sorry i am ghetto but what the heck is progressive scan DVD?

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
progressive scan updates the screen every refresh...normal video is interlaced, it only updates every other line each refresh. Progressive scan is better, but if your TV doesn't support it it doesn't make a difference.

My explanation may not be completely right, but its close enough.
 

helpme

Diamond Member
Feb 6, 2000
3,090
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Regular DVD = Interlaced standard TV style. Every other line is updated each 1/60 of a second.

Progressive DVD = Non-Interlaced Computer Monitor Style display. Each line is updated ever 1/60 of a second. Requires a TV capable of Progressive (non-interlaced display) and DVD player capable of the same.

Progressive looks better because there are twice as many lines per 1/60 seconds than regular DVDs.
 

gregshin

Diamond Member
Jul 13, 2000
3,273
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i see...so are there non-HDTV's that have progessive scan technology available? or is it mainly a HDTV thing?
 

BlamoHammer

Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2002
2,259
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You have to have a HDTV to take advantage of a Progressive Scan DVD player. Otherwise your TV is only capable of playign the standard DVD quality. But DAAAAMN Progressive + HDTV looks good. I liken it to the jump from VHS to DVD.
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Originally posted by: helpme
Regular DVD = Interlaced standard TV style. Every other line is updated each 1/60 of a second.

Progressive DVD = Non-Interlaced Computer Monitor Style display. Each line is updated ever 1/60 of a second. Requires a TV capable of Progressive (non-interlaced display) and DVD player capable of the same.

Progressive looks better because there are twice as many lines per 1/60 seconds than regular DVDs.

Exactly. And as PCH0 said, progressive scan DVD + HDTV capable TV = pure bliss. The difference IS THAT noticeable. I recently bought a prog scan DVD player (my old non-prog DVD was crapping out). However my TV is not prog scan capable. My TV doesn't even have component inputs. :(

But when I do get a new TV it will be HDTV/prog capable.

Anybody got $2K to lend me?
 

kherman

Golden Member
Jul 21, 2002
1,511
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Progrssive scan is better. Yes you need an HDTV that supports it.

Progressive Scan = draw line 1,2,3,4 ... 99,100
Interlaced = draw line 1,3,5 ... ,97,99 then draw 2,4,6,8 ... 98,100

That's the basic difference in how it actually works.

Not sure why this is bettter in theory(or in reality for that matter). Progressive is better though.

Without HDTV, you'll never know the difference.
 

NogginBoink

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
5,322
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It's better for good reason.

Consider a scene where an object is moving horizontally across the frame.

During the draw of the first field of an interlaced frame, the odd scan lines show the object in a certain horizontal position.

During the draw of the second field of the interlaced frame 1/60th of a second later, the even scan lines are drawn. But the object has moved in that 60th of a second, so the vertical edges look fuzzy because half the scan lines have the object at one position, the other half show the object at the second position.

There is definitely a quality difference. Progressive scan DVD players are dirt cheap; there's no reason to get a DVD player that doesn't support progressive scan output.

The display must also support progressive scan. Though progressive scan and HDTV are unrelated, typically only sets that are "HDTV ready" can, in practice, display a progressive scan image.
 

ATLien247

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2000
4,597
0
0
And to confound things even more:

If you get an HDTV that has a quality line-doubler, then you might find that you don't even need a PS DVD player...