Why Is It So Shit!?

B_ScaredLittleBoy

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Okay so I wanted for just an hour to watch a DVD (Quantum Leap Episode - Dreams). However, when I turn it on the picture is SEVERELY pixelated and patchy. As if the original picture was tiny and in the upscaling it has been stretched almost to the point of faces being indistinguishable.

I have my DVD player connected up via component (HD) connection and apparently its limited to 576 DPI or something (thats what comes up on the display. I had the same problem connecting it via Scart as well though; not 576 DPI but the picture was patchy, especially in low lighting but improved in scenes with good lighting.

Does anyone else have this problem? My TV is a 32" Vistron. Maybe not the best known brand but it plays Xbox 360 games in 1080i and looks amazing. So here are my questions:

1. Is the problem the DVD player or the TV? The DVD player is Vistron also but only cost £25/$50 (it plays any media put in it though, even raw AVI files on CD).

2. Do I need or should I get a HD/DVD upscaler?

FYI when watching Digital TV the picture is perfect with very little 'noise'. So I think that means its the DVD player?
 

Xcuze

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The problem you describe sounds like its the actual dvd disc. If the source material is recorded in low quality initially then it doesnt matter what machine you play it on. Does it look good played on your computer? A 32" screen is obviously much bigger though so you need good quality material to get a decent picture. I like the sound of your Vistron player - to play avi files at £25 is pretty good.
 

B_ScaredLittleBoy

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Yeah that part of it is great. The DVD's look fine on my PC. What's annoying me is that these are original, entirely legitimate DVD's. Is it because they haven't been 'remastered' or something?

Ironically, the .AVI files I play straight from CD look better than the original DVD's. They are encoded using the Xvid and sometimes DivX codecs.

So a more expensive DVD player wouldn't help? I was also thinking that maybe a VGA connection would improve the quality? My monitor is VGA (obviously) and there is no distortion in the picture, but I don't know if many (or any) DVD players have VGA connections.
 

Xcuze

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Why dont you convert the disc to an avi file & try playing it as that? Or else; Can you connect your PC to your 32"? Try playing the disc from your pc to your 32" then youll know which equipment is giving you the problem.