DS Forums

 
 

IMPORTANT: How To Maximise Your DVD Player's Picture Quality!


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 29-12-2005, 03:38
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a

As a rule, the majority of DVD Players/Recorders are set to output 4:3 Composite Video by default. This is the lowest quality setting (on par with analogue Laserdiscs and SVHS Video Recorders) and will not enable you to fully experience and appreciate true DVD Anamorphic Picture Quality (if you own a Widescreen TV). To make the necessary changes to get the most out of your DVD Player (and maximise your viewing pleasure), follow these simple steps:

1, Make sure your DVD Player is connected to your TV via AV1/RGB.

2, Go into your DVD player's set up menu and on 'Video', make sure you select 16:9 (if you have a Widescreen TV) or 4:3 Letterbox (if you have a normal TV).

3, Also on 'Video', make sure you select RGB as opposed to composite or SVHS as your video signal output.

4, Press exit, select a DVD, put it in, press play and straight-away, you will notice a dramatic improvement in picture quality!

NOTE: Always keep AV1/RGB for your DVD Player and save your TV's other AV inputs for your video and Satellite/Cable TV Receiver.

IMPORTANT: If your DVD Player is connected to your Widescreen TV via AV2 etc., and is set to display a composite 4:3 signal, your picture quality won't be that much better than video.

FINALLY: For those who have a Sky Box or an NTL World one, make sure it is connected via AV2 and then go into the set up menu to clarify aspect ratio (they're usually set to 4:3 on default) and video output (usually set to composite on default). Once again, if you have a Widescreen TV, set your box's aspect ratio to 16:9 and output signal to RGB.
  Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 29-12-2005, 07:42
Scorpio
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Somerset
Posts: 3,048
Dave, good basic advice. The dilema for most people is that, until the advent of multi-RGB scart Tvs, most had to use AV1 for Rgb and AV2 for Svideo/composite.

Your notes assume that you can use a Sky box with RGB into AV2 - defitely not always available, depending on age of TV.

This is why most set up advice might include looping one device through another into AV1 to squeeze both into the RGB scart or, conversely, advocating RGB compatible switch boxes.

Rgds,
Scorp
Scorpio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 09:14
Astaroth
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,421
Unfortunately the guide is a significant over simplification of reality.

RGB certainly is a better picture quality for almost all DVD & TV combinations than Svideo there are definately some where this isnt true (for example the Panasonic PD30 & PD50 sets were both well reported as not being good at rendering RGB signals)

The other two things which you have missed is that (1) Component in most casses is a better picture quality than RGB and a fair percentages of DVDs & TVs now have these - if you do use these and your TV supports it then progressive scan should be selected on your DVD player output. (2) Digital connections (DVI & HDMI) tend to be better than both RGB and Component.


The best thing you can do is actually test all the different settings and see which you think looks better to your eyes using online guides (of which there are many) to help

(finally read your own TV manual to check which scart sockets are RGB enabled as these are not the same across all makes & models)
Astaroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 10:08
ra4ai
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sussex
Posts: 81
I have component inputs on my Toshiba TV and outputs on my Kiss DVD player and I was thinking of using these to get a better picture. But will this mean I will loose the Scart switching? Cos that would do my head in!!!
ra4ai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 10:12
Astaroth
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,421
The likelihood is that you would lose the switching to the DVD player but any other switching would still work.

My panasonic TV does seemingly randomly decide to switch to component when it is turned on like scart switching but it is only a small percentage of the time. With mysetup it isnt an issue as all my sources connect to my AVR and then there is just a singla connection to the TV and so changing the AVR input switches both video and sound.
Astaroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 10:25
ra4ai
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sussex
Posts: 81
Well the component is on AV3 and I need to change the settings to accept it put if I left the Scart in AV3, I wonder if the DVD player will still send the switching signal. I'll need to try that when I get home.
ra4ai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 13:14
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a
The composite video signal I was referring to is the standard video output with SVHS being the next step up and RGB being the next step up from that. However, a lot of new DVD Players & TV's (LCD & Plasma) have a different dedicated composite option where you can use colour coded phono leads to connect the two together. A lot of people don't have this option and it's your average householder my opening post was aimed at (as opposed to a real enthusiast). So many people are outputting a basic 4:3 video signal from their DVD Player (Satellite & Cable TV Box as well) to their Widescreen TV without even realising it (that's because 4:3 is the default setting). Therefore, they are only ever gonna get a low resolution letterbox picture as opposed to the real anamorphic deal. If I had a pound for every house I've been to where this is the case, I'd be richer than the Queen!

