Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 598 Component out vs SDI to Scaler?

How much improvement would I get from upgrading a 598 to SDI and using a scaler that can do SDI to DVI or HDMI?

I just upgraded to a Pioneer Plasma and DVD's look ok, but not as good as I think it could be.

HD looks like a picture window and I've seen what DVD's can do on high-end projectors.

Having seen Duncs' SDI/598 recently into a Pio screen, I would say that it is better.

As many will testify to now though, the SDI is fairly cheap and easy to do provided you own the SDI/DVI scaler already.

Whether or not you are getting the best out of your Pio with component is probably worth looking into. There are many tweaks to be done IIRC.

I upgraded my 598 courtesy of a Duncs SDI mod. It was initially running component-Crystalio-HDMI. With the SDI feed into the Crystalio my 13 year old daughter tells me the picture looks better. As they say - 'From the mouths of babes..."

Cheers

Mark

I know the SDI mod is not too expensive. How much is the starting prices of a Scaler that can take SDI and output HDMI?

George,

I have recently upgraded my 596 to SDI with Duncan's great cable mod and the BT656 Pro SDI board, running it into a DVDO iScan HD+ with SDI option, then to my Pioneer Elite Pro1410HD Plasma screen. I will attest that the SDI mod made a significant difference in picture quality.

Good DVDs are stunning - like they are Hi Def. Even DVDs of old TV shows look better (see my comment on dark scenes below). In general, the difference in digital video transmission vs. analog is not subtle (once you've changed from VGA to DVI output on a computer you'll see what I mean - the VGA output is much "softer" - far less focused - edges are fuzzy, etc.

Also, digital output allows the DVDO scaler to scale and pass the signal to my display in the digital domain, where it is converted by the Pioneer Elite's 10-bit convertors (instead of the 596's 8-bit ones). Blacks and darker scenes have far more detail now, and are far better rendered. This difference is not subtle at all, and make even poor DVD transfers far better.

Go for it - to future proof your installation, I'd recommend and scaler like the new DVDO VP30, that can handle SDI, Component, S-Video, etc. and also handles up to 4 HDMI (or DVI) inputs. This will save you from having to buy an HDMI switch down the road (as I will have to do shortly when I add a Mac as a media center). One less box and fewer cables can't be bad.

BTW - I'm in Massachusetts also - Andover, to be precise. You're welcome to come over and check out the difference yourself, if you'd like to see it before you take the plunge.

Regards,

John

Hi George

With the Crystallio II due out this month, I'd suspect that there will be bargains to be had with the original Crystallio machine, both retail and used. A number of hikers use this machine with SDI modded players and it's performance is impressive.

Cheers

George

John,

I can hardly believe that the 596 has 8-bit convertors. I know that the very first DVD players had them, but all manufacturers switched fairly quickly to 10-bit (after trying 9-bit). My experience is that the ADC of the plasma can be 8-bit only, which causes most loss in (shadow) detail.

Erwin

Erwin,

My understanding of the 596 was that the convertors were 8 bit. Perhaps someone here can clarify that. Either way, I I do know that the Pioneer Elite Plasma that I have does have 10 bit convertors, which is one of the reasons low light levels scenes are renedered so well on its screen.

John

George,
I've just added Duncs mod to my 598 DP into a DVDO HD+ scaler, the picture has been improved no end. I still have the analogue prog. scan component connected and switch back and forth between them, no comparison!
Go for the mod, you won't regret it.
Now that I am so impressed with the gain I'm now sorry that the DVDO machines only allow 1 SDI input (including the VP 30) therefor I won't be able to get a sat. box modded with another SDI output.
That said, I'm happy with the quality of the picture outcome from it (RGBs from my digi box for TV).
Ian T.

The problem you have with that set up is the following.....

With a scaler you want to feed your plasma native resolution.
You also want to feed the Pioneer 5060 via HDMI as the analogue inputs are not great.

Problem is the Pioneer will not accept native resolution over HDMI only over VGA.
Also on VGA it will only pixel map when fed 56.25 vertical refresh, which is not ideal either.

I am not saying that adding a video processor is not going to help, and just by bypassing the analogue conversion in the player and then adding all the processing tricks from the scaler will make a world of difference, but the whole point of a scaler is to bypass the rather poor deinterlacing and scaling that is built into the panel, which with the pioneer consumer model is not possible.

That is why alot of people go for the commercial screens, the Pioneer MXE range can take native resolution over HDMI, but then it is not hdcp compliant which means another box of tricks has to be added! It's never ending!

Is it worth doing?

Probably, but there is a big difference when I feed my screen native resolution and 720p, 720p looks very soft in comparison.


P.S Mr. Meridian, you will have something through your door on Thursday morning, apologies for the delay!

gIzzE, you are a gentleman! You obviously picked up the telepathic ditress call about that disc...were it not for my email being down, I'd have written another begging note!

Cheers

George

Anyone see any problem using this scaler from SDI Mod'd 598 to a Pioneer Plasma with HDMI?

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/KD-SDI1080P.htm