I'm awaiting with much anticipation the release of Naim's DVD5 scaler card as I have high hopes for it.

Does anyone Naim or non Naim know any further detail on this? Specification, price, release date etc...?

I asked a few weeks ago ...

I know and with no response..

Boo Naim, come on, need the info!!!

I just bought the 50" Panny plasma, and with cable box (regular cable) the picture is only adequate - although with the HD signal the picture is stunning. The scaler card might be enough to tempt me into trying out a DVD5. Otherwise, it's going to be an Arcam or a Linn Unidisk.

I don't know what a scaler card is, but I see that a "scaler module" will be introduced for the new n-Vi "next Spring". Any help?

Graham

quote:

Originally posted by SimonJ:
Does anyone Naim or non Naim know any further detail on this? Specification, price, release date etc...?

No - really - not yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Adam Meredith:

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Originally posted by SimonJ:
Does anyone Naim or non Naim know any further detail on this? Specification, price, release date etc...?

No - really - not yet.

Thanks, at least that is an answer.

I could have done the "by Christmas" one but I have to arrange the Christmas Party and am in denial.
And (all too apparently) the wrong post.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Adam Meredith,

Can anyone describe in general what this scaler module should be expected to accomplish, in general terms?

In other words, is the whole point to take a lower res signal (eg, 480p) and "convert" it into a higher res output (eg, 720p)? Won't the ultimate output still be limited by the original signal in some way?

Sorry, but I'm a bit of a neophyte when it comes to video. Any helpful web references also would be welcome.

quote:

Any helpful web references also would be welcome.

If you can get through the garish pages, this link may help.

AVS Forum Link

Thks Mark. This thread contains the simplest & best written treatise on what is a confusing topic for most of us. Quite disillusioning though to learn that innocent consumers like ourselves are victimized by greedy manufacturers who exploit our ignorance. I'm a DVD5 owner who have been interested in the DVD5 scaler card for some time. I'm actually quite satisfied with the existing picture from the DVD5 when playing DVDs even though I've learnt that it's all 480i. It's the abysmal picture of my satellite TV video output that's depressing. Thought that an external scaler or the DVD5 scaler card may solve this problem. But it doesn't look like it will be the panacea I'm looking for. Thks anyway for providing an illuminating link.
Chris

Any news on the Scaler card?

Have you not got your DVD5 set up to do 480p ?

Roy.

I don't think he's hasn't bought it yet!

Seriously, go and get a Sony DVD player with upscaling technology and HDMI connection. It costs around 200 dollars and tell me how better the DVD5 is for a lot more money and ask yourself if it is worth the waiting for the scaler card.

Why? I already have an iScan DVDO HD+ scaler!

quote:

Originally posted by Tuan:
get a Sony DVD player...

jeez, you're kidding right? I replaced my 2 y.o. Sony dvd with a 'mere' Arcam and the difference in sound and picture quality is huge. How you can think to compare it to a DVD5 is anyone's guess.

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Originally posted by John Sheridan:

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Originally posted by Tuan:
get a Sony DVD player...

jeez, you're kidding right? I replaced my 2 y.o. Sony dvd with a 'mere' Arcam and the difference in sound and picture quality is huge. How you can think to compare it to a DVD5 is anyone's guess.

A Sony now is way different than a Sony 2 years ago. Welcome to the modern age.

quote:

Originally posted by Tuan:
A Sony now is way different than a Sony 2 years ago. Welcome to the modern age.

Not the ones I've seen - cheap is still, well, cheap. I'll keep the arcam thanks, and if I'm lucky one day I'll have a dvd5 or its successor.

When I was buying a DVD player a year ago I tried to borrow a Sony, Sony Centres do not DO demos - or lend equipment. They obviously believe in faith!

When my DVD5 gave me issues with Naim and my dealers help I looked at a wide range of equipment from Meridian, Denon and Arcam amongst others. I did extended home demos of equipment ranging from 450 to 3000 pounds.

