DVD Recorder 16x9 RF

[wulf109]

I hooked my Pioneer 220 up again to HD satelite receiver. Since it's only audio out jacks were in use I decided to use the receivers RF channel 3 output. To my surprise this preserved the 16x9 image. It's only 480i and has black bars on all 4 sides but downconverted from 1080i it's probably DVD quality. I'm just recording Looney Tunes cartoons so the results are quite satisfactory after authoring and converting to MKV.

[jjeff]

Are you saying you don't get the same postage stamp picture from your STBs composite or S-video out? I believe what you are describing is common for STBs SD outputs and to get a better picture people purchase component-to-S-video converters or HDMI-to-S-video converters. Using one of the converters you'll get full screen 16:9 for best possible picture quality. The postage stamp effect is generally tried to be avoided because when you use zoom on your TV you magnify imperfections. You also waste bandwidth storing black bars.

[sanlyn]

I believe what you are describing is common for STBs SD outputs and to get a better picture people purchase component-to-S-video converters or HDMI-to-S-video converters.

What converters? A good component-to-svideo electronic box costs upwards of $600 or more. I never heard of an HDMI-svideo converter, but maybe they sell 'em now. If you mean those $30 "adapters", the O.P. is better off going with plain SD recordings. Eventually he'll need a PVR and a PC. The day is approaching when everything on air and cable will be scrambled and\or copy protected anyway.

Not likely the owner will know the difference anyway, if he's re-encoding MPEG. Just putting MPEg into an mnkv container, that's something else. The problem with the SD outputs on HD boxes is that none of them can carry HiDef, except for the component outputs....which means an HD PVR or similar device will soon be in order.

[wulf109]

I decided to use Y-connectors on the SAT receiver audio outs so I changed to S-video for recording. Big improvement in image quality. I believe s-video does not support 16x9,4x3 only. If that's true how can any external black box produce 16x9 thru the DVD recorders input jack?

[sanlyn]

On today's HD cable boxes, hidef video is output only via HDMI or component cable. svideo and composite can't transmit hidef. HDMI is a bad choice for personal recording because HDMI output is largely copy protected; you can record to a cable-provided DVR, but those recordings are playback only. They can't be copied and, most of the time, can't even be played and re-recorded due to copy protection.

Component outputs also carry copy protected HD and SD signals, but there are many HD PVR's that disregard it. HD PVR's record both HD and SD, but to a computer using their own encoding software. They can accept component video outputs from cable boxes. Many can also accept svideo or composite from VCR's in case you'd like to archive your VHS tapes digitally. Once on a computer, the videos can be processed however you wish, depending on how much time and expertise you want to put into it. They can also just be "played" from the computer or burned to several disc formats for archiving.

The idea behind the digital revolution, especially when it comes to HDMI, is to prevent you from making 15 million copies of your favorite TV shows and movies and selling them on the street at discount prices. It has less to do with "quality" imaging (although, yes, HD is usually better than the old SD), but has more to do with lower transmission costs, higher sales, copyright protection, and bigger profits.