you ever get a DVD player, those can use S-video too.

 

[BMXTRIX]

S-Video doesn't carry HD in its native form, so the above statement is incorrect.

You are accurate in your statement that things are redundant. But, here are some considerations.

1. A DVD player has digital out and analog out... sometimes it includes 6 analog outputs. The best way is often considered to use the 6 analog outputs if available, but some would say that keeping it digital to the receiver does a better job. It's a good question actually and depends on how good the DVD player does at decoding the 5.1 signal.

2. The idea of using your receiver to upconvert to component 480i/480p/720p/1080i is also dependant on how good the processor is inside your receiver that does this.

3. Using an outboard processor instead of the one built into your receiver... Well, it depends on how good it is and whether it is better than the processor inside your projector.

4. Using the one in your projector: This one is almost ALWAYS on and doing work. Projector or plasma, doesn't matter. If you have a fixed pixel device (let's say 1365x768) then it always transforms the 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i image it receives and displays it at the display's native resolution (1365x768p). Some do a much MUCH better job at processing than others, and some handle some resolutions much better than others.

This is why trying out products, working with good return policies, and doing your homework before you buy is so important.

Like the new Sony LCD projector. It is adequately bright, has good contrast and a a nice price point. The projector looks great with HD material (720p, 1080i). But, it's ability to process non-hd is terrible (so the reviews say). So, it is recommended that you use a better outboard processor, like the DVDO to convert your non-HD sources, to HD, then send it on to the projector for display.

Are you doing redundant work and is stuff being doubly processed? Yes, but this is often the case and with the Sony is necessary to get the best possible image out of the projector.

One of the single most important processors in the lineup is the one inside the projector. It is the one that is always (almost) active and is constantly reformatting your incoming signal to fit on the display. A cheap internal video processor will mess up your image and just make the entire viewing experience poor. It may be bad on one or two formats, or it may be bad across the board. It may be EXCELLENT across all inputs though... and if it is excellent, then this is usually reflected in the price you pay for the projector.

Home projectors quite often have better processors inside of them to deal with motion than business projectors do for exactly this reason. They need the better processing for the higher demands that DVD & HD motion broadcasting puts on them as opposed to Power Point displays that just sit there looking pretty.

Bottom line: If you look at a good receiver that has internal upconversion, that does a GOOD job with internal upconversion, then use it! Don't bother with the DVDO as it may only be a marginal, to non-existent increase in quality. But, if you go with a basic pre-amp, you may want the DVDO to do the work for you.

Or, look at a projector that does a good job with conversion and run everything to the projector native composite, s-video, and component.

 

[Pete Dzwonkas]

Okay, getting clearer now. So instead of spending $3500 on a good projector and another $1500 on a DVDO unit, it might be a better solution to just purchase $5000 projector. Then get a decent receiver that upconverts the laserdisc and VHS and you're in business? Or are the signals from both not upconvertable because they are non-digital?

 

[Pete Dzwonkas]

Also, is it necessary to have HDMI inputs and outputs on the receiver? Or can they just go from source component to the projector?

 

[tedmjr2]

It is not necessary to have HDMI I/Os on the receiver. You can connect directly to the projector.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Pete: There are 4 basic analog connection types: Composite (single cable), S-Video (dual cable, though it looks like one), Component (3 cables), and RGBHV (5 cables, often carried on a 15 pin connection cable - your PC monitor).

All of those are analog, and all of them can be converted from one format to another.

Generally speaking, digital signals are not processed and converted by processors, but are sent directly to a display device.

To answer your question: You get it... pretty much. Just because a projector costs more, doesn't mean it definitely has better on board video processing, but it probably does. Also, you don't HAVE to have a A/V receiver that upconverts your video. If the projector has a good processor on board, it can do all the conversions from composite, s-video, and component internally and make the best possible image. In fact, this is likely as good of a way to do things as any. Perhaps using an internal processor on a A/V receiver might increase quality - but not likely if the processor inside the projector is of sufficient quality.

I recommend, that you run from your equipment location, to the projector location CONDUIT! Also run 11 pieces of coaxial cable. 1 for composite, 2 for s-video, 3 for component, and 5 to hook a PC up to. If there is zero chance you will be hooking up a PC, then just run 6 pieces of coaxial cable. You should also run either a DVI cable, or an HDMI cable for at least one pure digital connection to the projector from a cable box or a DVD player.

The conduit is to help you be ready for the changes in technology that constantly are taking place.