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Products In Review
HDTV Home Theatre Equipment DVD/D-VHS Review
DTS-HD
Studios SplitSupport For
Hd Formats
Studios SplitSupport For
HD Formats
Toshiba 52HM84DLP RearProjectionMonitor
Over 40
DVD
REVIEWS
DTS-HD
DVDO iScan HD+ VideoProcessor
An Overview
Anatomy Of ADigital ProjectorAnatomy Of ADigital Projector
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DVDO iScan HD+
High-DefinitionVideo Processor
Analog/Digital Video Scaler &A/V Switcher
G r e g R o g e r s
Introduction
The iScan HD+ ($1,499) is an upgraded version of Anchor Bay
Technologies flagship DVDO video processor. The original iScan
HD scaled 480i and 480p analog and digital video to any format
from 480p to 1080p. The iScan HD+ adds upconversion, cross-con-
version, and downconversion for high-definition 720p and 1080i DVI
signals. HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) process-
ing has also been added to provide compatibility with all DVI and
HDMI source components and displays.
DVDO refers to the iScan HD+ as a video scaling processor and
A/V switcher because it also includes four digital audio inputs, and
provides adjustable audio delay to compensate for video process-
ing delays anywhere in the video system.
I reviewed the iScan HD in Widescreen ReviewIssue 87, August
2004. For this review, I tested all of the previous functions and the
new iScan HD+ functions, plus the optional ($399) SDI (serial digital
interface) video input card that wasnt available for the earlier
review.
Appearance
The iScan HD+ features the same low profile case as its prede-
cessor. The 1.75-inch high, all-metal cabinet and front panel are fin-
ished in black with light-gray nomenclature. All illumination from the
front panel indicators and display window can be turned off for use
in a dark theatre, and the processor operates silently without a fan.
Inputs And Outputs
The rear panel includes nine video and four digital audio inputs.
There are two composite video (RCA jacks), two S-video (4-pin
mini-DIN), and two component video inputs (RCA jacks), in addition
The iScan HD+ renders DVD Movies witha naturalness that approaches the mostdesirable qualities of cinema.
Equipment Review
Inputs:Nine video inputsTwo Composite inputs accept standard NTSC, PAL, and SECAMsignals
Two S-Video inputs accept standard NTSC, PAL, and SECAMsignals
Two Component Video inputs (YPbPr or RGB/S) process 480i,480p, 576i, 576p signals; pass-through 720p and 1080i HighDefinition signals
One VGA Analog Pass-through inputVGA HD-15 connectorOne DVI inputDVI-I connectorprocesses 480p, 576p, 720p,
1080i with or without HDCPOne SDI inputOptionalFour digital audio inputscan be assigned individually to any ofthe video inputs:
Two Digital Optical inputsTwo Digital Coaxial inputAccepts S/PDIF Dolby Digital, DTS, LPCM @ 44 ksps to 96 ksps,16 bits to 24 bits
Outputs:One Digital Video OutputDVI-I connectorOne Analog Video OutputVGA HD-15 connectorRGB or YPbPr color spaceSeparate H&V sync, composite sync, or sync-on-video (bi-level ortri-level sync)
Two digital audio outputsOne Digital Optical outputOne Digital Coaxial output
Controls:Infrared remote control with direct access codes or manual
controls on front panelFunctions accessible via either On Screen Display (OSD) orfront-panel LED display
Fully programmable controls for each separate video input withnon-volatile memories:
Automatic input source detection & input priority selectionInput aspect ratio select: 4:3 fullframe, 4:3 letterbox, 16:9 fullframeor custom input aspect ratio
Output aspect ratio select: 4:3, 16:9 or custom output aspect ratioFlexible horizontal and vertical Zooming & Panning controlsPicture controls with memory for each input: Brightness, Contrast,Saturation, Hue, Y/C Delay, Sharpness
Output Controls: Analog/Digital, Format/Resolution, Aspect Ratio,Sync Type,
Colorspace (RGB or YPbPr), Frame Lock, Display ProfileRS-232 automation/control interface with upgradeable software forfuture-proof design
27 built-in test patterns for ease of set up
Power:Universal AC mains input: 100 - 240 VAC @ 50 - 60 HzConsumption: < 30WSleep mode: Automatic 30 second timeout indicated by powerindicator color change
Physical:Dimensions (WHD In Inches): 17 x 10.4 x 2.2 (43.3cm x 26.3cm x5.5cm) with desktop feet
Standard 19-inch 1U 1.75-inch rackmount optionWeight (In Pounds): Unit (without power supply): 6.4 (2.9 kg)Price: iScan HD+: $1,499, SDI Option: $399
Manufactured In The USA By:DVDO Home Theater Productsby Anchor Bay Technologies, Inc.300 Orchard City Drive, Suite 131Campbell, California 95008Tel: 866 423 DVDOwww.dvdo.com
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also dedicated buttons on the front panel
and the remote control to directly select
these submenus or their functions.