CHECK OUT YOUR CONNECTIONS & DEFAULT SETTINGS - AV1/RGB (Not AV2 or 3), 16:9 (Not 4:3) & RGB (Not Video or SVHS).
  Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 13:18
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by ra4ai
Well the component is on AV3 and I need to change the settings to accept it put if I left the Scart in AV3, I wonder if the DVD player will still send the switching signal. I'll need to try that when I get home.
Make sure you are not mistaking the component option for normal video. Normal video is connected via scart, component is connected via a series of colour coded phono leads (from both player to receiver).
  Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 13:25
tivo1977
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 205
Anyone know why TV manufacturers insist on giving us two or more scarts and only one usually has RGB? Is it impossible to make all the scarts RGB? All fine and dandy if you just have a DVD to connect but what if you have a DVD recorder and a couple of STBs too?
tivo1977 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 13:36
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a
I know! It's a real pain! My DVD Player is connected to AV1/RGB, whereas my NTLWorld Receiver is in AV2. My Video is fine as it's SVHS and has been connected to my TV accordingly. However, it's not just the connection and lack of RGB inputs, it's also the fact that the majority of manufacturers still set their equipement to an aspect ratio of 4:3 on default (Sky & NTLWorld as well). Who has a 4:3 TV these days? It should be the other way round! If you own a Widescreen TV, then you are losing out BIG TIME (no anamorphic picture resolution, just basic letterbox) if you haven't checked yours and it's set to 4:3! I've owned 3 DVD Players now and I've always had to reset their aspect ratio output to 16:9. The same was true of my NTLWorld Box (the Installation Engineer was most impressed) and my mate's Sky Receiver.
  Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 13:38
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a
Incidentally, a very good friend of mine is Head of Post Production at QVC and he's just as irritated by the situation as I am. Whenever he goes round someone's house and they demonstrate their new AV set-up to him, he's forever having to sort it out for them!
  Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 13:42
Astaroth
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,421
not sure why you would have a "couple" of STBs but still... A fair amount of TVs come with 2 RGB scarts as well as component (and svideo and composite scart).

The lack of multiple components used to annoy me as both my PS2 and DVD player have component outputs but my TV only one input but it does have 2 RGB scart so just had to decide which to down grade to RGB scart (with the Sky box taking the other RGB scart slot). Fortunately I then got my AVR and so solved the problem.

Whilst I appreciate that your post is aimed at "standard users" my issue is that what used to be enthusiasts tech/ specs are now more commonly appearing in standard users equipment but there is a lack of knowledge out there. The 2 key examples in the last 2 years for me has been (1) went to my local Sony centre who denied that there was such a connection as a component and when I pointed it out on one of their TVs they said they had no idea what it was for (2) a relative has just bought a 52" plasma and when I asked why he hadnt connected up using component he said that the store manager had said that component had now been replaced with the brand new connection called RGB Scart
Astaroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 14:00
ra4ai
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sussex
Posts: 81
Originally Posted by dave_fade
Make sure you are not mistaking the component option for normal video. Normal video is connected via scart, component is connected via a series of colour coded phono leads (from both player to receiver).
It is component. My toshiba has got the three (red green blue) component connectors on AV3. You can select if you want to put either s-video, av (composite/rgb) or component input on AV3.
ra4ai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 14:09
tivo1977
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 205
Originally Posted by Astaroth
not sure why you would have a "couple" of STBs but still... A fair amount of TVs come with 2 RGB scarts as well as component (and svideo and composite scart).

To record one Freeview prog while I watch another!
tivo1977 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 14:13
tivo1977
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 205
Add: And before you ask I'm too mean to shell out £140+ on a twin-tuner with a compromised HD inside. Rather do my own solution into a DVD recorder. So having just one RGB on my set is a total pain.
tivo1977 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 14:19
Astaroth
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,421
Originally Posted by tivo1977
Add: And before you ask I'm too mean to shell out £140+ on a twin-tuner with a compromised HD inside. Rather do my own solution into a DVD recorder. So having just one RGB on my set is a total pain.

Well... if you use one for viewing and one for recording purposes... why does the one for recording purposes need to be connected up by RGB scart to the TV? surely composite or any other connection would do as long as it is connected to the DVD-r by RGB and the player you use for the DVD disks is then connected to the TV by a superior connection
Astaroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 16:01
tivo1977
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 205
Originally Posted by Astaroth
Well... if you use one for viewing and one for recording purposes... why does the one for recording purposes need to be connected up by RGB scart to the TV? surely composite or any other connection would do as long as it is connected to the DVD-r by RGB and the player you use for the DVD disks is then connected to the TV by a superior connection
Err....it doesn't. I have a DVD player, a DVD recorder and an STB that I'd like to be able to plug straight into my TV without having to faff about and I'd like them all to be RGB scarts. The rest of the stuff I have just plugs into other stuff. Either way, one RGB scart isn't enough and it annoys me that manufacturers don't seem to keep up with what we have in our homes.

