Darbee Visual Enhancer

[Botch]

Has anyone here used one of these things before?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A2ORV5G/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sound & Vision did a review on them a few months ago, and it sounded like they were hesitant to recommend it but admitted it did make the picture look better. I put one in my Amazon cart so I wouldn't forget about it, but haven't convinced myself to pay the money.

Well, now, Oppo is offering the circuit in their players:

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/blu-ray-BDP-103D-Overview.aspx

I wouldn't think a company like Oppo would put a snake-oil circuit into anything they made, so I'm interested again (and I sure wish this was offered when I upgraded to the -103, it would've been a $100 difference versus the stand-alone circuit at $300 ). Looking at the examples I'm guessing it performs some kind of an edge enhancement, similar to the "Sharpening" feature in Photochop.

So, anyone try/use it?

 

[Towen7]

Im surprised it took this long for anyone to bring it up here. Like you I've only read and seen YouTube demonstrations. The Darbee enhanced Oppo has been the market for a while though and most AV enthusiasts I know would choose it over the non-Darbee version.

 

[Botch]

Home Theater's review of the new Oppo BDP-103D, with the Darbee circuit:

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/oppo-bdp-103d-blu-ray-3d-player

They're very positive about it. This weekend I may have to find a local salon that has a demo model. The standalone Darbee box is now down to $250, but if the improvement is as feeble as 4K is (to my own eyes, old and decrepit) then it still won't be worth it to me.

 

[Deleted member 133]

I've read the linked review(s) and I'm struggling (valiantly I might add) to find a single reason why I would ever consider buying either product.

My $90 Sony players deliver bit-perfect audio and video at their HDMI output; they handle just about every single format (including SACD)and file type (DVD-A being the only noted exception - but I only own a few of those); and they stream at wireless "N" speed.

Near as I can tell from the reviews, the "basic" Oppo does the same. "Darbee" just adds "noise" (being content in the output that was never on the original disc.) Sure that's an oversimplification but on every device that I own where the user is capable of "edge enhancement" "contrast control" "noise reduction" etc. I turn those features off. And I have no need nor use for HDMI inputs on a player.

Yes I have a few issues with Sony (which I've detailed in other threads) but they are all related to their GUI etc. Performance-wise they are flawless. It's hard to beat flawless. Even at nearly seven times the price!

Substitute "Samsung" or "Panasonic" or any other number of name brands for "Sony", at that same $90 price point, and the conclusion's the same.

 

[Haywood]

The HDMI input only makes sense in the context of the Roku Stick. That appeals to me because, Darbee or not, Oppo units offer excellent video post-processing that would then be available to all of my streamed content. The end result would truly be the single source component to rule them all, especially after I get my new headless DVR and start accessing my TV content on Roku. There is something to be said for the simplicity of a single killer source component.

 

[MatthewB]

To me the Darbee is a modern take on a video processor. I own two DVDO video processors ( the VP 30 on my older RPTV and Edge on my LED TV). What I love about the video processing is how you can reduce overscan (yes flat screens all have overscan my LED has 4% overscan) and of course enhanced visual manipulation to sharpen the image and do advanced tweaking that you can't do on HDTV's.

Since everything went HDMI people felt the outboard video processors were no longer needed since you could now get bit for bit 1:1 pixel matching so Darbee invented the inexpensive Darblet which has its own video processing but on a smaller scale than the stand alone outboard processors. The Darblet let's you adjust the depth of field to your liking and "lifts a veil"on the image which is what outboard processors did. The Darblet though is very limited in what it can do and the image enhancement is noticeable but not a huge improvement while an outboard scaler can make a huge improvement by making correct Chroma adjustments, over and underscan adjustments, correct grayscale and a Gamma correction, color correction and video up conversion ( turning broadcast 720p/1080i to 1080p all the time). What people don't realize is how cheap you can buy a DVDO video processor for. Five years ago their top of the line VP50 was 3,000 can now be had on eBay for 250.00 I paid 150.00 for my Edge and 125.00 for my VP30 which worked better with component gear.

