GregA1503560021

Actually, say your panel is 852x480 - SDTV is 720x576 (interlaced). .... A cheap plasma is still 'progressive' so it probably removes every 2nd line - leaving you with 720x288 resolution. This still looks fine. But if you feed the panel a HDTV signal of 1440x1080i, it will drop every 2nd line and still be too high quality for the screen. So it'll then downscale that - giving you 852x480 from a HD signal (instead of 720x288 from an SD signal). ps. Is the Soniq 852x480? Or 720x480? pps. I'm looking for a $1000 widescreen TV.

I don't think there is any debate that 1080p24 is better than 720p24 which is better than 576p24. Likewise, 1080p50 is better than 1080i25 ("i25" seems to be used in different ways on different websites... I mean that both refresh 50 times a second, but the "i25" only does every 2nd line during each refresh). Obviously the i25 is half the data so much smaller transmission!. I'd like to summarise my understanding of the debate... someone will tell me if /where I've misunderstood. The debate starts when you compare 1080p25 with 1080i25. The interlaced refreshes 50 times a second, but only half the lines, while the progressive refreshes 25 times a second but all the lines. Then we get more confusing by adding 720p50 into the equation. It seems the most vocal in this thread say that 1080i25 is better because there are 50 new pictures a second. Even though it's interlaced, they say a good deinterlacer can effectively compensate for missing lines (the latest developments doing particularly good jobs). Thus, they say, 1080i25 looks pretty close to 1080p50. Hence 1080i25 is better than 1080p25 Back to the beginning - we know 1080p50 is better than 720p50. But what about 1080i25? Does it REALLY look like 1080p50? or because of the approximations, does 720p50 look better? Note that although deinterlacers are getting better and better, for the really fast motion stuff they still simplify the picture to 540 lines... I think the answer is that IF you have a 1080p screen, and the latest & best deinterlacers, then 1080i is best ... since it will still downgrade to half resolution when it's moving fast, but we can't notice it because it's moving fast (and when it slows down it gives the full resolution). ... If you have a 768line screen then 720p will be better - but if you're watching 1080i then make sure you have a good deinterlacer. So guys... I don't want you to rehash what you've said... but is that a fair summary?

When I watched Planet Earth it was 25fps. (edit: The David Attenborough version is 25fps. The US version with Sigourney Weaver is probably converted to 24fps)

I was trying to find a similar system for my parents. Eventually bought the latest Sony DVD/HDD recorder The Panasonic is the most highly recommended, but it doesn't record the 'widescreen' tag correctly. So if my parents had recorded a widescreen signal off Foxtel to DVD, then given it to me with my 4:3 TV, I would then have to watch it in the wrong aspect ration (everyone would look taller/thinner). This is only a problem if you normally watch Foxtel in widescreen AND want to lend the DVD to someone who has a regular TV. Not sure if it has any issues recording widescreen SDTV signals. The sony works well. It does everything you say except for #6 (upscale to HDMI). It can de-interlace, but their TV does a better job than the player. The only real downside so far is that if you hit "pause" it'll take 3 seconds to start recording to hard disk, and you can chase play but only to within 1.5minutes of live TV.

My parents bought this model yesterday, I've just visited and installed for them, and noticed the same thing with the DiVX. I had to tell the TV to use zoom instead of full - quality was great but it's annoying to have to change the TV aspect ratio for no reason. For lower res DivX it plays back with black bars on the left and right, also. Had problems with 2 test AVIs, not sure about differences in format at this time. Main downside is that we are all so used to the Foxtel IQ, and the sony is harder to use (may say more for the quality of the IQ design). On another note... How well do these work with universal remote such as the Harmony? With buttons like "Record" and "Record Stop", a menu for setup, title menu, menu, and top menu... is a Harmony a waste of time?

I specified de-interlacing in the DVD as the DVD is digital, and an interlaced movie can be de-interlaced perfectly from the digital source (if originally 24fps). From what I've read, the de-interlacing doesn't work quite as well in the TV as it's gone through some analog transforms first. You may be right that I would never notice. I figured that upscaling was less important than de-interlacing.

