I have a customer that has a Marantz VC 8100 300 disc dvd changer (not progressive scan) and a Pioneer HD 720 rear projector. Her budget is about $1500 what can we sell her to improve the DVD picture Quality)
Thanks Zinon

zinon,
In order to run progressive scan using a Line doubler you will need a display device that is capable of running progressive scan (usually a plasma or projector) through either component cables or VGA.
I don't beleive the Pioneer is capable (although I'm not familiar with it).
Therefore high quality cables might be your best option.

CMO,

Without even looking up that model it has HD in the model number which on Pioneer indicates it's an HD TV so it should not have a problem.

It has 3 component inputs. The HD picture is outstanding (Toshiba HD satellite receiver). The dvd is OK also component but not progressive. The Philips Tivo/satilitte is S- video Not so great. I was thinking about the Proton True scan. What do you think?

HEY Z :)

All I can tell you is this. I have a Pioneer RPTV with a DTC-100. The picture is great in all modes with one exception. I use VGA to VGA for HD only. I use S-video for SD sat. I am using component for a progressive scan DVD. The only thing that looks like kaka is viewing SD in HD mode through VGA. The DTC-100 through VGA upconverts to 540 and the Pioneer likes 480. Using the s-video through the DTC-100 fixes that. On your Tosh I don't think that is a problem.

For that budget here is what I suggest if you have not done it. Get her an ISF calibration. Try a progressive scan DVD before buying and see if that makes a difference. ISF also recommends using Monster M-1000 cable. I would do the other 2 though before buying expensive cable which may or may not fix anything.

The other problem is very subjective. If you watch HD for a long period of time anything else is going to look like crap period. Especially sat or cable through S-video. The ISF cal. made a huge difference on my TV. Well worth the cost. I am very happy with my non HD picture but once again nothing looks anything like HD and there is nothing you can do about that.

This message was edited by ECHOSLOB on 04/25/02 13:22.04.

The DVDO iscan Pro is probably one of the best line doubler/scalers money can buy. The pro model scales to 1080i rather than just doubling. I think isf + an iscan can be done for near $1500. A top of the line progressive DVD player will rival the iscan, but the iscan can also scale Cable, DSS, VHS, and home movies.

~Jay

Well, a scaler does not increase resolution, where a doubler does.

I second the Iscan Pro. ($500-$700)
I use it with my 301 disc changer with fantastic results. (mine is the Pioneer that her Marantz is rebadged from)

Make sure she's using the component out. Also make sure you run any cable or sat or even vcr's through the Iscan as well.

A calibration by an ISF tech or anyone with a bit of skill in this area will help as well.
Ken

Thanks for all the feedback. I installed a Proton Truscan (similar to the Iscan model) What a big difference. The dvd looks like HD. Well worth the money
Zinon

What do you mean? As far as I know a dvd has 480 interlaced lines of resolution, you only see 240 lines at a time on the screen. A "doubler" converts the 480i (interlaced) to 480p (progressive), so you will see 480 lines on the screen at a time.

A scaler will take those 480 interlaced lines and convert them to however many progressive lines you want. I use an HTPC at 600p for anmorphic, and 768p for 4:3 images.

the iscan pro is fixed at either 480p or 540p (540p is similar to 1080i)

None of these methods increases resolution. They just increase the perceived resolution- doublers only do 480p, scalers do 480p and beyond. Line doubles are rarely used in high end systems because higher resolutions are needed to eleminate scan lines on high end projectors.

~Jay

A scaler allows say a VCR to be displayed on a VGA system, but does not increase the resolution of the NTSC composite video to the quality of a 'real' VGA signal.

A line doubler 'interpolates' the information into added lines in your picture, thus increasing the resolution of your picture.

Proton's TB-6001 Line Boubler www.proton-usa.com