Modern player for DTS CDs, DVD-A, and SACD 5.1?

[Sonik Wiz]

Good refresher. More stuff I forgot!

Another couple of things come to mind when reading that article... as it states the NTSC analog video was at 525 lines resolution. But when the DVD came out at 480 vertical resolution. Less resolution than analog? It happened because it was common in analog CRT TV days to have a certain percentage of over scan built in to eliminate the chance of any black bars at the top or bottom cuz analog wasn't all that precise. The over scan meant that unless you had a pro monitor the viewer was actually seeing about 480 lines vert res. There ya go, a standard was born.

Another historical tid bit is the first hi res video format was on the analog Laserdisc. The format was called Hi Vision & the special LD players output video into the MUSE decoder for 1125 lines vert res. Better than our launch of Blu-ray HD.

The OP of course asks a very good question & to me a crucial aspect is whether you need analog audio outputs. If you do the options are limited & expensive. I do so I'm hoping my 105 outlives me. It was one of the later production runs offered when both the 103/105 & 203/205 were current models on their website. I purchased it refurbed for under $1k but I can't remember exactly how many years ago. It's worked flawlessly every time. If it breaks beyond repair my older son in law has a 205 he's not using cuz everything streamed or played through his PlayStation. I'm sure he loan to me indefinitely.

 

[boxhead]

Another couple of things come to mind when reading that article... as it states the NTSC analog video was at 525 lines resolution. But when the DVD came out at 480 vertical resolution. Less resolution than analog? It happened because it was common in analog CRT TV days to have a certain percentage of over scan built in to eliminate the chance of any black bars at the top or bottom cuz analog wasn't all that precise. The over scan meant that unless you had a pro monitor the viewer was actually seeing about 480 lines vert res. There ya go, a standard was born.

Another historical tid bit is the first hi res video format was on the analog Laserdisc. The format was called Hi Vision & the special LD players output video into the MUSE decoder for 1125 lines vert res. Better than our launch of Blu-ray HD.

The OP of course asks a very good question & to me a crucial aspect is whether you need analog audio outputs. If you do the options are limited & expensive. I do so I'm hoping my 105 outlives me. It was one of the later production runs offered when both the 103/105 & 203/205 were current models on their website. I purchased it refurbed for under $1k but I can't remember exactly how many years ago. It's worked flawlessly every time. If it breaks beyond repair my older son in law has a 205 he's not using cuz everything streamed or played through his PlayStation. I'm sure he loan to me indefinitely.

Regarding NTSC 525 line resolution, the 45 line difference between 525 and 480 is defined thus:

The scan lines are the vertical resolution of the system; for example, an NTSC TV signal uses 525 lines, 480 of which contain image data ("active" scan lines) and 45 are the vertical blanking interval (VBI) in between the frames. (source: PC Mag)
So a DVD or Bluray player takes the 480 lines that are on the disc and adds the 45 vertical blanking interval lines to the signal thus providing the 525 lines expected by the display device. Note that these vertical blanking interval lines are only necessary on CRT devices for syncing the signal between each frame.

For PAL the numbers are 576 lines on the disc plus 49 vertical blanking lines giving a total of 625 lines. Why does PAL use 49 and NTSC 45? I have no idea.

 

[Owen Smith]

Good refresher. More stuff I forgot!

The only time you truly get away from any NTSC/PAL influence is when playing 24p content.

 

[mandrix]

The only time you truly get away from any NTSC/PAL influence is when playing 24p content.

We will assimilate you: resistance is futile.
Well variety makes the world go 'round. Or is it money? I forget.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Regarding NTSC 525 line resolution, the 45 line difference between 525 and 480 is defined thus:

The scan lines are the vertical resolution of the system; for example, an NTSC TV signal uses 525 lines, 480 of which contain image data ("active" scan lines) and 45 are the vertical blanking interval (VBI) in between the frames. (source: PC Mag)
So a DVD or Bluray player takes the 480 lines that are on the disc and adds the 45 vertical blanking interval lines to the signal thus providing the 525 lines expected by the display device. Note that these vertical blanking interval lines are only necessary on CRT devices for syncing the signal between each frame.

For PAL the numbers are 576 lines on the disc plus 49 vertical blanking lines giving a total of 625 lines. Why does PAL use 49 and NTSC 45? I have no idea.

Realy good clarification of my original post.

 

[barfle]

But my real question I'm slow to getting around to is: are we still living in the age of NTSC/PAL/SECAM? Weren't standards consolidated in the mass conversion to digital video format?

I jave to admit, that’s been a puzzle for me as well. I’m pretty well versed in those standards (I have referred to myself as being the guru of obsolete technologies), so I’m confused when my digital TV playing a digital,source, says it’s NTSC.

I’m also confused as to why, when playing a 30 fps production, they often show 29.96 frame rate. I know why they did that for analog tv (harmonic interleave, and yes, I can get down in the weeds, as much as I remember). But with a digital signal, it makes no sense.

 

[4_everyman]

I have the exact same setup on disc players!!!

Same here!

 

[Sal1950]

What a mess. lol.

WOW, I'll say.
Seems I never got as deeply into the video formats as many here, I can't remember ever coming across a disc that wouldn't play in my Samsung or Sony players due to region codes or whatnots. I doo remember my old Samsung player choking on some disc or other due to some audio thing or another but when I put it in my PC transport it spun right up. Ignorance has been bliss for me. LOL

 

[mandrix]

Yes. Unfortunate, but it's good to have a diversified playback system these days, still, from spinner to software.
PowerDVD after v20 I think dropped support for UHD BD's, citing "differences in playback hardware". What a bunch of hooey. What about .iso playback? What could that have to do with "hardware"?

Could it be they think we're all fools? Well, yeah, probably.

Why make a product better when you can coast on BS? (citing unnamed Cyberlink Taiwan sources who grab your money then say F you very much)

 

[Owen Smith]

I can't remember ever coming across a disc that wouldn't play in my Samsung or Sony players due to region codes or whatnots.

You are in the US. Region codes matter a lot more in the UK. So much stuff was only ever on Region 1 DVDs available in the US so we imported those at considerable expense. But for stuff available in the UK we bought locally because it was a lot cheaper, giving us Region 2 DVDs so we had to be able to play both. I also have some Region 3 (South East Asia) and Region 4 (Australia etc) DVDs due to wanting anamorphic widescreen video or a DTS soundtrack.

Blu Ray has been much less of a problem. About half of UK issued ones are Region B coded, but a very large proportion of US ones are coded all regions, even some that say Region A on the case. So I got away with the Oppo superdisc for about 10 years giving me all regions DVD playback. Finally The Expanse season 4 Blu Ray forced my hand, only issued in the US and coded Region A so I bought a hardware multi region mod for my Oppo 95.

 

[barfle]

WOW, I'll say.
Seems I never got as deeply into the video formats as many here, I can't remember ever coming across a disc that wouldn't play in my Samsung or Sony players due to region codes or whatnots. I doo remember my old Samsung player choking on some disc or other due to some audio thing or another but when I put it in my PC transport it spun right up. Ignorance has been bliss for me. LOL

I have a BD movie that won’t play on my Oppo 105, and I’m about to drop a C-note on an upgrade to let it happen. The movie is “1” and it’s about Formula 1 racing. It doesn’t seem to be available in Region A coding.