In the Lab
DVD-VIDEO PERFORMANCE
Maximum-white level error: 0 IRE
Setup level: 0 IRE
Horizontal luminance response
(re level at 1 MHz)
3/4/5/6/6.75 MHz: ±0/±0/±0/-0.44 dB
Onscreen horizontal resolution: 540 lines
In-player letterboxing: good
Component-output level error (interlaced)
(Y/Pr/Pb): +1.14/+4.5/+5.9%
Component-output timing error (interlaced)
(Pr/Pb): -37/-34 nanoseconds
The DV-HR300 did well in the lab tests, with very fine video performance and fairly clean audio recording and CD playback. Its progressive-scan output was free of the color-smearing effects of the common "chroma-upsampling bug," but, as often happens, was a little rough in reproducing interlaced video material. Recorded video quality depends mainly on the selected recording mode and not on whether the hard drive or a DVD is the storage medium. Below the Fine (commercial-DVD quality) and SP (near-DVD quality) modes, there are distinct breakpoints: you lose half the horizontal resolution using the LP mode (270 lines instead of 540) for a distinctly less sharp picture, but still sharper than VHS. You also lose half the vertical resolution using the EP mode (240 lines instead of 480).
MPEG-encoding artifacts such as blocking and mosquito noise, which are invisible or well controlled with the Fine and SP modes, become more visible with the LP and EP modes. -D.R.
