ADS Technologies HDUP1500 HDTV Upconverter

by ADS Tech

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00009XSYZ
• Item model number: HDUP1500
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #75 in Electronics > Televisions & Video > Analog-to-Digital (DTV) Converters
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Whether you're already set up with an integrated high-definition television or have yet to hook up a DTV receiver with your HD-ready monitor or TV, the simple fact is you'll still be watching standard-resolution video from any number of sources, including DVD players, cable boxes, VCRs, video-game consoles, camcorders, and satellite receivers. The HDTV Upconverter from ADS Technologies (model HDUP1500) was designed to address these very sources, enhancing not only 480i but 480p (progressive-scan) sources as well.

The device automatically converts your standard- and enhanced-definition (SD and EDTV) video signals to high-definition 720p, 1080i, and other user-selectable resolutions. The Upconverter even includes an analog cable-ready NTSC TV tuner so you can add TV tuning capabilities to plasma, LCD, and projectors that don't include a TV tuner.

Another of the Upconverter's primary functions is audio/video switching. You can connect up to nine AV sources and easily switch from one video source to another while you watch. Inputs consist of three each composite-video, S-video, SD/HD component-video (480i, 480p, 720p, or 1080i), and a single RF input for a cable box or VCR. A single HD component-video cable (Y Pr Pb) connects the UpConverter to your TV.

CinemaView picture enhancements include 3D noise reduction, sharpening, an adaptive four-line comb filter, 9-bit A to D conversion (2x oversampled), 10-bit digital-to-analog progressive or interlaced output, and color space conversion. Pixel-based motion-adaptive de-interlacing provides the best image quality from interlaced video sources, while film mode detectors and filtering ensure smooth, artifact-free de-interlacing as the characteristics of video content changes.

Programs that was originally shot on film--such as movies, cartoons, and many TV shows--were converted from 24 frame per second to 30 fps video for TV viewing. The HDTV UpConverter utilizes film-mode detection and 2:2 and 3:2 inverse pulldown to restore these programs to their original frame rates, rendering them as seamless, flicker-free progressive-scan images.

The Upconverter adds as many as six times more pixels to normal video signals without incurring artifacts. Understand that this is not the same as displaying actual HDTV-originated content. Only content that was created with HDTV cameras and preserved at HDTV resolutions is true HDTV. The UpConverter enhances the resolution and image quality of non-HD sources and formats the video and aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) to match the capabilities of your HDTV display. Some HD reception is broadcast at lower resolutions or resolutions that do not match your display; you can use the HDTV UpConverter to either up-convert or down-convert to the resolution you prefer.

The Upconverter can only display full HD 1080i input signals in Pillar box mode, with black borders on left and right sides of the image. The 1080i signal can be down converted to a different resolution, however, such as 720p, so the image can then fill your screen as desired. The device also offers advanced PIP, POP, or PIP blending with multiple display settings.

What's in the Box
Upconverter, remote control, remote batteries, a component-video cable, and a user's manual.

Product Description

ADS Technologies HDTV UpConverter - HDTV technology is here, and if you're one of the lucky early adopters of the technology, you know how amazing high definition television looks. The problem is, not many channels broadcast in high definition. So why wait for the networks to get in gear, when you can do it yourself with this HDTV UpConverter. With it, you can take standard resolution video sources and convert them into 720p or 1080i HDTV resolutions! Enjoy satellite, cable, DVD movies, & more in stunning HDTV quality! Support for - Anamorphic, Panoramic, Letterbox, Pan-Scan & Crop, Pillar Box, & Expand Inputs - 3 RCA / 3 S-VHS / 3 Component / 9 R+L RCA Audio Outputs - 1 HDTV Component / 1 R+L RCA Audio Includes a remote control

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of potential, but scaling performance so-so, January 16, 2004

By 

L. Hower (Providence, RI (USA)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: ADS Technologies HDUP1500 HDTV Upconverter (Electronics)

