Gefen HD Mate Scaler and switch

The world of scalers changes as fast as HD itself, as technology improves, the prices come down and new needs are met. Gefen's new HD Mate Scaler is just what many have asked for, but doesn't quite cover all the bases. The most obvious thing missing is HDMI, but Gefen has other products for that, the HD Mate is for component and DVI users. It features 2 component inputs, 1 DVI input and 1 DVI output, all switchable via an on-screen display and IR remote. The DVI out is HDCP compliant and 1080p, analog as well as toslink inputs are accepted and transcoded accordingly, as well as audio delay settings for those who can't stand when the lips don't match up. The great thing about any stand alone scalers is that they aren't held back by the same CSS limitations as built in scalers and can allowing you to watch your DVDs at 1080p and anything else you got to throw at it. This might be the perfect scaler for those Xbox 360 and PS3 owners with a 1080p TV.

[Via MacMinute]

[giedrys @ Mar 13th 2007 12:37AM]

Why would i need this if i have PS3 and 1080P TV?

[pi23 @ Mar 13th 2007 4:02AM]

@giedrys: Because your PS3 does not support upscaling for Standard-DVDs! That's why! Somewhere in the future Sony mitgh include that little feature to the PS3s features but for now you can't simply upscale it - your have to rely on your TVs scaler. Or buy cuch an external scaler.

[Ken Crandall @ Mar 13th 2007 12:38AM]

Any price info available?

[JoshLowry @ Mar 13th 2007 12:57AM]

Excellent! I have an Xbox 360, PS3, and a 1080p TV.

@ Ken Crandall - The Gefen HD Mate Scaler is available for pre-order now for US$349.



-Josh


Where's your head at? - http://www.StateOfBrain.com

[Pablo @ Mar 13th 2007 1:35AM]

Also available in HDMI flavor:
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=4174

[IFX @ Mar 13th 2007 1:59AM]

Hey guys. Hold your horses. The HD mate has been in preorder since God knows when. So many promises, no deliveries.

[garbuhj @ Mar 13th 2007 8:08AM]

Could that look any more like a Mac Mini? Probably not without getting sued.

[Adam @ Mar 13th 2007 9:28AM]

This would be a lot more useful if the HDMI version was able to break out the HDMI audio to 7.1 analog outputs. So those of us without HDMI receivers could still get uncompressed audio out of Blue Ray and HD-DVD players. While the PS3 includes Blue Ray and HDMI outputs, it does not deliver multichannel analog outputs. It's only major shortcoming as a BR player.

[Naveed @ Mar 13th 2007 1:04PM]

my xbox 360 does amazing work with DVDs using the vga cable, the DVDs look HD. Ive tried this on a 56" samsung 720p and a 71" samsung 1080p i just got last night. it really looks awesome on the 71", just as good as any HD channel without nasty artifacts

[jac0b84 @ Mar 19th 2007 12:33AM]

Try just getting a decent A/V receiver, the Denon AVR-2307CI does this kind of scaling and switching on top of normal A/V duties. It sells for a whopping $150 more than this thing.