[Atlplasma]

I'm putting together my first big-screen home theater--and doing it on the cheap. A few weeks ago I purchased jarcher's used but very nice JVC RS-1. I really like the picture but have read that an external video scaler can make a significant different.

One truly ancient discussion thread included suggestions for adding a Lumagen HDP or HDQ scaler. These are really old units at this point. I did notice quite a few DVDO iScan VP30 units on fleabay for around $200. What thinks the circle? Should I going for a scaler or leave well enough alone?

One FYI, I did opt for a low-cost 2.35:1 screen. It's 120 inches (a bit large) and gray (oops at order time). 

[kingdeezie]

It depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go.

An external scaler, which I am going to assume you would also use for CMS, would likely be an improvement.

However, to reap the benefits of something like a lumagen, you are going to need to professional calibrate the projector with the scaler in the chain. To do that on your own, you are going to need a colorimeter and computer software to dial in the correct colors, gray scale, and gamma.

I have a little newer (but still old) JVC, the RS40. The biggest problem with these front projectors is calibration. In order to even attempt to match the PQ of a good plasma TV, you need to be able to independently calibrate the projector.

With a TV, you can usually look up CNET's (or like website) calibration numbers, and get a good to great picture. The problem with a projector is, is that every environmental factor in one's room (projection screen, room color, ambient lighting) effects the picture, and so every projector needs an in room calibration (again and again as the bulb ages since all bulbs are different)

  PITA as they say....

But 100+ inch screen is pretty awesome....

[LadyDog]

I'd pursue an Oppo w/Darbee first.  Might be above budget though unless found one used.

[Big Red Machine]

Scalers are great if you have the patience and skillset.  Tweaking the remote control on the Darbee Oppo is much quicker and easier for us non-videophiles.

[Atlplasma]

I'd pursue an Oppo w/Darbee first.  Might be above budget though unless found one used.

I have an Oppo 93 but know nothing about Darbee.

[Phil A]

I have an Oppo 93 but know nothing about Darbee.

Darbee makes a video processor (http://www.soundandvision.com/content/darbee-visual-presence-darblet-video-enhancer).  The Oppo 103Ds and 105Ds have the 'D' for the built in Darby Processor (I have two 103Ds, a 93, a modded 83 and an old DV980H)

[Atlplasma]

It depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go.

An external scaler, which I am going to assume you would also use for CMS, would likely be an improvement.

However, to reap the benefits of something like a lumagen, you are going to need to professional calibrate the projector with the scaler in the chain. To do that on your own, you are going to need a colorimeter and computer software to dial in the correct colors, gray scale, and gamma.

I have a little newer (but still old) JVC, the RS40. The biggest problem with these front projectors is calibration. In order to even attempt to match the PQ of a good plasma TV, you need to be able to independently calibrate the projector.

With a TV, you can usually look up CNET's (or like website) calibration numbers, and get a good to great picture. The problem with a projector is, is that every environmental factor in one's room (projection screen, room color, ambient lighting) effects the picture, and so every projector needs an in room calibration (again and again as the bulb ages since all bulbs are different)

  PITA as they say....

But 100+ inch screen is pretty awesome....

The owner posts online suggest the user CMS on the RS-1 is fairly basic. The controls are similar to what I have on my Pioneer plasma, which delivers a great picture even at 720P. But as you noted, it's easy to go online and find setting that work across the board.

Thanks for the reality check. That's the kind of feedback I was hoping for since I'm not sure about having the time or energy to become a calibration expert. 

[Atlplasma]

Darbee makes a video processor (http://www.soundandvision.com/content/darbee-visual-presence-darblet-video-enhancer).  The Oppo 103Ds and 105Ds have the 'D' for the built in Darby Processor (I have two 103Ds, a 93, a modded 83 and an old DV980H)

Thanks. I should have gone to the Oppo site before posting. What's your feedback on the D models. You must like the picture sharpening since you have two units with the Darblet feature. (I've owned the 83 and DV980 as well. Oppo players are the best.)

