Ok, here's my situation. I currently own a 1st generation Sony Wega XBR, it's a 36 inch XBR250.

Would I benefit from purchasing a progressive scan dvd player? I don't have progressive scan inputs on my tv... the highest level of video on my tv is component input (R/YB/YG, whatever it is). Would I benefit from the built in line doubler on the progressive scan dvd player?

I currently have a two year old Sony 530D dvd player... (a lower level model that ran around $300.00 at the time).

Am I getting the most out of what I own currently, on a visual level?

I've been very pleased with the vertical squeeze and the extra resolution that is gotten from dvd's that are anamorphic... however, if there is something out there that's better, I would possibly interested, in say a line doubler for dvd's that aren't anamorphic... that would be nice.

thanks..

sightandsound

No.

Without the inputs there is no way to feed a progressive signal.

Also on a TV of that size the benefits to you if you could feed the signal would be very minor at best.

Several years ago, I had seen several people on line mentioning stand alone 'line doublers'. Are these still readily available? If so, would I benefit from using one? BTW, how is it used? Is it an in-between, between the dvd player and the component or s-video in-put to the tv?

How much would I be spending on a lower-end model? Does Sony make one?

thanks..
sightandsound

IMHO a line doubler would not be worth it for that size TV.

Actually I believe that is incorrect. Progressive scan can use the same component input, and a quick check on the specs for this XBR TV shows that it accepts 480p (where p - progressive, i - standard interlaced). A progressive scan DVD player will output using RGB or component (yep, R/YB/YG). You would benefit from progressive, but how much I don't know.

A standalone line-doubler such as the Iscan Pro will most likely work, as it can output 480p as a component signal, but at around $700, the difference may not be worth the price. Check out http://yourdigitalhome.com/dss4u/iscanpro.html. These take the component signal from a DVD player, process it, and then output the signal to connect to your TV (I use one for a front projector). They go into standby when no signal is detected, and wake up automatically, so you would never know it's even there. They take component/s-video/composite sources, so can also be used for normal TV viewing.

Edit - I was looking at an XBR400, so it might be different to the XBR250.

[Edited by Daveptb on 07-05-01 at 05:12 PM]

Thanks for your reply, I have another question for you, or anyone for that matter.

From what your telling me, it sounds as though I will benefit from use of a progressive scan dvd player.

My main concern stems from the fact that my Wega XBR is the first model from 1999. It did not have the DRC (Digital Reality Creation). It does the 16:9 vertical compression (for anamorphic dvd's) and it has both s-video and component (red, green & blue) inputs, however, it doesn't have the DRC inputs or whatever, that the newer Wega XBR's have.

Will I be getting 480p type resolution with a progressive scan dvd player?

If your confused about the model tv I have, here's a link to the review from February 2000, Stereophile Magazine.

I would be very interested in getting a progressive scan player, if I thought it would give me better resolution (especially on dvd's that aren't anamorphically enhanced)... just the added resolution would help cut down on the scan lines.

Any info?