Since the display manufacturer had no idea what kind of sources (or which of their settings) you were going to throw at it, they had no choice but to put some kind of scaling processor on the front end of the video input, translating all incoming signals to a vertical resolution of 768 and a horizontal resolution of 1366.
Further, no fixed-pixel display device can display an interlaced signal. The industry only got away with that with CRTs because the manufacturer could count on the combined persistence of human eyes and the phosphors in the tube to “trick” viewers into thinking “fast flickering” 240-line images actually looked like relatively smooth 480-line pictures (Note: “line doubling” has always been an incorrect term for de-interlacing.)
In short, every fixed-pixel display device must have some form of de-interlacer built in.
In this ultra-competitive world of consumer electronics, dealers and consumers alike can pretty much count on getting what they pay for.
So, what sort of video processing “chipset” comes with the $799 big-box Acme HD-1 panel? After all, it’s unlikely that the whole processing chipset (even with the amortized engineering that went into it) cost more than the foam and cardboard packaging that protected the screen.
Today, the market sees 60-, 63-, 65-, 67-, 70- and 72-inch diagonal screens on a regular basis. Video artifacts that would never be seen on a 27-inch Magnavox will now scream at end-users from their 73-inch Mitsubishi screens.
When consumers come to CE pros, saying, “Boy, that HD looks terrific, but the other channels look worse,” today’s professional might deliver one of three approaches:
- Some will launch into a lecture, pointing out that all content providers would rather MPEG compress “QVC” to a bit-rate of 150 Mbps per fortnight in favor of giving the customer more pay-per-view channels.
- Some dealers will calmly say, “Just wait a year or so when all broadcasts will be in HD anyway.
- The savvy integrator will attempt to step up an add-on sale by recommending some form of outboard video processing.
Secondary Benefits
Going to an outboard box for video processing can have several side benefits.
First, outboard video processors make terrific switchers. Unlike even some expensive receivers, most have three or four HDMI inputs and most all will transcode—that is, they can take “S” in, for example, and send it out in digital format.
Most also switch audio as well. Some have lip sync time delay capabilities, too.
So, while the best processors may carry a $3,000 or $4,000 premium, they can offer a lot by doing double duty, supplying the sophistication otherwise required with the receiver or pre/pro.
There are even some products, like DVDO’s VP50-Pro, which act as switchers and have the ability to “re-de-interlace.” In other words, they will accept progressively scanned video, take it apart and deinterlace it properly, with their more effective algorithms.
As some set-top boxes can only send out a progressive signal, this can be a real plus. At least three manufacturers (DVDO, Lumagen and Key Digital) have ISFccc modes, which means calibrated settings for day and night viewing can be locked.
Undeniably, HDTV has changed the standards of the CE client. CE pros can differentiate themselves and their companies by including processor services.
Finally, don’t be intimidated by the setup. There are many menu choices on these boxes, but that’s a good thing. Basically, these menus ensure they will work in any situation you encounter.
Manufacturers, like DVDO and others, offer excellent tutorials and phone support—and they don’t like returns either.
The main thing to remember, however, is that video processors tend to offer installers higher margins than the very products the processors are “saving.”
Terry J. Paullin formed Front Row Cinema in 1994 to design, build and calibrate home theaters. He is a consultant for the Imaging Science Foundation.
DBox has been in the market for so long and yet many home theater enthusiasts do not know what is that last dimension that they are missing. 
