We're getting a Panasonic TH-42PWD7UY display.

Going into it will be a SciAtl 8000 and a DVD and VCR to be named later.

I was looking at switches so I can run one feed to the display.

Do I need something like a DVDO iScan Ultra to make the SciAtl look good?

I'm not a super videophile (so far our only DVD player is the little portable the kids take on trips), so at this stage all I'm really concerned with is having as good a picture or better (from all sources) on the plasma as we have on the old CRT.

Thanks.

Dear Tota-Lama-Teur,
Sorry about that. I am a word nut and could not resist.

I see that you do not mention sound at all, but the item that handles the sound is your solution. I mean, I just assume you will also be running the audio through something that also can switch. And audio/video receiver. These days, most audio/video receivers have two component inputs, and several normal video inputs that can take either s-video or regular old yellow-jack video...and "upconvert" the regular ones to 480i component.

That means that you won't have to switch inputs on your display at all.

There are some cases where a standard video signal plugged into a display's standard video jack will look better than the upconverted signal in the component input of the display. But if that is the case, then you still only have to select normal video for your VCR or other old video source, and component for the two component inputs that you have connected to the audio/video receiver.

Actually we're using the add-on speakers which are powered by the display's on-board amp.

I guess my question is will my SD signal from the SciAtl box better if I run it through an iScan Pro or Ultra using 15 pin as opposed to straight from the SciAtl box via S-video.

You could have been nice and saved me the trouble of having to determine that this is a EDTV with a resolution of 852x480. I am aware that the iScan Ultra is intended for 480p displays but it would not have been the first time someone made an error here. The DVDO will have superior deinterlacing to the built in scaler of the Panasonic or a HT receiver. It will provide you with 7 inputs so you will have the ability to use it as a video switcher. It will do a far better job upconverting than a home theater receiver. It will require you to use VGA to component adaptors. I would opt here for the DVDO peice.

Alan

Sorry to have been so much trouble, I figured the pros here knew the TH-42PWD7UY was the EDTV version, and the TH-42PHD7UY was the HD model.

Why would I need VGA to component adapters? The display offers both as inputs and the DVDO products offer both as outputs. Are you saying one is better than the other? In that case I can run component to component or VGA to VGA, whichever is better.

1. I install so many models from so many manufacturers who change model numbers so frequently that only by checking the specifications on this years model can I not experience vertigo.

2. Now you forced me to open my DVDO products manual. I have not sold the ultra only the HD+ which outputs anolog in the form of a VGA HD-15. I really recollect that this is how all their models work but I cannot be certain from the specification guide. So I went on line--and its anaolog output is by VGA only. The question is can the panasonic accept Ypbpr signals at its VGA input? I have a feeling that it cannot. So you will need to connect via the displays component inputs and that would require a custom cable like DVDO P/N 11-2001-01 ( HD-15 to RCA component ) or if you do not like RCA to BNC adaptors, 11-2004-01 ( HD-15 to 5 BNC )

Here is the link where you can see that DVDO anaolog outputs are HD-15
[Link: dvdo.com]

You cannot tell even on their web site what the output is. Only be the comparrison link can you see that there are 2 Y-pb-pr inputs which leaves a DVI pass through and the HD-15 output.

Alan