LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - questions

[gIzzE]

Problem with the Samsung dvd player is there is some macroblocking type artifacts when using the digital outputs, shows up as blocking in dark areas on some screens and solorization on lighter colours.

[Simmy]

OK a few pics of my new Baby for you all

















Now I've got your attention, I'll give you a few impressions :

First off its BIG. You see these things in giant curry's stores and they do not look that large, but you get them home and they seem a hell of alot bigger. It really is dominating our front room now, which is a good thing for me, but I'm not so sure about the misses.

The TV is quite light and therefore unpacking and setting up was not that much of a chore. The TV is nice and thin as you would expect and can therefore be pushed back well into the wall, which compensates slightly for the increase in all other dimensions.

On firing up the TV I was amazed how quiet it was, and did not bang into action like my old Sony CRT. The set quickly preset all terestial channels, and then decided to display a channel 5 footy match first, which made my heart sink slightly as the picture was really not good. On reflection though it is not to bad for an analogue signal, and will hopefully improve with the digibox I'll have by the weekend.

Quickly got the 360 plugged in for some HD images, to test what the thing could do. Initially again my heart sank, but when I remembered to flick the HD switch on the 360 component cable and reconfig the dashboard for 720P things got a hell of alot better. The image which it displays is bright clear and vivid, and the dashboard especially has a high level of clarity about it, but it took alot of playing with settings before I managed to get a good image even in HD.

I currently don't have my HD DVD player so I used the 360's 480P dvd player and poped on Toy Story which looked great. I also downloaded some 720P trailors from xbox live includding the Nania one above which again looked superb, although I still feel I've got quite a way to go on the settings, as the image is still not yet all that I imagined.

The increase in screen size from my 4:3 29" Sony CRT to this is very dramatic, and far more significant than I expected. Playing games on the screen is just sublime, although I'm not quite sure yet whether the HD effect is as dramatic as I was expecting, I may have to try VGA, with the closer to native setting which that allows, and see if that gives even better results.

In general I'm very pleased with the TV, and just trying to adjust to actually owning it after waiting all this time. I do have a couple of issues though :

Firstly I have 1 dead pixel which I only spotted using a set of PSP pixel checker images. It appears on Black backgrounds only, and I therefore presume it is a bright lit pixel. Will speak to Samsung UK, as I beleive this is the type which guarantee's a replacement, although I'm not sure.

Secondly I am unable to adjust the Sharpness of the picture using the sharpeness control. I was using Andrews calibration images to set up the picture and found that the sharpness image was showing all the halo's and shadows on this image which he implied over sharpness gives. Adjusting the sharpness settings from 0 - 100 and back again has no effect however, so I'm not sure if this is a fault or just a redundent setting. Also find that the set is unable to display certain images from the THX optimiser for brightness/contrast i.e. the Drop Shadow effect. My old TV would not display this either, however I did expect this much higher spec TV to be able to do so.

Thirdly the remote seems very laggy and slow to use. To select a channel can take some time, and the remote does not take kindley to multiple inputs. To reach the AV channel for compenent you have to press the source button three times, but to do this you have to press it once, wait for it to change channel then press it again and so forth, taking quite a few seconds each. Wife actually complained last night that she could not change channel at all ! Going to program my universal remote tonight and see if that works any better.

I know some of the above sounds a bit negative but in general I am very pleased. It has just not blown me away out of the box quite like I had hoped, but I think the potential is there and it just needs alot of tinkering.

I'll shut up now !

[Yoshimax]

S1mmy - what size is the screen and what model number is that ? Am giving serious thought to either the 37 or 41" at the moment. Was going to go DLP but I've given up on that now.

Got a 36" just now and don't want a smaller screen - I did think the 37/41 looked quite small in the shop but next to some of the other monsters on display that makes sense.

EDIT : Just checked last page so I know it's the 40" (41?) but what model as there are a few at that size ?

