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The exceptional performance of the Realta HQV 1080i motion-adaptive deinterlacing was first described in my review of the Yamaha DPX-1300 DLP projector (Widescreen Review Issue 106, March 2006). In that product, 1080i sources were deinterlaced to 1080p and then scaled to the 720p native resolution of the projector. The VIP 1000 and the dVision 1080p provided my first opportunity to see the full 1080p resolution of the Realta HQV 1080i motion-adaptive deinterlacing. As I’ve discussed many times in these pages, there is no perfect solution to convert 1080i original video sources to 1080p video. Unlike film-source video, there’s no 3-2 field pulldown cadence, which allows inverse-telecine deinterlacing to reassemble original film frames. Instead, each odd or even field of original interlaced video captures images at different instances in time. Most projectors and standalone scalers have traditionally converted 1080i video to 1080p using vertical interpolation to scale each individual 1080i field directly to a 1080p frame. The actual vertical resolution of the displayed image is then limited to the 540 line vertical resolution of each original interlaced field. Furthermore, vertical interpolation acts as a filter, which further reduces the vertical resolution and softens the image.
The Realta HQV processor converts 1080i video to 1080p using pixel-based motion-adaptive deinterlacing, which applies interpolation to image areas that are in motion, but merges information from odd and even fields in static image areas. Merging field information roduces 1080 line vertical resolution in static image areas. The Realta HQV also uses directional interpolation to reduce jaggies on diagonal lines and optimize the resolution of areas that are in motion.
The performance of the Realta HQV was quite remarkable with a 720p projector, but it is even more impressive with the 1080p native resolution of the dVision 1080p. The image clarity of 1080i broadcast video far exceeded what I have seen on any other projector, even those with motion-adaptive deinterlacing. The Realta HQV does a superb job in nearly eliminating 1080i jaggies and line twitter while still maintaining resolution. Most importantly there isn’t a dramatic change of image sharpness when an object is moving. That marginalizes an extremely annoying effect, called resolution pumping or breathing, which occurs when the image resolution suddenly and severely decreases with movement. One way to reduce that annoyance is to partially decrease the resolution on still images so that breathing is not as noticeable. That is not the case with the Realta HQV algorithms. While the specific details of its motion-adaptive deinterlacing are proprietary, it is apparent that the Realta HQV algorithms provide higher resolution in the moving image areas, so there is no need to intentionally decrease the resolution in static areas. It may also be that the Realta’s pixelbased motion-adaptive algorithms are more per-pixel than others. Whatever the reason for its superior performance, the image resolution and clarity are exceptional, and breathing is seldom intrusive. The Realta HQV motion-adaptive deinterlacing is also an improvement for 480i original video sources. Line twitter and jaggies are more apparent in the lower resolution, standard-definition formats where the spacing between the original video lines is greater.
HDTV Viewing
I can say unequivocally that the dVision 1080p and VIP 1000 produced the sharpest, clearest, most detailed high-definition images that I have seen in my home theatre. There’s no doubt that NBC’s Tonight Show With Jay Leno, NBC’s Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and the CBS Late Show With David Letterman are the premier examples of 1080i broadcasting quality. But I hadn’t seen the full depth and clarity of those broadcasts until I experienced this combination of a 1080p DLP projector with superb optics and a video processor with the Realta HQV 1080i motion-adaptive deinterlacing. I can’t think of a superlative to adequately express how clearly and detailed those images were displayed. The dVision 1080p and VIP 1000 rendered the video from the high-definition studio cameras with amazing depth and stunning clarity. Strands of hair, guitar strings, threads in suits and ties—everywhere I looked there was unprecedented clarity. But I was most surprised by the image depth and astonished by the realism that it brought to the screen. There were moments when you could almost believe that you were standing on stage next to the camera, or that you could reach out and feel the texture of the suede on a couch. The illusion of realism can be abruptly destroyed if video artifacts are suddenly visible. The Realta HQV’s motion-adaptive deinterlacing virtually eliminated line twitter during vertical movement, and there were very few jaggies along diagonal edges. Perhaps most importantly, there was very little annoyance from resolution pumping. The high color temperature gave white shirts a slightly blue hue, but there was no white clipping or brightness compression under the brilliant studio lighting. The latter was a severe problem for the dynamic iris system I previously reviewed. High-definition 1080i broadcast video was spectacular, but 1080i D-Theater movies converted to 1080p with inversetelecine deinterlacing were also extremely impressive. I can say without reservation that D-Theater movies have never looked as clear or detailed with any other projector. The complete absence of chromatic aberration and no scaling or interpolation that could add edge outlining or ringing artifacts, produced unprecedented sharpness and picture definition for 1080i movies. It seems ironic that we can finally experience the full performance of the D-Theater format just as its about to be replaced by high-definition DVDs.
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