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Author Topic: Is a HDMI signal from your dvd player better than component or RGB? Jerry Axelsson Expert Film Handler Posts: 107 From: Stockholm, Sweden Registered: May 2005 posted 06-02-2005 01:49 PM                     I am currently thinking of buying a video projector to my dvd player. The thing is that my dvd player (Sony DVP NS-900V) is a few years old. It does have component and RGB signal out, not a progressive signal though. The other day I tested a few projectors and in the $4000 dollar range. A found myself liking a new Sony LCD projector. The model Sony VPL-HS50. The seller insisted that a HDMI signal was a must here to get the full performance of the projector. Any of you guys or girls out there which have any experience with a HDMI signal in comparison to a component or RGB?  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-02-2005 04:32 PM                        I don't have any experience with video projectors, but for a DVD player, component is just fine. Any DVD player that has an HDMI output will upscale the 480p signal o 1080i or 720p. Upscaling isn't true HD and really doesn't do much, if anything, to make the picture look better. Just get a good DVD player with component and progressive scan. Then go back and kick the salesman in the balls. He just wants to sell you and HDMI cable. I think an HDMI cable still costs several hundred dollars, even though it's JUST A CABLE and the signal that goes through it is digital, thus it does not matter if it has great shielding or whatnot. The signal is either there or it is not. They should be no more than $20, max.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 06-02-2005 05:18 PM                        Take a look at this DVD player. It scales to various resolutions, the image quality is excellent, and what's best, it does not have the HDCP feature, a copy protection which requires a handshake between the player and the playback device. This prevents you from playing content on any playback device without HDCP. All other DVD players capable of outputting 720p and higher that I looked into had HDCP. We use this player when we play alternatice content from DVD on our digital projectors. It is also used in many studio and postproduction facilities.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-02-2005 05:41 PM                        That's DVI, not HDMI. He'd need a cable AND a converter.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-02-2005 06:05 PM                        Looks like that Sony projector has DVI input as well as HDMI.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 06-02-2005 06:15 PM                        I know, but a DVI to HDMI adapter is inexpensive (less than $40), and the D2 player can do all the rest. The video signal stays in the digital domain. Also, other upscaling DVD players with DVI will not be useable with adapters because of HDCP.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-02-2005 07:27 PM                        The "high-end" reviews I've read have claimed that component video is inferior to DVI/HDMI. Seems like that would apply to a DVD player as well as other sources. Digital is always better. Analog is the devil's spawn.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-02-2005 07:46 PM                        Yes indeed. I hate the fact that I myself am analog. Oh well. Anyway for 480p video component is just fine. I don't know why upscaling DVD players don't send out the HD signal via the component outputs. Component could easily do HD (and I've seen it and it looks freakin' great). I guess somebody is MORE LIKELY to pirate HD video than 480p video which is easily distributable over the internet, far moreso than HD. I hope everyone at the MPAA catches on fire for no logical reason all at once.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 06-02-2005 09:48 PM                     The only advantage I can see in using HDMI cables is they can carry both audio and video data. But the "5C" HDCP thing kinda sucks ass. It's been awhile since I have checked out specifications on items like DVD players (particularly DVD-A/SACD capable units). Is it turning into a real trend to include HDMI output on DVD players? If so, are there any DVD-A/SACD players using HDMI to output high resolution surround audio? That's been the deal breaker for me to buy any DVD-A/SACD type player. I want to be able to send a digital signal to a receiver to allow the receiver to decode the MLP or DSD bitstream. Firewire could handle the bandwidth, but only a few extremely expensive models incorporated IEEE-1394 outputs for such audio.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-02-2005 10:39 PM                        I hope it is turning into a trend, whether the quality really is better or only imaginary. The more devices that support the protocol, the cheaper those freakin' cables will become.  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 06-03-2005 02:47 AM                    The DVD player that is linked to in this thread (the Bravo D2) is a good player, but old. They are coming out with the D3 this summer and it will be a HDMI player instead of DVI and also is SUPPOSED to be able to play true HD. From what I'm told it will play the WMV-HD discs that came with movies like T2 Extreme edition. It would play at a true 1080i, not sure if HDMI is required for that or not. Most of the other upconverting DVD players are mostly gimmick. They show a very marginal improvement on fixed pixel displays. A high quality player using component output can blow away most of these cheap ass upconverting players. My 2 cents.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 06-03-2005 06:52 AM                        Thanks for that info. That is going to be interesting. Since the manufacturer is not far from where we are, maybe I can borrow a unit for a field test. There is nothing more effective to check image quality than to blow it up all over the big screen. Which we did with a lot of alternative content. BTW, there was no visible difference whether we hooked up the units with component or DVI. But maybe the "high-end reviewers" can see a difference. Do you have a link with info about the D3? I didn't see anything on the manufacturer website.  |  IP: Logged Dean Kollet Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 591 From: Florida State University Registered: Jul 2003 posted 06-03-2005 07:14 AM                     when your dealing with DVD (480p), component is fine and I doubt you will notice a difference with DVI or HDMI. When dealing with HD signals on larger TVs or Projector (say more than 43in.) you will notice a difference using DVI/HDMI. HDMI, in theory, is cool b/c it handles digital video/sound, but most TVs and Receivers don't handle the sound yet. I've also heard that Firewire may replace HDMI anyways because it can handle Digital Video/Sound in both directions at the same time.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 06-03-2005 07:36 AM                        We showed true 720p content both via components and DVI on a 35 ft screen with our Barco DP50, and I blind-tested several sets of highly trained eyes, they couldn't tell the difference. Probably the same thing as with Dolby and DTS, an emormous gaping difference - except for in a blind test situation.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-03-2005 11:35 AM                        DVI seems like an ill-conceived "standard" for home theater use from the get-go. Not having the video and sound carried over the same interface can be a major nuisance.  |  IP: Logged

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