[Vader]

Hi all,

I hope I have this in the right forum, as it seemed the best place for the video guru's. Here is my situation: I am currently running a Mitsu WS65511 RPTV, which is pre-HDMI. Here's the problem: The Mistu has a single user settings memory (brightness, contrast, etc) for each input, as opposed to resolution. The HD component input is currently calibrated via HD-DVE for 1080i, but I found that if I feed this input a 480p signal from either my HD DVD or Blu-Ray player, it is much too dark. I double-checked using SD-DVE, and the brightness calibration for 480p is significantly different than for 1080i. Is such a difference in brightness normal between 1080i and 480p?

Rather than upgrade my display before I have the funds (and the LCD 65" sets come down to my price range), I am looking at running my HD DVD and Blu-Ray through an HDFury2 HDMI --> component converter. My question then becomes; Will an upconverted 480p signal still show the same differences in brightness, or is this addressed in the upconversion process? I do not want to waste the funds on the HDFury2 if SD-DVDs will still be too dark, in which case I will live with 480p (on standard def, of course...) until this set buys the farm, or the ICT is implemented...

Thanx!

 

[eugovector]

Were both discs played through the same player?

 

[Vader]

Were both discs played through the same player?

Yes. Since I am using component, the Pioneer limits a SD disc to 480p. At 480p, the brightness settings would have to be about 25% greater (on my RPTV) to equal the same calibrated level at 1080i. In other words, I calibrated the brightness via a PLUGE pattern (1080i), but when I looked at a SD PLUGE pattern (480p), the brightness settings were way off. I am hoping that SD upconversion also corrects for this. The only way to test this, unfortunately, would be to compare a HD PLUGE with an upconverted SD PLUGE (which I cannot do since I am limited to component - circular argument, I know)...

I just don't want to go to the trouble of getting an HDFury2 only to find that I would have to re-calibrate the video each time I switched between SD and HD.

 

[lcaillo]

I am wondering if you don't have a problem in the set that needs repair. I have seen similar issues in these models. They can be very tricky to troubleshoot. One of the likely ICs is NLA, IIRC. I have also run into some aging caps that do some strange things in these sets. Normally, the 480p is brighter than the 1080i in these sets.

 

[Vader]

I am wondering if you don't have a problem in the set that needs repair. I have seen similar issues in these models. They can be very tricky to troubleshoot. One of the likely ICs is NLA, IIRC. I have also run into some aging caps that do some strange things in these sets. Normally, the 480p is brighter than the 1080i in these sets.

So you are saying that the brightness difference is not normal? I think the color space between the two is different (16-235 vs 0-255), so maybe that is what I am seeing? I have a friend who has the HDFury2 comparing PLUGE patterns between the two resolutions for me. Now that I think of it, this difference has always been there - ever since I got the set. I just never though much about it as I am using two different inputs for SD vs HD. I am just hoping to use the upscaling in my Pioneer (with the latest FW, it even surpassed the Reon in all tests...)

 

[lcaillo]

The color space is different, but that does not account for what you are describing. In fact, like I said, it is usually just the opposite. 1080i is usually less bright due to the smaller spot size and shorter illumination time of the phosphors. You should not notice a huge difference, regardless, unless the source transports it differently, particularly in black level.

 

[Vader]

Just to follow up... After checking the brightness (and color settings, and everything else I know to do with DVE), the results are indeed identical between native HD and upconverted SD. I am loving life right about now...