Progressive Scan in a G5??

[Grimace]

I am very familiar with all the main video formats: SDTV, EDTV, HDTV - but only on DVD players, not computers. Does anyone know if the G5 Superdrive supports progressive scan at 720p or 1080p? I'm trying to hook into a DVI screen and can have the DVD source come from a DVD player with DVI out (the Bravo D2) or from the G5. Any other pros/cons about using a G5 as a DVD player in a home theater?

the DVD-video hierarchy, just for reference:

DVI
Component
S-Video
Composite

1080p (progressive HDTV - best for anything)
720p (progressive HDTV - better for action)
1080i (interlaced HDTV - better for non-action)
480p (progressive EDTV - 60fps)
480i (interlaced SDTV- normal tv - 30fps)

 

[Grimace]

Bueller? ....

 

[Grimace]

As I was thinking (to myself ) about the output of a DVI connector on a G5, I realized that it was designed to support the HD LCDs from Apple - up to the 23" version. So, it would seem that the DVI connector puts out either 720p (1280 lines) or 1080i (1920 lines) resolution, as that is the minimum definition of HD.

I assume that the dual link connector on the new Gforce card probably is capable of putting out 1080p - an HD resolution that you won't find on any piece of a/v equipment under $3000.

Maybe that kind of non-compressed, non-converted digital bandwidth is reason to buy a new G5 with a Gforce 6800 card!! A home theater to crush the competition!!

...off to take my pills

 

[jimsowden]

It will do progressive scanning depending on the frequency of your monitor. The new card can do 1600p if you think about it. There is only actual film reel that can reach that resolution. What monitor are you planning on using? The new apple beast?

 

[Grimace]

I am planning to use a projector that supports 1080p, 1080i, 720p.

Component video converts to analog so that is out. I'm not sure what the bandwidth capacity of single-link and dual-link DVI cables is. I'm 95% sure that single-link will transmit 1080i and 720p. If a dual-link output supports 1080p, I may spring for it.

Stand alone DVD players don't go above 480p with composite cables. There are a few DVD players with DVI outs that support HD signals at 1080i and 720p. I know of no dual-link DVI out DVD player (maybe Denon) - so I was trying to find a player that would match the crazy high capacity of the projector.

 

[Grimace]

The new card can do 1600p if you think about it.

Where can I find data on that??

 

[crazzyeddie]

Your problem is not with the DVD player or the Mac, its with the DVDs. Most DVDs are only encoded at 480p! If you really really want to get as close as you can to 720p or 1080i, you need a DVD player with hardware upscaling. You're talking a minimum of $350 - $400 for a decent player with this capability.

 

[MacNut]

Or just wait for HD-DVD that is if they ever pick a standard.

 

[svenr]

Where can I find data on that??

The new 30" displays have a 2560 x 1600 resolution. Computer displays are ALWAYS non-interlaced (=progressive). So, the Nvidia card that supports that beast will deliver 1600p.
www.apple.com/displays/digital.html

The superdrive has nothing to do with it, that just reads data. As long as its readable it doesn't matter in what format. But as someone already pointed out, DVDs in HDTV format don't really exist yet.

Out of curiosity, which projector are you considering?

 

[jimsowden]

Your problem is not with the DVD player or the Mac, its with the DVDs. Most DVDs are only encoded at 480p! If you really really want to get as close as you can to 720p or 1080i, you need a DVD player with hardware upscaling. You're talking a minimum of $350 - $400 for a decent player with this capability.

The term "DVD" implies non-high definition. They are all 480p, wether an upconversion or from source. There is no dvd player that can do HD now, even though some have technological capacity to do so. A dvi output on a dvd player just ensures a pure digital stream of 480p tops, I did see a samsung player that upconverted 480p to 1080i, but I imagine it wasn't that great.