LCD HDTV

[Vampyr]

So the subtitle for this forum is "life beyond the range of your controller". This is beyond the range of my controller, but only by a couple of feet.

I bought a new LCD HD TV yesterday! It's a Samsung LN37A450, at 720p. I know what some of you are thinking "Wut, all that money for a TV, and you didn't go 1080?!"

The reasoning for this is that at 50" and below, you can't even tell a difference unless you're a few feet away, and the one I bought is 37".

I havn't really gotten to test it on an HD source yet (I'm upgrading to HD cable soon), but I have a few questions for people here who may already have one.

Regular cable looks pretty bad. I expected this; HD shows you how things really are, for better or for worse, so something filmed 20 years ago is going to really show the poor quality of the film used to film it. I don't really mind this so much, but there still seems to be a little too much noise on the screen. Does anyone know any settings that can be adjusted to make it more suitable for regular TV viewing?

Another question I have has to do with cables. I understand that HDMI cables are the end-all-be-all to HD viewing, and I'm going to get one when I upgrade to HD cable. Does anyone know if that kind of cable will reduce the noise from regular non-HD channels as well?

Another gripe I have is that Gamecube and PS2 games look pretty crappy. I've been reading about it, and it seems that using a component cable with progressive scan is ideal. Anyone have any experiance with using their GCN/PS2 on an HDLCD TV?

[Bube]

I have both cable and a digital service hooked up to my tv. Cable is very crappy, as you say, but with digital (where the broadcasting quality is better) used to have a much better picture than cable.

I upgraded to HD digital 2 days ago, and the regular channels on it look almost the same - it just has better color. Probably because of the HDMI cable.

And about the GCN component cable - I never had one but I tried a few progressive scan compatible GCN games on my Wii (hooked up with component). The difference was seriously noticable. Much better.

I've never been able to get my hands on a PS2 component cable, but I'm sure it'd be the same.

[Vampyr]

I have both cable and a digital service hooked up to my tv. Cable is very crappy, as you say, but with digital (where the broadcasting quality is better) used to have a much better picture than cable.

I upgraded to HD digital 2 days ago, and the regular channels on it look almost the same - it just has better color. Probably because of the HDMI cable.

And about the GCN component cable - I never had one but I tried a few progressive scan compatible GCN games on my Wii (hooked up with component). The difference was seriously noticable. Much better.

I've never been able to get my hands on a PS2 component cable, but I'm sure it'd be the same.

Thanks, I was hoping that the HDMI cable would be able to clean the signal up, as I suspected it was noise on the cable causing the noise on the screen.

I'm getting ready to get on Ebay to hunt for a PS2 component cable. I don't think I'll buy a GCN one, as I'm purchasing a Wii soon and it would be silly to do that with the Wii having backwards compatibility. Do all Wii games support progressive scan?

I also had a question about how the component cables worked. I understand we are talking about the R/G/B component video cables, right? What sort of cable would you use for audio, in this case?


Bube: Does this look like the right kind of cable if I were to be purchasing one for the PS2/PS3? They are extremely cheap on Ebay for some reason, all of them going for around $3.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-HDTV-HD-Component-Cable-for-PS2-Playstation-2-PS3_W0QQitemZ110259599962QQihZ001QQcategoryZ139969QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Bube]

I really can't say much about HD cable - there's no such thing here. Digital always had a better picture, and the non-HD channels were the same on HD digital, like I said.

I don't think all GCN games support prog.scan. Here's (http://www.mobygames.com/attribute/sheet/attributeId,275/p,14/) a link for prog.scan enabled games. Keep in mind, though, that you have to be pressing the B button while the game is booting up to enable prog.scan. And it's not available on PAL games (you're in the US anyway, if I'm not mistaken).

And yes, component is RGB component. You have to use a separate red and white stereo audio cable for audio. Sometimes the component cable has these audio cables as a 4th and 5th cable attached (All console component cables do, I think. They should, because there's no other "audio out" port on them. I know that the Wii component cable does have the audio cables attached.) Or, of course, you can use an optical cable, if available (the PS2 has one, afaik).

