Should I upgrade my DVD player?

[WalksInDarkness]

I am wondering if I need to upgrade my DVD player? I recently bought a Toshiba Enhanced Definition 42" Plasma. The day I bought it, the salesman said I should upgrade to a high end DVD player with the HDMI output for best picture. I declined at the time, because I have a "top of the line" (2 years old) samsung with component outputs. But I am not 100% happy with the picture quality as it seems mildly pixelated. I understand that it is because the TV "zooms" up the picture size to fill the 42" (when I have the screen on natural, the picture is about the size/shape of my old 30" CRT). I happened into the same store yesterday and talked to a different sales guy, and got a totally different point of view. He said HDMI was no advantage on an ED set, and that the newer DVD players wouldn't do anything for me. Since everyone seems to have a different opinion, what do yo all think?

TIA,
Will

 

[Ilya]

First of all, you need to be aware that 2006 is a special year for DVD. This is the year when a new DVD standard, in fact two new DVD standards: HD DVD and Blu-Ray, will finally make it to the stores: one of them in the end of March, the other one in June-July. I am not necessarily saying that you must buy one of those new $500+ players, but just want to make sure you are aware of them.

Second, in general, HDMI interface may indeed provide better picture quality than component, though not on all TV sets. And since your TV set is EDTV, not HDTV, the difference may not be so noticeable.

Finally, I would suggest you troubleshoot your current configuration first. The pixelation you are talking about is not normal. Based on your description I suspect that your current TV and DVD settings are not optimal. Your TV set is widescreen 16x9. Correct? So, what happens when you watch a widescreen movie? Is your DVD player configured for a wide-screen TV?

 

[WalksInDarkness]

Finally, I would suggest you troubleshoot your current configuration first. The pixelation you are talking about is not normal. Based on your description I suspect that your current TV and DVD settings are not optimal. Your TV set is widescreen 16x9. Correct? So, what happens when you watch a widescreen movie? Is your DVD player configured for a wide-screen TV?

Hi Ilya,

Thanks for the response. As far as I can tell, my settings are correct. My TV is 16x9 480p and I set my DVD player to that particular setting with no visible change. My TV doesn't seem to have any specific setting for the DVD player, just a "picture size" setting. When the picture size is on "normal" it has a letterbox effect on the sides (but the picture looks pefect!). The pixelation is minor, and perhaps normal, but compared to my 10 year old Mitsubishi CRT it is noticeable. I just wonder if it is the "zoom" effect the TV uses to fill the screen?

Will

 

[WalksInDarkness]

Hmm, I just called a third location of the chain I bought the TV from (Cambridge SoundWorks). This salesman was definitely on the frugal-yankee side of the fence. He said ugrading to a newer HDMI DVD wouldn't buy me anything. He also said to make sure that the DVD's progressive scan was shut off. I can't seem to find the setting, or any mention of it in the manual. By the way, what the heck does the "p" and the "i" stand for after 480/720 etc? Maybe p=progressive? That is one of the only settings I can find on the DVD player. Oh boy, here come the flames...

 

[charper1]

You are correct P=progressive and I=interlaced.

 

[WalksInDarkness]

updates...

You are correct P=progressive and I=interlaced.

Thanks for the confirmation Charper (BTW, those are some mighty fine bourbons!).
I changed my DVD settings to "i", and the picture got much better. Much of the "flicker" and "grain" is now gone (I guess the 3rd salesman was right). The pixelation I see on regular D* TV is just the "compression" I will have to live with, until there is some sort of non-HD software/hardware upgrade. My next project is to find a tuning DVD made specifically for plasmas, as the one I have is made for CRTs (any suggestions???).