[mid]

Also find that the set is unable to display certain images from the THX optimiser for brightness/contrast i.e. the Drop Shadow effect. My old TV would not display this either, however I did expect this much higher spec TV to be able to do so.

If (as I think) you mean the one that shows the difference between Computer Black and Video Black, the ability to display Computer Black (or superblack as I've heard it called) is a function of the player, not the TV, so don't worry about it being a problem with the Samsung.

[mid]

Yoshi - it's a 40" LCD; the box is on the previous page.

Personally, the 32" LCD is going to be plenty big enough, but it's up to you really. The full dimensions for the TVs are on the manufacturer websites, if you want to check if it will fit.

[Simmy]

Yoshi - Its the LE40M61B which has just been released and won the EISA award for best LCD this year, whatever that is worth. There are a few higher def 360 images over on the gaming setup thread, which show a little more of what it can do. 40" is more than enough for me at the moment, and I was truelly shocked at the difference in size between this, and my old 29" 4:3 CRT. I was thinking 10" would not be that big, but it REALLY is. Guess it depends how much space you've got, but I'm glad that I did not go with my other choice now the pio 436XDE, as at 43" + speakers, that thing would of just been far to wide !

You are right about the super blacks mid ! Glad to hear it is the player not the TV, must be because I was using the 360 to do the settings, while I wait for my new HD DVD. Here's hoping that will do it !

[StanBush]

Was wondering what the forums opinion was of adding seperate amplifiers to your homecinema setup ?
Was think of adding this amp to my current setup http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/conten...de=DEN-AVR1706
Is it worth doing do they make a big difference , cheers for any advice.

[mid]

Denons are normally pretty good, yes. Personally, I'm rather keen on Pioneer for AV amps, but my next will be a NAD. Mainly because unlike most of the Pioneer range or that Denon, it's got a (good) phono stage.

[demon9k]

Was wondering what the forums opinion was of adding seperate amplifiers to your homecinema setup ?
Was think of adding this amp to my current setup http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/conten...de=DEN-AVR1706
Is it worth doing do they make a big difference , cheers for any advice.

I have the older 1705 I believe and even though its meant to be bottom of the line I still think its amazing. Going to be going for the 3806 soon though I think. Got to use my speakers to their full potential after all

Oh and the 3 component inputs were a lifer saver when I started using US/HD stuff.

[NeilMcRae]

Simmy,
Does that model repace the LE40R51B? We have not had that in our lab yet but heard many good things about it.

Neil.

[Simmy]

I believe so Neil, it is their most recently launched set. I believe the "M" panels are replacing the "R" panels, and these "M" panels are the same as those used in the top Sony Bravia not sure. This is the M61 which comes in at around 2k which is ?250 more than the M51, however other than cosmetic I'm not sure what the difference in the sets are. M51 comes in 26 and 32 as well at the moment M61 only in 40"

As I said above it seems to be a good set, just hoped it would be better out of the box, as I'm not exactly the best at calibration. My biggest concern atm though is the inability to change the sharpness setting on the set (well you can change it but it has no effect) and I feel this is spoiling the picture slightly !

edit : Oh and if you get it into your lab and hate it, then go easy, I've waiting a while for a flat panel tv lol

[Rossco]

Was wondering what the forums opinion was of adding seperate amplifiers to your homecinema setup ?
Was think of adding this amp to my current setup http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/conten...de=DEN-AVR1706
Is it worth doing do they make a big difference , cheers for any advice.

Thats the one I've been meaning to buy for a while, and the 1705 before that, I really should get a move on and just buy it!!

[NeilMcRae]

I picked up a Denon amp for my games room and have been impressed by it.

[Dazzla]

Does anyone know where I can pick up a stepdown for my Oppo? I want one real quick and pretty cheap. It's only 20w, I just completely forgot to order one. I imagine something like this would do it, but I can't be assed to wait!

[Geezer]

Maplins usually have decent ones hovering around the ?5 to ?10 mark