Individual items within the submenus can
be selected using the cursor navigation but-
tons on the remote control, or by cycling
through the menu items using the front
panel buttons. To simplify the initial set up,
the front panel includes a column of individ-
ual LED indicators for each of the Output
Setup items.The remote control includes dedicated
buttons for each of the nine video inputs.
There are also dedicated buttons for each
input aspect ratio, and the Zoom, Pan, Info,
and Test Pattern functions. The remote con-
trol buttons are not backlit, but they have
distinctive shapes, glow in the dark, and are
grouped by function.
Input Select
The Input Select submenu provides a list
of all nine video inputs (including SDI) and
Auto. The Auto mode automatically selectsthe active video input with the highest priori-
ty based on the Auto Input Priority, which is
set in the Input Adjust submenu. I preferred
to select the input directly with the dedicat-
ed remote control buttons.
Input Aspect Ratio
The Input Aspect Ratio submenu
includes Input AR, Zoom, Pan, and Borders.
The Input AR settings4:3 (full frame), (4:3)
Letterbox, 16:9, or Presetresize input sig-
nals so they are properly displayed for the
selected output aspect ratio. The Preset
mode defaults to 16:9, but a custom aspectratio can be stored for each input. Custom
aspect ratios are created by modifying one
of the standard aspect ratios using the
Zoom and Pan controls.
There are separate horizontal and verti-
cal Zoom controls that magnify the image
by up to 200 percent. Separate horizontal
and vertical Pan functions move the dis-
played portion of the zoomed image around
on the screen. The Borders function sepa-
rately controls the width of horizontal and
vertical masking that can be applied to the
image.
to a dedicated analog pass-through input
(15-pin D-sub connector) and an HDCP-
compatible DVI input for digital video sig-
nals. An optional SDI input accepts 480i (or
576i) digital YCbCr video from any stan-
dard-definition source with a professional
SMPTE 259M SDI output.There are two video outputsa 15-pin
D-sub connector for analog YPbPr or RGB
signals, and a DVI-I connector that provides
only digital RGB signals. Only one output
can be active at a time.
The iScan HD+ will process and scale
480p, 576p, 720p, and 1080i digital RGB
signals from the DVI input. All other DVI for-
mats are passed through to the DVI output
without processing. DVI input signals with
HDCP are not available from the analog out-
put in accordance with HDCP licensing
requirements.
The two analog component video inputs
are unique. They have four RCA jacks toaccept YPbPr or RGB/S signals. RGB/S sig-
nals, which are most commonly used in
Europe, have a separate composite sync
signal on a fourth cable. The iScan HD+ will
upconvert analog 480i/p and 576i/p signals,
while analog high-definition signals (720p/
1080i) are passed through to the analog
video output without processing. This per-
mits analog signals from a set-top box or
digital VCR that produces multiple SD and
HD formats to be connected to a single input.
The analog pass-through input handles
any type of YPbPr or RGB video signals,
but it provides no YPbPr/RGB transcoding(color space conversion) or analog-to-digi-
tal conversion.
There are four digital audio input jacks
two optical (TOSLink) and two coaxial
(RCA). The digital audio inputs can be indi-
vidually assigned to any of the video inputs.
There is one optical (TOSLink) and one
coaxial (RCA) digital audio output, which
are both active simultaneously.
The rear panel includes an RS-232 port
for control or firmware upgrades, and a 6-
volt DC input jack for the external power
supply module.
Operation
The iScan HD+ can be operated from its
front panel or from the infrared remote con-
trol. Functions can be selected and param-
eters adjusted using the on-screen menu or
the large four-character front panel display.
The latter is especially useful to select a
compatible display format during the initial
setup.
