Suggestions

[Mag_Neato]

I just saw the 578a at BB.....identical front panel except for some silk screened graphics(they put SACD/DVD-Audio above the drawer now), and they shortened the depth of the unit from front to back by about 1 1/2". They had the 578a stacked on top of the 563a so a direct comparison was simple.
it had a "sale price" of $141.00!

Ed

[Lou-the-dog]

Hee Hee! Just as I logged onto this website I got a **** popup. How do they do that? Coincidence or by design? Anyhow they're trying to adverise to the wrong guy for sure.

Anyhow... thanks for the suggestions. I've been researching the models ya'll have suggested and they all hold possibilities. I'll have to get to the city to check the Pioneer and maybe the Samsung (if released) units out.

Question... I see the Samsung units are touted to upconvert to 720/1080 resolution. Will my HiDef Mits take advantage of this? I've been trying to follow the threads over at AVS but quickly went over my head.

Randy

[graphicguy]

Lou:

Upconverting is a little "smoke and mirrors". While you may be playing any particular DVD as an "upconverted" image on your monitor, 480P is still the best image any DVD will put out. What you'll probably end up seeing is your monitor taking the 480P image and display it in either 720P or 1080i. That doesn't mean the DVD is capable of either, however. It's just being displayed that way.

The biggest improvement in picture quality seems to come from a digital DVI or HDMI connection, if your monitor and DVD player has them.

Sony WE610 60" LCD RPTV
Pioneer Elite 59TXi AVR
Pioneer Elite 59AVi Universal DVD player
CBM 340 Front L/R
CBM 340c Center
HTM 200s Rear L/R and rear surround (6.1)
HSU VTF-3
Monster THX certified interconnects
DIY speaker cable (that's better than anyhing I can purchase elsewhere)

[andyw]

When you use progressive output to get 480p out of your DVD player, you're almost always going to end up with an "upconverted" image, as very few TVs actually show a 480p imagine--most use 720p or 1080i, and upconvert the image from 480p themselves. All the Samsung DVD players are doing is handling the upconversion instead of leaving it up to the TV. Which unit handles the upconversion better is the only difference in quality, at that point.

As for picture quality differences between DVI and component, from what I've seen in reviews, there's almost no difference with most DVD players, but there ought to be.

[graphicguy]

andy...actually, I see a significant improvement playing DVDs. But, as mentioned, that's mainly because of using the DVI/HDMI connection.

HD TV that's mastered and broadcast in 1080i is stunning. Most older shows (even those that are upconverted) and SD TV, may look better upconverted, still don't even approach the picture I get with DVDs.

Fact is, I don't even wathc SD anymore. If it isn't HD, I don't have any desire to watch it. Guees I'm spoiled.

Sony WE610 60" LCD RPTV
Pioneer Elite 59TXi AVR
Pioneer Elite 59AVi Universal DVD player
CBM 340 Front L/R
CBM 340c Center
HTM 200s Rear L/R and rear surround (6.1)
HSU VTF-3
Monster THX certified interconnects
DIY speaker cable (that's better than anyhing I can purchase elsewhere)