cursel

Hello everyone.

I have a Philips progressive scan dvd player and a Panasonic 42" progressive scan EDTV plasma tv. I went out and bought monster component cables to replace my S-video cable for the dvd player but the picture with the component cables is FAR worse than the s-video connection. I have checked all the dvd picture settings menus and am quite sure I have the dvd player set up right for the component cables. The cables are hooked up right in both the dvd player and tv. Any suggestions? Is anyone familiar with the progressive scan technology. Does my tv require a progressive scan player?

mbs

My first suggestion is to take back the Monster cables (assuming you can) and buy some from monoprice.com. You'll get similiar quality for a small fraction of the price.

I also have a Philips DVDp (DVP-642) that I still have hooked up, but have not used in a while. On my unit and my TV (32" JVC LCD) the difference from S-Video and component cable is huge. Component gives me much higher PQ.

With an EDTV, you SHOULD use progressive scan for sure. Be sure to turn it on. And note that progressive scan will not work with S-Video cables, you need component cables.

To answer your question, your TV does not require a progressive scan player. No TV does. But with digital TVs, you'll get a much better picture using progressive scan (480p) versus not (480i).

Otherwise... I don't know. My Philips is easy to setup and it sounds like you have the component/s-video setting correct.

chipmac

It might help to have more detail as to why you think the Svideo looks better. Is it sharper, better color, less noise? Which DVD are you using to judge? Have you recalibrated the TV in progressive mode?

Spiky

Well, it isn't quite that definitive. A good TV might easily look better with an interlaced input from a poor progressive scan player if the TV has a better de-interlacer. It also depends on what kind of DVD it is, video or film based.

But component should still look better than Svideo. DVDs are stored in component format so that should pass through fairly well. I wonder if the TV just needs to be calibrated differently for the different inputs. How does the component look worse?

cpgator

Can you explain this please? I didn't think component was a format, just a method to pass a signal. Also, since component is analog, and DVD is digital, who could component be the video format?

Josh Z

DVD video is stored on disc in digital component YCbCr format. The "component video" connections on the back of the player are analog component YPbPr. When using this connection, the digital is converted to analog, but the colors are still separated by yellow, blue, and red.

Players with DVI or HDMI output convert the YCbCr to digital RGB and transmit it that way.

cursel

Thanks for the responses:

Chipmac...the component hookup has far more noise and is a lot less sharp

Spiky...if I turn the progressive scan option off on the dvd player the picture is still a lot worse with the component cables

I think its an issue with a setting on my tv. I have a color matrix option on the tv that is set to SD (I am hooked up to satellite dish) and the 3D comb filter is set to off. I cannot access these settings for some reason they are greyed out. I will have to get in touch with Panasonic I think in this regards. There is no option on the tv to calibrate the progressive scan settings.

Spiky

The comb filter is for Svideo or lower input only. Component is already past that stage of processing. That is why it is unavailable. Not sure about the color matrix. You should check for a black level setting. Over component it should be on darker, over Svideo it should be lighter. But that is just black level, wouldn't cause the problems you describe.

Philips are not great players, but they shouldn't be this bad. And Panny's ARE great TVs. I wonder if there is something wrong with one of your machines. If Svideo looks good, there is no reason not to use it. If either are still under warranty, it would be worth it to get them checked out. If you had another source with component outputs, you could test to see if the TV is at fault. Maybe borrow a player from a friend if you don't have another.

chipmac

There is the possibility that the Panny's deinterlacer is doing a better job even with an Svideo connection than the Philips player is in progressive mode over component. Component connections are also an improvement in signal quality with a decent cable so the video noise could only be visible with that connection. In other words its also there through Svideo if it's in the source but you're not seeing it due to Svideo's limitations. That was the reason I asked which disc you were using to test it and if you recalibrated the TV after switching to component.

cursel

THanks again guys

I've decided Im taking the player back. Its still under warranty. Chipmac I believe you got it right. My panny is way above the Philips in performance. The picture quality of the player is not very spectacular. In fact some of my satellite channels have a better picture than the dvd player and I do not have a HD signal from my dish. Guess you get what you pay for(dvd player on sale at Best Buy for a ridiculously low price). Thanks again.