[Phil A]

Thanks. I should have gone to the Oppo site before posting. What's your feedback on the D models. You must like the picture sharpening since you have two units with the Darblet feature. (I've owned the 83 and DV980 as well. Oppo players are the best.)

I definitely like it and for me it is worth the $100 difference.  I use one in the main system and one in a back-up system.  Would not of course call it a night and day difference (vs. comparing a cheap Blu-Ray player), but it adds nice depth.  I have the BDP-93 in the master bedroom system on a motorized pull down 92 inch screen with an Epson 8350 projector and it looks really nice.  I only put the 93 in the bedroom as the master bedroom system feeds the outdoor speakers and I audio/video connections wired outside, and, since the BDP-93 has composite out, I hook-up an old small monitor and can view what is playing on the hard drive.

I downloaded the Oppo Media Control App (on my iPhone 5) for the one BDP-103D in a spare system and it connected to the network and it worked beautifully (reading the files on the hard drive) and I sent an e-mail to Oppo to ask if they had a similar thing for the BDP-93/95 and they replied an hour later (great customer service) that they did for Android and don't intend to devote the resources to develop one for IOS so I bought a $79 Andriod tablet at Sam's Club and it works wonderfully.  So I don't really need the monitor outside at this point.  I actually can't wait for Oppo to have the next generation ready (probably a year from now) and then I'll be left with the dilemma as which player to move upstairs for the bonus/guest room (have a Sony Blu-Ray player and a Marantz DV9600 up there now).  I like the 103D in the spare system as I have some multi-channel DSD files on the attached hard drive. So I may wait until I upgrade the main system before moving the other 103D to the bedroom and then I may move my modded BDP-83 (which is a better player in modded version to the Marantz DV9600) to the bonus/guest room.

[Atlplasma]

I definitely like it and for me it is worth the $100 difference.  I use one in the main system and one in a back-up system.  Would not of course call it a night and day difference (vs. comparing a cheap Blu-Ray player), but it adds nice depth.  I have the BDP-93 in the master bedroom system on a motorized pull down 92 inch screen with an Epson 8350 projector and it looks really nice.  I only put the 93 in the bedroom as the master bedroom system feeds the outdoor speakers and I audio/video connections wired outside, and, since the BDP-93 has composite out, I hook-up an old small monitor and can view what is playing on the hard drive.

I downloaded the Oppo Media Control App (on my iPhone 5) for the one BDP-103D in a spare system and it connected to the network and it worked beautifully (reading the files on the hard drive) and I sent an e-mail to Oppo to ask if they had a similar thing for the BDP-93/95 and they replied an hour later (great customer service) that they did for Android and don't intend to devote the resources to develop one for IOS so I bought a $79 Andriod tablet at Sam's Club and it works wonderfully.  So I don't really need the monitor outside at this point.  I actually can't wait for Oppo to have the next generation ready (probably a year from now) and then I'll be left with the dilemma as which player to move upstairs for the bonus/guest room (have a Sony Blu-Ray player and a Marantz DV9600 up there now).  I like the 103D in the spare system as I have some multi-channel DSD files on the attached hard drive. So I may wait until I upgrade the main system before moving the other 103D to the bedroom and then I may move my modded BDP-83 (which is a better player in modded version to the Marantz DV9600) to the bonus/guest room.

It sounds like I should at least try an external Darblet with my projector. And the next time my wife says I have too many electronics, I'll be sure to pull up your post.

[Phil A]

It sounds like I should at least try an external Darblet with my projector. And the next time my wife says I have too many electronics, I'll be sure to pull up your post.

No problem.  I'm happy to take the blame   And if she thinks you're obsessive then pull up this post with the pictures of my systems (and it does not include the office system or the garage speakers fed by a spare system)

[Phil A]

It sounds like I should at least try an external Darblet with my projector. And the next time my wife says I have too many electronics, I'll be sure to pull up your post.

