>One thing I've never understood about upscaling is why you'd want it. >I mean, most monitors already do this for you automatically. Plus, >upscaling a dvd from SD to HD would be similar to taking a 640x480 jpg >and resizing it to 1024x768. No matter what algorithm you use, it's >never as good as having a 1024x768 picture to begin with. You're >essentially creating pixels from a best guess situation.
True - but there are reasons that you might want to do this. While most monitors do "upscale" they rarely do it well. Often they do nothing more than pixel doubling or block multiplication. LCDs, epecially, tend to look really poor unless you can serve them their native resolution. While it's true that upscaling has to create pixels the result can be much better in video than in still pictures (such as your JPG example). Even if the image is "filled in" having 3 times the scan lines can result in a "crisper" more responsive looking picture even if any particular frame of that video might itself look worse. The best upscalers work across several frames at once which dramtically improves their ability to create the new information. Of course you are right: it's not as good (and never will be as good) as having a true HD source. But then again nobody (sane) is saying that it is. It's a stopgap: a way to eke a little bit more out of your old content on your new display. It's really a matter of preference in the end. Just like other visual tricks some people are affected more than others. Many people, for example, think that "jaggy" graphics look better than anti-aliased graphics (which they find "blurry") while others consider anti-aliasing to be the savior of quality on low-res displays. Some people LOVE upscaling and will spend significantly for the best upscaling players. They claim that picture moves more smoothly, is sharper and more vibrant. Other people say that it's blurry and colors look off. Of course they're both right. Personally I can't see any different at all on my TV (an older HD TV than only does 480i/p and 1080i). PS2 games and home movies (the only DVDs that will upscale over component) look exactly the same to me. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Create Web Applications With ColdFusion MX7 & Flex 2. Build powerful, scalable RIAs. Free Trial http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion/flex2/?sdid=RVJS Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:235464 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
