dvd player with HDMI ---newbie

[lordmajax]

Hey,

I am looking at flat screen tv's 30-32 inch. I notice that they all have HDMI connection. From what I understand a dvd player connected through HDMI will have a better picture quality. Could anyone recommend a dvd player with HDMI? Money isn't an issue. However, I would spend at the most $300.

[sctele]

Money isn't an issue. However, I would spend at the most $300.

eh?

[lordmajax]

I know that if I spend more than 300 I'm getting ripped off.

[jman98]

Um, I think sctele's point is that money IS an issue if you have a price limit. If money really was NOT an issue, you wouldn't have a price limit. You may not see the contradiction in what you said, but it's definitely there.

[manono]

Here's a link to a list of upscaling players with DVI and/or HDMI connections, also links to player information, and links to threads about each. If you decide to go for a DVI only player, you'll need a DVI to HDMI converter:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=423609

[edDV]

Hey,

I am looking at flat screen tv's 30-32 inch. I notice that they all have HDMI connection. From what I understand a dvd player connected through HDMI will have a better picture quality. Could anyone recommend a dvd player with HDMI? Money isn't an issue. However, I would spend at the most $300.

If you have money to burn go ahead.

Odds are you would see no improvement compared to progressive analog component on a 30-32' LCD in fact it will probabaly produce lower quality with that size LCD.

Unless the LCD is native 720p (1280x720) the picture will likely be worse. Why?

Because DVD is native 480i/480p (720x480). An upscaling DVD player will fake a 720p or 1080i output. The LCD HDTV will take these inputs and down scale to 1024x768 or whatever native resolution. The upscale downscale process can easily reduce picture quality.

Conventional progressive DVD players ouput at 480p over analog component. The HDTV has been designed to accept the 480p input and has internal scaling to native resolution.

Take your choice, but I would spend the $300 elsewhere.

[manono]

Hi-

Who are you criticizing, me, or lordmajax, or a little of both. He didn't ask for an upscaling player list. I just gave him one because that's all I found in a short search. With at least a couple of those players you can set the scaling yourself in the player, and therefore avoid multiple rescales. 1:1 pixel mapping is preferred, and if the player and display don't match up, he can just set the player for 480p output, and let the LCD do it.

If you have money to burn go ahead.

While I agree that his proposed 30-32" display is most likely too small to benefit much from an HDMI connection, the real reason an all digital connection produces a better picture, of course, is because you then avoid the digital->analog->digital conversions, something you didn't mention. With a larger display, at least, the improved picture quality is significant and well worth the extra money, in my opinion. It is true, though, that even with a digital hookup, some displays will perform the conversion anyway.

[edDV]

Hi-

Who are you criticizing, me, or lordmajax, or a little of both. He didn't ask for an upscaling player list. I just gave him one because that's all I found in a short search. With at least a couple of those players you can set the scaling yourself in the player, and therefore avoid multiple rescales. 1:1 pixel mapping is preferred, and if the player and display don't match up, he can just set the player for 480p output, and let the LCD do it.

I wasn't criticizing, just debating.

1:1 mapping works only if the LCD resolution falls on a HDMI supported resolution like 720p (1280x720) or 1080p (1920x1080). In that case you can directly compare the DVD player scaler to the HDTV internal scaler and choose either. I would argue that smaller native resolutions will probably do better with the internal scaler.

While I agree that his proposed 30-32" display is most likely too small to benefit much from an HDMI connection, the real reason an all digital connection produces a better picture, of course, is because you then avoid the digital->analog->digital conversions, something you didn't mention. With a larger display, at least, the improved picture quality is significant and well worth the extra money, in my opinion. It is true, though, that even with a digital hookup, some displays will perform the conversion anyway.

Agreed, 480p HDMI should have an advantage over 480p analog component but how much better depends on the quality of the DVD player and front end A/D section of the HDTV.

A $200 DVD player with HDMI 480p out will easily outperform a $40 chinese player's D/A filter circuits. But ~$150 Cinema DVD players have high quality analog output sections with better bandpass filters so the difference shrinks.

At 30" any advantage will be small. At 42" and 1280x720 native resolution and up one may see the difference.

Whether the cost is worth it is a personal decision. My personal decision is to reserve a HDMI connector for a HD Blu-Ray DVD player that will require and benefit from HDMI.

[lordmajax]

Are there any recommendations on a HDMI 480p out dvd player?

[edDV]

Are there any recommendations on a HDMI 480p out dvd player?

