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High-end video processor for Mac Mini or ATV?

H

HiFiGuy528

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 24, 2008
1,875
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Your opinion on this issue. Will we get enhanced video performance if we were to connect our Mac Mini or ATV to an high-end video processor. Would it yield any benefits? Here are the specs of this machine. $2500 USD.

Denon’s DVP-602CI video processor and HDMI switcher solves two vexing problems facing HDTV owners. Most HDTV sets don’t do a very good job of upconverting standard definition sources such as DVD, and many 1080p HDTV sets are similarly ill-equipped to correctly upconvert interlaced 1080i HDTV, cable and satellite signals, with artifacts such as objectionable “jaggies” spoiling the picture. And, with the growing number of HDMI-equipped sources, such as cable and satellite tuners, Blu-ray and HD DVD players and HD gaming consoles, most HDTV sets simply aren’t equipped with a sufficient number of HDMI inputs. The DVP-602CI solves both problems, and features the top-performing HQV Realta video processing engine that provides near-HD picture quality with standard definition sources such as DVD, and allows pristine, artifact-free high definition reproduction. As well, the DVP-602CI features 6 HDMI inputs to accommodate a full suite of source components, along with a wide range of output resolutions to match the native resolution of any HDTV set or PC monitor.

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In my opinion, these "video processors" are an utter waste of money.. The whole SD->HD upconversion is a gimmick. Upconverting regular DVD's will NOT make them look HD, simply because it doesn't add any detail to the original source. Your AppleTV can already output 1080i/720p, so by definition it "upconverts" your SD content.

But again, your PQ will be as good as the quality of your original source. If you want real HD picture, invest in Blu-Ray or get some native 720p content for your AppleTV. But to spend $2,500 on this thing in hope to improve the quality of your SD content is nuts ;)
 
I think these boxes are handy if you have a load of HDMI sources and only 1 or 2 HDMI sockets on your TV. If you don't need the switching, then it seems excessive. Also most HD AV Receivers have multiple HDMI switching, along with the amplification, which would be a more cost effective choice (as long as you need an AV amp).
 
hitekalex said:
In my opinion, these "video processors" are an utter waste of money.. The whole SD->HD upconversion is a gimmick. Upconverting regular DVD's will NOT make them look HD, simply because it doesn't add any detail to the original source. Your AppleTV can already output 1080i/720p, so by definition it "upconverts" your SD content.

But again, your PQ will be as good as the quality of your original source. If you want real HD picture, invest in Blu-Ray or get some native 720p content for your AppleTV. But to spend $2,500 on this thing in hope to improve the quality of your SD content is nuts ;)
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While I am not someone who would consider buying one of these video processors, I do have to take exception to some of your statements. Upconverting SD to HD is not a gimmick. While you are correct that upconversion cannot add detail, the fact is that good upconversion (like you can get with one of these processors or an Oppo DVD/Blu-ray player) can make a noticeable difference with the display quality of SD material. It’s not only about resolution.

There are many movies available on DVD that will likely never be available on Blu-ray. Furthermore, as someone who has about 700 DVDs, there are many movies I own that I will not be upgrading to Blu-ray. Good quality upconversion is important if I am to be able to enjoy watching SD material on my HDTV.

As I mentioned, I wouldn’t consider buying a video processor myself. IMO, they’re too expensive. Plus, my HT setup is already fairly complex and I couldn’t imagine trying to justify one of these to my wife (or trying to teach her how to use it). However, good quality upconversion is something that matters a great deal to many people.
 
mchalebk said:
Good quality upconversion is important if I am to be able to enjoy watching SD material on my HDTV.
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Which you will have regardless, as long as you play your standard DVD's on Blu-ray player outputting 1080p to your HDTV. So I think we agree that these over-priced video processors are not necessary.

And I will stand behind my statement that SD->HD upconversion does not make SD content look "like HD". In fact, some film buffs actually prefer to view movies (especially older classics) in their original resolution, rather than articifically inflating the picture via upconversion.
 
hitekalex said:
Which you will have regardless, as long as you play your standard DVD's on Blu-ray player outputting 1080p to your HDTV. So I think we agree that these over-priced video processors are not necessary.
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Not true. Most Blu-ray players do not do a good job of upconverting, resulting in mediocre SD quality. There are some that do. The new Oppo should be excellent, though I don’t believe they’ve started selling them to the general public. Some of the Samsung models have really good upconversion capability, though the Samsung players are known to have other issues. The Panasonic I own does a pretty decent job, good enough for me. However, I’m not watching on a really large screen (50” set from about 10’ away), so it’s not as critical for me.

I’ll agree that the video processors are not necessary. That doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to bring to the table. They can indeed make SD content look better than simply using a BD player to upconvert. They are almost certainly not worth the money for the vast majority of people, though.

hitekalex said:
And I will stand behind my statement that SD->HD upconversion does not make SD content look "like HD".
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I never took issue with your statement that that upconverting SD does not make it look as good as HD. That is a fact. However, your statement that upconversion is a gimmick is just not true.

The fact of the matter is that, if you own an HDTV, all SD material you watch will be upconverted. If it’s not upconverted by your Blu-ray Player or DVD player (or one of those high priced video processors), it will be upconverted by your TV. That’s just how it works.

However, not all upconverters are the same. Some do a better job than others. Yes, upconversion does not make SD look like HD. However, it is not a “gimmick”.

hitekalex said:
In fact, some film buffs actually prefer to view movies (especially older classics) in their original resolution, rather than articifically inflating the picture via upconversion.
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I’m sorry, but this doesn’t make any sense at all. The “original resolution” of these films (older classics or not) is much higher than even Blu-ray. So, there is no way for them to view these at home in their original resolution on any TV.

Furthermore, as I already mentioned, it is not possible to watch SD material in SD resolution on today’s HDTVs. The signal will be upconverted to the native resolution of the screen at some point along the way.
 
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