HDTV gurus

[tennisfan16]

Originally Posted by doug piston

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...me=specs&var2=


this is my tv. but i only have one hdmi input(i think its a year older than this one). can i just call sony and ask how to calibrate???? or is tis something some techno moron such as myself should not try?

it is something you would have to pay someone to come and do, my dad just got his plasma recently calibrated and they do stuff in menus i have no idea how they accesed, and they used a laptop too. i know a fair bit about all this stuff, but i would just pay someone to do it.

[Dessa_8837]

720P is higher.

ShayneD.

[doug piston]

Originally Posted by tennisfan16

it is something you would have to pay someone to come and do, my dad just got his plasma recently calibrated and they do stuff in menus i have no idea how they accesed, and they used a laptop too. i know a fair bit about all this stuff, but i would just pay someone to do it.

thanks man

[aki]

Originally Posted by doug piston

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...me=specs&var2=


this is my tv. but i only have one hdmi input(i think its a year older than this one). can i just call sony and ask how to calibrate???? or is tis something some techno moron such as myself should not try?

You can usually google to find how to access the service menu. For my Samsung 23" I gotta hit 1, 8, 2, then mute then power consecutively on the remote (when the TV's off). Then I get this menu screen with a bunch of different things to toggle.

You can tinker w/ it, so long as you write down what your original settings were. But correct calibration takes time. If you don't notice anything particularly off then you're probably fine.

[Si-aficionado]

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...v&Dept=tvvideo

that's a very tempting offer

[aki]

Originally Posted by new06Civic

Obviously, you haven't keep track of DLP technology. I have never said Toshiba DLP is the best, and you keep bring it up that it is the worst. I am currently own Toshiba DLP and formally owned Samsung DLP. Samsung is the front runner in TI DLP technology. For the price I paid for Toshiba DLP, it is the best for my viewing pleasure. You might want to start reviewing "DLP TV Review". DLP is among the best value for HDTV, and your customer will appreciates your proper info on DLP. [/color]

Nobody disputes that they're cheaper, but I think Toxis' point is that LCD picture looks better, and I agree. If you're not at the optimum viewing angle then the quality of the pic is reduced--you can even see that in the DLP shot you provided. Whether that's worth the cheaper price tag is subject to opinion, but when you're spending $1k+ on an HDTV, I think quality is more important.

[Nepenthe]

My link earlier to my Amazon Sony TV review shows how to make some changes to Sony TVs... although as I recall the high end large screens have some hidden button that does the same thing.

HOWEVER, the advice to have a pro come out and do it is not bad, because YOU CAN DESTROY YOUR TV BY ******* AROUND IN THE SERVICE MENU WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

The full Service manuals are not always available on the web although you can probably find enough information to get by. Agoraquest.com was very helpful for me (but the set I was fixing at the time was just a 20" WEGA CRT, not a high end large HDTV). Just be VERY careful. Some things are obvious though. If you're in a section labeled "GEOM" and you see "PNCUSN" or "VRTPOS" then it's not too hard to guess what these do, for example.

[new06Civic]

Originally Posted by aki

Nobody disputes that they're cheaper, but I think Toxis' point is that LCD picture looks better, and I agree. If you're not at the optimum viewing angle then the quality of the pic is reduced--you can even see that in the DLP shot you provided. Whether that's worth the cheaper price tag is subject to opinion, but when you're spending $1k+ on an HDTV, I think quality is more important.

I never said DLP PQ is the best, but it is the best investment for me. I own both DLP and LCD, and I enjoy it equally. The picture quality is comparable between my DLP and LCD. Toshiba DLP is not the worst of its kinds as stated by Toxis, and he need to pay very close attention to DLP technology. It is true that some Toshiba model quality is not very good and it is true w/ other brands and models as well..!

Sorry for the low quality photos earlier. It looks very similar w/ my LCD shot. I wish that I have a better digital camera. LCD vs DLP

[doug piston]

called a pro today(called sony and they said to use this guy) and he said if my tv is in a lit room i wont be able to tell a difference. said it was more for actual home movie theatre setups

[Nepenthe]

Originally Posted by doug piston

called a pro today(called sony and they said to use this guy) and he said if my tv is in a lit room i wont be able to tell a difference. said it was more for actual home movie theatre setups

Depends what the issues are. For my 20" WEGA non-HD, using the service menu meant the difference between a TV that was basically *useless* as delivered and one that now looks very good for games and DVDs. I fixed several issues, one major, a few minor. My father's huge HD screen also showed notable improvements after calibration. If I had spent $1000 and up on a screen I'd probably go the extra mile to ensure it was producing a sharp, straight, true picture.

