Question about High Definition Players and Upconversion of SD Special Features
 

If High Definition players can upconvert SD movies to 1080p then why can't they upconvert the special features on a High Definition disc to 1080p? It is silly that when I watch special features from a SD on an upconvert player they look much better than the SD special features not upconverted on a high definition disc.

I know that I have posted a lot today so I apologize, but I just had to ask this question.

They do upconvert special features (maybe not the PS3 though).

So HD-DVD players do upconvert special features? I know my PS3 upconverts SD movies and their features but for some reason it doesn't upconvert standard features that are on Blu-Ray discs. Ridiculous if you ask me. I'm still waiting for Best Buy to ship my HD-A30 player that I bought today in the store.

Nope, it depends on the source material.

Well, my HD-A1 seems to do it. What source material doesn't get upconverted?

The PS3 does upconvert both the movie and all of the extra features of a regular DVD, but it does not upconvert the SD material on a Blu-ray disc (yet).....there is much talk that this ability will be added sometime in the future with another firmware update...

I don't know how any standalone Blu-ray players handle things, but the Toshiba HD-DVD players do upconvert SD material on HD-DVDs (as well as everything on regular DVDs)...

I sure hope you're right and that it does eventually happen. Thanks for the info.

If the PS3 won't upconvert special features (I wonder how and why BDs are flagged to prevent upconversion?), wouldn't most displays automatically convert 480 lines to 720, 768 or 1080 lines? Upconversion doesn't always have to be done by the player.

Sure, but it's a little more convenient for those of us with displays that don't automatically correct for the proper aspect ratio. When upconverting is done in the player, everything is output at 16x9 (with 4:3 material pillarboxed) so the display can stay in 16x9 mode.