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    upconverting software dvd player?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by CeeNote, Jun 13, 2008.

  1. CeeNote

    CeeNote Notebook Virtuoso

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    Is there a software dvd player that can upconvert regular dvds to play @ 720p resolution - basically the software equivalent to an upconverting standalone dvd player? I've never heard of one but i would find it odd if there wasn't one.
     
    CeeNote, Jun 13, 2008
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  2. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    I assumed simple playback at a relevant resolution was upscaling?
    EG. 1280 x 720 for 720p?
     
    purplegreendave, Jun 13, 2008
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  3. CeeNote

    CeeNote Notebook Virtuoso

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    Oh really, I thought it would actually improve picture quality? So what's the point of regular standalone dvd players vs. upconverting ones?
     
    CeeNote, Jun 13, 2008
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  4. sirmetman

    sirmetman Notebook Virtuoso

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    Regular DVD players will only output at 640X480/~868X480 when playing normal DVDs. Upscaling DVD players will output in 720p or 1080i/p when playing normal DVDs. Basically, if you have a display/TV with 1280X720 physical pixels and you pass it a signal at 480i/p from a DVD player, the TV will have to do the upscaling. The reason people buy upscaling DVD players is that TV scalars are often pretty crappy.

    Computers and computer monitors (at least non-cheap ones) however have pretty good scalars, so most people don't have special software that does "upscaling" of DVDs. Also, since computers basically have nearly infinite resolutions the DVD could be played at (do to resizable windows in which the video plays), upscalers for computers are going to be more complex then TV ones anyway. I'd bet there is some software out there that does allow tweaking of scaling, but most people don't use them.
     
    sirmetman, Jun 13, 2008
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  5. CeeNote

    CeeNote Notebook Virtuoso

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    Okay, makes sense, thanks!
     
    CeeNote, Jun 13, 2008
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  6. jin07

    jin07 Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    Media Player Classic can help upconvert DVDs with certain filters, but it's not worth it. I've tried it and there isn't a difference versus letting the computer do it for you. Actually, there's a very slight difference because you mess around with some picture values as well.

    Here's some links to doom9 on the subject:

    http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=132556

    doom9 is the video forum equivalent of NBR.
     
    jin07, Jun 13, 2008
    #6