[doug piston]

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

Depends what the issues are. For my 20" WEGA non-HD, using the service menu meant the difference between a TV that was basically *useless* as delivered and one that now looks very good for games and DVDs. I fixed several issues, one major, a few minor. My father's huge HD screen also showed notable improvements after calibration. If I had spent $1000 and up on a screen I'd probably go the extra mile to ensure it was producing a sharp, straight, true picture.

i would too but was told by a pro not to. so i dont know what to do

[Nepenthe]

Originally Posted by doug piston

i would too but was told by a pro not to. so i dont know what to do

Well, it's one of those things. Are you happy with it? Does it lack *obvious* problems? If you answer yes to both of these, and depending on your usage, you're probably fine. It might show only subtle improvements, maybe so subtle as to not be noticeable most of the time.

I'd say if you answer both of the above questions "yes" then just enjoy your picture to the fullest and don't worry about people like me.

[Toxis]

To say I need to read up on DLP technology is like telling Honda to read up on I-Vtec. I have full knowledge of the technology, how it works, what it's flaws are, and most importantly, why you will never find anything DLP in my house.

You can geek out with all the reviewers on the 'net about how bright your TV is and blah blah blah, but if you talk to any videophiles, you'll notice that not one will be a big fan of DLP. It looks like crap, has more noise and flutter in the picture than needed (Looks like the screen has Parkinson's), they overheat and the color wheel never gives the right colors. Rainbow effect anyone? Sure it's hard to see these days but I still get a couple people a month who get dizzy from watching DLPs. Again I must say, I have been selling TV's for over 8 years and have gone through more trainings on TV's and technology than probably anyone here. Not trying to pay myself on the back but it feels like I'm in an argument with a drug dealer trying to convince me that drugs are good. Lack of education = bad recommendations.

As for the calibration, I'm not saying that you need to pay $350+ to get an ISF certified installer to come setup your TV, but spending $20 on a good HQV, Digital Video Essentials or Avia setup DVD is a great thing to have. Take a half hour or so and setup your TVs. You'll learn about what the settings do and why they're set horribly from the factory just to make you say "Hey that looks bright!" Brighter isn't always better.

Si-aficionado - Never buy directly from Sony. They're at full price and even though they might do financing, you can get Sony or the Retailer Financing when buying local. I'm a huge Sony fan when it comes to TVs. Their 3LCD's look better than any DLP, and their SXRDs are the best technology out right now for RP 1080p. But I have a feeling there's some reallllly cool things coming down the pipeline that will be worth waiting for...

doug piston - You have the 42A10 which is a great TV for the bucks. My dad has one and it looks pretty damn good even on standard def TV. Nothing wrong with having only one HDMI since I personally think HDMI is a joke right now because of HDCP. There's two versions of HDMI software (three technically but the second version was quickly replaced by the third) and nothing is compatible yet. You have to make sure your equipment is turned on in the right sequence otherwise if won't pass video, you get more pixelation and less color than Component Video (analog is still king). Even when they fix all the problems with it, you'll probably get a home theater receiver that does your video switching anyhow so you'll only end up using 1 input on the TV anyhow.

If anyone has any other questions about this and don't want to post here to get Capt. Green's lack of experience but overly expressive opinion, hit me up on AIM/Yahoo Messenger or just email me.

[doug piston]

Originally Posted by Toxis

To say I need to read up on DLP technology is like telling Honda to read up on I-Vtec. I have full knowledge of the technology, how it works, what it's flaws are, and most importantly, why you will never find anything DLP in my house.

You can geek out with all the reviewers on the 'net about how bright your TV is and blah blah blah, but if you talk to any videophiles, you'll notice that not one will be a big fan of DLP. It looks like crap, has more noise and flutter in the picture than needed (Looks like the screen has Parkinson's), they overheat and the color wheel never gives the right colors. Rainbow effect anyone? Sure it's hard to see these days but I still get a couple people a month who get dizzy from watching DLPs. Again I must say, I have been selling TV's for over 8 years and have gone through more trainings on TV's and technology than probably anyone here. Not trying to pay myself on the back but it feels like I'm in an argument with a drug dealer trying to convince me that drugs are good. Lack of education = bad recommendations.

As for the calibration, I'm not saying that you need to pay $350+ to get an ISF certified installer to come setup your TV, but spending $20 on a good HQV, Digital Video Essentials or Avia setup DVD is a great thing to have. Take a half hour or so and setup your TVs. You'll learn about what the settings do and why they're set horribly from the factory just to make you say "Hey that looks bright!" Brighter isn't always better.

Si-aficionado - Never buy directly from Sony. They're at full price and even though they might do financing, you can get Sony or the Retailer Financing when buying local. I'm a huge Sony fan when it comes to TVs. Their 3LCD's look better than any DLP, and their SXRDs are the best technology out right now for RP 1080p. But I have a feeling there's some reallllly cool things coming down the pipeline that will be worth waiting for...

doug piston - You have the 42A10 which is a great TV for the bucks. My dad has one and it looks pretty damn good even on standard def TV. Nothing wrong with having only one HDMI since I personally think HDMI is a joke right now because of HDCP. There's two versions of HDMI software (three technically but the second version was quickly replaced by the third) and nothing is compatible yet. You have to make sure your equipment is turned on in the right sequence otherwise if won't pass video, you get more pixelation and less color than Component Video (analog is still king). Even when they fix all the problems with it, you'll probably get a home theater receiver that does your video switching anyhow so you'll only end up using 1 input on the TV anyhow.

