Video upscaling

[time]

We frequently want to watch video at higher than native resolution, for example DVD at 1680x1050/1920x1080/1920x1200. Compared to an actual HD TV, I'm not satisfied with the results we're seeing.

My first choice of player is VLC, mainly because it's far less irritating to use than many others: launchable from right-click on file or folder, dragging the progress slider actually works, ability to skip huge amounts of crap at the start of DVDs, etc. Recent versions turn off deinterlacing by default; turning it back on is mandatory for full-screen viewing, but I have no idea what the different methods achieve.

Realizing that VLC can't use a Windows color profile, I went back to Media Player Classic - Home Theater and tried running it in fullscreen Direct3D mode etc, but I'm unconvinced that it's any better in practise.

I also tried SPlayer. The upscaling was far better, but the interface is worse than MPC.

I must be doing something wrong, surely all of these players can upscale well if you know how to configure them?

 

[LiamC]

I have used both VLC and MPC-HT, and tend to swap back and forth between them every few months. VLC I find easier, but MPC has more tweakability. Mostly, if the video plays using ffdshow, then right-clicking the ffdv icon will enable you to apply a whole heap of custom filters, which I can't find in VLC. I have had good success with MPC and it's (doing this from memory) scaling filter, de-interlacing (if necessary) and a couple of others which I'll mention after I get home. You do need to play around with one of the three, four or five de-interlacing methods, and I haven't found one that is superior to the others in all cases yet, I think I choose weave more often than not, but will need to check.

I actually find MPCs interface slightly easier to use than VLC. What are you playing it on. My HTPC is a E8400 with Radeon 5670, using DXVA and CPU utilisation barely gets into double digits.

 

[CougTek]

I have one or two of the old IBM AT keyboards from the 80's, but having to use an AT-to-PS/2 and then a PS/2-to-USB adapter is starting to be a pain in the ass. I agree they are hard to match for typing confort though.

 

[CougTek]

Sorry, I think (well, I'm quite sure) I posted this in the wrong thread.

 

[Stereodude]

What are you watching these things on? From your comment it sound like you're using a monitor. I suspect the key difference is the HDTVs sharpen the image and your monitor doesn't. Your video card is as good of scaler as what's in your TV. Recent Nvidia and ATI cards let you adjust the sharpness, noise reduction, color, etc of video that's being played back on your PC in the drivers. The software player should be largely irrelevant.

 

[MaxBurn]

My stereo and my last DVD players both had sage faroudja upscalers in them. I think those are pretty good at what they do.

 

[Santilli]

Hi
I'm not an expert by any means, but, I do reasonably well at this.

I'm using VLC right now, but, the original isn't good enough to go full screen.

I'm playing on a Vizio 37", at 1920 X 1080. When I play DVD's, I use Power DVD 10 Ultra.
That works the best with blurays by far.

I've used sharpen complex 2 with MPHC 64 and, the results are very good, better then the VLC.