HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

Well I went to Circuit City tonight and you guys were right, these new Samsungs are better looking than the Sony although it's not massive, they just seem a bit brighter and slightly more crisp. However with the pictures being even I'd give Samsung the nod because not only do you get a bigger pic for less money but they don't have the horrid wide speakers that I'll never use. Plus I prefer the Samsung more compact and bad@ss black case over the Sony grey case as well.

However out of the two Samsungs I was looking at getting the HL-5087 (50") and HL-5687 (56") neither of them have any form of picture-in-picture or picture-beside-picture at all. It's not a killer for me but I had planned on being able to once again watch two football games like I used to do on my Toshiba 36" with PIP so it's definitely a downer.

I had pretty much decided what I want before tonight, now it's back to the drawing board *sigh*....Now i'm wondering if I should wait for Samsung to release another model with PIP or what..

You mention the "brighter and crisper" as being reasons for your nod to Samsung. I just feel the need to mention that you will fry your retinas if you watch ANY TV in your home at the levels on display in-store. The contrast, color, blue grayscale, edge enhancement, etc. are all cranked WAY too high...to stand out so that passerby comment that they are "brighter and crisper"

I suggest viewing them at multiple stores and adjusting the displays you are examining to the "Pro" or "Movie" modes, which are more accurate image wise and will eliminate a lot of the artificialness (is that a word) of the image. The blue tinted grayscale is the worst offender, since most people will view an image with higher contrast (white) and brightness (black level) than correct. Just an idea.

I have the SXRD, and looking at the default "Vivid" or even "Standard" settings when compared to my calibrated "Pro" settings is painful to view. You lose so much detail and color fidelity it's amazing. The image isn't as "sharp", but believe me, the difference is truly night and day.

*One thing about PIP, which seems to be a bit of a deal breaker. Most of the current displays only allow one HD source to be displayed, so you can't use HDMI cable and component inputs to be viewed PIP, or two components, etc. The SXRD and the DLP I owned were one HD source and one SD source (either S-Video or composite). I believe this kind of arrangement is standard, so unless you want to view digital camera slideshows or have your camcorder plugged in...PIP probably isn't going to be that big of a deal (or you game using the old yellow composite input). Just a thought.*

[jetsfansiny79]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

One thing thats good about pip is that you can split the screen in half and have one program in HD and the same program in standard cable. It helps when I show friends or family how big of diffrence HD is.

[mjb2124]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

*One thing about PIP, which seems to be a bit of a deal breaker. Most of the current displays only allow one HD source to be displayed, so you can't use HDMI cable and component inputs to be viewed PIP, or two components, etc. The SXRD and the DLP I owned were one HD source and one SD source (either S-Video or composite). I believe this kind of arrangement is standard, so unless you want to view digital camera slideshows or have your camcorder plugged in...PIP probably isn't going to be that big of a deal (or you game using the old yellow composite input). Just a thought.*

Actually it does work. I can use PIP while viewing HDTV, 360, DVD etc... I have DVI on my cable box, component on my 360 and component on my DVD player. While gaming I can have a PIP screen showing TV. I haven't tried to show a DVD in PIP though.

All that needs done is to splice the coax cable (I spliced a secondary cable in my basement and ran it up the wall to my TV). Plug into the antenna 1 input and configure the TV to show PIP from that antenna.

I use it occassionally when gaming (during slower moving baseball games) where the small PIP in the left hand corner doesn't really cover anything important.

[mjb2124]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

Well I went to Circuit City tonight and you guys were right, these new Samsungs are better looking than the Sony although it's not massive, they just seem a bit brighter and slightly more crisp. However with the pictures being even I'd give Samsung the nod because not only do you get a bigger pic for less money but they don't have the horrid wide speakers that I'll never use. Plus I prefer the Samsung more compact and bad@ss black case over the Sony grey case as well.

