HDMI Upscaler

[koos]

My new 42" Full HD LCD tv looks fantastic on the HD channel but the other channels have a really bad picture, my old plasma is much better on the SD channels, I am thinking of buying a AV receiver with HDMI upscaler to improve the picture, do you guys think it will be worth while to invest in such a amplifier and if so, which one would you recommend? TIA

 

[Quantum Theory]

Not worth it. What you put in is what you get out. Only the connection changes...

 

[Silver82]

Not much is going to improve the analogue broadcast pic on your LCD. Wait for digital broadcast (if it ever arrives), this should fix things up.

Wrt to an HDMI upscaler for dvds? Also overrated, I had one and had to really examine the picture to see a difference, with a PS3 it's an entirely different story, the diff between bluray and normal dvd is visible immediately.

 

[Quantum Theory]

I had one and had to really examine the picture to see a difference

You won't see ANY difference. You can't magically create picture information that was not there in the first place... as for there being a difference between DVD and Blu Ray... off course there is.

 

[greg_SA]

Not much is going to improve the analogue broadcast pic on your LCD. Wait for digital broadcast (if it ever arrives), this should fix things up.

Not necessarily - SD DSTV is digital and it can also look like crap if it is compressed too much.

 

[Keeper]

koos, the only way is to forward yourself a few years into the future (or into SA TV's future) and to watch HD Rips off a PC or a media centre.

"Welcome....to the world of TOMORROW!"

 

[greg_SA]

My new 42" Full HD LCD tv looks fantastic on the HD channel but the other channels have a really bad picture, my old plasma is much better on the SD channels, I am thinking of buying a AV receiver with HDMI upscaler to improve the picture, do you guys think it will be worth while to invest in such a amplifier and if so, which one would you recommend? TIA

In general HD plasmas display SD material better than HD LCD screens.

Was your old Plasma HD?

I think an up-scaler could make a difference, but the ones in home theater amps are normally pretty basic (similar to whats in you TV or DSTV decoder).

You get high-end upscaling devices, but they are very expensive. Try searching on http://www.avforums.com

 

[Silver82]

You won't see ANY difference. You can't magically create picture information that was not there in the first place... as for there being a difference between DVD and Blu Ray... off course there is.

ACTUALLY, you do see a difference, but like I said, it's not worth the extra cost. Do some research first.

 

[Cloudster]

if i'm not mistaken... by the end of this year there will be an optional SABC device you can buy which will mean that all SABC channels will be received in HD ..... i'm quite sure DSTV will have most channels converted by the middle of next year as SABC will be fully HD by the time the world cup arrives

 

[Milano]

if i'm not mistaken... by the end of this year there will be an optional SABC device you can buy which will mean that all SABC channels will be received in HD ..... i'm quite sure DSTV will have most channels converted by the middle of next year as SABC will be fully HD by the time the world cup arrives

Isn't SABC going digital as opposed to HD? I think HD World Cup streams will be made available for international viewers but not local viewers. I may be mistaken however.

 

[DJNgoma]

Isn't SABC going digital as opposed to HD? I think HD World Cup streams will be made available for international viewers but not local viewers. I may be mistaken however.

That's were Monochoice comes in place.

 

[greg_SA]

if i'm not mistaken... by the end of this year there will be an optional SABC device you can buy which will mean that all SABC channels will be received in HD ..... i'm quite sure DSTV will have most channels converted by the middle of next year as SABC will be fully HD by the time the world cup arrives

SABC is goes to transmit using DVB-T (which is just digital, not high definition). Basically, it is like standard definition DSTV, but with normal aerials (terrestrial) not a dish (satellite).

DVB-T is Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial
DVB-S is Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite