ASK DBSTALK:921/Understanding HD Display Outputs

[Eagles]

Is there any way to know how a particular channel is formatting their HD signal?
480P, 720P, 1080i. I'm trying to understand why some of my HD channels look
great, such as DISCHD and HDNET, (NHL on HDNET was awsome) while others such as HBOHD, SHOHD, and ESPNHD don't look all that great relative to what
HD should look like. Bieng a huge sports fan I am particularly disapointed with
ESPNHD. I read somewhere on this forum that ESPNHD broadcasts in 720P.
Is this true? My TV, a Sony 51" (KP51HW40) will not display a native 720P signal. It downconverts it to 480P. I'm just trying to figure how all this ties into the available display output signals on the 921(480P only, 720P only, & 1080i only) relative to the actual incoming signal from each channel and to the capabilities of my TV. If ESPNHD is in fact 720P, is this why the picture is not that great looking? Please help!!! !pride

[lapplegate]

Is there any way to know how a particular channel is formatting their HD signal?
480P, 720P, 1080i. I'm trying to understand why some of my HD channels look
great, such as DISCHD and HDNET, (NHL on HDNET was awsome) while others such as HBOHD, SHOHD, and ESPNHD don't look all that great relative to what
HD should look like. Bieng a huge sports fan I am particularly disapointed with
ESPNHD. I read somewhere on this forum that ESPNHD broadcasts in 720P.
Is this true? My TV, a Sony 51" (KP51HW40) will not display a native 720P signal. It downconverts it to 480P. I'm just trying to figure how all this ties into the available display output signals on the 921(480P only, 720P only, & 1080i only) relative to the actual incoming signal from each channel and to the capabilities of my TV. If ESPNHD is in fact 720P, is this why the picture is not that great looking? Please help!!! !pride

Eagles,
Some of the picture quality difference you see is due to up conversion.
Some HD is done "native" or with HD cameras, like the hockey, and some, like HBO, is up converted from film or another type of format or media.
The quality will vary a great deal. Some HBO HD movies are comparable to 480P DVDs. I believe that HD Net is much more particular as to what movies they up convert, so that their quality is better. When it comes to up converting, crap in crap out. OTA digital is the same. Some shows are shot with HD cameras, while other are up converted. Bottom line, you will notice some quality differences between channels and shows. It is my understanding that ESPN HD has very little HD. That is why most of what you see does not look as good as you would expect.
Larry

[Mark Lamutt]

Correct. HD Video gives you the feeling that you're looking out a window with its clarity. Most of what HDNet and DiscoveryHD show is shot on HD Video. HD Film is a film source transferred to HD. This has varying amounts of grain in the image, making it not as clear as HD Video. This is what's shown on HBO/Showtime.

But then, there's the issue that all programs on the HD channels are not HD. They are standard definition programming upconverted for the HD channel. Lots on Showtime, and about 80% of ESPNHD falls into this category.

Then, with your television (and mine, as I have the same model), of you send a 720p source to it, it will downconvert it to 480p as you have discovered. So, you should set your 921 to output 1080i only and let the 921 scale the 720p to 1080i before output.

With the 921, I watch all HD programming at 1080i mode. The 921 either passes through original 1080i material, or it converts original 720p material to 1080i. I watch all SD programming with the 921 set to 480p and 4x3#1, as this produces the best looking SD picture (better than if the 921 is set to 1080i and better than svideo). I set the 921 to 4x3#1 because this setting allows me to use the Sony Wide Zoom mode on the television and have it look the way its supposed to.

[Eagles]

Correct. HD Video gives you the feeling that you're looking out a window with its clarity. Most of what HDNet and DiscoveryHD show is shot on HD Video. HD Film is a film source transferred to HD. This has varying amounts of grain in the image, making it not as clear as HD Video. This is what's shown on HBO/Showtime.

But then, there's the issue that all programs on the HD channels are not HD. They are standard definition programming upconverted for the HD channel. Lots on Showtime, and about 80% of ESPNHD falls into this category.

Then, with your television (and mine, as I have the same model), of you send a 720p source to it, it will downconvert it to 480p as you have discovered. So, you should set your 921 to output 1080i only and let the 921 scale the 720p to 1080i before output.

With the 921, I watch all HD programming at 1080i mode. The 921 either passes through original 1080i material, or it converts original 720p material to 1080i. I watch all SD programming with the 921 set to 480p and 4x3#1, as this produces the best looking SD picture (better than if the 921 is set to 1080i and better than svideo). I set the 921 to 4x3#1 because this setting allows me to use the Sony Wide Zoom mode on the television and have it look the way its supposed to.

Thanks Mark & Larry
One more question just to clairify: If a particular broadcast is done in 720p using true HD video or for live sports an HD camera, and I upconvert the 921
to 1080i, will it give me that true HD clairity and lifelike picture even with my TV?

!pride

[Mark Lamutt]

Yes. 720p conversion to 1080i is very good. ESPN-HD football games have looked almost identical to CBS-HD football games to me on my Sony.

[gregleg]

Now, that'll vary by the TV. My particular set is a Sony LCD projection set that IS 720p, so for me sending a 720p signal directly would work better than letting the 921 upconvert it to 1080i, and then my TV downconvert it back to 720p...