However out of the two Samsungs I was looking at getting the HL-5087 (50") and HL-5687 (56") neither of them have any form of picture-in-picture or picture-beside-picture at all. It's not a killer for me but I had planned on being able to once again watch two football games like I used to do on my Toshiba 36" with PIP so it's definitely a downer.

I had pretty much decided what I want before tonight, now it's back to the drawing board *sigh*....Now i'm wondering if I should wait for Samsung to release another model with PIP or what..

This is why I chose the DLP. The picture was better to me. You'll want to turn down the brightness and contrast a little, but personally I find a slightly brighter picture better for my viewing habits. Not "torch mode" bright, but brighter than some - this was after calibrating it with a DVD as well.

I'm a little confused as typically Samsungs are labeled HL(letter) and then a series of numbers (size, model). So it would be like HLP4663. I don't know of any HL5087. Is it an HLR5087? That definately has PIP.

I think the HLS5087 (newest version) also has PIP.

If it's a newer model, I can't believe it doesn't have PIP. That's a pretty standard feature on all TV's now.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

I use PIP all the time. Especially during Football and last year's NCAA Tournament. I have one game on each side of the screen. I've also gamed and put the game on the right side very small, while I game on the left side of the screen. I love the picture by picture features.

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

Actually it does work. I can use PIP while viewing HDTV, 360, DVD etc... I have DVI on my cable box, component on my 360 and component on my DVD player. While gaming I can have a PIP screen showing TV. I haven't tried to show a DVD in PIP though.

All that needs done is to splice the coax cable (I spliced a secondary cable in my basement and ran it up the wall to my TV). Plug into the antenna 1 input and configure the TV to show PIP from that antenna.

I use it occassionally when gaming (during slower moving baseball games) where the small PIP in the left hand corner doesn't really cover anything important.

I know there's ways around it (and the coaxial splitting is the common one), it's just that w/o such modifications the PIP doesn't work with HD sources. However, if you use the internal tuner (plug coaxial right into the TV) it will work. The simpler days of yore...

[ODogg]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

This is why I chose the DLP. The picture was better to me. You'll want to turn down the brightness and contrast a little, but personally I find a slightly brighter picture better for my viewing habits. Not "torch mode" bright, but brighter than some - this was after calibrating it with a DVD as well.

I'm a little confused as typically Samsungs are labeled HL(letter) and then a series of numbers (size, model). So it would be like HLP4663. I don't know of any HL5087. Is it an HLR5087? That definately has PIP.

I think the HLS5087 (newest version) also has PIP.

If it's a newer model, I can't believe it doesn't have PIP. That's a pretty standard feature on all TV's now.

Yeah it's HLS and I've been in store and we tried to find PIP and couldn't on both 50" and 56" and i thought maybe the sales guy was just not able to find it but i found the owners manual on line last night and it doesn't even mention PIP so I guess they just don't have it.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Samsu...oductDetail.do

The guy at Circuit City said since no HD could do PIP without having two set top boxes they are doing away with PIP but I was like, well what about just being able to have one HD signal and one SD signal in the meantime and he said, nah, no one like PIP anymore, they're doing away with it on all the new sets. Maybe he's right but it seems only Samsung is doing away with it so far if that's true.

[colkilla]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

not very tech savy, but i do know that my dell 32 inch lcd will do pip and pbp in high def for both if you have two hd sources, i.e. the 360 and the hd cable box. i watch espn hd all the time and play the 360 in hd in the pip window.

[mjb2124]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

Yeah it's HLS and I've been in store and we tried to find PIP and couldn't on both 50" and 56" and i thought maybe the sales guy was just not able to find it but i found the owners manual on line last night and it doesn't even mention PIP so I guess they just don't have it.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Samsu...oductDetail.do

The guy at Circuit City said since no HD could do PIP without having two set top boxes they are doing away with PIP but I was like, well what about just being able to have one HD signal and one SD signal in the meantime and he said, nah, no one like PIP anymore, they're doing away with it on all the new sets. Maybe he's right but it seems only Samsung is doing away with it so far if that's true.