The on-screen menu expands to show
six submenusInput Select, (Input) Aspect
Ratio, Input Adjust, Picture Control,
Configuration, and Output Setup. There are
Input Adjust
The Input Adjust submenu includes
Border Level, Overscan, Line Offset, DVI
Input, VCR Mode, Film Mode, Auto (Input)
Priority, Audio Input, and AV LipSync.
The Border level sets the brightness of
the borders, which is useful to reduce differ-
ential phosphor aging (burn-in) on CRT or
plasma displays. Overscan enlarges the
image by up to 20 percent in both the verti-cal and horizontal dimensions to eliminate
ragged edges on incoming video frames
when borders are not desired. The Line
Offset function adjusts the vertical image
position when using the optional SDI input.
The DVI Input function provides an
option to pass through all DVI signals to the
DVI output without processing, but signals
without HDCP are still processed for the
analog output. The VCR Mode controls out-
put timing to improve VCR picture stability.
Film Mode (Auto/Bias/Off) permits film
source detection to be biased toward film or
turned off. Auto Priority assigns a priorityorder for the automatic video input selection
mode. The Audio input control assigns the
audio inputs to the video inputs.
The iScan HD+ automatically adds the
correct amount of digital audio delay to
match the delay of its internal video pro-
cessing, which varies depending on
whether the incoming signal is interlaced,
progressive, or simply passed-through. The
AV LipSync control permits additional delay
(up to 77 ms or more) in millisecond incre-
ments to be added to the digital audio to
compensate for video delay in displays or
other video processing components.
Picture Control
The Picture Control parameters include
Brightness, Contrast, (Color) Saturation,
Hue, Sharpness, Y/C Delay, and CUE-
Correction (On, Off, Auto). Sharpness is an
On or Off function for component video signals,
but has an adjustable range of -5 to +7 for
composite and S-video signals. The nega-
tive settings lower the frequency response,
which is sometimes useful to reduce exces-
sive edge enhancement on broadcast video
and some DVDs, albeit at the expense of
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picture sharpness. A Sharpness control is
not available for SDI or DVI input signals.
CUE-Correction enables a chroma filter that is
provided to eliminate the Chroma Upsampling
Error (CUE) and the Interlaced Chroma
Problem (ICP) that occurs in some MPEG
video sources (DVD players, digital satellite
receivers, etc.). The Picture Control parame-
ters are stored separately for each input.
Output Setup
The Output Setup submenu includes
Analog/Digital, Output Format, Output
Aspect Ratio (16:9 or 4:3), (analog) Sync
Type, (analog) Color Space (YPbPr or
RGB), and Frame Rate Conversion. The
Analog/Digital function enables either the
analog output, or the DVI digital output with
DVI-Video levels (16-235) or DVI-PC levels
(0-255). The DVI output is digital RGB only.
The Output Format function provides 29
preset output formats that include the stan-
dard 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p video
formats, plus special formats to match plas-
ma displays, D-ILA projectors, and other
products. A custom output format can alsobe created without using external software.
The Sync Type selects bi-level, tri-level,
composite, or any combination of separate
positive or negative polarity HV sync sig-
nals. Frame Rate Conversion is one of the
best iScan HD+ features, and it will be
explained later.
Configuration Control
The Configuration Control submenu
includes Test Patterns (select), Auto
Standby, HDCP Mode (Auto, On, Off),
Power LED, User Mode, Serial Port Rate
(1.2-57.6K), Factory Default, Software
Update, and Information functions. If Auto
Standby is enabled, the iScan HD+ will go
into the Standby mode when the current
input is inactive for more than 30 seconds.
The Power LED function (On/Off/Auto) con-trols the behavior of the front panel Power
LED. Factory Default resets all of the iScan
HD+ settings to the known factory defaults.
The Software Update function is used to
load new firmware into the iScan HD. The
Information item provides input and output
status and the system version number.
The User Mode (Normal/Advanced) pro-
vides the ability to customize the output
video timing for a particular display. In the
Normal mode the horizontal and vertical
image position can be shifted in 1-pixel
steps. The Advanced mode provides addi-
tional adjustments for the frame size, the
image size and position, and the frontporch, back porch, and sync width, in 1-
pixel increments horizontally and 1-line
increments vertically. This permits the user
to create any custom output format up to
1080p.
