Why can't I get 1080p?

[L7dra7]

Here is my setup:

I have a PRO-FHD1 Pioneer plasma screen. On its component input, the output of an HDTV-compatible switcher is plugged. On the four inputs of the switcher, the following equipment is plugged (all with component cables):

Input 1: A DAVFX900W Sony home theater system. On its component input, the component output of a DBZ-V9 Blu-Ray recorder (reviewed in my previous post) is plugged.

Input 2: The component output of the DVR 530 HD satellite receiver (for HDTV programming).

Input 3: A Pioneer DV F-727 file-type DVD carrousel

Input 4: A PS 3 game console

Everything works fine except that for some reason I can never seem to get 1080p. I put a 1080p commercial Blu-ray disc in the Blu-ray recorder and when I press the Display button on the plasma's remote, it says 1080i. The same happens if I put this Blu-ray disc in the PS3. Also, to get HD on the PS3, I had to adjust the settings by selecting the outputs compatible with the TV in the video settings menu. When I tried to test the 1080p signal's compatibility (by pressing Square on the PS3 controller), the plasma displayed a message saying this signal is not compatible.

I read somewhere the component input of the PRO-FHD1 will only take 1080p at 24 Hz, so maybe my components are at another frequency. But the HDMI input should accept it at pretty much any frequency, according to the same source. Of course, I tried plugging the Blu-ray recorder directly on the plasma's component input. I also tried using an HDMI cable. The result is always the same: the picture is at 1080i, never at 1080p.

Not a big problem as the picture looks great anyway, but I'd like to try the 1080p and see what it looks like. Any ideas as to why I can't get it? Thanks!

[Krispy Kritter]

Without performing a lot of research (and not being able to access the user manual from the Pioneer website), I would say your issue is the component cables. Most HD players aren't supposed to output HD (1080P) over component anyway. You should be using HDMI cables and the TV has enough inputs you shouldn't need a switching unit. Try one of the players with a proper HDMI cable and see what happens.

Regardless, the Pioneer TV's (especially the Pro line) are typically very good at inverse telecine and scaling, so you shouldn't see any difference between a 1080i input and a 1080P input.

[L7dra7]

Thanks, following your advice, I tried a few things and it seems it's problem solved: first, I noticed the PS3 had an HDMI output. So I plugged it through one of the two HDMI inputs on the plasma. A message was displayed, saying a compatible HDMI device had been detected. It then correctly set the maximum resolution available to 1080p and I just had to confirm these settings. After that, when I tried the commercial Blu-ray discs again, the resolution was at 1080p as it should.

As for the Blu-ray recorder, I tried again connecting it to the HDMI input. This time, I went into the settings, choose picture settings, and then I found two menu options I was unaware of : one about selecting HDMI or D1-D2-D3, and the other about the output of HDMI (automatic or 480p, 720p, 1080p, etc.) So I set the first to HDMI (the screen resolution then changed to 1080p), and the second to 1080p first (then back to automatic as I wasn't sure all signals would look better at that resolution). Now, it too can read a Blu-ray disc and output 1080p. (Of course, I'm not completely sure about what the two menu options actually do as all menus are in Japanese.) Actually, it output everything at that resolution (standard and HD home videos stored on its hard drive for instance).

I guess I'll be rethinking my connections and using those HDMI inputs from now on, as it will certainly reduce the number of cables and the clutter behind the whole system, a much appreciated benefit.

[gshelley61]

HDMI video is generally superior to component video anyway (whether it is 1080i or 1080p) because it is a direct digital connection... with component video (which is high bandwidth analog), your players must convert a digital video stream into analog component video, then your plasma must convert the analog component video signal back to digital for the display to work. HDMI eliminates these extra steps, usually resulting in a better picture.