If anyone has any other questions about this and don't want to post here to get Capt. Green's lack of experience but overly expressive opinion, hit me up on AIM/Yahoo Messenger or just email me.

thanks for the great info and your time to type it, but i do have one question. where do i get one of those setup cd's and can a knuckle head like myself use it and get somethin out of it???

[Toxis]

HQV disc, one of the best I've found thus far
http://www.hqv.com/benchmark.cfm

Avia DVD.
http://www.amazon.com/AVIA-Guide-Hom.../dp/630551982X

Digital Video Essentials DVD but can also be found at BB or CC.
http://www.dvdinternational.com/pd_d...essentials.cfm

Monster's ISF HDTV Calibration DVD. I've heard good things but have never tried it.
http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/...utm_medium=ppc

This should get you started. lol I'm sure you can find them on eBay for much cheaper if you'd like but I haven't checked yet.

Thanks for the reps.

[new06Civic]

Originally Posted by Toxis

To say I need to read up on DLP technology is like telling Honda to read up on I-Vtec. I have full knowledge of the technology, how it works, what it's flaws are, and most importantly, why you will never find anything DLP in my house.

You can geek out with all the reviewers on the 'net about how bright your TV is and blah blah blah, but if you talk to any videophiles, you'll notice that not one will be a big fan of DLP. It looks like crap, has more noise and flutter in the picture than needed (Looks like the screen has Parkinson's), they overheat and the color wheel never gives the right colors. Rainbow effect anyone? Sure it's hard to see these days but I still get a couple people a month who get dizzy from watching DLPs. Again I must say, I have been selling TV's for over 8 years and have gone through more trainings on TV's and technology than probably anyone here. Not trying to pay myself on the back but it feels like I'm in an argument with a drug dealer trying to convince me that drugs are good. Lack of education = bad recommendations.

Yes, keep on claiming self-a-fame..! You are very knowledgeable on DLP, and your famous line is "Toshiba is the worst brand." You can be compared to Honda, but the major different is Honda built Honda and you are an electronics salesperson. The last person I want to get my information from is the salesperson..!

The salesperson is the most bias person. The product of their interest is always better than the product they dislike..!

If you don't mind, what do you own? Photo, please?


Here some HDTV info:

Select HDTV- HD for the Holidays.


Consumer Reports- Get the best picture!

More article on DLP vs. LCD- LCD vs. DLP

Buying tips...Demo, Demo, Demo..!

[firmhonda]

Originally Posted by new06Civic

I own a DLP (56") and four LCDs. I cannot distinct the different among 1080i, 720p and 1080P. I use Xbox 360 add-on for HD-DVD player and COX cable cards to receive HD channels. Here is my conclusion- w/ proper viewing distance the above resolutions are barely any differences..!

lolololol.. +rep for making me laugh in class.

[aki]

Originally Posted by new06Civic

The salesperson is the most bias person. The product of their interest is always better than the product they dislike..!

It's arguable that you're biased towards DLP since you have a giant one at home.

And even in the links you provide, they don't portray DLP as being the all-out, undeniable winner. Comes down to personal preference, but for me I don't need a giant 52" TV so something along the lines of 32" would be plenty.

[new06Civic]

Originally Posted by aki

It's arguable that you're biased towards DLP since you have a giant one at home.

And even in the links you provide, they don't portray DLP as being the all-out, undeniable winner. Comes down to personal preference, but for me I don't need a giant 52" TV so something along the lines of 32" would be plenty.

No, I am not bias toward DLP. I thought I mentioned that I enjoy both DLP and LCD, and I own more LCD than DLP. I enjoy both HDTV. I want everyone to know that there is an alternative to LCD and Plasma. It is not necessary that DLP is better. I suggests to everyone to demo their choice. You might find DLP suit your viewing needs, and you can get a larger HDTV for a lot less money.

For the HD movies and shows, I enjoy watching it on the 56” DLP than LCD. The Xbox 360 HD-DVD add-on works great on the DLP and it allow me to use my HTPC on it too. For the HTPC, I enjoy surfing the net on the 32” LCD than the 56” DLP. The eyes tend to get tires faster on the larger screen for surfing the net.

Again, everyone have his/her own needs and preferences. The expert can provide valuable information on the DLP, LCD and Plasma but you have to choose your preference. You have to demo your choice, and you might find DLP suit your viewing needs..!

[doug piston]

how do you like the xbox hd dvd add on???? just realized i could get one for only like 200 bucks. i think i may be off to the sore to buy one