[photo-3d] Re: DVD Progressive

[Mark Boszko <mboszko@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ron,

Most DVDs are, indeed, from films, which are by nature, progressive, but
there are some things that originate in interlaced video that end up on the
disc that way, like some "behind the scenes" programs that may have come
from HBO, or a corporate presentation (or most "adult" material)... things
like that. Films, as I mentioned, *are* encoded progressive.

The extra cost of a progressive player stems from two things:

1.) The fact that at the moment, progressive decoding chips are in less
demand, and as the chips are newer, it will take them a while before larger
public need (for viewing on progressive displays) drives the price down;
and...

2.) The progressive decoder actually (at least as it stands now) has to do a
bit more work, since there are a *lot* of different standards for
progressive display that it has to be capable of accomodating. It's not just
NTSC or PAL, but about 8 different possible formats, not counting having
either analogue or digital outputs from the player. Digital TV standards are
a nightmare. It's a wonder they're even offering progressive players at this
point at all.

On your third point, I might point out that a well-designed computer-based
player will do just that-- play progressive if it's encoded that way on the
disc. The Apple DVD Player for Mac works that way, to my knowledge.

Mark "Bob" Boszko
     Fanatical Mac User Since 1986
     mboszko@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
______________
Station in the Metro
     http://www.stationinthemetro.com
Lookit/Instense Films
     http://www.lookit-intense.com





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