Test Patterns
The iScan HD+ has 27 built-in test pat-
terns, which include Brightness and Contrast,
Geometry, Color Bars, Gray Windows/Ramps,
Checkerboards, Crosshatch, Focus, Pixel
Lines, and a Frame Rate pattern. The latter
two patterns are useful to ensure the iScanHD+ is set up to take best advantage of the
displays native resolution and frame rate
capabilities. Other patterns can be used to
calibrate the display to the standard output
levels of the iScan HD+. Unique half-trans-
parent Black/White and Color Bar patterns
allow the Picture Adjustment controls of the
iScan HD+ to be calibrated by directly com-
paring its standard output levels to input
signals received from a calibration DVD or a
separate test pattern generator.
Technical Notes
The iScan HD+ has a Philips SAA7119Video Decoder with 10-bit analog-to-digital
converters running at 54 MHz for 4x over-
sampling of incoming 480i signals and 2x
oversampling of 480p signals. A 4-line 2-D
adaptive comb filter for Y/C separation of
composite video signals is included. A
Silicon Image SiI504 digital video processor
performs inverse-telecine deinterlacing for
480i film sources, and motion-adaptive
deinterlacing for 480i original interlaced
video sources. The analog output utilizes an
Analog Devices ADV7311 with 12-bit digital-
to-analog converters.
Adjustments
The Brightness control was correctly cal-
ibrated for analog input signals with 7.5 IRE
black-level setup, SDI digital signals, and
DVI input signals with DVI-Video levels (16-
235). Below black levels on those signalswere correctly processed for the analog
and DVI outputs. There is no specific mode
for analog signals without 7.5 IRE setup, but
the Brightness control can be increased to
produce the correct black level (the
Contrast control should also be re-adjust-
ed). Below black input signals are clipped
slightly below black on analog signals with-
out 7.5 IRE setup. If DVI input signals with
DVI-PC levels (0-255) are used, the
Brightness and Contrast controls can be
recalibrated to produce the correct output
signal levels.
The YPbPr color decoding for analog
480i/p signals was almost perfect. I made aslight saturation correction that would only
be noticed on color bar test patterns. The
SDI YCbCr color decoding was perfect on
test patterns. There is no hue adjustment for
YPbPr/YCbCr signals, but none should be
necessary with a good quality source com-
ponent. The color saturation control is
active for all processed input signals, which
is quite useful with some oversaturated
DVDs. The hue control is available for S-
video and composite video sources.
The CUE Filter produces a slight vertical
blur along the horizontal edges between
colors in split color bar patterns. That verti-cal filtering removes the dark streaking from
DVD players or other sources that suffer
from the infamous chroma upsampling error.
The Auto mode correctly turned the filtering
off for the AccuPel generator and a DVD
player that doesnt have the CUE problem.
But since automatic filters might be fooled,
it may be best to keep it off if your DVD
player does not have the CUE problem.
However, if you know that a particular DVD
produces the Interlaced Chroma Problem
(ICP), you may want to set it to Auto for that
DVD.
The chroma response for S-video sig-
nals extended to about 1.6 MHz on theAVIA Pro Polyphasic Chroma Sweeps. (The
iScan HD measured about 2.5 MHz, which I
rechecked again for this review.) The SDI
chroma response was flat to the maximum
3.375 MHz limit of 480i digital video, and
rolled off only slightly at 3.375 MHz for the
YPbPr analog inputs.
There was no visible delay between the
luma and chroma components of YPbPr,
YCbCr, or Y/C (S-video) signals. The Y/C
delay adjustment, which is intended to cor-
rect for delays in signals entering the
processor, is too coarse to be of much
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value. It altered the signal timing in one-
pixel steps from -4 to +3 pixels.
The 6.75 MHz single-pixel burst from the
AccuPel generator and the 6.75 MHz verti-
cal line pattern from AVIA: Guide To Home
Theatershowed only slightly reduced con-
trast and no aliasing bands, indicating aminimal frequency response roll-off for 480i
and 480p analog input signals. There was
no visible loss of contrast for upconverted
SDI and DVI input signals. The YPbPr pass-
through mode exhibited a modest loss of
contrast in the 37 MHz single-pixel burst of
the 720p and 1080i AccuPel Multiburst pat-
terns. There was only a barely-noticeable
loss of contrast in the 37 MHz burst through
the dedicated analog pass-through input.
