DVD to VGA TFT

[sj33]

A few weeks back I bought a LG Flatron L1915S TFT monitor, 12ms 1280x1024 @ 75Hz VGA monitor. Excellent.

Now, I watch DVD's on my PC now, as it puts my ****ty 14" TV to shame, and it looks lovely, but I'd like better, so I was looking at using the component on my DVD Player and hooking it directly into my monitor using this -

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?cat...ducts_id=4233&

Now I'm a bit weary to be honest... there's no point in buying this if it's going to look like ass, or going to look exactly the same as playing DVD's on the PC... has anybody tried this box with DVD movies?

I assume there would be no issues with ghosting etc, they work fine on my PC after all, and it is a 12ms monitor... but I have no experience with VGA adaptors.

This is really just to see me through for now as I'm trying to avoid buying a new TV until HDTV's become a reasonable price (pretty long term, admittedly).

[andrewfee]

I'd look at getting VDigi's VGA box over that one, they're said to be the best one you can get for a low price. It's a bit more, but you'll appreciate the extra quality.

As for HDTVs, I'd say they're now coming down to reasonable prices with Samsung's LE23R41B at around ?500, LE26R41B at about ?600, and LE32R41B at ?800.

1366x768 native, all the inputs you should need, 800:1 contrast, 500cd/m2 brightness, 12ms response.

[sj33]

Didn't realise HDTV's were that cheap actually, well within my price range... is it wise to go for a cheap set though? I mean, no point going HD if they look mediocre, I've avoided Asda's cheapo LCD sets for the same reason.
I'm not really after a huge screen, still at home with the parents in a tiny room, so...

VDigi? I'll look into it now, I don't mind paying more... see, I work 6 nights a week, and the little time I get a home is spent watching anime. Getting a 5.1 setup in August, want a decent visual setup to go with it y'know, and a Prog. Scan VGA box sounded like a wise idea.
Do VGA boxes look better than just playing the movie on your PC though?

[SaijoBob]

How's your Samsung settling in now Andrewfee? Is it any good for console gaming, or do you just use it for the PC?

[sj33]

A quick check on those show that it doesn't have HDMI, which is going to be required for Blu-Ray isn't it?

Was looking at this http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/n...LNR238WX%2fXAA

[SaijoBob]

I think the Samsuing website only has the previous model. I remember checking it last week.

Empire Direct list it as having HDMI. LE32R41B product number.

[andrewfee]

How's your Samsung settling in now Andrewfee? Is it any good for console gaming, or do you just use it for the PC?

Only hooked up my old PC to try it - I'm a Mac user now, and 99.9% of the time I only use consoles for gaming. It does a great job, and is pretty much blur free. (the only blur you'll see is caused by interlacing, so go progressive with your systems if you can)

I couldn't be happier with the TV.

A quick check on those show that it doesn't have HDMI, which is going to be required for Blu-Ray isn't it?

Was looking at this http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/n...LNR238WX%2fXAA

That's the US model, which is slightly different. If you look about 2/3rds down you'll see a huge HDMI connector image.

These are the inputs it has:

HDMI (takes DVI with adapter)
VGA
Component
2x SCART (1 RGB)
S-Video
Composite
and RF

Didn't realise HDTV's were that cheap actually, well within my price range... is it wise to go for a cheap set though? I mean, no point going HD if they look mediocre, I've avoided Asda's cheapo LCD sets for the same reason.
I'm not really after a huge screen, still at home with the parents in a tiny room, so...

VDigi? I'll look into it now, I don't mind paying more... see, I work 6 nights a week, and the little time I get a home is spent watching anime. Getting a 5.1 setup in August, want a decent visual setup to go with it y'know, and a Prog. Scan VGA box sounded like a wise idea.
Do VGA boxes look better than just playing the movie on your PC though?

It may be cheap, but it's one of the best LCD sets out there right now. I believe there's two reasons it's so cheap. #1 - As far as I know, it's using a new manufacturing process developed by Samsung to produce higher yeilds. #2 - LCDs are getting more popular by the day, and as such they'll be producing a lot more of them.

