Which Product Should Handle Deinterlacing and Processing?

This is actually simpler than it sounds. Since we've already determined that only one device can handle deinterlacing and one typically does scaling, then finding your best component is as simple as this:

• Turn ON deinterlacing (progressive output) and any scaling on your DVD player. This means that you are now watching the quality of the deinterlacer and scaler of the player on your display. Be sure to match the output scaling of the player to the display or you will be encountering a "re-scaling" of the image to the native resolution of the display
• Turn OFF deinterlacing and scaling of the DVD player (output only interlaced 480i) and turn deinterlacing (progressive conversion, film mode, etc) and scaling (if applicable) on your AV receiver/processor or display. You are now observing the processing and scaling capabilities of your AV processor/receiver.
• Turn OFF deinterlacing and scaling of the DVD player (output only interlaced 480i) and turn OFF deinterlacing (progressive conversion, film mode, etc) on your AV receiver/processor or display. Allow pristine 480i (interlaced) signal to hit your display. Now you are watching the video processing and scaling of the display.

Technical Note: Exceptions with 1080i
While most new HD displays are either 720p or 1080p, many broadcasts are in 1080i. This is also the format for first generation HD DVD players from Toshiba. As a result there are two scaling scenarios possible when dealing with 1080i. When using a standard definition DVD and utilizing an upconverting DVD player, it is possible that you could be outputting 1080i. If coupled with a new 1080p display, your display will then take this and bring it up to the full resolution of 1080p. We do not recommend double scaling, so try not to purposely force a 1080i output for a 720p display when a 720p output is available (as in an upconverting DVD player).

Sounds easy? It is, though you'll need to research the capabilities of your components as well as how to turn these modes on and off. It's typically very easy and you will quickly find out which method works best in your system. How do you test? Read on…

There are several handy test discs available on the market for testing the deinterlacing, scaling and noise reduction capabilities of various displays. We are fond of the Silicon Optix HQV Benchmark DVD. This disc will allow you to test many aspects of video processing including detail reproduction, noise reduction, film pulldown, deinterlacing and jaggie reduction. It even hits more obscure tests like video over film and various cadences where the deinterlacing was set to a different timing that traditional film to video conversion. AVIA Guide to Home Theater also has some popular tests that will give you additional insight into the processing of a component. In particular I like the resolution and moving zone plate tests.

Hopefully this article answered some questions that may have been on your mind concerning video processing, but we realize that there will be additional questions to follow. Send those along to us and we'll create a series of follow-up articles to enhance this one. Over time we hope to simplify and explain some of these more difficult topics so that even consumers new to the world of AV can make intelligent choices when shopping for equipment.