[Vampyr]

Good, looks like that PS2 cable is what I want. I think that will make my DVD's look better too.

Yeah, my girlfriend found a FAQ on the Nintendo.com site that said newer model GCN's do not have component cable ports. However, my GCN is fairly old and I'm going to check when I get back to my apartment if it has the port.

If it doesn't, my girlfriend's Gamecube is even older; she bought it on the first day they were released. The only annoying thing is that GCN component cables are a lot more expensive than PS2 ones.

My one other question, do Wii's have a port for component cables? [Nevermind, you answered that]


Edit: Awesome, thanks for the help. I'm going to go ahead and get the PS2 component cable since it's cheap, and wait on the Wii to use it's component cable for my GCN games. (Looking forward to twilight princess). Does a component cable come with the Wii, or is it sold seperately? I could look it up, but I'm lazy.

[Bube]

Yeah, newer model GCN's don't have the digital port. Not really important, since you're not going to use your Wii anyway.

Get the PS2 cables, it will make your DVDs better. Not heaps better, but sharper and better-colored.

You have to buy the Wii component cable separately. I heard it was pretty expensive. Can't remember though. I bought mine for a lot of money, because electronics is very expensive here :). However, due to something about the Wii's graphics, you get a lot of jaggy edges with a component cable in Wii games (not really true for GCN games though). If you can get past that (which you will :)), it looks great.

[Vampyr]

Yeah, newer model GCN's don't have the digital port. Not really important, since you're not going to use your Wii anyway.

Get the PS2 cables, it will make your DVDs better. Not heaps better, but sharper and better-colored.

You have to buy the Wii component cable separately. I heard it was pretty expensive. Can't remember though. I bought mine for a lot of money, because electronics is very expensive here :). However, due to something about the Wii's graphics, you get a lot of jaggy edges with a component cable in Wii games (not really true for GCN games though). If you can get past that (which you will :)), it looks great.

I'm finding Wii component cables on ebay for $3-$15 USD. :O

[Aladuf]

I bought a new HDTV recently too and it is a Samsung. It was advertised to be 720p/1080i but when I bought an HDMI cable for the PS3 I hooked it up and clicked the option for "display with optimal settings" after that it told me that it is displaying in 1080p. I was (and still am, weeks later) very confused why my supposedly 720p tv is displaying in 1080p.

So I figured maybe that since I was using an HDMI cable with the PS3 then it could have been just "tricking" the tv. After that I turned on the 360 (which is only running on component cables so I figured it wouldn't trick my tv since it's not HDMI) and went to its display settings and swapped it from 1080i to 1080p and sure enough it accepted the settings and displays in 1080p now. I don't know how it's actually doing it, because normally if you have a 720p tv and set it to run in 1080p then you lose all video signal to the tv since it can't be supported.

Basically what I'm saying is, since you have a new Samsung and I have a new Samsung, try this out and maybe you could be running in 1080p too.

As for running GC/PS2 games with component cables, either way on a tv your size (37 inches right? I googled the product number) they are going to look fairly shitty. Components will probably bring out some nasty jaggies on your games, but they're probably already there so go for the components to at least make it more colorful.

[Vampyr]

Why do component cables cause jagged edges? That seems odd. Are you saying that my TV would be better off if it were larger, or smaller? It's always been my experience that smaller TV's had better image quality, and 37 is pretty mid range.

And yeah, I've also read about people being able to use a 1080p resolution on their 720p Samsungs. I have no idea why it works like that, but I won't complain. :lol:

I'm tossing around the idea of eventually getting a 360 or a Ps3. I would prefer a 360 for it's game selecting, but ps3 has a nice Blu-Ray player in it.

I know that HDMI are supposedly the most awesome ever for HD, which is why I'll have one for my new HD cable box. Do Wii's have the option of using an HDMI cable, or do you have to go component in their case?

[Aladuf]

Components cause the jaggies because you're basically removing the blur that normal composite cables had with the picture quality. So that blur was covering up the jaggies and now since the picture is nice and crisp then they're basically exposed. I'm not saying that it will look horrible but they will mostly just be more noticeable.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one getting up to 1080p on a Samsung too! I thought I was crazy, or just very lucky.

