Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ does not output 1080?

[navinmra]

Folks I just picked up the Seagate FAT+ media player with the excitement of finally watching some HD content on my Optoma HD20. I've mated them over component connection (more on why component over HDMI later)
When I turn on the media player, the Optoma recognizes it as 480i!!! I was expecting 1080i at least, this being component. And when I play a .mkv HD file, the clarity is great, but the Optoma still sees it as 480i image.
Of course when I mated the Optoma to a Panasonic BDP over HDMI, it recognizes it as 1080p. And when I mate my DVD player over component video, it recognizes it as 480p or 576p depending on the DVD.
So I'm not sure if the problem is the Optoma or the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+. I have this funny feeling I'm hosed.
Please help!

 

[sam9s]

Its not necessary that the device (Freeagent) supports HD over component, did you try connecting Freeagent and Optima using HDMI. (That actually should have been the first step)

 

[navinmra]

Sams thanks for your reply.
That does sound like a logical step to do. But I am surprised there's no literature that says the player will output only 480 interlaced on the component ports! Afterall that's what the composite port is for. Right?
I'm going to do the HDMI check and get back to this forum in a bit.
Thanks again!

 

[sam9s]

^^ Composite or Component ?? You are putting two very different technologies in the same line ... Mind You. composite can not do HD at all. Component technically can carry signals upto 1080i but the device should support it. Ideally HDMI is the best and the most convenient method for any HD signal.

 

[navinmra]

I'm using component and was atleast hoping the Optoma would recognize it as 720p or something... As to why I did not choose HDMI, well its expensive to run a 30 ft good quality HDMI cable. Component was cheaper. Plus most fora like this one suggest that analog is better over long distances.
So it seems for now that I cannot get 1080p output from the media player over component (the component video specs unofficially support 1080p and the cable I bought also says so - and that got me hopeful!)

 

[sam9s]

See while component cables are capable of supporting 1080p signals technically, most devices limit the component video output to a 1080i resolution (for what ever reason....... something I mentioned in my second post as well)...............about HDMI, atleast get a normal HDMI, connect and check if optima recogonizes the correct resolution, else your media player is on fault.......

 

[navinmra]

Oh and I just noticed something else... some 1080p files that I play show massive pixelation/color spill - the kinds you see on your PC if your video card ran out of steam trying to play high bitrate stuff. Or if your hardware acceleration isn't working...

Question:
1. Is there a max bitrate that the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ can output over component video?
2. I only see it for some 1080p bluray rips. Begs the question - does the FAT downgrade a 1080p feed to 1080i while outputing over component?

It all seems like a quick test with an HDMI cable can isolate the problem to HD20 or the FAT+ or the connection or all of it. I'll update you guys soon!

 

[sam9s]

^^ There questions can only be answered by experimenting actually, as the official site has too less information.

1. I doubt the output is bitrate dependent.
2. FAT has nothing to do with this, its the limitation of all the devices to output at the max 1080i over component .....

 

[navinmra]

Sam9s I figured the problem with the FAT+. There's a configuration tucked away in some corner of the menu that allows you to change the output. The default was 480i and I changed that to 1080p, 60Hz and voila! the Optoma was firing away in full HD over component!
The 60Hz refresh makes the picture stutter a bit during fast motion. Unfortunately you cant change it and I am absolutely willing to live with it
I watched a Blu Ray rip over the weekend and the PC is stunning!
Thanks guys for offering to troubleshoot...

 

[jeff d]

I watched a Blu Ray rip over the weekend and the PC is stunning!

Did you mean the PQ is great? I'm looking at a FAT+ and curious about how blu-rips look as that would be one of the reasons for purchasing. I'd expect to run off a direct-connect drive. Your thread appeared to confirm that the FAT+ can handle what I want to do since it can play AVCHD...

I'm sad to hear it's got to downconvert the audio, even for HDMI connection, not sure why that would be... unless it's a streaming HW I/O bottleneck getting to the FAT+.