The iScan HD+ doesnt store separate
picture parameters for the analog and DVI
outputs, so the Picture Adjust controls may
need to be changed if the output is
switched between DVI and analog signals.You can avoid this by carefully calibrating
the DVI and analog signal inputs on your
display(s) to match the iScan HD+ outputs.
480i Deinterlacing
The Silicon Image SiI504 and a compan-
ion processor perform 480i inverse-telecine
(film-mode) deinterlacing for movies and
motion-adaptive deinterlacing for original
interlaced-video sources. Inverse-telecine
processing provides progressive video free
of deinterlacing artifacts, when it can lock
onto the 3-2 field pulldown cadence thatresults from transferring 24 frame-per-sec-
ond film to 60 field-per-second interlaced
video. Each film frame is reconstructed as a
480p progressive-video frame, and then the
480p frame rate must be converted to 60
frames-per-second to be compatible with
most progressive video displays. The last
step is accomplished by repeating a frame
three times and the following frame twice (a
3-2 frame sequence) to produce five video
frames for every two film frames.
The SiI504 is one of the best integrated
circuit solutions for standard-definition
inverse-telecine deinterlacing. It handled
the film to video transitions on the VideoEssentialsMontage Of Images perfectly.
The iScan HD+ didnt always lock onto the
3-2 field cadence immediately when start-
ing from a chapter break, but it played
through those same chapter breaks without
a glitch. I only noticed a few film-mode
deinterlacing artifacts during months of
DVD movie viewing with the iScan HD
(which uses the same deinterlacing compo-
nents), and none during my relatively short-
er viewing time with the iScan HD+.
Deinterlacing original interlaced video
sources, such as broadcast sports, is much
more difficult because there is no 3-2 field
cadence to optimally deinterlace those
sources. Motion-adaptive deinterlacing
algorithms vary from product to product,
and there is usually a tradeoff between pic-
ture sharpness and various types of deinter-
lacing artifacts, such as jaggies and linetwitter. The Video EssentialsMontage pro-
vides a collection of reference segments
that stress video-source deinterlacing. The
iScan HD+ appears to take a middle of the
road approach between picture sharpness
and artifacts. The zoom into the leafy tree
was clear with a just a bit of flicker, and
there were minimal jaggies on the bobbing
frozen branch. The waving American flag
produced jaggies and a bit of color-bleed
between the red and white stripes, and
there was significant line twitter on the zoom
out of the city. Basketball broadcasts, per-
haps the most difficult test for video-source
deinterlacing, exhibited good sharpness butsignificant jaggies and some line twitter, as
the camera panned across lines and logos
on the court.
1080i Conversion
The iScan HD+ doesnt have inverse-
telecine or motion-adaptive deinterlacing for
1080i sources. Instead, each individual
1080i field is directly scaled to the desired
progressive frame format (480p, 720p,
1080p, etc.). That produces somewhat soft-
er images than the more sophisticated dein-
terlacing techniques, but it avoids some ofthe artifacts associated with motion-adap-
tive deinterlacing. While inverse-telecine
deinterlacing for 1080i film sources is
always preferable, only a very few projec-
tors have that capability. Most fixed-pixel
projectors and flat-panel monitors utilize
similar field-based interpolation to convert
1080i video fields to progressive frames at
their native resolution. The video quality of
this technique depends on the sophistica-
tion of the scaling algorithms, so in many
cases the iScan HD+ will improve their pic-
ture quality with 1080i sources.
Scaling
The 480i/480p to 720p scaling perform-
ance is exceptional. There is almost no visi-
ble edge outlining around vertical lines in
the Sharpness pattern from the AccuPel
HDG-3000 Calibration Generator using the
video edge mode, which is equivalent to the
analog signal edge transition rate from a
standalone DVD player. There is only faint
outlining, about 3 to 4 (720p) pixels wide,
around vertical lines using the AccuPel fast-
edge (PC-like) transitions. Outlining above
and below horizontal lines is about 2 to 3
pixels, but slightly brighter. There is no sig-
nificant difference in scaling performance
between the fast analog edges and DVI sig-
nals from the AccuPel generator. I also test-
ed 960p (1440 x 960) and 1080p scaling,
which produced similar performance.
When the YPbPr sharpness control isturned on, there is only the slightest
increase in outlining brightness around ver-
tical lines in the fast edge mode, and
almost no increase in the video-edge mode,
even though edges become visibly sharper.
