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Post by Chicago Jake on Mar 13, 2009 14:36:02 GMT -6
Okay, so now I've got an HDTV. So what do I do about watching DVDs on it? My current DVDs on my current player look great on the new set, so it's not exactly a problem, but I'd like to get more use out of all those new pixels.
One choice is to get an up-converting DVD player. They are under a hundred bucks. Or to get a Blu-Ray player, at northward of 2 or 3 hundred. Is it worth the extra bucks for the full Blu-Ray capability? I assume this would also up-convert my old disks.
Also, with either one, I'll need an HDMI connection. I've seen cables for over a hundred, and I've seen others for around five bucks at Amazon. Does quality really matter here? They're digital, right? So either they transmit the data or they don't. One shouldn't have to worry about degradation of a signal from cheap cables, should one?
Anyway, anyone have any thoughts or experiences to share? Thanks!.....Jake
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Mar 13, 2009 14:50:59 GMT -6
I don't have a Blu-Ray, but I do have modest experience with HDMI.
A few years ago (pre-Blu-Ray), I bought an upconverting Denon DVD player which I connected to my HDTV via HDMI; the TV's native resolution was 720p, but I upconverted the standard DVD's from 420p to 1080i and the quality was excellent.
Based on the examples I've seen at some tech expos, the Blu-Ray quality is definitely a step-up, provided you have the right equipment all around.
With HDMI, as with component video, cable length is important ("size matters") due to the fact that you get to a point of diminishing returns after a certain cable length. The cables made by Monster are of high quality, but as far as the cost (a) you may be paying for the cable length or (b) you may be shopping at a place that has an unreasonable mark-up. Paying $100 for an HDMI cable right now doesn't make sense (especially when you consider DVD will probably disappear soon in favor of high - def movie downloads)
OTOH, I don't know if I'd want to buy a cable at the other end of the spectrum that's only $5 as they may not be made with enough internal wiring to prevent audio or video interference, in which case, you're not getting the quality that you want with HDMI (remember, HDMI carries both an audio *and* video signal).
I was able to purchase a reasonably-priced HDMI cable ($40-50?) a few years ago; I forget the manufacturer, but I do know it was a name you'd recognize.
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Post by Exildo Wonsetler Briggs III on Mar 13, 2009 16:04:13 GMT -6
Jake, I have a 1080p HDTV with an old HD DVD player I bought before Blueray became the standard. Both the TV and DVD player will "upconvert" the signal to 1080p. However, there is a caveat about that.
If you have a bad film (out of focus, etc) it will STILL be out of focus at 1080p. Upconverting a DVD will allow every pixel to be used, but unless the original video was filmed in HD, you still will not get true HD quality. Out of focus at 480p is STILL out of focus at 1080p.
Your old DVDs will appear a bit better, but you will clearly notice the difference when you have a DVD filmed in 1080p. Those pictures are spectacular!
Monster makes a killing off of ignorant folks who think they need to spend hundreds of dollars on cables. Digital transmission quite different than analog, where cable length could have a significant impact on quality. Even still, I defy *anyone* to tell the difference in analog audio between Monster AV cables and one made simply with standard speaker wire and RCA phone cables. There *may* be reasons to use shielded cable to prevent stray RF from that ham operator next door getting into your system, but the claim by Monster that their cables are so much better is fucking bullshit when it comes to analog cables.
IMHO, of course.
I can't see how reasonably long HDMI cables will degrage digital signals since the very nature of digital is that the signal is either there, or it isn't. You may get some lost pixels I suppose, but if not, then your picture is just as good with what-ever HDMI cable you are using. I buy the cheapest HDMI cables I can find and they work just fine.
..........Bob
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Post by Ardbeg... innit on Mar 13, 2009 16:55:48 GMT -6
Jake, I went the Bluray route when I upgraded everything last year. The Bluray will upconvert my old DVD's. As I test I rented a Bluray disk of a DVD that I already had. For most 'passive' shots, the difference is minimal, where Bluray really shines is in the action scenes, and even more noticeable if you do slow motion or frame by frame through action scenes.
As Bob said, the upconverting is really a garbage in garbage out situation, old movies unless remastered (and some broadcast TV), will actually look worse upconverting to1080.
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Post by Chicago Jake on Mar 15, 2009 9:02:39 GMT -6
Thanks for the input, gang. That was pretty much what I expected, but I appreciate the confirmation. I did a little more research myself. CNET says: They have a lot more to say about it here if you are interested: reviews.cnet.com/hdmi-guide/?tag=mncol;pmBy the by, the cheap HDMI cables at Amazon are down to $1.27! |
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Post by sometechguy on Mar 15, 2009 12:03:24 GMT -6
Concerning HDMI cables:
Distance does matter, however there is not a real issue at lengths of less than 15 feet, even with the less expensive ones. If you need to install longer than 25 feet, I would recommend a repeater.
A 2 meter cable, of acceptable quality, can be found for $25 or so. Would not go much cheaper. I like to use cables that are slightly longer than really needed so I can pull the equipment from its cabinets/mounting without stress on the wiring.
If future planning is on the table, then quality does count as HDMI technology is ch-ch-changing: today's requirements are 720p and 8-bit 60Hz 1080p while future requirements are 12-bit 60Hz 1080p and even 12-bit 120Hz 1080p. Mind you, the future formats don't exist now, so they should only be a concern when you are buying cables you intend to keep for five years, such as those you want to build into a wall. So if you really want to plan for the future, the higher end cables (and more expensive, of course) are the way to go.
Make sure the cable, even for today's usage, is both HDMI 1.3 and HDCP compliant. Look for shielding, gold contacts and at least 24 gauge wire diameter (the bigger the number, the smaller the wire diameter).
HDMI cables carry video and audio vs. the video only DVI and component cabling; however, many HD applications use a home theatre system for the audio so audio on the HDMI cable is not important.
As to players:
As to upconverting DVD players, there are many on the market for far less than $100 (mine is a Philips that I bought online for $35). Remember, standard DVDs are recorded in 480i resolution, so upconverting to 1080p does have limitations.
Blu-ray players are still very expensive (for my taste), and the good news is that they are rapidly coming down in price (as is always the case for technology gizmos). Also, again planning for the future, look for players that have internet connection possibilities. Future plans are to provide value added content to dvd movies and stand-alone content like games and downloadable movies. Some Blu-ray players have usb ports intended for firmware upgrading.
My local costco has nicely priced upconverting and blu-ray players (and they have a no-question 90 day return policy). Also look at tigerdirect onecall abt amazon bestbuy and (if you are brave) ebay.
sometechguy
The next question might be: what are the parameters I should use to setup my HDTV? While all HDTVs look good out of the box, they need tweaking based on personal preferences and viewing conditions. The internet is filled with advice for your HDTV.
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Post by bigdog8088 on Mar 15, 2009 12:47:26 GMT -6
Jake..Try Pricewatch.com..I've been using them for some years now...Never a problem.
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