I recently purchased ADS's HDTV Upconverter for use with my Mitsubishi 42" HDTV (CRT-based rear projection). I have a variety of video sources including an HDTV receiver, a DirecTV/Tivo receiver, a progressive scan DVD player, and an Xbox game console. Broadly speaking, I wanted to improve the quality of standard definition 480i signals from the Tivo and reformat 780p signals from the Xbox to work on my Mits which only accepts 1080i (along with 480i/480p). I also tried upscaling the output from my DVD player, sending both interlaced and progressive scan signals to the scaler.

The HDUP1500 certainly does provide a wide range of flexibility, in that it can take virtually any video signal and deinterlace/scale it to all of the current standard and high-definition formats. I was successfully able to input all my sources and output the signals at 1080i (also tried 480p to see the deinterlacing capability on 480i signals). Unfortunately, I was less than impressed with the results of the unit's deinterlacing and scaling. Scaling of 480i signals from the Tivo was decent if the sequences were mostly static images. Xbox 780p signals were indeed converted (Soul Caliber II) but with excessive edge enhancement, imo. I preferred the progressive scan output of my DVD player to the video sent thru the scaler.

PROS: supports virtually all formats in & out, ability to scale to various resolutions (for fixed pixel displays) and usual high-def formats (780p/1080i), does pretty well on static images
CONS: motion sequences end up w/ fair amount of artifacts, excessive edge enhancement degrades picture, no pass-thru of 1080i signals (these get pillar boxed, unfortunately), switching between inputs takes several seconds, mediocre 3:2 pulldown processing (mix of video & film sequences)

Overall, it's difficult for me to justify the ~$600 price for mediocre scaling and deinterlacing. I ended up returning the unit as I'd rather save the money and apply it towards the purchase of a newer TV which has better built-in scaling and deinterlacing capabilities (e.g. Samsung DLPs or others). The ADS Tech HDUP1500 may be better suited for people with plasmas and other fixed pixel displays. DVDO and others are expected to release other high-def scaling products in the near future, which may be another option though these are all likely to be substantially more expensive.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worthless!!!, February 10, 2004

By 

Brien Penn (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ADS Technologies HDUP1500 HDTV Upconverter (Electronics)

I bought the ADS upconverter because I bought a HDTV only to find out that my cable co. didn't offer HDTV and after 3 failed attempts to switch to a satellite provider that did offer HDTV (too many trees around my house). I wasn't expecting the upconverter to magically turn my standard signals into an amazing HDTV picture, but for $550+ I was expecting the upconverter to do something that was actually noticable. When I first turned in on I asked my wife to look at the picture and tell me what she thought. She looked at the TV and said okay I'm ready turn it on. I said "it IS ON!!" This is pretty much the reaction I had also when I looked at it. The image I got for my digital cable was certianly different, but that's all it was, different. It was NOT noticably better. In fact, in some instances I though the picture was worse. I called ADS tech support and they kept insisting I try it with my DVD because that is what the product is best for (even though that's not what I got it for). So I did and to be honest I really preferred the picture I got directly from my DVD over the picture I got after running it thru the upconverter. It didn't matter what display format I put it in it just didn't do anything to improve the picture. Save your money. If you can't get HDTV don't expect this box to give you anything close to the next best thing.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money, March 21, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: ADS Technologies HDUP1500 HDTV Upconverter (Electronics)

This is a very disappointing product. It is supposed to enhance the image but it actually made it a lot worse. I have a perfectly calibrated home theater and after I put this cheapo upconverter everything needed to be readjusted. Color, tint, brightness. I couldn't believe it. If you are serious about upconverting, invest in a real box like the DVDO iScan HD. Now that's about the performance. About the rest, it sucks even more. The case feels cheap, switching between the different inputs takes forever (like there is a 5 sec delay between the moment you push and it does switch) DO NOT BUY.