The YPbPr Sharpness control peaks up the
frequency response around 3.5 MHz for
480i input signals (7 MHz for 480p input
signals), which can be seen by increased
brightness in Multiburst test patterns. Even
without the sharpness control turned on,
there is good response, without aliasing, in
the 6.75 (13.5) MHz pixel burst.
The analog signal outputs of DVD play-
ers and other video components ofteninclude edge overshoot and ringing that
produce the same type of edge outlining
artifacts as scaling. There is wide variability
in the quality of analog signal outputs. The
best products produce barely noticeable
edge outlining, while others produce severe
artifacts. The best way to avoid this addi-
tional source of image degradation is to use
source components with digital video out-
puts. DVI or HDMI digital video outputs are
now standard on high-definition set-top
boxes and are becoming common on DVD
players.
The optional SDI digital video input onthe iScan HD+ also provides the ability to
use a source component equipped with a
professional standard-definition SDI output.
The SDI input only accepts 480i or 576i
interlaced video, but that provides a means
to use the iScan HD+ deinterlacing in addi-
tion to its high quality scaling. Its not possi-
ble to use the iScan HD+ deinterlacing with
DVI or HDMI signals, because its DVI input
does not accept 480i video. The scaling
performance using 480i SDI signals was
essentially the same as using 480i analog
signals.
The 1080i to 720p cross-conversion for
DVI signals was exceptional on the statichorizontal and vertical lines of the AccuPel
Sharpness and Overscan patterns. There
was about one pixel of outlining around ver-
tical lines, and only a faint 1 to 2 pixels of
outlining above and below horizontal lines.
The single-pixel and two-pixel wide lines in
the 1080i Multiburst pattern were widened,
but there were no sharp aliasing lines,
banding, or moir in the pixel bursts. When
720p DVI signals are input and output they
pass through the iScan HD+ without scaling
(i.e. pixel perfect), but the Picture Controls
(Brightness, Contrast, Saturation) are
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enabled whenever the DVI pass-through
mode is disabled. This can be useful when
used with an older display that lacks those
controls for DVI signals.
72 Hz Output
The 3-2 field pulldown cadence in film-
source video produces stutter when a
smoothly moving object alternately appears
in one position for three fields and then in
its next position for only two fields. This is
called judder in video terminology. Even
when 480i film-sources are converted to
progressive video, judder is still a problem
when a 3-2 frame sequence is used to pro-
duce 60 frame-per-second video. One way
to eliminate judder is to repeat each pro-
gressive frame exactly twice, or exactly
three times. Since each progressive video
frame corresponds to one 24 Hz film frame,
repeating each frame twice produces 48 Hzprogressive video, while repeating each
frame three times produces 72 Hz progres-
sive video. It is usually preferable to use a
72 Hz frame rate because 48 Hz produces
wide-area flicker on CRT projectors and any
dropped frames that occur from video edits
are more noticeable at 48 Hz.
The iScan HD+ will produce a 72 Hz (or
48 Hz) frame rate without judder from 480i
film sources. It first performs inverse-
telecine deinterlacing to reconstruct the 24
Hz film frame and then locks the output
frame rate to an exact multiple of that rate.
That is necessary to ensure that 72 Hzvideo will always be produced by a 3-3
frame sequence and wont slip into a 4-2
frame sequence, which would make the
judder worse instead of better. Many
devices that produce 72 Hz video dont
have this crucial ability to lock frame rates.
Note: the actual video frame rates are usu-
ally 59.94, 23.976, and 71.93 Hz, rather
than 60, 24, and 72 Hz.
To benefit from the 72 Hz frame rate, you
must have a display that will actually pro-
duce images at that incoming frame rate.
Almost any CRT front projector or a CRT-
based multi-scan direct-view monitor will
display images at the incoming frame rate.But I dont know of any current fixed-pixel
displays (DLP, LCD, or plasma) with that
ability. Instead they convert the incoming
frame rate to their own native frame rate,
which is often 60 Hz. The iScan HD+
includes a smoothly-moving test pattern to
determine if a display will actually produce
the 72 Hz frame rate. It is equally revealing
to simply watch the rolling credits at the end
of a movie. If there is any jerkiness to the
vertical movement of the credits, the display
is probably not operating at the incoming
72 Hz frame rate.
I have been a proponent of using a 72
Hz frame rate to view movies in home the-
atres for many years. Most of us are so
accustomed to judder while watching film
transferred to video that we are conditioned
to ignore it. But I feel more relaxed and
sense that a sub-conscious level of tensionhas been eliminated while watching movies
at 72 Hz.
