ADS Technologies HDUP1500 HDTV Upconverter
Worthless!!!
I bought the ADS upconverter because I bought a HDTV only to find out that my cable co. didn't offer HDTV and after 3 failed attempts to switch to a satellite provider that did offer HDTV (too many trees around my house).  I wasn't expecting the upconverter to magically turn my standard signals into an amazing HDTV picture, but for $550+ I was expecting the upconverter to do something that was actually noticable.  When I first turned in on I asked my wife to look at the picture and tell me what she thought.  She looked at the TV and said okay I'm ready turn it on.  I said &quot;it IS ON!!&quot; This is pretty much the reaction I had also when I looked at it.  The image I got for my digital cable was certianly different, but that's all it was, different.  It was NOT noticably better.  In fact, in some instances I though the picture was worse.  I called ADS tech support and they kept insisting I try it with my DVD because that is what the product is best for (even though that's not what I got it for).  So I did and to be honest I really preferred the picture I got directly from my DVD over the picture I got after running it thru the upconverter.  It didn't matter what display format I put it in it just didn't do anything to improve the picture.  Save your money.  If you can't get HDTV don't expect this box to give you anything close to the next best thing.