I couldn't find a ton of info on the HLS, but I guess it doesn't have it.

That sales guy doesn't seem to helping! You can view HD in the larger picture, but not the PIP screen. However, why would someone want the PIP screen to be in HD? It's so small that it doesn't make much sense IMO. It looks very clear as an SD signal which is what I'm doing right now (watch HD on the big screen and SD on PIP).

I like his comment that no one uses PIP anymore. I don't use it all the time, but I certainly do use it on occassion. My favorite time to use it is while playing a baseball game. I'll play on the large screen and watch the Pirates on the small screen. It doesn't interfere either with it in the upper right hand corner.

[ODogg]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

I couldn't find a ton of info on the HLS, but I guess it doesn't have it.

That sales guy doesn't seem to helping! You can view HD in the larger picture, but not the PIP screen. However, why would someone want the PIP screen to be in HD? It's so small that it doesn't make much sense IMO. It looks very clear as an SD signal which is what I'm doing right now (watch HD on the big screen and SD on PIP).

I like his comment that no one uses PIP anymore. I don't use it all the time, but I certainly do use it on occassion. My favorite time to use it is while playing a baseball game. I'll play on the large screen and watch the Pirates on the small screen. It doesn't interfere either with it in the upper right hand corner.

joeboo i guess i'll just get the Samsung and use my 14" tv for other games since I'll have no PIP. now if most of the time i'm 9 feet away on my bed but sometimes i am in my chair which is 6 feet away should i go with the 50" or 56".. i was told to go with 50" by CC but the 56" is only $300 more so it's just tempting to go up another 6".

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

I use PIP during college basketball tournament time, NFL, and if something is on that I want to listen to and still game. It's not a must have to me, but it's nice.

[Fiddy]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

joeboo i guess i'll just get the Samsung and use my 14" tv for other games since I'll have no PIP. now if most of the time i'm 9 feet away on my bed but sometimes i am in my chair which is 6 feet away should i go with the 50" or 56".. i was told to go with 50" by CC but the 56" is only $300 more so it's just tempting to go up another 6".

get the 56 and if its to big when you get it home, then you can go smaller... you go smaller first you will wonder hmmm wonder how the 56 would look lol..

[sdrotar]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

Hey, fellas - I tried to search this thread, but didn't find what I was looking for - If I'm asking a repeat question, I apologize.

I need an HDMI-to-HDMI cable for the upscaling DVD player I just bought. I know that Monster gouges people for their cables, but I don't trust the Ebay folks selling 'em for 10 bucks, either.

Is there a happy medium? Any recommendations as far as HDMI cabling goes? I know shielding's important, but it's not like I live under a power line or something...

[mjb2124]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

Hey, fellas - I tried to search this thread, but didn't find what I was looking for - If I'm asking a repeat question, I apologize.

I need an HDMI-to-HDMI cable for the upscaling DVD player I just bought. I know that Monster gouges people for their cables, but I don't trust the Ebay folks selling 'em for 10 bucks, either.

Is there a happy medium? Any recommendations as far as HDMI cabling goes? I know shielding's important, but it's not like I live under a power line or something...

Check out "Acoustics Research" cables. They're good quality. Maybe something like this:

http://www.bizrate.com/oid418870992.html

[mjb2124]

Re: HDTV Questions and Answers Thread

get the 56 and if its to big when you get it home, then you can go smaller... you go smaller first you will wonder hmmm wonder how the 56 would look lol..

I agree.

Odogg - I'd go 56" and if it really is too big, just exchange it. It might be difficult to see everything from 6 feet away, but 9 feet should be good.

Technically the size to feet chart states you should get the 50", but those aren't "written in stone" per se. I'm guessing the CC guy was telling you 50" based off of that.