And nope, the Wii doesn't have an HDMI connection. You're only going to be able to run components off of it.

[Vampyr]

At least the least expensive option is the only one.

[Aladuf]

:lolz: What do you mean? The cables?

Because you can find HDMI for cheaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap too. I bought mine off of amazon for $3.14 total with shipping. Components are probably the same, I haven't bought any off of the internet.

[Vampyr]

:lolz: What do you mean? The cables?

Because you can find HDMI for cheaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap too. I bought mine off of amazon for $3.14 total with shipping. Components are probably the same, I haven't bought any off of the internet.

Yeah, I don't know what the heck I was thinking. For some reason I thought HDMI cables were expensive. I could have swore I saw one for like $70 at best buy.

But I was looking up some HDMI to PC cables on ebay (my girlfriends laptop has a blu-ray player), and they were only like $10. :lol:

[Aladuf]

Oh you most certainly did see that HDMI cable for $70 at Best Buy. If you go anywhere to buy HDMI cables that isn't the internet then you will be charged INSANE amounts of money for them. I've seen them priced as high as $100 at stores. I feel really bad for the people who buy them for that much.

[Bube]

I have an LG 720p tv, and it has 1080p input. It somehow processes the image into something compatible. But it looks better than 720p. I don't know how that works..

[Vampyr]

Oh you most certainly did see that HDMI cable for $70 at Best Buy. If you go anywhere to buy HDMI cables that isn't the internet then you will be charged INSANE amounts of money for them. I've seen them priced as high as $100 at stores. I feel really bad for the people who buy them for that much.

That is pretty ridiculous. I just called my cable company to ask about their HD package, and they can sell me an HDMI cable for $11.

[Perfect Stu]

1) Get a PS3
2) Get an HDMI cable
3) Enjoy High Definition

[Vampyr]

1)A. Find buried treasure.
B. Get a PS3
2) Get an HDMI cable
3) Enjoy High Definition

Fixed.

[Aladuf]

1) Get a PS3
2) Get an HDMI cable
3) Enjoy High Definition

This is basically what I've wanted to say the whole time :lolz:

[Perfect Stu]

Fixed.

That's ridiculous. It doesn't have to be buried.

And besides, the only reason why you should invest in a TV like that is to make use of it.

[Aladuf]

That's ridiculous. It doesn't have to be buried.

And besides, the only reason why you should invest in a TV like that is to make use of it.

It's true, a PS3 will make full use of your tv. And a PS3 isn't but $50 more than a 360 and you won't have to pay for online and all that jazz. :cool:

[Dyne]

The reasoning for this is that at 50" and below, you can't even tell a difference unless you're a few feet away, and the one I bought is 37".

Regular cable looks pretty bad. I expected this; HD shows you how things really are, for better or for worse, so something filmed 20 years ago is going to really show the poor quality of the film used to film it. I don't really mind this so much, but there still seems to be a little too much noise on the screen. Does anyone know any settings that can be adjusted to make it more suitable for regular TV viewing?

Another question I have has to do with cables. I understand that HDMI cables are the end-all-be-all to HD viewing, and I'm going to get one when I upgrade to HD cable. Does anyone know if that kind of cable will reduce the noise from regular non-HD channels as well?

Another gripe I have is that Gamecube and PS2 games look pretty crappy. I've been reading about it, and it seems that using a component cable with progressive scan is ideal. Anyone have any experiance with using their GCN/PS2 on an HDLCD TV?

Really? I have a 1080p Sharp Aquos and I notice the difference right away. It all depends on how far you sit away from your screen. I think amazon has a chart on sitting distance vs screen size w/ 1080p. Anyways, as long as you're happy with what you have. I sure am happy with 1080p and Blu-rays. :D

Speaking of which - yeah, a PS3 would pretty much solve your problems. It upscales ALL content (minus games) and is pretty much the best on the market for what it does. You also would get access to Blu-ray and a sweet music player. Not to mention games, including PS2 games if you get the right unit. PS3 is essentially the best Home Theater tool money can buy. I harped on it so much in the past but once I bought it, I realized how awesome it was.

