Video guru question...

steveinaz

I suck at video, so here's my question:

Do HD-DVD/BluRay players also play Standard Definition DVD's?

Early B.

Absolutely. In fact, they play them better than a standard DVD player. Better SQ & PQ.

shawn474

As far as I know, everyone of the blu ray and/or HD-DVD players will "downconvert" to standard def discs. And I think they all serve as upconverting players as well, meaning they improve SQ and PQ trying to "mimic" HD.

Shawn

steveinaz

Cool, thanks fellers

Bill Ayotte

You are correct, they also upconvert. Most movies will only upconvert if you have it connected through HDMI though, I found this out the hard way. Sony DVDs are the main culprit, but I have also found a couple of others along the way...

SKsolutions

Not a guru, but:
All are backward compatible with DVD. Using the upscaler in a new player may or may not improve PQ, and is usually only available via HDMI, not component. Your Sammy may like the signal better if it's 480i/p or it might like the 720 signal better. I'd try the upconversion (720) from the player first, watch a scene that you know well, then send it 480p and see how the displays scaler handles it. Chances are in your case the new-tech player will do it better, but I'd try both. You don't want to process the signal twice, so send it 480p (DVD), then 480p upscaled (x1.5) to 720 which is native for the Sammy. I doubt you would get better results trying either 1080i/p.

PolkThug

Exactly! It all depends if the TV or the player has the better scaler.

steveinaz

Cool. My Samsung is 720p native, this is the resolution I run my Denon 2910 at, via HDMI. The picture is awesome--just wanted to make sure a new HD player would play the "old" stuff.