Thanks Peter.

In both of these cases I wasn't doing anything other than just watching. But maybe I was glaring too critically?

I have also had temporary stops, but those were when the file was on one of my external (USB) drives.

As  a matter of curiosity, how long is your connecting cable? From upstairs to down?

And do you (and others watching the TV with you) see a noticable difference in quality versus SD DVD?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

My Cat6 cable is 30metres long (I live in a palace).

If you mean do I see a difference in viewing the VOB from file versus playing the disc, I would say normally not but in view of my recent posts about my problems with burning a progressive disc, I would say night and day!

Peter

Hi  Peter,

Actually I meant the difference between watching (on TV)  the SD DVD disc versus the HD file via WDTV. I assume, that's  what you do, like me?

Terry, East Grinstead, UK 

Thats what I meant too Terry.

Thats what I meant too Terry.

Hi Peter,

What's puzzling me is your reference to a VOB file? I assume that's at 720x576 resolution (if you rendered or burned to SD DVD, not BluRay), not HD 1920x1080.

I'm comparing what I see when playing an SD DVD disc (720x576) in my DVD player and what I see when viewing an HD MP4 (1920x1080) via WDTV (and not seeing much difference).

I suspect the confusion is due to my technical deficiency, but can you spell it out again please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Okay.

If you burn a DVD and then explore its structure through My Computer in the Disc drive E: or whatever you will see the .VOB files that make up the video files on the disc. They can actually be renamed as .mpg and be played in Windows Media player. These same .VOB files are created in the C:/My Docs/Magix/MEPxxxx/disc image folder when you create / burn your DVD unless you choose another directory to encode in from the burn screen.

So what I was refering to was the difference between playing those VOB files recorded on the DVD compared to navigating with the WDTV player to those same (DVD SD .VOB files in the MEP Disc Temp folder and playing them from there.

I'm comparing what I see when playing an SD DVD disc (720x576) in my DVD player and what I see when viewing an HD MP4 (1920x1080) via WDTV (and not seeing much difference).

Are you sure your WDTV settings are letting it output full 1080 via the HDMI? I would think you would see quite a difference between camera original HD file and DVD SD!

Peter

So what I was refering to was the difference between playing those VOB files recorded on the DVD compared to navigating with the WDTV player to those same (DVD SD .VOB files in the MEP Disc Temp folder and playing them from there.

OK, that confirms that we were at cross purposes!

I'm comparing what I see when playing an SD DVD disc (720x576) in my DVD player and what I see when viewing an HD MP4 (1920x1080) via WDTV (and not seeing much difference).

Are you sure your WDTV settings are letting it output full 1080 via the HDMI?

I assume you mean some setting on my Panasonic TX-32LXD52 32" LCD 'HD Ready' TV rather than in the WDTV settings, where I see no reference to output resolution? Where did you specify this for your setup, Peter? I suspect I may be missing something basic here!

I would think you would see quite a difference between camera original HD file and DVD SD!

Me too, but in practice that doesn't seem the case!

Just to be 100% sure we're now singing from the same hymn sheet, returning to my original question:

Do you (and others watching the TV with you) see a noticable difference in quality versus SD DVD?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Hi Terry

to cover all bases - Yes I see a difference watching SD DVD files from my hard drive via the WDTV (better)  vs  SD DVD discs on my lounge room Toshiba DVD player. I see a much greater quality when viewing the same files in MPEG4 AVCHD via WDTV but these are 1080 50p files recorded at 30Mbps. You may not see so marked diference if you are viewing MPEG4's at 5Mbps.

Your TV should not require adjustment other than the normal Contrast brightness colour and sharpness adjustments. I run 50% sharpness on my 42" HD Ready Plasma. You need to check the WDTV is outputing a suitable resolution signal but I think the default is Auto which should sense the format of the file you are playing and possibly the maximum res that your TV is capable of,  probably 720p. You can check or force a resolution by powering on the WDTV - mine starts of at the Video icon where you start to navigate to your computer and files - if you use the up arrow you will come to a gear symbol which is the Settings area > Video/Audio Setting > HDMI output (Auto) -  If you enter here you will see a whole list of resolutions selectable right up to 1080 60p you can select one and it might say "your TV is not capable of the resolution but do you want to select it any way" and you can try it.

There is a manual available from the Western Digital web site also.

Peter

Hi Peter,

Thanks for that very helpful follow-up.

Yes I see a difference watching SD DVD files from my hard drive via the WDTV (better)  vs  SD DVD discs on my lounge room Toshiba DVD player.

I've never made such a comparison (I suppose I tacitly assumed they would be identical) but I will do so now. Mainly out of curiosity. The DVD disc has the advantage of a menu. Not a significant factor for you? Also, I don't recall ever having a good DVD randomly fail, whereas the WDTV does occasionally do so as discussed earlier.

I see a much greater quality when viewing the same files in MPEG4 AVCHD via WDTV but these are 1080 50p files recorded at 30Mbps. You may not see so marked diference if you are viewing MPEG4's at 5Mbps.

So, given my comments above, the major reasons for my using WDTV is twofold. Firstly to get higher quality viewing by playing the HD MP4s I make (as well the SD DVD discs). That's now debatable, as the difference seems so little at best.

And secondly the convenience of being able to view something on impulse from the lounge, without having to go upstairs to my DVD coillection.

I've now repeatedly played some sections of the USA 2012 video and I can just about detect some extra sharpness on the airport signs ('bag drop', etc) via WDTV versus playing the DVD disc. That was with an MP4 exported with my 'normal' settings.

And I then made several more:
1. Changed variable BR from 6000 to 12000
2. Changed from variable to constant BR, both 6000 and 12000
3. Changed 'B frames' from 0 to 1
4. Changed 'Frame Type' from 'Interlaced Fields' to Progressive.

I couldn't see any difference with any of them! All were as 'good' via WDTV as my original 'normal' settings, i.e. fractionally better than the DVD disc.

BTW, one side-issue I'm sure you'll be able to advise on. In this screenshot of my normal settings, this looks a bit odd:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/MEP2013-ExportSettings-Full.jpg
Are the two settings I've highlighted contradictory? Or two quite independent settings?

Your TV should not require adjustment other than the normal Contrast brightness colour and sharpness adjustments. I run 50% sharpness on my 42" HD Ready Plasma. You need to check the WDTV is outputing a suitable resolution signal but I think the default is Auto which should sense the format of the file you are playing and possibly the maximum res that your TV is capable of,  probably 720p.

Sometimes after power up I would see '720p' and sometimes '6 HDMI' but until this discussion I've never consciously focused on this. And yesterday during our discussion I had found the 'HDMI (Auto)' setting enabled but hadn't realised I could open it and specify a particular resolution.

You can check or force a resolution by powering on the WDTV - mine starts of at the Video icon where you start to navigate to your computer and files - if you use the up arrow you will come to a gear symbol which is the Settings area > Video/Audio Setting > HDMI output (Auto) -  If you enter here you will see a whole list of resolutions selectable right up to 1080 60p you can select one and it might say "your TV is not capable of the resolution but do you want to select it any way" and you can try it.

Following your treply I've now done so and changed it from  720 to 1080i. It didn't object. But I can't detect any difference in my viewing tests!

There is a manual available from the Western Digital web site also.

Yep, I have it thanks.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Hi Terry

I believe the DVD menus can be accessed from WDTV - try selecting the smaller VOB in the disc image folder.

Those encoder setting should say the same thing but I do notice that the first window is greyed out in that area. I do not know why that would be.

The change to 1080i would not be detectable because your telly is not Full HD capable.

Peter