Upscaling DVD players

msmalls74 · 24 Mar 2007 at 01:01

Right got my PS3 now, and my HD TV on the way, I was wondering if upscaling DVD players look that much better than normal players on an HDTV. Im guessing they should be but are they, if so any ones to look out to get? ive seen some cheap ones with free HDMI lead but unsure if they are worth buying.

pinkaardvark · 24 Mar 2007 at 01:43

probably not worth it, the only value in an upsacling DVD player is if the scaling chip is better than the one already in the TV. I'm not sure a £30 Asda special can compete.

msmalls74 · 24 Mar 2007 at 08:30

Thats what i thought anyway does it improve the quality much or is it difficult to know if its the TV? For example play a DVD on an HDTV with a normal player, then try it with an upscaling one?

jellybeard999 · 24 Mar 2007 at 08:41

With a decent TV its negligable.

Better to get a good SD player via component, than a lower quality for the sake of HDMI and upscaling (which a decent TV will do as well anyway)

msmalls74 · 24 Mar 2007 at 09:03

Thanks for the advice, maybe one day they'll sort out the upscaler on my PS3 oh well guess ill just have to get BD from now!

Bigpops · 24 Mar 2007 at 16:49

msmalls74 said:
Thanks for the advice, maybe one day they'll sort out the upscaler on my PS3 oh well guess ill just have to get BD from now!

The PS3 doesn't upscale DVD! Wow. What were they thinking? All stand alone BD players upscale DVD afaik.

Simian · 24 Mar 2007 at 17:54

Bigpops said:
The PS3 doesn't upscale DVD! Wow. What were they thinking? All stand alone BD players upscale DVD afaik.

Yeah!... I'm a bit shocked at this!.. :confused:

I'm defo gonna wait a year (or two) now till some of these PS3 foibles are sorted!!..

msmalls74 · 25 Mar 2007 at 00:16

Guess they want you to buy the Blue Ray Versions instead

james.miller · 25 Mar 2007 at 00:20

Bigpops said:
The PS3 doesn't upscale DVD! Wow. What were they thinking? All stand alone BD players upscale DVD afaik.

give them time, im sure there will be a software update available. if i remember the 360 didnt upscale at first, either?

Memphis · 25 Mar 2007 at 13:33

james.miller said:
give them time, im sure there will be a software update available. if i remember the 360 didnt upscale at first, either?

It did. Just not to 1080p, which it now does.

ShakenNstirred · 27 Mar 2007 at 18:08

does it scale up to 1080p though?
i can set the xbox to 1080i (highest my tv goes)but when i check the info on the tv , the xbox is only upscaling to 576p.
so has anyone else checked

titchard · 27 Mar 2007 at 18:44

ShakenNstirred said:
does it scale up to 1080p though?
i can set the xbox to 1080i (highest my tv goes)but when i check the info on the tv , the xbox is only upscaling to 576p.
so has anyone else checked

because 576p is the resolution of the DVD - normal TVs are around 480p so don't display the whole DVD - while now it does.

Rich

fish99 · 29 Mar 2007 at 00:01

Got the Sony NS76 myself and it definitely upscales better than my TV (LG 32" 32LC2D). The screen has PAP so I can do direct comparisons with my previous SD Philips DVD player (via gold plated RGB scart). The picture from the Philips DVD, upscaled by the TV, looks clumsy in comparison to that from the Sony DVD.

I'm sure something like a Sony HDTV does better upscaling than my LG though. I guess it all depends on which TV you have then.

Btw the 360 upscales DVDs via VGA should you have one, so it'll give you an idea whether an upscaling DVD player is worth getting. It's no use as a serious DVD player IMO due to noise and power consumption though.