FYI

I went to Wal-mart today and found a "new" machine to me, CyberHome DVD655 for $89.95. It has 720p and 1080i upscaling modes to HDMI and includes a HDMI cable. Those can run over $20 unless you buy online. It will probably support 480p over HDMI as well but the website isn't very clear.

http://www.cyberhome.com/products.asp?Product=655

I can't find any reference to it on this site but a quick review of other forums indicates this machine is a mixed bag with poor menus and modes that won't hold settings when the unit is powered off. It is cheap though compared to the others that seem to be priced in the $200-300 range.

PS: I found a few comments here
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=Cyberhome+655&Submit=Search&Search=Sea...y=Name&hits=25

Here is a list of all players with the DVI/HDMI feature
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=&Search=Search&dvddvi=1&chipset=&count...Submit2=Search

[lordmajax]

I'm surprised that there is only 20 dvd players that have dvi/hdmi output. I wonder why this is?

[ezhitzca]

i was just wondering is hdmi worth the money
because when i look at the cables the price varied
from 199.00-400.00 $ canadian for the monster cable! out of my price range just for a cable. lol

[edDV]

Because it isn't really required or that benefitical for a 720x480 DVD source.
HDMI is designed for a high definition source where encryption is to be applied for content protection.

It will be the only choice for HD DVD Players if Hollywood has any say.

[gshelley61]

Sony and several other manufacturers will be introducing a bunch of new HDMI upscaling DVD players this fall. DVD recorders with HDMI out, too.

I've been running a Bravo D1 with DVI into my Samsung DLP for a couple of years now. It's very difficult to beat the picture quality of that setup. I've tried numerous analog output players (and a couple of other DVI players) and it never looks quite as good as the Bravo. It's a cheaply made player that I've had some service issues with, but the Sigma 8500 chip it uses to process the MPEG2 and upscale the image is very impressive.

[gshelley61]

i was just wondering is hdmi worth the money
because when i look at the cables the price varied
from 199.00-400.00 $ canadian for the monster cable! out of my price range just for a cable. lol

HDMI carries an all digital video and audio signal. Don't waste your money on Monster Cable - a cheap HDMI cable will do just as well.

[lordmajax]

I am not sure yet of wether my new tv will be lcd or crt but I'm sure it will be HDTV. I'm just kinda more confused. Will a upscaling dvd player make that muc more difference? If not, what would be the next best thing? progressive scan? Do dvd recorders play dvd's as well as a regular dvd player? I like the idea of a dvd recorder with HDMI out. When are they suppose to be released?

[Megahurts]

lordmajax

If you plan on capturing HDTV video OTA or downloading HD files from the internet then I would suggest the LinkPlayer2 for $250 USD. It will play back any Mpeg, Dvix, or Xvid file in SD or HD at all the resolutions. It uses a D4 output cable to conponent input, not HDMI output.

Besides being a DVD player, it has USB and Firewire inputs. You can play TS, Mpeg, Dvix, Xvid, Mp3, VOB, Jpeg files from a computer or over a network and from a USB flash disk or DVD.

I've encoded a 2 hour TS (OTA HD transport stream) file (16 gig) and converted it to a Dvix HD file (2 gig) and saved it to DVD iso mode and I could'nt tell the difference until it was zoomed. Was playing it back on a 45" LCD.

Chas

[edDV]

I am not sure yet of wether my new tv will be lcd or crt but I'm sure it will be HDTV. I'm just kinda more confused. Will a upscaling dvd player make that muc more difference? If not, what would be the next best thing? progressive scan? Do dvd recorders play dvd's as well as a regular dvd player? I like the idea of a dvd recorder with HDMI out. When are they suppose to be released?

Standard of comparison is a quality progressive scan DVD player operating in progressive mode over analog component cables at 480p. Good ones sell in the $70-120+ range. The progressive picture is generated in the player and output at 60 frames per second to the TV. The EDTV/HDTV will either display 480p directly or internally upscale to the native display resolution. Remember that the DVD itself is 480p for film based material and 480i for video originals.

Quality HDMI out (upscaling) players sell in the $150-300+ range and usually have modes that make a visible difference on larger (42" up) screens with at least 1280x720 native resolution. The ones with the Sigma Designs chips are quite impressive if you will be using the extra features. Read the reviews in detail. Many of these players have strong pros and strong cons.

Some people will see benefit in a 480p HDMI connection without upscaling compared to analog component. Many times the HDTV will do a better job upscaling.

Whatever you buy, it will probably be junked soon after a real HD DVD player hits the market.

[lordmajax]

Okay, so I'm going to have a 27-30 inch tv. If there's no difference obviously I'll just buy a progressive scan.

[lordmajax]

would upscale dvd players make the picture any better if the tv was a crt instead of lcd?