If given the choice between the Darbee and a used VP50 or Edge I'd choose the DVDO Everytime just far more adjustments but appreciate the Darbee for allowing more people access to some video processing thinking the DVDO's were out of their price range.

When I bought my LG LED I hated the image right out of the box but after making the needed adjustments on my Edge my cheap 400.00 HDTV can now compare with TVs costing four times as much.

 

[Haywood]

I would love to be able to adjust the over-scan on my DLP set. Do those processors you mentioned work with HDMI or are they component only? Component video is getting to be pretty useless as so many newer devices only have HDMI outputs.

 

[Zing]

They (DVDO) offer a model (iScan Duo) that works with HDMI but I don't think you'll find that particular model even remotely close to the prices Matt mentioned.

 

[Orbison]

I would love to be able to adjust the over-scan on my DLP set. Do those processors you mentioned work with HDMI or are they component only? Component video is getting to be pretty useless as so many newer devices only have HDMI outputs.

If you can access the service menu you might be able to adjust it there .............. at no additional cost to you........ :think:

 

[Haywood]

I would love to be able to adjust the over-scan on my DLP set. Do those processors you mentioned work with HDMI or are they component only? Component video is getting to be pretty useless as so many newer devices only have HDMI outputs.

If you can access the service menu you might be able to adjust it there .............. at no additional cost to you........ :think:

Or I can just live with it until I inevitably move my current set to a secondary location and score a gigantic UHD panel to replace it.

 

[MatthewB]

Yes they work with HDMI (even my way older VP30 has four HDMI inputs one out) my DVDO Edge was made specifically for HDMI with five HDMI inputs two HDMI outputs ( but one is HDMI Audio) and one component input. The Duo is their current top of the line and even on eBay they are 1200 used but you can easily find the Edge for under 200. The Edge has most of the features of the VP50 Pro but doesn't have the Pro Calibrator subset for professionals but does have all the important DIY calibrations with overscan and underscan, Mosquito noise reduction and everything you would ever need from a top of the line video processors.

The two I bought were in mint mint condition ( my VP 30 was only used one month before the owner upgraded his TV and didn't think he needed it so put it in a closet for five years before I bought it). But yes HDMI is implemented

 

[MatthewB]

Haywood yes you can reduce overscan via the service menu but you have to know what your doing and can easily screw things up. Also you would have to go through an entire 72 point convergence anytime you reduce overscan via the TV. That's why I love the DVDO as it reduces your overscan without needing to manipulate the TV in anyway. I originally bought my VP30 for one sole purpose and that was to reduce overscan but was amazed at what else I could do. The next greatest thing was Gamma correction on my Pioneer Elite RPTV it brought a depth that was almost 3D to the image by enhancing blacks and grays. DVDO's also have built in calibration screens to help get the most of your sets. I can still see me using my video processors way into the future and was the best thing I bought for my 12 year old component RPTV. I currently have my Directv, PS3, Appletv, HD-DVD and Oppo DVD all hooked up to my Marantz preamp via HDMI then HDMI out to my HDFury (which converts HDMI to Component cable) then from there to my VP30 component in and then component out to my RPTV. The HDFury strips HDCP allowing me to have everything converted from HDMI to component without issue.

I know some of you are wondering why I just didn't use HDMI from the Marantz to the VP30 then use the HDFury for final conversion but it wouldn't work this way. The DVDO does something to the signal which the HDFury doesn't like but works fine before the VP30.

In my bedroom system I have my Bluray player, Directv DVR, HD-DVD hooked up to my DVDO Edge via HDMI, my Xbox hooked up via component and my Laserdisc player via composite to the DVDO Edge and everything gets scaled and output 1080p beautifully. I use both HDMI outputs one directly to my LG LED and the other (audio only) to my Denon 3808ci everything looks and works great. The other difference is the Darbee has to be on all the time while the DVDO automatically turns on and off depending on if it senses a signal or not.