'Upscaling' ???

JethroUK · 29-04-2007, 11:48

if film is upscaled (SD >HD), when is the best possible time to do it

A/ straight from source film

B/ as it is burned to DVD (manufacturing stage)

C/ as it is played (by DVD player)

D/ live on screen (by the TV)

there's no reason why it should make a difference (the 'digital' process being the same no matter where it happens)

but in reality it seems to

anyone know anything about upscaling?

Chris123 · 29-04-2007, 12:07

I would guess the best time to upscale it would be at the source.

When it is compressed to DVD it looses quality, your DVD can only upscale the quality it is given.

You TV can only upscale the picture is receives.

Jarrak · 29-04-2007, 12:10

A movie made on 16, 35 or 70mm film is never SD since those formats contain enough information to create a native HD version, there is no upscaling involved and in reality it's downscaled

So...
A) The way it is done.
B) Not done.
C) Only as good as the scaling/de-interlacing in the DVD player and TV and connections.
D) Only as good as the scaling/de-interlacing on the TV and connections.

The simple fact is that if you give ten people a easel and paints and tell them to paint the same thing you will get 10 efforts of various quality because they have have different abilities.
So for upscaling SD everything after scanning a HD master from a 16mm+ print totally depends upon the abilities of the hardware doing the job.
A DVD player may upscale better than your TV but the opposite will be true for the other half of the population and those guys in the corner have £1000+ dedicated scalers that are better than both

29-04-2007, 12:33

A good example where you can compare the scalers from the broadcast end to the HD box is to switch between 106 and 197 on the HD box, when SD is showing on both and the box set to 1080i.

106 looks softer, where as 197 is a lot sharper.

JethroUK · 29-04-2007, 13:17

So between DVD player or TV it's just pot luck then?

My HD TV obviously upscales SD but picture from built-in freeview tuner is better than (non upscaled) external cable tuner

now i have new cable tuner (V+) that upscales SD and picture is perfic

on this basis i'm wondering whether to buy a new DVD player incl upscaler, or is it a waste of money? (i.e. might not be any better than TV upscaler)

29-04-2007, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by JethroUK

So between DVD player or TV it's just pot luck then?

on this basis i'm wondering whether to buy a new DVD player incl upscaler, or is it a waste of money? (i.e. might not be any better than TV upscaler)

IMO, unless it was a high end player I wouldn't bother. Very much doubt you would benefit at all by purchasing one of the many budget models that are now available. My Lexicon is up for sale for the right money.

29-04-2007, 11:48	#1
JethroUK Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Loughboro', Leicester (ex NTL) Posts: 5,953	'Upscaling' ??? if film is upscaled (SD >HD), when is the best possible time to do it A/ straight from source film B/ as it is burned to DVD (manufacturing stage) C/ as it is played (by DVD player) D/ live on screen (by the TV) there's no reason why it should make a difference (the 'digital' process being the same no matter where it happens) but in reality it seems to anyone know anything about upscaling?

29-04-2007, 12:07	#2
Chris123 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 2,464	I would guess the best time to upscale it would be at the source. When it is compressed to DVD it looses quality, your DVD can only upscale the quality it is given. You TV can only upscale the picture is receives.

29-04-2007, 12:10	#3
Jarrak Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ilkeston Posts: 18,075	A movie made on 16, 35 or 70mm film is never SD since those formats contain enough information to create a native HD version, there is no upscaling involved and in reality it's downscaled So... A) The way it is done. B) Not done. C) Only as good as the scaling/de-interlacing in the DVD player and TV and connections. D) Only as good as the scaling/de-interlacing on the TV and connections. The simple fact is that if you give ten people a easel and paints and tell them to paint the same thing you will get 10 efforts of various quality because they have have different abilities. So for upscaling SD everything after scanning a HD master from a 16mm+ print totally depends upon the abilities of the hardware doing the job. A DVD player may upscale better than your TV but the opposite will be true for the other half of the population and those guys in the corner have £1000+ dedicated scalers that are better than both

29-04-2007, 12:33	#4
TommyW Posts: n/a	A good example where you can compare the scalers from the broadcast end to the HD box is to switch between 106 and 197 on the HD box, when SD is showing on both and the box set to 1080i. 106 looks softer, where as 197 is a lot sharper.

29-04-2007, 13:17	#5
JethroUK Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Loughboro', Leicester (ex NTL) Posts: 5,953	So between DVD player or TV it's just pot luck then? My HD TV obviously upscales SD but picture from built-in freeview tuner is better than (non upscaled) external cable tuner now i have new cable tuner (V+) that upscales SD and picture is perfic on this basis i'm wondering whether to buy a new DVD player incl upscaler, or is it a waste of money? (i.e. might not be any better than TV upscaler)

29-04-2007, 15:01	#6
TommyW Posts: n/a	Quote: Originally Posted by JethroUK So between DVD player or TV it's just pot luck then? on this basis i'm wondering whether to buy a new DVD player incl upscaler, or is it a waste of money? (i.e. might not be any better than TV upscaler) IMO, unless it was a high end player I wouldn't bother. Very much doubt you would benefit at all by purchasing one of the many budget models that are now available. My Lexicon is up for sale for the right money.

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'Upscaling' ???