Component Out On Sd-pvr

[Anton-P.]

There's a Legend SD-pvr on clearance ($299 btw) but it's the older model without Component out. I'd like to ask 3 separate questions please:

1) Is Component out on a SD-pvr (in general) 576i or 576p?

2) If 576i is it still much better than S-video out?

3) Is it good idea to get this clearance box & connect via S-video to a 50" plasma, or spend $150 extra to get one with Component out? Thanks.

[Dave®]

1) Is Component out on a SD-pvr (in general) 576i or 576p?

SD is 576i

2) If 576i is it still much better than S-video out?

Component, even at 576i, is noticeably better than s-video. S-Video is generally softer (blurry) and if you switch from component to s-video you'll notice that it, subjectively, looks worse (though you do get used to it).

3) Is it good idea to get this clearance box & connect via S-video to a 50" plasma, or spend $150 extra to get one with Component out? Thanks.

With a 50" plasma I'd be wanting component or better.

[wheelz]

If i was and was only getting a SD stb you i'd be getting the strong 5600,can be had for $120,has component and can set timers if you have a recorder.I have one myself.

http://www.strong-technologies.com/frmProd...ils.aspx?id=115

ps.sold at HN's and myers not sure if jb stock strong

[Anton-P.]

i'd be getting the strong 5600,can be had for $120,has component and ...

Geeeezzz ... I wish someone would sell a pvr with component for $120

[dixitr]

With a 50" plasma, you will see a HUGE difference between composite/s-video & component.

The issue is not just sharpness, but better & more accurate colour saturation and contrast.

IMHO, when you have spent a fair bundle on buying a big plasma - do NOT scrimp on STB. You will be wasting all the money of plasma if you hook it up to a cheap/under-featured stb.

I have a HD Plasma, and the day I plugged in a HD-STB to it, I could not believe it is still the same TV !!

There is a big price diff between a SD & HD PVR - so if PVR is what you want, spend a bit more and go for something like Toppy, Humax or MS. I am not sure if spending big on HD-PVR is worth it.

on the other hand, HD comes with dolby 5.1 (most of the time) - while the same program on SD will carry only dolby 2.0.

I have a humax hd-stb and MS sd-pvr - and atleast I am quite happy.

hope it helps you to decide

[pgdownload]

At 50" you're starting to push SD picture quality (HDs main advantage is you can go the bigger screen sizes without getting blockiness from lower SD resolutions). On a 'normal' sized TV (Say 36") SVideo is not much worse than Component (some actually prefer the softer image) however this will translate to bluriness at 50". I would suggest you consider what you really want to do.

If its just watch live TV then get a HD STB and enjoy.

If you want to record and skip ads etc. then as the others say, component out on a SD PVR would be desirable. Its up to you if you want to go the extra $200 or so for a better Twin Tuner SD PVR like the Mediastar or Toppy.

Personally I'd save that bit longer and get a 'cheap' HD PVR like the LG. It will cover all of the above and do it in HD. Cost would be about $700 I believe.

Have you read the PVR FAQ pinned?

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[Anton-P.]

IMHO, when you have spent a fair bundle on buying a big plasma - do NOT scrimp on STB. You will be wasting all the money of plasma if you hook it up to a cheap/under-featured stb.

Ok let me describe my dilemma

I already have a HD stb that gives wonderful pq on my 50" plasma.

In fact it's so good that after I "auditioned" the LG HD-pvr (reputedly good pq itself) I've decided at this stage any pvr will only be for part-time recordings; daily viewing stays with the stb.

Getting an expensive HD-pvr just for occasional recordings seems wasteful, hence I'm after a cheap SD one.

PS: An example how I concluded the LG pq was not as good as my stb -- After political adverts we often see the banner "Authorised by blah blah blah ... Canberra" in quite small fonts. At my normal viewing seat I can read it from the stb but too blurred from the LG.

[andy001]

I just bought a panomax twin tuner pvr(80g) for $188.00 from strathfied and it has component ,s-video and composite out and not a bad unit,I use the component out for my projector and is a huge improvement over s-video that I was using before.

[pgdownload]

If variations between HD boxes is noticeable to you Anton, but you also hardly record anything then I'd suggest find the cheapest single tuner SD PVR with component out and sit back and enjoy.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[Anton-P.]

I just bought a panomax twin tuner pvr(80g) for $188.00 from strathfied and it has component ,s-video and composite out and not a bad unit

Thanks all for your replies.

I have looked out for a $270 Digicrystal 160Gb but for some reasons they are banished from WA. The Strathfield catalog says clearly "Not available in WA" for the past two fortnights.

Someone has a 2nd-hand for sale?

[techo]

Thanks all for your replies.

I have looked out for a $270 Digicrystal 160Gb but for some reasons they are banished from WA. The Strathfield catalog says clearly "Not available in WA" for the past two fortnights.

Someone has a 2nd-hand for sale?

If you are considering the 9077p then you might like to look at the Panomax. I have them both, they are actually the same except face and HDD. I have successfully experimentally upgraded the HDDs to 320gig. I bought the 9077p from Strathfield (paid top $) but bought 2 Panomax’s from eBay (about $160 each). I can say that despite the mediocre control and quirky EPG I have found them to be solid reliable units. I do not use the Component out into monitors but plug them into some cheap HDD DVD recorders with great success.

[Anton-P.]

If you are considering the 9077p then you might like to look at the Panomax.

Two different Ebay sellers say the Panomax has Philips tuners.

But the Strathfield guy here told me only the Digicrystals do, the Panomax don't.

Can you shed some light on this, could that be due to different batches of Panomax (although carrying same model number), or simply one of the two parties was wrong? Thanks.

[techo]

Two different Ebay sellers say the Panomax has Philips tuners.

But the Strathfield guy here told me only the Digicrystals do, the Panomax don't.

Can you shed some light on this, could that be due to different batches of Panomax (although carrying same model number), or simply one of the two parties was wrong? Thanks.

Any wonder why I hate salesman. I can assure you all those I have seen have Philips tuners. With the logic boards and base hardware coming from the same OEM it is little likely they would change the LB specs (the tuners are part of the LB). That will require significant redevelopment and most likely retooling. I do not know the importers so I don’t know the order quantity from the OEM. However I suspect no more than a handful of container loads have landed on our shores, they probably arrive in component or short component form whether it becomes a 9077P or Panomax will depend on the importer/assembler. As I said all I have seen, 9077p and Panomax, are made up from exactly the same base hardware. With this type of BS coming from retailers these days why bother with em?

[wheelz]

Geeeezzz ... I wish someone would sell a pvr with component for $120

Whoops,lesson learnt: I must read posts more clearly

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