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/P_r/P_b): +1.14/+4.5/+5.9%

Component-output timing error  (interlaced)
(P_r/P_b): –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.