VPS3300 upgradability ?

[jacko]

I am still wondering which Crystalio 2 will be my next scaler.

As a matter of fact it seems to me that the VPS3300 got it all already, but the VPS3800 gets more.

Will it be possible to upgrade a VPS3300 which some VPS3800 features ?

Lets say add the precision clock ? Change the SD-SDI by HD-SDI ?
The idea would be not to spend too much bucks and do only needfull upgrades.

Or could it be possible to get a VPS3800 whitout the HDD and mediacenter functions, I don't need that, but I would like all the others extra.

And for both are they hardware upgradable and futurproof ?
I was convinced the Crystalio 1 could be totaly upgradable according to the way it is built, I understand that it was necessary to change all the hardware to go to Crystalio 2, but concidering the price of the VPS3xxx it would be fair to get harware upgrade and keep it up to date for more than 2 or 3 years.

Also, is it sure that HD-DVD / BRD can be HD-SDI modified ? (I guess only the work of tweakers will give an answer to this one).

[DV-Depot]

Also, is it sure that HD-DVD / BRD can be HD-SDI modified ? (I guess only the work of tweakers will give an answer to this one).

What would we gain by modifying existing HDMI to HD SDI? assuming of course HDMI on Blu ray already outputs digitally at 1080P?

[Jason]

What would we gain by modifying existing HDMI to HD SDI? assuming of course HDMI on Blu ray already outputs digitally at 1080P?

Because we are not sure whether the HDMI video output is "pure". Pure means that there is NO video pre-processing done on it, say sharpness, video level adjustment, color space conversion, and even deinterlacing, etc. Any pre-processing on the video is no good to an outstanding video processor such as Crystalio II, because the video processor is doing a better job in those area.

That is the same reason why SDI output is better than HDMI output of a DVD player. 1080p HDMI output is definitely not as good as SDI output, if the video is fed to a good video processor.

Jason

[Atman]

Sorry, VPS3300 and VPS3800 are not modular design, even the cases are different. So it is not technically possible to upgrade from VPS3300 to VPS3800.

[DV-Depot]

Thanks for the explanation Jason..

Now let's hope PMS will sell an affordable HD-SDI modded Blu ray player..;)

[jacko]

Sorry, VPS3300 and VPS3800 are not modular design, even the cases are different. So it is not technically possible to upgrade from VPS3300 to VPS3800.


OK, but then could it be possible to get a VPS3800 without Mediacenter hardware ?

[Atman]

OK, but then could it be possible to get a VPS3800 without Mediacenter hardware ?
Sorry, we have no plan to release a VPS3800 without the media player hardware. Currently we already have 4 (VPS3300/3800, silver and black front panels) models and it is a logistic issue to add more models.

[gorman]

Sorry, we have no plan to release a VPS3800 without the media player hardware. Currently we already have 4 (VPS3300/3800, silver and black front panels) models and it is a logistic issue to add more models.Ok but, as an aftermarket mod for later adoption, do you think at least HD-SDI might be added to the 3300?

Furthermore, does HD-SDI carry HDCP protected contet?

[madshi]

HD-SDI does not carry HDCP. It doesn't need to. If you have a HD-SDI sources, there simply is no copy protection on it.

[gorman]

Which begs the question... where are HD-SDI sources?

[madshi]

There are no native HD-SDI consumer sources. However, PixelMagic is reportedly working on a HD-SDI mod kit for HD receivers and HD-DVD/BluRay players.

[soiaf]

An example of a HD-SDI device would be the Canon XL H1 camcorder, with the 'professional jackpack' having an HD-SDI output.

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=165&modelid=12152

Of course this does mean you have to provide your own 'source' material :D

[gorman]

Thanks for clarifying, so does PMS think an HD-SDI upgrade for the 3300 will be possible?

[Atman]

Thanks for clarifying, so does PMS think an HD-SDI upgrade for the 3300 will be possible?
I don't think so. Moreover, we don't encourage users to try to modify the 3300 as it is risky.

[gorman]

I don't think so. Moreover, we don't encourage users to try to modify the 3300 as it is risky.I was thinking about an officially sanctioned upgrade, as other companies have for their products.

[DV-Depot]

I was thinking about an officially sanctioned upgrade, as other companies have for their products.

By the time you add an HD-SDI mod to the 3300, you might as well just get the 3800, knowing it was designed for it from the start..

[gorman]

By the time you add an HD-SDI mod to the 3300, you might as well just get the 3800, knowing it was designed for it from the start..What the heck!? 3800 has got a whole lot of media center functions I'm not interested in and it costs a lot more than what an HD-SDI input would reasonably cost. Why should I spend more money for something I don't have need for?
HD-SDI I could maybe use (even though it's *really* unclear at this point what could output hi-res unprotected signals without violating HDCP contracts), media center not.
Why should I be forced to pay for what I don't need? That's life, and I suck it up, but at least don't try and make it look as it is logical. Lumagen have got upgrade paths for SD-SDI on their scalers, this is why I was asking.

[madshi]

it costs a lot more than what an HD-SDI input would reasonably cost.
You do know that the Vantage-HD upgrade kit for HD-SDI costs about 1000 USD? And I think that's just one HD-SDI input (or maybe 2, not 100% sure).

[DV-Depot]

What the heck!? 3800 has got a whole lot of media center functions I'm not interested in and it costs a lot more than what an HD-SDI input would reasonably cost. Why should I spend more money for something I don't have need for?
HD-SDI I could maybe use (even though it's *really* unclear at this point what could output hi-res unprotected signals without violating HDCP contracts), media center not.
Why should I be forced to pay for what I don't need? That's life, and I suck it up, but at least don't try and make it look as it is logical. Lumagen have got upgrade paths for SD-SDI on their scalers, this is why I was asking.


Hey I'm on your side..:)

I have no use for the media box stuff either..

They really should have had just the one new scaler complete with HD-SDI and leave the media box stuff as external..

I'm not even convinced HD-SDI offers any "real" value over HDMI once you calibrate both the Bluray player and your display..

If PMS were to sell a HD-SDI modded bluray player, I'd buy one just in case there is some benefit, but if they don't and I buy a bluray player, then I won't bother with the 3800, as I have no intention of monkeying around with an expensive bluray player..

[jacko]

Same here guys !
I would love a 3300 with HD-SDI and precision clock ! But I really don't care about any mediacenter fonctions !
I spoke about this with some other French VPS2300 owners and they all think the same as we do !

Why not propose a VPS3800 without media center fonctions and 500$ less (just an example) ?

[gorman]

You do know that the Vantage-HD upgrade kit for HD-SDI costs about 1000 USD? And I think that's just one HD-SDI input (or maybe 2, not 100% sure).Well... everybody can try to... a latest-gen cutting edge videocard with 512 MB of RAM doesn't cost that much money. For just an input upgrade I call it truly excessive (to be kind...).
In any case, we haven't heard anything about costs from PMS. For that matter, we are still not sure if HD-SDI will be useful for consumer sources (HD-DVD or Blueray).

[jacko]

Well... everybody can try to... a latest-gen cutting edge videocard with 512 MB of RAM doesn't cost that much money. For just an input upgrade I call it truly excessive (to be kind...).
In any case, we haven't heard anything about costs from PMS. For that matter, we are still not sure if HD-SDI will be useful for consumer sources (HD-DVD or Blueray).


True ! Even if HDMI is not the best solution as HD-SDI propose none processed video and HDMI doesn't, it insure all HD format compatibility. So HDMI should do fine ! (hoping future HDMI1.3 on HD-DVD and BRD players will still be compatible with the curent CII HDMI inputs).