Thanks Peter. As it turns out, I was installing my brother's stereo system in his new house today and he mentioned he was going to sell his old LG DVD recorded because he never used it. I asked him to lend it to my parents for 2 weeks. The goal would be for them to work out what it does and doesn't do, and what they wanted in a new DVDR. I assume that'll work better than them listing off everything they want. Your suggestion could potentially see a Digicrystal combined with this old unit solving their needs until they upgrade to high def dvd next year (or whenever). We shall see.

We're probably going to go Sony unless someone jumps in. The reason is that I think my TV does a pretty good job of upscaling as it is. I'm pleased the Sony does the de-interlacing. Downsides of the Sony include that the time shifting can only get within 1m40s of the live show, and the DivX support is apparently patchy. The pioneers will do SDTV reception before long (and would match our plasma). They will probably be the best unit, when they come out. The panasonic doesn't do 16:9 which is one of our requirements. I looked at the LG too, but apparently the upscaling is done relatively badly (and I think it doesn't do time shifting at all) ... so it seems like avoiding the upscaling would be better in this case.

The Sony RDRHXD760 looks pretty good. Doesn't output HDMI though, and I THINK it doesn't upscale the component (anyone know?) (It does output progressive) I also see the DVDR thread. http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtop...1758&st=340

After looking for a DVD recorder that does Foxtel, and de-interlaces, it turns out my parents are also asking for SDTV recording if possible (as well as pausing a program while watching, if possible) So the wishlist becomes *** 1. Records DVD-Rs of Foxtel (16:9 output). *** 2. Marks widescreen recordings correctly (so we can watch on different player on 4:3 TV!!) *** 3. Playsback using PROGRESSIVE ** 4. Upscales to 720p ** 5. Records digital SDTV * 6. Outputs using HDMI (component is fine) 7. Plays DivX (relatively UNIMPORTANT) And we don't want to pay too much for it. The Panasonic dmr-ex75 looks great, except it can't do #2. The pioneer dvr645h looks good, except it can't do #5. Is there a faq I've missed that summarises the best 5 machines?

When you get a chance, watch the film "idiocracy"

I also figure it's probably unimportant. So many "features" to sound more sophisticated. It annoys me reading "Choose the drive frequency that best suits the broadcast signals in your area." when they don't explain how to choose, or how to find out.

I haven't tried a 5.1 program.It seems some programs are really bad. Others are slightly different but it's really minor. I haven't had a chance to look much as I only visit on weekends. It MAY be that when they switch to HD and it's showing a SD program that the sound is crap. (I'm trying to simplify it for them - I assume just having the HD channels 20, 70, 90, 12 does that for them as it automatically switches to SD when HD isn't available??)

My parents have a new HD TV. When they watch channel 70 (7 HD) the sound is flatter in some way than 7 SD. Is there something wrong in their setup that I should look into, or has 7 stuffed their sound while releasing 1080i?

Just noticed an option for vertical drive frequency on the PDP-507XDA. The user guide doesn't explain anything useful about it. I assume 100Hz is better? From pg 46 of the PDP507XDA manual: (http://www.pioneer.com.au/download.cfm?f=BEEFFA0E-5755-1409-1398B0E42023DCF6) "You can switch the vertical drive frequency for screen display between 75 Hz and 100 Hz. Choose the drive frequency that best suits the broadcast signals in your area. 1 Press HOME MENU. 2 Select “Option” (i/j then ENTER). 3 Select “Drive Mode“ (i/j then ENTER). 4 Select “75 Hz” or “100 Hz” (i/j then ENTER). " Is this worth understanding?

