trae

I am currently using the svideo from my xbox to view dvds on my new 27" Sony Wega with the 16x9 squeeze mode. I'm coming from viewing dvds on a 19" monitor so this is a pretty big upgrade for me. Will I notice a significant difference from component cables over svideo on my setup?

I plan on getting a phillips progressive scan dvd player (the one that does all region priced around $90) and was wondering if playing dvd's through that over the xbox will make much of an improvement also.

Should I get the Acoustic research or monster cables? Or will the high end radio shack cables suffice?


p.s. even tho i dont have a hdtv set, i now know what the fuss about anamorphic dvd's are sort of....I can't believe what I've been missing out on!

renaldow

I've got the same TV as you, that 16x9 enhanced mode is great, isn't it? This is my suggestion:

Get the new player, but keep in mind even though it's progressive scan you won't be using progressive scan so it really doesn't matter. In other words, if there's a better non-PS player out there you've been looking at, might as well go with it instead. PS players are almost impossible to get away from now days though.

You want to use component video. The change from Svideo to component is not as dramatic as composite to Svideo, but there is a difference, and a decent DVD player will show it. My thought on it is you want the best performance from your equipment, so why wouldn't you use component? AR or good Radio Shack component cables should work fine.

You might also want to start looking around online at some of the Wega tweak pages, there's a lot that can be done in the service menu to get a better picture, most notably turning off red push and changing the dimensions of the screen in squeeze mode to more accurately reflect 16x9 (it's a little too squashed.)

trae

Thanks alot man....you answered all my questions and then some.

dvdaddictor

thats some cool stuff, I have the same TV...never knew you could change the modes likes that. It makes a difference, picture looks clearer but also get small :-(, I so need a 42' HDTV Sony Plasma. So is compsoite better than S-Video?

renaldow

Composite is the worst connection of the three. SVideo is mid quality, and Component is best.

Rogue588

hey renaldow? any links for those Wega tweak pages..?

thanks.

renaldow

Use at your own risk! You can screw the TV up in the service menu, and there's absolutely no 'do over'

You've been warned:
http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/brand...sony_tips.html

http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/brand...menu_sony.html

TANK

Always write down the original settings in the service menu before you change anything.Then you can always go back to them and start over.

trae

You have to use 16x9 mode with DVD's or XBOX games that support 16x9. Also make sure you set your dvd player or xbox to widescreen/16x9 mode other wise the picture will look clearer but squished. Also this will only work for dvds that are anamorphic...try it...it looks amazing.

dvdaddictor

component vs composite? Whats the deal? They look the same to me.

renaldow

Composite is a single yellow RCA plug. If it has 2 other plugs w/ it, it's going to be the stereo red/white plugs for sound.

Component cables are 3 RCA plugs carrying seperated video information only, the plugs are colored red, green and blue for hookup.

Composite is roughly on par to a VCR or cable TV RF coaxial connection. All the picture information is muddled together and it is a low quality medium.

Component seperates the picture information into 3 channels, giving you a crisper, clearer, more accurate picture. If you have a decent TV then the difference between Component and Composite is night and day.

Not all TV's have component connections because not all TV's benefit from a component connection. The Wega does on both accounts, as do most flat screen or higher end analog TV's. However, many bottom of the barrel TV's are starting to offer component connections as well as a selling point, and if you have a poor TV with no filters than I could see how the pic might not look as good as it should.

Keep in mind that a lot of it also has to do with the quality of the DVD player. While a component pic should always look better than a composite pic from the same player, junk players and quality players can be miles apart in pic quality using any connection.

danol

www.bettercables.com I use silver plated serpent cables to connect to my F38310 HDTV line doubled wide screen no scrunch needed. LOL


P.S. I overheard a conversation at a CES in Las Vegas that Sony always used silver plated cables, as their clearest view TV in the past circa 1982

dvdaddictor

I have a Sony KV-27FV300 Wega(TV) and Sony DVP-NS715P(DVD Player). I don't know if this is "good equiptment" or not? I'm using composite audio and S-Video right now, do you think component will make a difference with this set up?

And would anyone recommend any Sony Dream System for surround sound...I'm looking to buy one, but dont know which one.

Thanks.

T. Bickle

Here's more info on tweaking the wegas: http://www.members.accessus.net/~090/awh/sonyadj.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sony-wega/messages/1

The process of accessing the service menu and resetting values is relatively painless, but as someone else posted, always write down the original settings. If you do nothing else, at least disable the red push.

nekobus

Component video will make a difference. It would be worth the investment in cables.

I would pass on the Sony Dream System. If you are looking at HT in a box systems, there are much better performing, less expensive ones by Kenwood and Onkyo.

renaldow

I'd also pass on the Sony 'Dream' Systems. I don't know whose dreams they are, but there are much better HTIB out there. I believe the current issue of Sound & Vision has run down on about 4 of the higher end HTIB's with reviews. I think just about any of those would be better than the Sony.

nekobus

They are the design and marketing departments "lifestyle" dreams.

My co-worker had a "Dream" system and they look slick, but sound very poor. He ended up returning it for an Onkyo HTiB.

renaldow

When they first came out a couple of years ago, it was a HTIB wasteland, and while crappy, the Dream systems were probably in the upper tier of the market. In the last year it seems just about every mid to high end a/v company like Denon, Onkyo, etc. has released a HTIB and they all seem to sound much better.