Comparing Dish HD with upconverted SD DVD...

[haertig]

Has anyone done this? I just checked out "Vertical Limit" that I grabbed off of UnivHD (I think that's the name of the channel - something like that anyway). On a whim I compared the picture to the SD DVD upconverted on my Toshiba A2. While the Dish picture was slightly better, I must place great emphasis on "slight". Most scenes were basically identical, the only ones where I noticed Dish having this slight edge were the tight facial closeups. The difference was much much less than I was expecting. You could only tell it upon close examination.

I know this one experience can't be used to judge all of Dish's HD offerings. That's why I was wondering if anyone else had done similar comparisons. It could even be that the HD version of Vertical Limit isn't that good to start with (for HD, that is). Overall I was very happy with both pictures ... just expecting a better showing for HD when compared to upconverted SD DVD.

I was viewing each source on a new Mitsubishi 65" DLP, using HDMI hookups and 1080i for both. Unfortunately I couldn't do a direct side-by-side. I had to use the remote to switch inputs on the TV, which unfortunately takes about 5 seconds. Even though the sources was fairly closely synced, that 5 seconds of black screen while switching inputs could have clouded my perceived difference a little bit.

 

[mikesd]

I would say your assestment is right on. HD DVD is always better but E*'s HD is always a little better than SD DVD. :up

 

[EricBskiVT]

It wouldn't surprise me if many (most?) of the movies shown on HD channels are simply upconverted DVD.

 

[DanLee]

I think Universal HD is still broadcasted in old format MPEG 2. Try comparing it to MPEG 4 channels and I think you will see a bigger difference. I could be wrong, someone here can verify for me.

Either way, I was wondering what kind of quality the upconverted HD players have on regular dvd's so if it is close, I just might pick one up.

 

[loves2watch]

I think Universal HD is still broadcasted in old format MPEG 2. Try comparing it to MPEG 4 channels and I think you will see a bigger difference. I could be wrong, someone here can verify for me.

Either way, I was wondering what kind of quality the upconverted HD players have on regular dvd's so if it is close, I just might pick one up.

Nope, Universal HD broadcasts in MPEG4. And remember MPEG2 can use greater bandwidth so it can in fact deliver a better picture quality.

 

[Jeff_R]

Nope, Universal HD broadcasts in MPEG4. And remember MPEG2 can use greater bandwidth so it can in fact deliver a better picture quality.

A bit OT, but I don't think that statement is correct. MPEG4 CAN use as much bandwidth as it's given. However, it typically doesn't need as much bandwidth as MPEG2 needs.

I'd be willing to bet that if E* gave the MPEG4 channels as much bandwidth as the MPEG2 channels use, the picture would be simply beautiful. However, that would also defeat the main purpose of converting to MPEG4.

 

[mattopia]

I'm not as "wowed" with a lot of the newer HD channels as I thought I'd be. HD Theater almost always "wows" me, but I bet they give that one a little more bandwidth love. The Voom channels often "wow" me too even though they are "hd lite".

A lot of it is probably content though -- as a few have mentioned, I'm sure there's lots of upconversion across the board. Not all movies have been remastered in HD, and I'm sure a lot of the ones that have been HD remastered are exclusive to HD DVD or Blu-Ray.

Although I don't watch the show, I've seen "Little People, Big World" on TLC a few times and it's looked very good. Everything else looks mediocre.

And Mythbusters on DHD... Average at best.

 

[retorq]

I've been able to do this with a few of my DVDs. I have an Oppo 971, 1080i Faroudja chipset. Mostly I've done this with darker horror movies, The Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and TCM The Beginning. There are a few scenes where there is macro blocking in dark areas in Dish's HD that aren't present from my Oppo. I have yet to do this with my Toshiba A2. There is no noticeable difference between my Oppo and Toshiba while up converting SD DVDs.

 

[mikesd]

I think Universal HD is still broadcasted in old format MPEG 2. Try comparing it to MPEG 4 channels and I think you will see a bigger difference. I could be wrong, someone here can verify for me.

Either way, I was wondering what kind of quality the upconverted HD players have on regular dvd's so if it is close, I just might pick one up.

Upconverted SD on a HD DVD player is very good, on par with most of E*'s HD channels. Just remember that copyrighted SD material will only upconvert thru HDMI while non copyrighted material will upconvert thru HDMI and component inputs.

 

[tigerfan33]

Nope, Universal HD broadcasts in MPEG4. And remember MPEG2 can use greater bandwidth so it can in fact deliver a better picture quality.

Dish hd Mpeg2 will deliver a better picture than Mpeg4. Maybe on your hdtv but not mine.

 

[Ronald_Jeremy]

Either way, I was wondering what kind of quality the upconverted HD players have on regular dvd's so if it is close, I just might pick one up.

The upconverting is worth the price alone. Then you get the added bonus of being able to play HD DVDs on top of that!! :up

It would really be great if Dish would use the upconversion technology in their set top boxes.

 

[Primus]

A word about upconverting: If the source is a crappy DVD transfer it will upconvert like crap as well. If the source DVD is a very good video transfer the upconversion should look good as well. Upconversion can only do so much.

I know this sounds obvious, but some people just don't know.

 

[DanLee]

It would really be great if Dish would use the upconversion technology in their set top boxes.

That would be too good to be true. That would completely screw their plans (if they still have any) of getting new HD programming and adding new hd subs.

 

[DanLee]

A word about upconverting: If the source is a crappy DVD transfer it will upconvert like crap as well. If the source DVD is a very good video transfer the upconversion should look good as well. Upconversion can only do so much.

I know this sounds obvious, but some people just don't know.

I agree, I have recently switched dvd players and have noticed that the old player (Toshiba) had much better picture than my new dvd recorder (Polaroid). Neither are HD upconverts but the Toshiba I bought back in 1999 was still better than the Polaroid I bought last month.

 

[drummerguy]

I have an Oppo SD DVD player that "upconverts," and it's run into my tv's HDMI port. Looks pretty good, but still no where near Dish HD -- that is, the actual HD programming on channels like HDNET. It looks about the same as so-called HD (but really upconverted SD) on channels like History or A&E

 

[tigerfan33]

They do. Just press the lower left button on your remote.

 

[Ronnie-]

Nope, Universal HD broadcasts in MPEG4. And remember MPEG2 can use greater bandwidth so it can in fact deliver a better picture quality.

The statement is flawed. Mpeg 2 generally uses more bandwidth because it requires it. You can use less with mpeg 4 to get the same or better picture.
That being said, just because something is mpeg 2 doesnt make it bad. With enough bandwidth it CAN look just as good as anything out there, it just rarely does

 

[haertig]

Either way, I was wondering what kind of quality the upconverted HD players have on regular dvd's so if it is close, I just might pick one up.

Check this thread over at AVSFORUM regarding upconverted DVDs: Best Upconverted movies on your HD DVD - AVS Forum

 

[duckydan]

I did this a while back with Harry Potter 3 on HBO and HD. I was so mad I swore off HD/BD Dvds thinking there was no noticable difference. Luckily my buddy had the HD Addon for the 360 and I saw the difference and went that route. That said pisses me off that I'm paying about $60-$70 a month for "HD"

 

[ehren]

Dish mpeg 2 channels look horrible compared to the mpeg 4 ones. HDnet vs. FSN-Pittsburgh for the Penguins game last night FSN looked 5 times better. HDnet is just plain awful on Dish.