Thanks all, They bought the Pioneer for $4800 fully installed. Looks great. No complaints at all

Hello, Our Plasma screen, EyeTV, and DVD player have all stopped working. We've bought a new plasma and will get an AppleTV shortly. Now for DVDs We're looking at both an upscaling DVD player (to 720p), and something which can record from the FoxtelIQ (component output). If it played DivX that'd be nice, but not critical. I've searched for various players and found several, but they aren't dvd recorders. Any recommendations? Is this possible at all?

My father has asked me to recommend a 50" replacement TV. I had recently asked on here for a 42" HDTV and Panasonic was highly recommended, particularly for how well it upscaled lower res signals. Anyway, my father doesn't particularly like the general frame look of the Panasonic (forgetting the actual TV picture quality!). He's listed a few other models, I thought maybe you guys could tell me pros or cons?!?! Panasonic TH-50PV60A ($3000) Samsung ?? LG's LG50PC1D ($3500) Pioneer's PDP-507XDA.($5000) (includes delivery/install/mounting brackets/5yr warranty) I understand the LG & Pioneer have built in HDTV tuners - a small advantage, though everything goes through his amp before it goes to the TV, so this may actually be a negative for him. He also doesn't need speakers. Thanks for any and all thoughts and advice.

So the "3 or more" refers to a standard MDU does it? "All" the apartments means "both" the apartments in our case. $169 is pretty good.... and very good if Foxtel pays it anyway. I believe it would be quite difficult to get another antenna wire from the dish to either of the Foxtel boxes in the block. It's not just the dual cables (my neighbour doesn't have an IQ anyway) - even regular Foxtel boxes are on the Lite package, so we need an upgrade to our LNB and/or splitter. What do you mean by "solid reason"? I believe the reason is that they considered us a 4 apartment MDU (even though the other neighbour just got Foxtel and the foxtel techs said they have their own dish). And thus we can do it at our own costs.

I love the new Foxtel EPG. Great search, or filter it down to about 15 channels and glance through the week. Anyone know if it's coming to Optus?

Hello, I'm enjoying the full cable service myself at home - but my parents are still on the lite service. When I spoke with Foxtel a year ago, they said because we were an MDU with 3 or more apartments, the body corporate had to pay the fees to rewire the apartments. I nodded (knowing that my parents are Apartment #4) and started trying to work out what that would cost, and realised it was more than they wanted to pay. However... I've recently found out that there are only 2 apartments under the body corporate (the neighbours are on a different property that was once huge, and subdivided, so we share the street number). Anyway, this should mean a different fee structure (or possibly free?). Anyone know the fee for a regular house to upgrade from Lite to the full digital service? Thanks for your time! Greg ps. I understand they need to 1) upgrade the LNB 2) put in a multiswitch 3) either put a new cable through to the garage (hard) or put a diplexer on the regular antenna.

My parents IQ on satellite never skips anything. My own IQ on Optus Cable occassionally skips, more on channels 7 & 10. When we first got the box, it not only skipped all the time, if you were watching live the screen would pause on a program for 10 - 40 seconds. Changing channel quickly up & back would get the show going again. I reset the box, and it's been working well since. Very occassional missed second.

The high definition version of the panasonic seems very popular if it can be got for a few hundred dollars more... hmmm. http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=46342

Hi there, A friend just called me for advice on buying a 42" Plasma screen. I didn't know enough, so here I am. She has narrowed her search down to 2 models, but would be open to other models at my (... your!) suggestion. LG-42PCIDV ($1700) vs Panasonic SD42 TH42pa60a Anyone have any advice about either (or 3rd options?). I've done a search and found out a little. Both seem to be 852x480. The LG has a built in SDTV receiver (and perhaps a dual tuner?) but she watches nearly everything through Foxtel anyway. I assume that: 1) they both have integrated speakers (she has no sound system) 2) they each have 2x component inputs (for Foxtel, and DVD player) and composite for a VCR Anyone know if either of these doesn't have the above? Or if the sound in one is crap? I assume that for HD she'd pay considerably more. Thanks all.. I'll continue to search but I know there's always people who can help here! Greg

Both the guys with problems are talking about plasma or lcd screens aren't they?