Was the Naim the best? No, I could construct arguments in favour of the top of the range Denon, Meridian and the Naim. What did I keep? The DVD5. In terms of PQ to my eyes it is marginal, but perhaps the Denon shades it. In terms of sound the DVD5 wins it by a mile - through my system which in mainly Naim.

I'm not saying that cheaper DVDs are bad, the diminishing law of returns still applies. But the DVD5 will be the last non-HiDef player I get; and I anticipate using it for many years.

I am very happy with my software upgraded DVD5, and the support I have got from my Dealer, Audio T, and Naim. I know the support I will get from Sony, the same I got grom Denon when 13 months after I bought a 600 pound player from them, when DVD first started - zilch. You get what you pay for.

Martin.

The DVS5 is a good [or even an excellent] player so are the rest of Naim products that meet the intent of their design parameters. The problems are:
- Price.
- 2-3 years old techchnology [no upscaling for high definition TV].

Now if we look at those "cheap" products from Sony, Sharp, Yamaha, Denon, etc. They are NOT well built compared to products from Naim BUT the recent models offer:

- 20 time less the price.
- NEW technology such as built-in sound decoding, upscaling for high definition TVs, Cine-motion, etc.

These products, thanks to the new technology offer good and even sometime better image quality. Call them 'cheap' if you must, willing to pay 20 times more if you like, but at the end of the day it comes down to your saving [after tax money] and the product performance: Nothing beat the 'cheap' DVD player with upscaling technology and HDMI connection.

quote:

Originally posted by Tuan:These products, thanks to the new technology offer good and even sometime better image quality. Call them 'cheap' if you must, willing to pay 20 times more if you like, but at the end of the day it comes down to your saving [after tax money] and the product performance: Nothing beat the 'cheap' DVD player with upscaling technology and HDMI connection.

You haven't seen the image delivered by a DVD5 ?
I also own a Sony DVD Recorder, and this is crap over the DVD5, wrong colors, front/back image, flat motion in the background, no moving details and the list is very very long. I watch 4/3 recorded DVDs on the DVD5 and they are better than the original (well to be fair, I have to say that I am connected in VGA) and each time I watch a 16/9 recorded DVD with the Sony I am stunned by the poor £50 tuner sound it delivers via its coax. output. Where is the depth ? Nowhere, flat it is, flat it stays.
By the way, my DVD5 replaced a PCHT, it is just slightly better in the last levels of the background and I found it offers more successive layers in the image and more details. The image in VGA had some "numeric" effect with the PCHT while it is very natural with the DVD5.

Is the scaling card still for spring ? I guess no official price is available ?

Karyboue

The image quality is 'stunning' with SONY upscaling, HDMI interface, DVD players and the SONY LCD BRAVIA KDL-V40XBR1 MODEL year 2005 (both released in October - December). That is the kind of technology of the day, NOT your old Sony with analogue connections.

Will the scaling card only upscale to 720 and 1080 Or will we have access to other resolutions to stick to the various native matrix of our displays/projectors such as for exemple 800x600, 1024x768 and others ?

If you read between the line in the Adams' FAQ,
It suggests it will do special resolutions.

It will need to be flexible enough to be able to do pretty much any resolution at any frequency to be of any use with many plasmas and projectors, as they all tend to have their own 'special' resolution and frequency preferences.

quote:

Originally posted by Manu:
If you read between the line in the Adams' FAQ,
It suggests it will do special resolutions.

Thanks, but that's really between the lines ... but I can also dream of a 75hz frequency

And in the n-Vi specs, they say:
'pixel for pixel’ compatibility with digital display device.

FYI, Adams, "pixel for pixel" is a trademark of Runco International.

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but I can also dream of a 75hz frequency

Why do you need 75Hz ?

Allan

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Originally posted by Allan Probin:

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but I can also dream of a 75hz frequency

Why do you need 75Hz ?

Allan

Because my tv can't take 50hz frequency in RGBHV so for the moment I am in 60hz, watching Pal DVDs in NTSC mode. It really works but it is not as fluid as in 50hz and with my previous PCHT I had noticed that 75hz was more fluid than 60hz.