The only place where this set feels like they've skimped on quality anywhere could be the RGB input, as it bleeds a little. It's really quite minor though, and if it's a big issue, you've saved enough to buy an RGB > Component adapter. I'm happy enough with it as it is to stick with RGB though. Lyris has been saying that it's the worst RGB ever and that S-Video looks better, but that's a damn lie. Either that or he had seriously wrong with his set.

[SaijoBob]

Only hooked up my old PC to try it - I'm a Mac user now, and 99.9% of the time I only use consoles for gaming. It does a great job, and is pretty much blur free. (the only blur you'll see is caused by interlacing, so go progressive with your systems if you can)

I couldn't be happier with the TV.

Good to know! Cheers.

I've got a US Gamecube and Xbox, so should be no problems with the interlacing. My UK PS2 can always stick on my 14" portable TV 8)

[sj33]

I assume this is the set your talking about?

http://www.digiuk.com/productdetail....1&guid=&s=&sm=

Looks perfect, bar the fact that the page says it lacks a HDMI. If I'm gonna pay so much on a set, it'd be a long term purchase, y'know... I'd rather pay a bit extra and know I'm Blu-Ray ready.

However, the 26" model seems to have it -

http://www.digiuk.com/productdetail....1&guid=&s=&sm=

I assume it's all-good for PAL60 and NTSC?

[andrewfee]

I assume this is the set your talking about?

http://www.digiuk.com/productdetail....1&guid=&s=&sm=

Looks perfect, bar the fact that the page says it lacks a HDMI. If I'm gonna pay so much on a set, it'd be a long term purchase, y'know... I'd rather pay a bit extra and know I'm Blu-Ray ready.

However, the 26" model seems to have it -

http://www.digiuk.com/productdetail....1&guid=&s=&sm=

I assume it's all-good for PAL60 and NTSC?

As far as I know, they all have HDMI, maybe the 23" doesn't, but I know the US 23" does, so I don't see why they'd take it out here.

The 26/32" definitely do have it though.

As for 50Hz / 60Hz, the UK model is supposed to take 50Hz/60Hz on pretty much everything, and has worked on everything I've hooked up to it so far.

While there's a little interlaced blur, it should still look better than your old TV, it certainly doesn't look bad or affect gameplay.

There's a lot of different models of essentially the same set. (although I've not seen "BX" models)

LExxr41(51)B(D)(X)

xx is the screen size
41/51 is the style. I prefer the 41 series, as there's too much black on the 51 imo. (on the 41 black is a straight border, on the 51 it's a V shape covering up some of the speakers)
D means it's got a Freeview tuner, but you're better off getting an external box,as it's usually ?200+ for an internal one.
X I believe is the european model.

[sj33]

Cool, looking good so far.

A quick look around on here http://www.avforums.com/forums/showt...9&page=1&pp=15 shows it might not support 720p @ 50Hz through HDMI - only Component. I'd have to look into that more before I make a decision.
I see Lyris posted in that topic, too!

[tom-nook]

As far as I know, they all have HDMI, maybe the 23" doesn't, but I know the US 23" does, so I don't see why they'd take it out here.

The 26/32" definitely do have it though.

I've just placed an order for the 23" model and it looks like HDMI support has been removed for the UK/Euro release.

There is a lot of contradictory information circulating about this particular model with some people claiming it's HDTV ready whilst other say it isn't. There is no mention of the 23" model on the Samsung UK site but their Dutch site has a PDF copy of the UK English user manual for download! From this it looks like there is definitely no HDMI input. Inputs are: Scart x2 (1 is RGB), RF x 1, Composite x 1, PC input (d-sub) x 1, Component x 1 & S-Video x 1. No mention of HDMI or DVI though.....

Seems strange to have removed HDMI because, as Andrewfee says, the US version does include it. Worth bearing in mind if HDTV is important to you.

[sj33]

Indeed. I don't mind going for the 26" model instead (it's a good excuse, actually), but no 720p @ 50Hz through HDMI sounds worrying... is it worse than it sounds?

I assumed they were abandoning the whole 50/60Hz crap with forthcoming HD disc to be honest.