HTPC upconverting quality

[WilJP]

So I've been using my HTPC to upconvert DVD movies with ffdshow for a few months now. IMO it looks even better than a low end LG upconverting player purchased from FS. I'd like to know how HTPC users feel about the upconverting quality of their machines. Are there reasonably priced upconverting players out there or is a HTPC with ffdshow/dscaler pretty good for it?

[Michael DeAbreu]

I love the picture I get from ATI's DVD player upconverting to 1360 x 768. I have the ATI all-in-Wonder X600 Pro connected via DVI to my Acer AT3201W widescreen HD-ready TV.

I only have a 480i DVD player on component inputs to compare with. It is markedly inferior to my HTPC.

Plus ATI's videosoap makes my DVR recordings look better than the original cable broadcast.

[ctown6412]

I just got my new htpc setup and the picture quality on a Hitachi Pj-tx10 projector (854*480 1/4 HD chip) looks almost as good as the output from the 6412 hd cable box. It kills the quality out of the upconverting dvd player. The dvd player is being demoted to the basement this weekend.

[BHoward]

I upconvert to 1776 x 1000i using 1080i timing. It lloks better than my HD 8300HD when looking at regular HD shows but a little worst that say a HD Football game.

It is great!

[bete_noir]

Originally Posted by WilJP

So I've been using my HTPC to upconvert DVD movies with ffdshow for a few months now. IMO it looks even better than a low end LG upconverting player purchased from FS. I'd like to know how HTPC users feel about the upconverting quality of their machines. Are there reasonably priced upconverting players out there or is a HTPC with ffdshow/dscaler pretty good for it?

Okay, I haven't done this yet but I'm planning on trying it....

Couple of questions:

Which DVD player software are you using in conjunction with ffdshow (i.e., TheaterTek, ZoomplayerPro, or other....)?

I'm using an PowerColor X700 Radeon video card......if you are using an ATI card, which workaround (i.e., DVDIdle, AnyDVD) are you employing to defeat ATI's 480p output restriction?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies....

[WilJP]

I have zoomplayer pro and theatertek but I like ZPP for ease of use.

As for the 480p limit, I think it only applies if you're using ATI's native player with their dongle. It's definitely displaying more than 480 lines of resolution. I am using DVI>HDMI through an Energy adaptor but will try the DVI>component ATI adaptor and post my results.

[bete_noir]

Got it all working today with TheaterTek ver2.2.1.12 and ffdShow. No need for DVDIdle or anything like that, I am upconverting 720 x 480 to 1776 x 1000 - the same as J. Schipmann advises in the HTPCNews article. Used his suggested settings for blur & noise reduction and resize & aspect....I had some weird interlace motion artefact for awhile, and the usual difficulties getting output to both monitor and HDTV (using ATI CCC settings: extended desktop/theater mode/scale to full screen on secondary monitor, and in Theater Tek video settings choose "monitor 1"), but the results are well worth it. The video quality difference playing "Manchurian Candidate", for instance, is readily apparent, as you can switch back to non-postprocessing output in TheaterTek while you're watching......more like a true home theatre experience when you combine it with 5.1 surround sound. Sweeeeeeet.....

Now I just need a bigger monitor than my Samsung TXN2668WHF.....

[bete_noir]

Oops, spoke too soon. Just tried a Macrovision CP DVD (Trailer Park Boys) and the output to the TV monitor via the component cable was just a bunch of coloured blocks. Time to find that copy of DVDIdle......

[filper]

Originally Posted by BHoward

I upconvert to 1776 x 1000i using 1080i timing.

I got my machine to work at that resolution as well last night.

All Windoze apps are useless visually, but with Media Portal as a front end, it's irrelevant.

I noticed a detailed improvement over my 588A (which is not an upconverting player), and the grey sidebars I used to get with 4:3 material are now black. That's a big plus !

Slideshow pictures look great too.

I'm using a DVI/HDMI connector.

Even at (I think the 648? resolution) DVD's look definitely more defined and more detailed in dark areas. I am not using ffdshow or any other processing. My 'old' XP1600 won't handle the crunch (I think).

[BHoward]

You can get an even better picture with the right tweaks in FFDShow ... but you are right, an XP1600 is not enough power.

[WilJP]

Originally Posted by bete_noir

Oops, spoke too soon. Just tried a Macrovision CP DVD (Trailer Park Boys) and the output to the TV monitor via the component cable was just a bunch of coloured blocks. Time to find that copy of DVDIdle......

Might simply be the fact that you're outputing to two monitors at the same time.

[bete_noir]

I fixed it with AnyDVD. Works great now......

[Michael DeAbreu]

Don't get me wrong, I love my HTPC.

But what is the point of building a hot machine that can do Faruodja quality video upconversion when the component video output is going to be crippled by a Macrovision protected DVD?

[jvincent]

If you use AnyDVD or DVDidle to strip the Macrovision on the fly then you can upconvert via component without any issues.

[bete_noir]

Also got excellent results upconverting DVDs with Media Player Classic (freeware) and ffdShow (also freeware)....you may have to back off some of the settings if you get some jerkiness but the resize to 1776 x 1000 really looks gorgeous on an HD monitor. Don't forget to use AnyDVD or DVDIdle if you are outputting via component cable to your TV instead of HDMI....or macrovision will ruin your day.