Venturer HD DVD Player Set to Launch December 29

The 1080i situation is a complicated one that very few people understand correctly. 

The player does 1080i only because it does not have a deinterlacer.  This is done for cost reasons.

1080p/24 is actually lower bandwidth (and hence smaller file size) than 1080i/60, which is equivalent to 1080p/30, resulting in 6 extra progressive frames per second.  Storing movies at 24fps is a great way to store them.

Using a process called 3:2 pulldown, which I won’t go into detail here, the cheap players split the 1080p/24 into essentially 1080i/48, then add frames to pad the 48 into 60.  Out comes 1080i/60 and that plays over the HDMI port.  Since all the information from the 1080p/24 signal is all still there in the 1080i/60 broadcast, a good deinterlacer will recognize this and it will take out those padded frames, and put the 1080i/48 (which does not actually exist I’m just using it here for simplicity sake) back together to make a perfect 1080p/24.  Bam!  There you go, perfect picture with no loss in quality.  This is the holy grail of 1080i/60 and the reason the industry uses it.  Both video and film can be put back together perfectly with a 1080i/60 signal. 

Things aren’t always perfect though, and it turns out that it takes an expensive deinterlacer to recognize that 3:2 pulldown and take those frames out to get to a perfect picture.  Very few TVs pass this test on the HD HQV test.  I wish I had saved that URL, but one website has tested about 60 displays from 2006 and 2007.  80% of displays in 2006, and 60% of displays in 2007 failed this test, which means you don’t get that 1080p/24 picture out of the 1080i/60 and you lose quality. Even nice displays like my brand new Sony KDS60A3000 fails, and the advanced HQV Reon scaler in the Onkyo 875.  So when everyone says “you get the same quality guys with 1080i because the TV just deinterlaces it,”  At least 90% of the time that is wrong (because not that many have 2006 and 2007 displays)  If you have a new JVC, or a new Pioneer Elite Kuro, then sure, who cares, but if you are the $ saving type that would by a Chinese player, hell no, get the 1080p model if you care about quality.

soundzilla,

the 1080p is better, really in a different league when it comes down to the small detail.  But I guess I am imagining things since a 1080i is the same thing

I bet most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p displayed on a good set (including many of the people here who only look for the magic numbers on spec sheets).  Besides the average consumer looking for a $200 hd dvd player probable makes up 98% of the consumers out there. It’s like looking for a $45 dvd player or a $1200 50” plasma. All they care about is its cheaper and its better then the last format they had. Just like they know dvd is better then vhs. Instead of bashing the product why don’t you see it for what it is. A product to get more players into the hands of the public, and drive down cost for everyone (manufactures and consumers). It will benefit you even if you would never buy it.

Most people thought Rambo was a great movie, but it isn’t what I would call an important part of cinema history.

Most people think iTunes music is indistinguishable from CDs, but I can certainly hear the difference.

The average consumer looking for $500 flat panel HDTV makes up 98% of the consumers out there, but I wouldn’t use an Olevia display as the centerpiece of my home theater or living room if you paid me.

I’m not a fan of encouraging the further erosion of quality in products. Encouraging “Good enough” lowers expectations and makes mediocrity the standard.

I hate the the HD-DVD camp is flooding the market with cheap 1080i players because it is a compromise. Do you honestly believe that the components used in a $99 HD-DVD player compare to the components used in a $400 HD-DVD player or Blu-ray player? Quality costs money. The 1080p HD spec is fantastic. Given the price difference between 1080i and 1080p, I think it’s worth passing on the 1080i stuff until one can afford true 1080p gear. It’s getting cheaper every day.

My whole point is we judge these products as if they were intended for us. We make up the 2% of the market. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be great full that there is an affordable product for the 98%. Do you think your 1080p display would be so affordable now if millions of people didn’t buy that $500 olevia? Do you think if only the rare “important part of cinema history” were produces we would have movie theaters? Just because the road is full of Honda civics doesn’t mean BMW is going to stop making cars. Besides the more people with players out there the more movies that are going to be bought/rented. More of those “important parts of cinema history” can be remastered in high def. I’m not trying to convince you to buy it. Just saying it’s not such a bad thing.

For what it’s worth, WalMart in Toronto had the Venturer on special for $69.99 today. I was tempted to buy for a back-up upscaling dvd player and HD rentals (if still around). However, I passed and will bite the bullet for Blu-Ray later this year.