And yeah, cables make all the difference. DEFINITELY don't bother with Gamecube component cables - they've been discontinued for a long time now, and are more of a collector's item. Wii component cables are a lot cheaper and will serve much better.

If you want to calibrate it, you can look up your model on www.avsforum.com and find what other people are using. :) TV's look much better when calibrated.

[Jonbo298]

For ANY cables, use www.monoprice.com So far gotten 3 HDMI cables (friends and me), and a DVI to HDMI adapter to use PC on TV. Never an issue and it's very cheap.

[Vampyr]

Really? I have a 1080p Sharp Aquos and I notice the difference right away. It all depends on how far you sit away from your screen. I think amazon has a chart on sitting distance vs screen size w/ 1080p. Anyways, as long as you're happy with what you have. I sure am happy with 1080p and Blu-rays. :D

Speaking of which - yeah, a PS3 would pretty much solve your problems. It upscales ALL content (minus games) and is pretty much the best on the market for what it does. You also would get access to Blu-ray and a sweet music player. Not to mention games, including PS2 games if you get the right unit. PS3 is essentially the best Home Theater tool money can buy. I harped on it so much in the past but once I bought it, I realized how awesome it was.

And yeah, cables make all the difference. DEFINITELY don't bother with Gamecube component cables - they've been discontinued for a long time now, and are more of a collector's item. Wii component cables are a lot cheaper and will serve much better.

If you want to calibrate it, you can look up your model on www.avsforum.com and find what other people are using. :) TV's look much better when calibrated.

Yeah, I did some research on Cnet before buying the TV and read an article on 720p vs 1080p, and at less than 50", as long as you're over 1.5x the size of the screen away, there's no difference. And I'm about 8'-10' away, so it's cool.

I also understand that I bought the TV to enjoy HD, but I don't think I really need a PS3 to do that. I tossed around the idea of buying one of course, but I've already been planning on buying a Wii for the past few months, and I don't have another $700 to toss away. :P

Plus I'm upgrading to HD cable, and my girlfriends Laptop is also a blu-ray player, and can be connected to by TV. So I am going to get use out of my TV. Metal Gear Solid 4 is tempting though. But I would probably want a 360 first anyway.

And yeah, I've actually spent most of today on that website, looking at configurations. I think I've found one that looks great on HD sources and SD sources.

For ANY cables, use www.monoprice.com So far gotten 3 HDMI cables (friends and me), and a DVI to HDMI adapter to use PC on TV. Never an issue and it's very cheap.

I considered buying one from there, but I opted for an $11 from my cable company. Time will tell if it's good. If not, only $11.

[Yoda9864]

Yeah, I did some research on Cnet before buying the TV and read an article on 720p vs 1080p, and at less than 50", as long as you're over 1.5x the size of the screen away, there's no difference. And I'm about 8'-10' away, so it's cool.
This is true, unless you have it hooked up to a PC. I usually use my 1080p as my monitor but lately certain circumstances have forced me to use my brother's 720p TV and let me tell you that it is p..a..i..n..f..u..l. So much so that I find myself using my laptop for everything instead of my desktop.

[Dyne]

Yeah, I did some research on Cnet before buying the TV and read an article on 720p vs 1080p, and at less than 50", as long as you're over 1.5x the size of the screen away, there's no difference. And I'm about 8'-10' away, so it's cool.


That's weird, the measurement I've always heard is three screen heights away. But whatever works. Hahaha.

[Vampyr]

This is true, unless you have it hooked up to a PC. I usually use my 1080p as my monitor but lately certain circumstances have forced me to use my brother's 720p TV and let me tell you that it is p..a..i..n..f..u..l. So much so that I find myself using my laptop for everything instead of my desktop.

What if you change your computers resolution to match the TV's?

[Yoda9864]

What if you change your computers resolution to match the TV's?
Haha, Obviously I changed my resolution to match the TVs resolution. Having my resolution set to only 1360x768 is cruel and unusual punishment.