The iScan HD+ can only produce 48 Hz
and 72 Hz judder-free video from 480i film
sources, which requires that analog video
or SDI input signals be used. It doesnt
have the necessary circuitry to lock those
output frame rates to 480p, 720p, or 1080i
sources (even though its menu implies that
all formats are frame locked). Also note that
you should only use 48 Hz and 72 Hz
frame rates with film-source video. Original
60 field-per-second interlaced video
already produces motion without judder
because each field captures an image at adifferent instant in time. When those inter-
laced fields are converted to progressive
frames by motion-adaptive deinterlacing,
each frame represents the same instant of
time as one field. If that 60 Hz video is con-
verted to 72 Hz or 48 Hz, every fifth frame
must be repeated or eliminated, which cre-
ates judder.
There are additional frame rate conver-
sion features, including 50 Hz and 75 Hz
output frame rates locked to 50 Hz, 576i
interlaced film-sources. Unlocked output
frame rates can also be adjusted in 0.01 Hz
increments, but that is not useful for elimi-nating judder.
Viewing Impressions
I used a Runco IDP-980 Ultra CRT pro-
jector to view the iScan HD+ RGB analog
output, and a Yamaha DPX-1100 720p
HD2+ DLP projector to display its DVI out-
put. The DPX-1100 produces a spatially
pixel perfect image when driven by 720p
digital video signals. Each source pixel is
mapped to a single projector pixel without
scaling or edge enhancementtherefore
the DPX-1100 reveals the precise perform-
ance of the iScan HD+ deinterlacing and720p scaling.
I have been using the iScan HD video
processor with my CRT projector since I
reviewed it in Issue 87. For this review, I
made direct comparisons between that
iScan HD and the new iScan HD+ using
480i and 480p analog YPbPr signals, and
480p DVI signals, which are compatible
with both processors. I didnt discern any
differences in the exceptional performance
of these video processors. I paid particular
attention to the DVD examples that I had
used in my previous review, and those
observations are repeated below. I also
tested the iScan HD+ with 1080i HDMI sig-
nals from a JVC HM-DH5U D-VHS D-
Theater HDTV Recorder.
To take best advantage of its excellent
scaling, the iScan HD+ should be mated to
the analog output of a DVD player that pro-duces minimal edge outlining, or a digital
video input should be used. Since the iScan
HD+ is now HDCP compatible, it can be
used with any DVD player that has a DVI or
HDMI output. The optional SDI interface can
be used with any standard-definition digital
video source that has a professional SMPTE
259M SDI output.
I used both 60 Hz and 72 Hz frame rates
to view DVD movies with the CRT projector.
I much preferred the 72 Hz frame rate
because of the smoother, judder-free
motion. The difference is clearly evident,
whether watching an object move within a
fixed frame or watching relative motion as acamera pans across a landscape. The slow
movement of spacecraft in the Star Wars
Trilogyillustrates the first case, and the long
camera pan across the village roofs in the
opening scene of Star Trek: Insurrection
demonstrates the latter situation. You may
be amazed how jerky film motion appears
at 60 Hz after you see the same motion at
72 Hz.
The iScan HD+ renders DVD movies
with a naturalness that approaches the
most desirable qualities of cinema, rather
than turning a film experience into video.
Beyond its ability to maintain the originalcadence of film movement, it also delivers
pristine image clarity without introducing
distracting scaling artifacts or harsh edges.
DVD transfers that have the most complex
detail and fine structure, such as The Fifth
Elementor Mission To Mars, retain excep-
tional resolution after scaling and dont
appear digitally embellished. If you prefer a
slightly crisper image, the component video
Sharpness control will enhance detail on
good film transfers without adding objec-
tionable edge outlining. However, it may
exacerbate outlining on poor transfers that
have excessive edge enhancement.
