CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[timf]

Hi guys,

I've been looking through Curts thread on connecting it all up, which i think is a wealth of information and I'm beginning to think that my connection path is all wrong. I am using a DVDO HD+ unit as a junction point of most of my sources and am wondering if my pq is suffering because of it.

My set up is as follows:

Sources:

Denon 3910 DVD player - SDI out
Toshiba HD DVD - HDMI out
Sony HD PVR HDMI out
HTPC DVI out

The DVD is a direct SDI connection into the HD+ all others go to a 3 port HDMI switcher (really basic unit) and then out via a HDMI/DVI cable to the HD+ and then out again via DVI to a HD Fury and then into Port 5 of my BD808s pj.

I'm currently having Greg Eisemann do a full 6 board upgrade to my pj and will have a direct DVI input into it once that is done.

I'm also reading a lot about Gamma correction, which I dont have

Finally the main question/s

Once this upgrade is complete do I really need my HD+ for anything other that the SDI input of the DVD and if I want to add the ability of gama correction how do I do that without risking the pq by converting what will essentially be a pure digital chain?


Cheers,

Tim

[Person99]

1) Despite what many will tell you, a pure digital chain is not de facto the best picture quality--your PJ must ultimately get an analog RGB signal, so it is really only a matter of where the DAC happens. In long runs, analog is more resilient than HDMI/DVI.

2) Your HD+ will only scale SD sources, so it is only useful for the 3910.

3) If you do not mind watching movies at 60 Hz (which you are now from HD DVDs and cable movies), your Toshiba HD DVD player will do at least as good (I think better), than the HD+, so I would just take the 3910 and HD+ out of the mix.

4) If you use greg's card and want gamma, then you will either need to use an HTPC for all your sources, or get a scaler with decent gamma adjustment (the Lumagen HDP is the cheapest). However, since you are using a barco and having greg put new caps in and such, the need for gamma will not be as great as others. It will make a difference, but not be night and day. You other options for gamma are to not use greg's DVI card and use moome's external with gamma, or an HDFury plugged into an RTC2200.

[JustGreg]

No. You don't need it. You should send it to me.

[Curt Palme]

Dave, our connection master around here (at least one of them!) is bang on. What I want to know is do you really see any benefit of having an SD DVD player at all? Take two copies of SD DVDs, toggle the audio and video back and forth between the SD DVD on the HD DVD player and the Denon. From what I understand (I've never compared them), the HD DVD source should be better than the SDI output of the Denon.

I'm curious, let me know what you see/hear.

[Curt Palme]

Dave, our connection master around here (at least one of them!) is bang on. What I want to know is do you really see any benefit of having an SD DVD player at all? Take two copies of SD DVDs, toggle the audio and video back and forth between the SD DVD on the HD DVD player and the Denon. From what I understand (I've never compared them), the HD DVD source should be better than the SDI output of the Denon.

I'm curious, let me know what you see/hear.

[Person99]

[Moose]

[timf]

Thanks for all the replies,

I was certainly under the impression that digital was the bees knees so was fixated on it remaining that way, but I understand what you are all saying.

My only problem at the moment with doing away with the 3910 is that I'm in Australia (should have made that known when posting) and I got my Toshiba HD-DVD in from the states and it wont play PAL SD DVD's .

THe only real option to get rid of the 3910 as I see it is to either buy another HD player here in Australia and use that as they will play both PAL & NTSC or search for one overseas that will do both as well, I've been searching recently and cant seem to find one off shore.

I've been hanging onto the 3910 for not only that reason but also due to it having SDI out which according to my searches both here and on the AVS forums tells me its better than HDMI/DVI, but again maybe I've been fixed on that as well.

[AnalogRocks]

[AnalogRocks]