I have a "Philips DVP642 dvd video player progressive scan'. this is how its worded on the front panel of the player. I think I bought it back in 1998 or 1999 at Circuit City. Back then Progressive Scan Component video hook-ups were not available on 90% of the Tube Tv's that the store sold. I paid about 220.00 dollars for it. It does not have a HDMI connection in the back of the player. It does have Component video. The main question I have for everyone is this: How does my progressive scan dvd Compare to a Progressive Scan dvd with an Hdmi connection? I have my DVD connected to a Philips 42 plasma integrated digital, Plasma WXGA Panel, 1024 x 768p, with Pixel Plus Progressive Scan, 3/2 - 2/2 motion pull down, Active Control, contrast ratio 10000:1 .Model 42PF5321D/37. I bought this at Sams club in summer 2006. The 2nd thing I was wondering was: Why do all the dvd movies I watch on my old player look just as great as Cable HD-Channels . Universal HD and HDNet Movies . IS HD-DVD just the smae as Progressive Scan?
Let's see if we can answer all your questions. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong. An HDMI connection shouldn't make any difference theoretically. What a progressive scan DVD player is doing is converting the 480i video data in the disc to 480p. Some players do this deinterlacing better than others but the results should be similar. Here's what happens when you play a DVD: 480i in DVD disc -> converted to 480p by progressive scan player 480p signal sent to HDTV -> 480p signal SCALED to HDTV's native resolution of 1024 x 768. Any plasma, LCD, DLP or fixed-pixel display is inherently progressive scan. These displays convert any signal you put onto them into their "native resolution." So no matter what your source (DVD, HD satellite, etc) the picture is still 1024x768 progressive. HD-DVD is NOT the same as progressive scan. HD-DVD discs are mastered in 1920 x 1080p and the signal sent out by HD-DVD players is 1080i or 1080p. Progressive scan DVD is 480p. Maybe Ced can share some of his wisdom and some of his links.
