Video Asylum

Posted by Jim Cate on February 01, 2006 at 17:37:57

Hi,

I'm getting a new front projection system which will include a 720x1280 Sanyo projector (Z4), and I will be using my existing HD Dish 6000 receiver and a DVD player. I would like to use this system for all TV modes, including watching programs in standard broadcast, and I need suggestions on how to get good reception on standard broadcast signals. In this case, because of the apparently poor scaler/deinterlacer performance of the Sanyo unit, I may have to provide the SB signals in 720p format if I expect to get good results on SBTV.

The Dish receiver includes an OTA module with which I can pick up local OTA digital signals, including HD, but not analog SB stations. Because some of the stations of interest in our area only broadcast in analog, I can't pick them up OTA through the DISH receiver. (Although some of the newer Dish receivers and HD-DVRs, including the new mpeg4 receivers, are able to receive both HD and STV, they apparently don't convert the STV signals to 720p.)

What's the best, moderately priced approach to getting good STV reception in progressive format? Some options may be: to get a new HD /SB tuner/receiver with internal scaling capacity; get a new Dish receiver that provides SB in interlaced mode, along with a scaler and processor for converting the signal to 720p; or to purchase the Dish package that includes local broadcasts (not OTA). I understand that Radio Shack is selling their 16-3499 Accuran HST 6000 receiver at a discount, but again, it apparently doesn't output the signals received from standard broadcast stations in progressive format.

Sounds like a simple issue, but I can't find a convenient solution. - Any suggestions?

Jim Cate