upconvert in dvd or tv? - what res. to use?

[bs73]

hi,
i have a new pioneer 5070HD and am about to hook up a new denon 2930CI to it !

The 5070 can input 1080p but is actually only capable of outputting 720p (not sure of the reason of the 1080p input because of this - i assume to let u not have to set up external devices to 'downscale' before inputting to the tv)..

The 2930CI can upscale to a multitude of resolutions, so, questions:
- should i just use 'basic' upscaling in the dvd (ie 480p) and let the tv upscale this to it's native 720p (i assume the tv does this, not totally sure though!)?

- should i upscale in the dvd to 720 p and therefore have no scaling in the tv?

- should i upscale in the dvd to 1080p and then have the dvd get this back to 720p??

(Am i right in assuming that the newer digital sets like the 5070HD scale up to their native resolution any incoming input?)

thanks,
bs73

 

[MDS]

The 2930CI can upscale to a multitude of resolutions, so, questions:
- should i just use 'basic' upscaling in the dvd (ie 480p) and let the tv upscale this to it's native 720p.
- should i upscale in the dvd to 720 p and therefore have no scaling in the tv?

The answer to that question depends on which device does a better job of scaling - the dvd player or the TV. Only way to find out is to try it and see which you prefer.

- should i upscale in the dvd to 1080p and then have the dvd get this back to 720p??

I wouldn't. Any scaling involves 'interpolation'; ie the algorithm has to make up extra lines. If the TV's resolution is 720P, which is obviously lower than 1080p, it will then have to 'decimate' the signal (remove lines - in this case every 3 lines becomes 2). So you would be creating new lines where none previously existed and then throwing away some of them, but who knows it may look just fine. Try it and see.

(Am i right in assuming that the newer digital sets like the 5070HD scale up to their native resolution any incoming input?)

Yes, the TV can only display images in its native resolution and will scale any incoming signal to match that resolution. If you were to use interlaced output from the dvd player, the TV would first deinterlace that signal and then scale. If you use progressive output on the dvd player, the player will be doing the deinterlacing and the TV would only be scaling. Yet another case of 'try it and see' - maybe the dvd player does a better job of deinterlacing than the TV or maybe its vice-versa.

 

[astrodon]

Chances are that the DVD player will do a better job in scaling than the TV. But as previously mentioned, try all the possible combinations and judge for yourself which you like the best. I have a Sony 768p LCD rear projection HDTV and get the best looking picture by having my Denon DVD-5910 upscale to 1080i and sending it to the TV via HDMI. However, if the TV had a 720p resolution exactly, I bet the picture would look the best sending a 720p signal from the DVD player.

 

[w.e-coyote]

Fundamentally you want to do as lillte processing as possible in the chain. Processing NEVER adds actual resolution, detail, color or whatever to video but rather makes things up as it goes along. Processing is done to make the video appear better or make it suitable for display. For example, native video data on DVD is in interlaced format. If the DVD player is used to do basic upconversion (turn the video into 480p) it "invents" extra frames and sends these to the receiver. The receiver then upconverts this to 1080i or 720p making up the additional data. The TV then has to scale this to its native display resolution. By this time the TV cannot tell "invented" data from "original" data and quite possibly throws out the real thing. You're then left with video that is basically made up.

Another reason why you want to have the TV do all the video processing is that all its algorithms and enhancements are tuned to the intended display. A receiver or DVD player can not know what kind of display is being driven or its specific properties. The ONLY exception to this rule is when you have real crappy display (-engine) and all the rest is of top-notch quality.

Bottom line, let the TV what is does best; create good video...

 

[Nick250]

In my case I have a DVI connection from the cable box to the HD TV and the picture is very good. In general, does a HD television look at the signal coming in and automatically correct to the best resolution setting it is capable of? Or is there more too it than that.

Nick

 

[MDS]

In my case I have a DVI connection from the cable box to the HD TV and the picture is very good. In general, does a HD television look at the signal coming in and automatically correct to the best resolution setting it is capable of? Or is there more too it than that.

Nick

The TV is only capable of one resolution and it will scale to that resolution if the input signal is any resolution other than its native resolution.

 

[Nick250]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[MACCA350]

Your Pioneer PDP-5070HD display has a resolution of 1,365x768, so unless the 2930 can output this(I don't think it has custom scaling) then either way the display is doing some scaling, which is a shame because that Denon has excellent processing power with its HQV chip.

cheers