Just got Foxtel HD box installed

The installer had only done one install previously yesterday, and was fresh from their internal training which he thought was poor. Foxtel had refused to let him take one home to play before going out to get embarrassed at a customers place through lack of real experience

Well, he was thankful he got plenty of experience at my install - because I have a relatively complex system (with one nonHDCP compliant display) and with 2 brains we worked out some of the things that he was told would work were wrong and what actually does work!

My old IQ system setup was:

IQ -->scart component 576i to VP50 videoprocessor -->to either CRT via 720p component or 1080pprojector via hdmi (one or other)

My new IQ2 system has 3 setup output options:

1. IQ2 --> scart component 576i to VP50-->to either CRT via 720p component or 1080pprojector via hdmi (one or other)

2. IQ2 --> hdmi (auto or 1080i forced) --> projector only (as the CRT doesn't enable HDCP). HDMI allows HD movies on demand.

3. IQ2 --> HD component at 1080i only to VP50 --> to either CRT via 720p component or 1080pprojector via hdmi. This HD component route reportedly will not allow me HD movies on demand -not really an issue as I'd use pj/hdmi for those anyway. This HD component setting also disables scart component.

Note, when on auto resolution setting default, and turning on component HD, the hdmi immediately went to 576p only! (I can check each output resolution on the VP50 info screen). And as the crt would not take a feed that had come from the IQ2 hdmi, it looked like we were stuffed.

Tried many options but found that if we forced the IQ2 to only output 1080i (works strangely for SD channels also unfortunately!) by component, there was HD output for both the analogue crt and the pj (phew!)

When not forced, we found if left on 'auto', as soon as you plugged in the hdmi cable, the 720p HD over component reverted to 576p It seemed it did not want to output 2 HD signals

If I want, I can go back to option 1 above by turning off the HD component mode and then options 1 and 2 are available. (Gives best PQ for SD channels but no HD for the CRT). I would ideally have preferred the IQ2 not to do any of the scaling/deinterlacing and just feed whatever native signal to the VP, alas the forced 1080i mode may be my only option. Any other thoughts?

PS FoxSportsHD and BBC HD have been superb

Update, using passthrough option rather than forcing 1080i may be what I want (to feed the VP50pro)