There's only one HDV set-top player available now, Avel LinkPlayer, and I own it. However there seems to be a problem:

While connected to my HDTV monitor via Component cable (using D4-to-Component dongle that came with the box), Avel LinkPlayer produces faded slanted lines crawling from upper right down to lower left corner of the monitor..

How do I get rid of those? My other Component sources do not do that on the same monitor, only LinkPlayer.

Also: it seems that in 720p mode the output is sharper (in both menu or video play view) than in 1080i mode. In 480p it is yet sharper than 720p. Is this a defect?

It is not file-dependent. The crawling lines are present in LinkPlayer's own *menu* as well. (Same in both disc menu and Setup menu.)

Interestingly, when a DVD disc is inserted, the player switches to the mode (480i? p?) without any crawling lines showing.

It seems to me that the unit has a defect - either manufacturing or engineering - that produces unstable sync in 720p or 1080i modes. Looks similar to a bad contact (I rocked the D4 connector to no avail) or radio interference.

I bought LinkPlayer to produce a high quality image on a HDTV display, but the crawling lines kill it.

<<<-- Originally posted by Alex Raskin : it seems that in 720p mode the output is sharper (in both menu or video play view) than in 1080i mode. In 480p it is yet sharper than 720p. Is this a defect? -->>>

Sorry, can't help on the other items, but regarding image sharpness: what display exactly (resolution, native scanning rate) are you connected to?

///d@

Dennis, the LinkPlayer is connected to HP L2335 HDTV monitor via Component. The monitor is 1920x1200 native.

Other HDV sources (like FX1) connected the same way to the same monitor never produce any crawling lines or any other image artifacts. The only offender is LinkPlayer.

I had a Sampo DVD player with a crawling line issue that sounds similar. The problem in my cases was grounding (or earthing or whatever the correct term is). The solution for me was was to disconnect the ground wire from the chassis of the player (i.e. the player I had came with a 3-pin rather than 2-pin mains plug, and I disabled the bottom pin).

Potentially illegal/dangerous perhaps, and maybe irrelevant to your problem , but just my 2 cents...

Graham, I had the same feeling, so I connected the player to a different electric outlet than the monitor. Same result though.

BTW, the player's power cord does not have a ground wire, it's 2-prong.

The faded slanted lines crawling from upper right down to lower left corner of the monitor are a consequence of poor shielding on the D4 to component dongle.

If you have a JVC HD1 or HD10, use its D4-component cable instead of the one that comes with the LinkPlayer2. The image is *much* cleaner. Neatly coil any excess cord and rubber band it. (Or get one from JVC if you don't, it's worth it. It also secures much more snugly in the D4 socket of the AVLP2)

On my monitor (a 720p native 50 inch Samsung DLP RPTV), the LinkPlayer2 produces the sharpest image outputting 1080i.

The other limitation in the case of using the AVLP2 with FX1, is that while the Sigma EM8620L processor supports upscaling to 1080i, the native support is only 720p.

So your poor 1080i may be partly the consequence of too many conversions, i.e. first being downconverted, then upconverted again by the scaler.

The menus are only 480p. You should select your output format as 1080i, Actual Size, Enable HD Browser Mode. Then compare sharpness of the videos while ignoring the menus. Again, in the video if not the menu, using the coiled JVC D4 component dongle the faded crawling diagonal lines will not be apparent.

Your best result might be author your file to WMV9 720p.

<<<-- Originally posted by Tom Roper : So your poor 1080i may be partly the consequence of too many conversions, i.e. first being downconverted, then upconverted again by the scaler. -->>>


One of my files is 1280x720p30, it looks precisely the same on TV as the other one which is 1080i.

<<The menus are only 480p.>>

Hmmm... then why, when I save a changed Component output (D4) resolution from 480p to 720p the menu itself gets slightly blurred, and then when I changed the output to 1080i it is yet more blurred?? Strange.

<<You should select your output format as 1080i [check.. either this or 720p with the same result] , Actual Size [check], Enable HD Browser Mode. >>

Enable HD seems to do 2 things:

1. Menues are displayed ih higher resolution. As a result, the text is smaller and harder to read - but you can now actually see the firmware data, which was otherwise outside of the screen's bottom boundary.

2. The videos seem to get stretched vertically in this mode to take up all of the vertical dimension of the screen! I did not like it - this obviously distorts the image...

As for the D4 dongle, I no longer have HD10 (just sold it together with its dongle :) but I do share your bad feeling about it. I'll look into its contsruction. It even wobbles in the D4 connector, which is never a good sign.

<i>If you have a JVC HD1 or HD10, use its D4-component cable instead of the one that comes with the LinkPlayer2. The image is *much* cleaner. Neatly coil any excess cord and rubber band it. (Or get one from JVC if you don't, it's worth it. It also secures much more snugly in the D4 socket of the AVLP2)
</i>


Does anyone know where one can purchase a D4 component cable online? I've googled quite a few places, but don't seem to come up with anything.....unless the D4 is the same as a VGA in, though that doesn't seem like the right one.