LCD/Plasma/CRT/DLP - questions

[segages]

Cuber, are you using 'the' Samsung (you mention the tearing thing)? If you are, you can tell the res the TV display at by pressing the 'Info' button. It'll should show 1280x720 if you're in 720p.

I don't know about that Tosh but I have an Oppo which upscales to 720p using a DVI->HDMI cable - the Oppo doesn't do 720p over component. Whilst it's still the same source as before (it doesn't suddenly to a DVD to HD-DVD), it's a huge improvement compared to when I played a DVD on my old player over scart.

[fallenangle]

Anyone know the difference between all the different 32" LCD Samsung's on the market ie. amongst others: the LE32R41BD and the LE32R51BD?

Also any good/bad info on the new (?) Toshiba 32WLT58? The previous model got mediocre reviews at tomshardware.com but the new 27" Toshiba was well received. I am hoping the same applies as it looks to have good specs.

[mid]

The D on the end means it has a Freeview tuner built-in. The 41 has a different facia to the 51. As far as I'm aware, that's the sum total of the differences.

[Extra Terrestrial]

Can someone tell me what the heck is:

"POP/PIP/PAP/PAT"

I found this on the panasonic website and is the only thing that seems to be missing from the TX26LXD500 to the new-ish TX26LXD52: I know the SD/PC slots are off the unit - all I want to know is what the above quote is and is it important? I can live without the SC and PC input malarky - but I would just like to know what the quote-codes above mean/represent.

Thanks.

:EDIT: I hope that made sense?!

[Gizmo]

Picture outside picture/Picture in Picture/Picture and picture/Picture and text

Viewing 2 different sources at once basically.

[Extra Terrestrial]

Picture outside picture/Picture in Picture/Picture and picture/Picture and text

Viewing 2 different sources at once basically.

Wonderful reply.

Cheers!

[andrewfee]

Picture outside picture/Picture in Picture/Picture and picture/Picture and text

Viewing 2 different sources at once basically.

Yep, and unless things have changed with their LCDs, Panasonic have the best support for these features. My Panny CRT lets you use any two inputs, switch between them easily / quickly etc.

Most other sets are lucky to even have PIP, and even then are limited to certain inputs. The Samsung LCD can only do VGA/HDMI and small window of another input. Switching audio to the sub-picture only affects the speakers, and the line-out goes silent.

[mr_sockochris]

PiP is a great feature. I never really expected to use it much when I saw my new TV supported it, but I'm currently playing my mate at Virtual Pool on the Xbox while watching the Charlton V Fulham game in between our shots. Lovely stuff

[sj33]

For people in here with an Oppo DVD Player (there are a few of you), you may be pleased to know a new firmware update has just come out http://www.oppodigital.com/opdv971h_..._download.html

[andrewfee]

For people in here with an Oppo DVD Player (there are a few of you), you may be pleased to know a new firmware update has just come out http://www.oppodigital.com/opdv971h_..._download.html

Excellent news thanks. It's weird, because I just visited the site two days ago and there was no update, yet it's listed as Oct 12.

Looks like a lot of great features added.

[Nijo]

Yep, and unless things have changed with their LCDs, Panasonic have the best support for these features. My Panny CRT lets you use any two inputs, switch between them easily / quickly etc.

Yeah, I have the LXD500. You can cycle between different PIP modes (including proper split-screen) and freely choose what goes in each box, although only one freeview channel at a time as far as I can tell. I wonder whether that's the same for Sky/Homechoice/NTL.
I haven't used the feature much but as far as I can tell only the primary source outputs sound... but you can swap signals fairly easily.

I use it to watch 2 games at once.

[andrewfee]

Sounds good Nijo. Personally while I liked PIP/POP/PAP etc, I didn't actually use it much though, so it doesn't bother me so much. It's nice having a PC hooked up with 1:1 pixel mapping with a small corner playing a TV show etc though.

As for the Oppo update; release notes with full details HERE

It's great being able to disable TrueLife and keep DCDi, as well as having noise reduction moved into a seperate option. (I believe it was turned on/off with TrueLife)

The PAL brightness bug is now gone, and I can't believe the difference 2:2 pulldown makes!

It mentions brightness changes over DVI, so you'll probably have to re-calibrate your display to the new output.

EDIT: I was mistaken, the PAL brightness bug is still there. (turn it to -1 brightness, and the picture will actually get brighter) To fix it, you just have to turn it up & down a notch before playing something.

Note: This only happens when it's in "Auto" mode, or if you've switched from PAL to NTSC. If the player was turned on in PAL mode, then there is no problem with brightness.

[sj33]

The new baseline brightness supposedly corrects things to bring the brightness of the player in line with DVI-standard brightness, but man.... so flippin' bright =/ Supposed to configure it on the TV, have to find that Avia thing

[Extra Terrestrial]

Can I ask my (honest!) final question before buying a HD-TV:

If I do not need the PC-input, SD-card slot and all the Picture-cum-Picture settings, would the Panasonic TX32LXD52 benefit my needs moreso than the Panasonic TX26LXD500 as the cost differences between the 26" models seems to be ridiculous for such small add-ons considering I just want a HD-Ready TV, that?s all.

As the Panny TX26LXD500 costs ?1100ish: the Panny TX32LXD52 without the small bits and bobs seems to be greater value of money at the same price as the 26? version - this means I can jump up 6-inches in terms of screen size and that is quite a difference.

Thanks for your previous help everyone: although a straight-forward ?yes? or ?no? would suffice, this is the final (important) question I would like a nice answer to please.

Cheers.

[Cuber001]

ok on my new toshiba, i just hired out kingdom of heaven, and the disc wont work! It keeps saying invalid region! Now, its meant to be multi region. I have tried a region 2 dvd and it worked. The special features disc works as do all my other discs. The funny thing is, its a region 4 dvd player, region 4 disc! Help!