PS - if your wife still complains about the above, tell her she'll need to visit me for a bit and spend a couple of hours a day listening to one of the systems and giving me feedback on the differences and if the feedback isn't good enough she will just have to start over.   

[Bob in St. Louis]

You're my kinda lunatic, Phil. 

[Atlplasma]

PS - if your wife still complains about the above, tell her she'll need to visit me for a bit and spend a couple of hours a day listening to one of the systems and giving me feedback on the differences and if the feedback isn't good enough she will just have to start over.   

Looking at this from a cost perspective, it might make more sense for me to sell my BDP-93 and purchase a BDP-103D. What do you think Phil? Is there a reason I should hold on to my 93 model and add a standalone Darblet?

[Phil A]

Looking at this from a cost perspective, it might make more sense for me to sell my BDP-93 and purchase a BDP-103D. What do you think Phil? Is there a reason I should hold on to my 93 model and add a standalone Darblet?

The Darblet is $200 on Amazon, give or take.  So if you sell your Oppo or around $300, give or take (a guess on my part of what it is worth), you will have for fork up around half (or a little less or more), give or take of what the Darblet will cost you.  So to sum it up I see it as basically all pros to get the 103D for the following reasons:

1) cheaper than buying a stand alone Darblet
2) one box vs. two (and the 103D has HDMI inputs too)
3) the 103D can handle more types of audio files (I have DSD two channel and DSD multi-channel on a drive in the secondary system (don't need it in the main system as I have a music server and DAC)

[Peter J]

Forgive my deviation from your post Atlplasma.

I had to Google Darblet to get up to speed here...never heard of it prior to this.

 Years ago, I installed a DVDO Edge to accommodate a non HDMI processor. Even with everything now HDMI capable it remains in the system, mostly because I figured it scaled better that what was inside the Integra processor or cheapo Blu Ray player. I should add this is not a projector system, currently 64" plasma.

Judging from the info on their website, this would appear to almost be a no-brainer for the money spent. A question for those with experience, is it all that? Could I just insert a Darblet in the HDMI cable to display and (apparent) magic happens?

[Phil A]

I had an Integra processor (DTC 9.8 ) in my old main system at the same time as I had my modded BDP-83 in it and I also tried the BDP-93.  Can't vouch for all Integra processors but either the BDP-83 or BDP-93 was better for video than what what built into the processor so it was just used as a pass through.  I also had the BDP-93 in my old basement system with a Onkyo TX-NR1008 (which I bought as a refurb  as I was really impressed with the DTC 9.8 on surround sound for movies and I got the Integra used and I have the TX-NR1008 in the main system now) and again the video processing in my opinion was not as good as the BDP-93.

If you live near to one of Best Buy's Magnolia Design Centers (not a regular Magnolia), they carry Oppo and you can A/B Darby in vs Darby out.  Keep in mind that too much of something can be a detriment.  Reviews I've seen recommend setting the Darby at no more than 35%).  I also can't say that sticking in a cheapo Blu-Ray player will have the same impact as having an Oppo.  Many moons ago I owned a Proceed PMDT DVD Transport with the PVP card (which was essentially the same as an early DVDO and a $1.5k option back then) and it could not change a mediocre signal running through it.  I had someone bring over their expensive $2.6kish Pioneer LD player (which was still made at the time) and put on "The Phantom Menace" on LD (which is among the best LD transfers) and it still was not as good as the so-so DVD transfer of the movie through the PMDT.  So my point is that if you start with so-so or garbage quality as an image, I'm not sure that a Darblet is the answer vs. buying a used Oppo without it.

[youravhandyman]

I have a Lumagen Radiance XS-3D video processor for sale that has been used in my mancave system for a while now.  If anyone is curious you can shoot me a private message.  Needless to say, it is not as inexpensive as a Darblette.  The new models of Lumagen processors have the Darbee technology built in but is not a budget item.

Matt