None of which answers my original question. I have two scarts on my TV. Why aren't they both RGB as standard? Why do we have to go buy a gizmo from Maplins or Argos to do what the TV we bought should do on its own?

It's like the rest of the stuff. Two scarts apiece on most of my equipment. Why is one RGB and the other not?
tivo1977 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 16:31
Astaroth
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,421
There are tvs out there with more than 1 RGB scart socket but they tend to be the higher spec ones... everything comes at a premium.

I am not knowledgable about electronics so I dont know how difficult it is for them to add additional socketry or how expensive it is (though my guess would be not very)
Astaroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 21:37
mongosito
Banned User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,307
Originally Posted by dave_fade
The composite video signal I was referring to is the standard video output with SVHS being the next step up and RGB being the next step up from that. However, a lot of new DVD Players & TV's (LCD & Plasma) have a different dedicated composite option where you can use colour coded phono leads to connect the two together. A lot of people don't have this option and it's your average householder my opening post was aimed at (as opposed to a real enthusiast). So many people are outputting a basic 4:3 video signal from their DVD Player (Satellite & Cable TV Box as well) to their Widescreen TV without even realising it (that's because 4:3 is the default setting). Therefore, they are only ever gonna get a low resolution letterbox picture as opposed to the real anamorphic deal. If I had a pound for every house I've been to where this is the case, I'd be richer than the Queen!

CHECK OUT YOUR CONNECTIONS & DEFAULT SETTINGS - AV1/RGB (Not AV2 or 3), 16:9 (Not 4:3) & RGB (Not Video or SVHS).
I think its fair to say,that the only viewers dumb enough to watch 4:3 pix on a widescreen set,are the same ones who won't even notice the improvement with RGB.....or even care.
The only reason they have dvd and widescreen set is because its the "latest" thing.
They'll soon be watching their analogue pix on a plasma
mongosito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2005, 22:51
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a
You'd be surprised! Some people that I've met who work in the industry and should know better, didn't. They had the RGB thing sussed but hadn't bothered to check whether their DVD Player or Satellite/Cable TV Recieiver was outputting a 16:9 picture to their WS TV. When I checked, it was still on the 4:3 default setting. Once changed, the looks on their faces at the dramatic picture improvement was a picture!
  Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2005, 22:08
mongosito
Banned User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,307
But surely they can tell simply by looking at the way everythings squashed up.
mongosito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2005, 00:48
gerbilly
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 842
My JVC tv has two RGB scart connections. I would also like to add that the video scart connection on a sky+ box will pass through an RGB signal. Therefore if you have only one RGB on yout tv, you would use the AV1 scart on the TV for your sky+ box, and your DVD player would be daisy chained to the sky+ box video scart connection.
gerbilly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2005, 08:19
Scorpio
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Somerset
Posts: 3,048
Yes, this a standard way of maximising the RGB capability of a TV.

However, some people like a bit more flexibility with their kit and like to mix different sound/vision combinations.......

For example: with the DVD player connected (say) by SVideo to TV AV2 (and the audio sources feed separately to an AV amp) you can play/listen to a music DVD or CD while watching the footy/golf/rugby on Sky.

Rgds,
Scorp
Scorpio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2005, 14:57
dave_fade
 
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by mongosito
But surely they can tell simply by looking at the way everythings squashed up.
No. It comes out as a letterbox picture (like on TCM) which if your TV is on an auto aspect ratio setting, will blow up to compensate. With your DVD Player & Sky/NTL Receiver set to 16:9 Widescreen, if you have a Widescreen TV, you get the full resolution (anamorphic for DVD depending on the film). I reckon as much as 80% of people who own either or both have not bothered to check the set up options to make sure they correspond with the screen size that they have. Problem is, they don't realise that manufactures are still setting everything to 4:3 by default. However, some DVD Players will prompt you when you first plug it in, but there and then, how many people know what 16:9 and 4:3 actually is?
  Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2005, 21:45
njeo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Hazel Grove
Posts: 5,191
Interesting thread. My Sony DVP-NC615 is connected via RGB Scart to a Pace PVR3 Sky+ box, which is, in turn, connected to a Bush widescreen TV.

One problem I find with daisy-chaining devices is that, when pressing Play on the DVD, the TV will switch back to an analogue channel momentarily and then switch back to channel RGB. By the time the TV sorts itself out, a few seconds have gone by and I tend to have to rewind. It doesn't do this when the DVD player is connected direct to AV1 input but I can't do this as Bush saw fit to provide only one RGB input.

I've had three SKY boxes so far and they've all done the same, as did the NTL box. Any ideas or is it just a consequence of daisy-chaining my scart connections?
njeo is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 16:41.