921 output format, 1080i or 720p

[wants HD]

I've been reading about the 921 but have not seen any info on the output format. Will it pass OTA through as it came in, meaning ABC will be 720P and most others 1080i? What about the satellite channels? Will HBO be 1080i and ESPN HD 720p? Or will everything come out in one format?

On another topic, I think it would be very beneficial if the 921 had outputs for 2 different TV's. It seems like it has most of the hardware needed already. It would be very nice to have even just a plain coax out or RCA left, right, video output to go to a second tv in another room. I personally would find that more usefull than pip. The ability to run 2 tv's from one box would help justify the $1k+ cost.

Thanks for any info. This is an excellent site for Dish info.

[Scott Greczkowski]

It will be user selectable. You will be able to select 720p or 1080i.

It will be just like a Dish 6000 in the regard. :)

[wants HD]

Wow, that was fast, 3 mins. Thanks for the quick answer!

[Scott Greczkowski]

No problem, welcome to DBSTalk.COM

[motjes2]

Scott,

One quick question. Last night while watching OTA WTNH ABC (the Oscars). I was forced to change my setup from 1080i to 720p on my 6000. While I had it on 1080i and receiving WTNH (720p), the picture showed a lot edges "Z" on people's clothes. Is this the way you have it as well or yours work fine with 1080i?

A side note: I took a look at Discovery HD while I had it on 720p and it looked ok but I will have to look at it carefully. My TV is a Sony Grand Wega KF-60XBR800 that takes all native resolutions and downscale/upscale to 768p.

[Martyva]

I think the Grand Wega is a rear panel LCD 1368X768. Its native resolution is 1280x720. It should convert 1080i to 720p. Somebody else please answer, as my answer isn't positive.

[Scott Greczkowski]

WTNH has to be one of the worst Digital Stations broadcastiing today. Their signal is always screwed up, the audio out of sync, lots of problems.

Every time I call them they tell me its new technology and all the bugs are not worked out yet.

My question back to them is why does every other station in the area broadcasting in HD have no problems. (They have no answer for that)

[motjes2]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
WTNH has to be one of the worst Digital Stations broadcastiing today. Their signal is always screwed up, the audio out of sync, lots of problems.

Every time I call them they tell me its new technology and all the bugs are not worked out yet.

My question back to them is why does every other station in the area broadcasting in HD have no problems. (They have no answer for that)

Scott,

This is good to know. Yesterday was the first time I received an HD program from WTNH (I connected my OTA antenna on Saturday) and do not know much about the station. ABC has been so slow in restoring our OTA signal in NYC that this is the only way for me to get any HD programming from ABC. Anyway, on what setting do you have your 6000 setup 1080i or 720?


Martyva,

The Sony Grand Wega is a Rear LCD Projection with 3 panels. The native resolution is 1368X768. So it upscales/downscale any resolution (480p, 480i, 720p, 1080i) to 1368x768. There was no problem with the TV upscaling the 720 it more had to do with the way the receiver was interpreting the signal: 720p coming from WTNH --> Upscaling by 6000 to 1080i ---> downscaling by TV to 768p. Instead what seems to work was: 720p coming from WTNH --> 6000 to 720 ---> upscaling by TV to 768p.

[davhol]

The Model 6000 up/down converts whatever is being broadcast (either Sat. HD or OTA) to whatever you've set the receiver to output: either 720p or 1080i. It doesn't matter whether the source material is 720p or 1080i, the output is either converted or passed through to the specified output setting. For example, I have a Sony 36XBR TV that accepts 480p or 1080i on it's component inputs. I've got my 6000 set to output 1080i. When I tune to OTA ABC and get a 720p broadcast, the 6000 dutifully converts that source signal to 1080i for display on my TV. When I tune to OTA CBS and get a 1080i broadcast, the 6000 just passes that signal on to my TV. Now, as to whether there is any visible difference between having your set seeing 1080i or 720p, that's another question that I can't directly answer as I don't have a 2nd set capable of 720p direct input from which I can do an A/B comparison of the same signal source being passed natively or up/down converted. Perhaps someone else can add to this.

[Ken_F]

It will be user selectable. You will be able to select 720p or 1080i.

It will be just like a Dish 6000 in the regardActually, the 921 has another output option as well ("auto" on alpha unit). Modern DirecTV boxes offer the option to output both 720p and 1080i natively with one setting for those displays that support it, and I hope/expect Echostar will do the same.

[Kagato]

Of course the question is what will it output if there is a copy protection flag. This is a HDCP complient DVI device.

[nimuhari]

Any firm date for availability of PVR-921?

[Jason]

"Any firm date for availability of PVR-921?"


4th quarter 2003

[BobMurdoch]

At this rate, hoping that Santa will bring it will be the best estimate.........