Getting a better video signal.

[Kevin Lee]

I have a hd-ready lcd monitor that accepts S-video, component and PC input sources. I'd like to get a better video signal from my sony pd150 DVCam (firewire/s-video) to the lcd.

Is there such a thing as a
1) Firewire-to-Component Adaptor/Cable?
2) S-Video-to-Component Adaptor/Cable that improves the S-Video Signal?
3) or an option for firewire/s-video-to-pc dsub connector?

Thanks in advance........

[Mike Rehmus]

Use the S-Video input. Most HD-ready monitors employ line-doubling and it makes the signal look pretty bad IMO. I have a 17" Samsung and the component input isn't very pretty coming from a DVD. The S-Video looks better. More smooth.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Actually my experience is bit different. I have a 17" Sony HD LCD (1280x768) which I feed it from a Sony RDR-GX7 DVD recorder via component. The DVD recorder is connected to my Mac running FCP via firewire. This produces a noticeably better image than s-video from either my VX-2000 or PDX-10, although s-video doesn't look bad either.

Unfortunately it takes more than just a "cable" to transcode firewire to component. DataVideo used to make a box that converts from 1394 to component, but their website indicates it's been discontinued. Perhaps someone still has them in stock. However with DVD recorders getting less expensive this isn't such a bad route to go, and you have the added bonus of being able to burn DVD's without tying up your computer. But regardless of how you go it will cost several hundred dollars to convert 1394 to component, so you need to decide if the quality improvement justifies the expenditure.

Mike does make a good point about line doubling, and I guess different vendors have different ways to do this. I also have a Samsung 15" LCD screen that looks really terrible when fed s-video or component, but the Sony is much nicer.

[Jeff Donald]

The algorithms for line doubling are all proprietary. Each manufacture does it differently. Phillips used to have a really good line doubling technology that worked extraordinarily well with motion. I've seen others, that looked like the line doubling was just an after thought.

[Mike Rehmus]

Samsung licenses the Faruda technology which is at least the same Brand as that used by Sony.

[Kevin Lee]

Mine is a new model samsung lcd that just got released. The component signal is far far superior to the S-video.

Boyd.
How much did the Sony RDR-GX7 DVD recorder set you back?

I thought all Sony LCDs are now made by Samsung. No?

[Jeff Donald]

Faroudja makes different quality levels also. The same chip that goes in a $500 monitor is not the same as in their $15,000 hardware.

[Boyd Ostroff]

I got the DVD recorder several months ago and it was one of the more expensive ones, maybe $800. I know there are less expensive models on the market these days but no experience with them. When you set the recorder for progressive mode and feed it deinterlaced video it looks really nice.

Yes, I have also read somewhere that Sony was buying LCD panels from Samsung at least for awhile because they couldn't produce their own fast enough. In my case I have a Samsung SyncMaster 151MP 4:3 LCD screen which runs at 1024x768. It also has a TV tuner. But the s-video and TV modes are really poor, I wouldn't recommend it. This is a couple years old now, no doubt their new screens are better. It certainly is nowhere near the quality of the Sony 17" 16:9 screen (SDM-V72W).

[Kevin Lee]

I just checked out that discontinued Datavideo tanscoder you mentioned. Hmmm. That does look like it would have done the trick. I wonder how much that went for.

Pity.

Darn. There must be something else in the market that won't cost an arm or a beg.

[Boyd Ostroff]

I think that model was the DAC-2. Videoguys lists a DAC-10 that looks similar http://videoguys.com/Merchant2/merch...uct_Code=DAC10. Might as well buy the DVD recorder for that price however, unless you need to convert component video TO 1394.

[Kevin Lee]

Yeah. You're right. Boyd. Thanks for the info.

Don't know which Samsung you had.
Mine is the LS15E33C.
Had it for about 2 weeks now.
Great so far.
With the Picture-In-Picture Function, i can simultaneously use the lcd as a 2nd Monitor to my titanium laptop and for video monitoring from my dv deck/cam. The Picture-in-Picture video screen is a decent 9inches. pretty cool...

[Boyd Ostroff]

<<<-- Originally posted by Kevin Lee :Don't know which Samsung you had.

In my case I have a Samsung SyncMaster 151MP 4:3 LCD screen which runs at 1024x768. It also has a TV tuner

Your screen does sound much better. I'm glad Samsung has improved. The PIP on mine is pretty tiny. What did your screen cost? What is the resolution? Is it 16:9 aspect ratio?

[Kevin Lee]

It runs at 1024x768 at 75hz as well.
It is 4x3 but 16:9 switchable (letterboxed).
I bought it in asia for about 1.3 so that'd be about $600US odd. The PIP on this has 3 sizes - the max being about a quarter of the screen.
The other beauty is that is it is so light, solidly built and portable - made for moving. The stand is small, detractable and very easily removed.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Funny how manufacturers call things "HD ready". my Samsung claims the same thing. But AFAIK the minimum needed for real HD is 1280x768. A letterboxed 16:9 image on that size screen would be about 1024x576. You're coming up almost 320,000 pixels short there...

[Kevin Lee]

"HD ready".
What does that mean? that it can display a signal but not optimally?