LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - questions

[John Beaulieu]

I have just ordered a Toshiba 37WLT58 - it comes with 2 HDMI sockets, 3 Scart (2xRGB) and Component. Its HD Ready, and looks bloody good

there is a 32" version as wel, which retails at just over ?1k

[Cuber001]

my girls parents just bought a sony Bravia http://www.sony.com.au/homecinema/ca...ctId=KLVS32A10

On the front it says HD Ready. There is no HDMI or DVI connection. Why would this be and what is the difference between HDTV and HD ready?

Also, in relation to HDCP does this mean future HD products, Blu-Ray etc, will not work?

Please explain, as i found it rather odd that a brand new TV does not have a HDMI slot.

[Rossco]

It might just be HDTV Ready and not HD Ready, the latter being an actual standard. HDTV Ready is just something people stick on as it can do high def resolutions really. It just means it wont meet all the HD Ready specifications.



Thanks for posting those links to the lcd stands guys, Argos have some pretty decent ones on that site so I might pop in on Friday and buy one.

I need to come to a decision soon as the TV will be here tomorrow when I get home from work! Hopefully!


And also, Play-asia shipping my goods today, with UPS delivery, 2-4 days it said. Possibity of me getting them tomorrow or Friday quite slim I guess?

[ThoseOfTheUnlight]

my girls parents just bought a sony Bravia http://www.sony.com.au/homecinema/ca...ctId=KLVS32A10

On the front it says HD Ready. There is no HDMI or DVI connection. Why would this be and what is the difference between HDTV and HD ready?

Also, in relation to HDCP does this mean future HD products, Blu-Ray etc, will not work?

Please explain, as i found it rather odd that a brand new TV does not have a HDMI slot.

Looks like they removed HDMI for the Australian version, as the UK version has an HDMI input!

[Cuber001]

Just read this from the HDTV guide:

However, using a HDMI/DVI socket is not enough. To ensure maximum connectivity, if your TV has a DVI socket, make sure that it is ?HDCP Enabled?. High Definition Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of copy protection that communicates between the source (blu-ray player, PS3 etc) to eliminate piracy. Even if you have a DVI socket, it may not have this copy protection and that means no HD for you

So because it does not have a HDMI + HDCP it will not work with any of these things? Or will they just have to use analouge component?

Looks like they removed HDMI for the Australian version, as the UK version has an HDMI input!

Why would they do that?!? Very stupid!!!

[sj33]

HD-Ready certification is a UK certification.
A closer look at your set reveals that while it does claim to be HD-Ready, this is completely different to a UK set which bears the HD-Ready logo specifically.



The difference between HDTV and HD-Ready is that there is no clear definition as to what a 'HDTV' actually is. Many people use the term 'HDTV' to descibe TV's which support 720p/1080i, but retailers will be flexible and use the term 'HDTV' on sets which clearly lack key features.

'HD-Ready' was introduced in the UK as a certification to help the consumer make sure the set they buy really contains all the features they'll need in the HD generation. In order for the set to bear the 'HD-Ready' logo, they must contain all the features that the certification demands.
These requirements include -

*Must have at least 720 vertical resolution, at a 16:9 ratio.
*Must provide 720p/1080i at both50 and 60Hz, through both an analogue (Component) and digital (HDMI and/or DVI) input.
*The HDMI and/or DVI must support HDCP.

If it lacks one of those, it can't have the logo.

The UK is one of the only countries to have HD-Ready certification. The US does not have it, and to my knowledge, Australia does not.

An Australian TV which says 'HD Ready' on the front doesn't really tell you anything.

[Cuber001]

Thank you. So, the sales rep was an arsehole then?

And about Blu-ray, will it not work at all, or will it not work in HD 720p/1080i as there is no HDMI/DVI connector, meaning you can only watch it in 480p? If not i will tell them to take it back, as they were bull**** to about it.

Many people use the term 'HDTV' to descibe TV's which support 720p/1080i, but retailers will be flexible and use the term 'HDTV' on sets which clearly lack key features

This is what i though when i first saw it with no HDMI input.

[sj33]

There has been no 100% final word on the matter... but with no HDMI or DVI, it absolutely does not have HDCP. HDCP is still likely to be required for Blu-Ray and HD-DVD to be viewed in 720p/1080i.

The DVDForum don't even allow upscaling to regular DVD's to 720p/1080i through Component, let alone true Hi-Def ones.

[ThoseOfTheUnlight]

Well, thats the only thing they could have done - since I was looking at the exact same model yesterday, and it has an HDMI socket.

[Cuber001]

So i am going to jump and say that it will not do 720p/1080i in future products. And as such is really not future proof at all. As since, they don't allow DVD players to do it as you said, they will not. That is why HDCP was developed. Thank you very much for helping clear that up. I really appreciate the help!

Now, how to tell them that they were bull**** to and that it is not future proof and to take it back . . .

[sj33]

Should be pretty easy. No HDMI/DVI and no HDCP, that's half of a HDTV gone right there!

[Cuber001]

heres hoping I mean, the sales rep told them it has a higher resolution than the Samsung. Check the specs of both, and it is the FRIGGIN SAME!!! How do these people get jobs?

Why would Sony take out the HDMI anyway? Whats the logic behind that?

Oh and to anyone going to get the tellie, its not as good picture as the Samsung. I have compared both, through the same component cables, and the same movies, and the picture quality didn't look as "clean", or as sharp. Nice looking tv though.

[ThoseOfTheUnlight]

It must be your eyes then, since the Sony uses the same panel as the Samsung..

[Cuber001]

maybe it was the adjusted settings. i didnt think of that. my bad.

My Samsung is all set up to the best. The Sony was only on factory settings.

However, even on factory settings, the Samusung looked better. Everyones opinions will differ. And from what i tested on Finding Nemo And LOTR, The Samsung looked better. Same panel maybe, but different technology. It looked really unclean and washed out.

[andrewfee]

That's cool. I use a similar device, the VDigi VD-Z3. Does the same thing, but works on all Component sources as opposed to just the XBox. Came with a free XBox Component cable with optical output too.

I use it on my LCD TV as I seem to get better results than through Component native (yeah, wierd) - rocks. I tend to play games in 720p max, my screen being 1366x768... but I do run XBMC in 1080i and it's stunning.

Transcoders are perfect for people wanting to play consoles like the 360, but don't want to make the jump to a new screen just yet.

There are a few reasons as to why it would look better. VGA inputs on most sets disable the majority of the processing, which is normally detrimental to fast-moving things like games.

VGA also disables "overscan" which can result in visible borders onscreen with many games, but results in a sharper picture overall.

It must be your eyes then, since the Sony uses the same panel as the Samsung..

I haven't been paying attention, but the V series at least uses Samsung's latest S-PVA panel (on the 32/40) which has a 1000:1 contrast ratio instead of the 800:1 on the Samsung. (although I hear black levels are the same to the eye, so I don't know quite how it's measured)

It's the "WEGA Engine" that makes the difference in the picture though; the panel makes a difference to a point, but it's the processing behind it that matters.

Most people tend to agree that the Samsung looks better than the Sony "S" series LCDs, but worse than the "V" series.