The extraordinary restoration of the StarWars Trilogylooks magnificent through the
iScan HD+, and nothing less than a CRT
projector will fully reveal all of the dark
detail on these exceptional transfers. Both
the digital video and YPbPr analog inputs
preserve the image depth and noiseless
near-black features within the Jawa
Sandcrawler that imprisons R2-D2 and C-
3PO on Tatooine. The excellent signal lin-
earity at the bottom of the gray scale also
clearly delineates the subtle dark features
of Darth Vader, even within the high contrast
interiors of the Death Star.
equipment Review
Widescreen Review Issue 93 February 20056 Page 5/6
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7/8
The opening scene of The Usual Suspects
also demonstrates the low noise and excel-
lent near-black linearity of the iScan HD+.
Shadow detail delineation is superb on both
the CRT projector and the high contrast
HD2+ DLP projector, without resorting to
unnatural gamma curves or artificially ele-vated black levels. This scene has good
image depth in near darkness and excep-
tional contrast that is accentuated by the
intensely bright flames. The excellent near-
black linearity and low noise of the iScan
HD+ is particularly evident on the 1 to 10
IRE, 10-step gray scale pattern from the
AccuPel generator.
Another quality that is important for cre-
ating the cinema experience is color accu-
racy. The iScan HD+ can perform virtually
perfect color decoding. Skin tones can be
natural, even in films with deeply saturated
color. Notting Hillis a fine example with a
brilliant, vivid color palette and an assort-ment of realistic flesh tones. Of course,
some DVD transfers are simply oversaturat-
ed, so its extremely valuable that this
processor includes a color saturation con-
trol for all sources.
I tested the new 1080i to 720p cross-
conversion feature of the iScan HD+ with D-
Theater movies and 1080i video broadcasts
from a DVI-equipped set-top box. I used the
DVI Input function to perform 1080i to 720p
conversion in the iScan HD+, or to bypass
the processor and pass the 1080i DVI sig-
nal to the DPX-1100. In the latter case, the
projector does its own 1080i to 720p con-
version. Both products interpolate individual
1080i fields into 720p frames, but the iScan
HD+ produced slightly sharper horizontal
and diagonal edges. The exceptional detail
of the house interiors in The Hauntingwas
just slightly better defined by the iScan HD+conversion. There was also a minor improve-
ment in the sharpness of lettering and
closely-spaced horizontal lines in X-Men, and
a little less line twitter as the camera moves
vertically across the slats of a park bench.
The iScan HD+ produced slightly more
banding on the Digital Video Essentials1080i
chroma ramp test patterns than the DPX-1100
cross-conversion, but I couldnt find an
example of this effect in a D-Theater movie.
There was even more detail in 1080i col-
lege football broadcasts on CBS. The pic-
ture definition was superb, even with cross-
conversion to 720p, and there were excep-
tionally few jaggies and very little line twitteras the cameras panned across the lines
and logos on the field. Although the iScan
HD+ provides only a marginal improvement
over the built-in conversion of the DPX-
1100, it should provide significantly better
picture quality than the scaling built into
some other fixed-pixel projectors and many
flat panel displays.
iScan HD+ Upgrades
Anchor Bay Technologies offers several
generous upgrade paths to the iScan HD+.
equipment Review
An iScan HD to iScan HD+ board level
upgrade is $399 from a DVDO Authorized
Service Depot, or a $750 trade-in credit is
available to iScan HD owners. There are
also trade-in credits available to owners of
several other DVDO video processors.
Summary
The DVDO iScan HD+ Video Processor
is an important upgrade of the iScan HD.
The addition of HDCP and high-definition
DVI scaling and processing makes it com-
patible with any DVI or HDMI output from a
DVD player, set-top box, or digital video
source. It upconverts standard-definition
video, scales digital high-definition video,
and provides unique pass-through capabili-
ties for high-definition analog video sources
It has seven analog video inputs, a DVI dig-
ital video input, and an optional SDI digital
video input. It provides analog and DVI digi-tal video outputs, with pre-configured and
user definable formats that will match the
native resolution of virtually any fixed-pixel
display. Its ability to provide judder-free 72
Hz video for DVD movies is an immensely
attractive feature for use with CRT front pro-
jectors. Finally, its four digital audio inputs
with user adjustable audio delay is an
extremely valuable solution to the lip-sync
problem that plagues many home theatres.
The DVDO iScan HD+ provides exceptional
performance and value.
www.WidescreenReview.com Issue 93 February 2005Page 6/6 7
Reprinted By
This review has been reprinted in its entirety from Issue 93, February 2005 of Widescreen Review, The Essential HomeTheatre Resource.
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