Samusung LCD TV with VGA, DVI or HDMI? (1 Viewer)

[Marco9000]

All that is very interesting but I have a question: WHY do you want to use a TV with MediaPortal??

A single LCD screen is not the solution? (because MP supports TV cards, TVserver also exists ...)

Maybe my question is stupid but I really would like to know why you want to spend a lot of momey buying a HD TV when you can achieve the same result with a LCD screen for computer. Is is a problem of size?

Please explain.
Thanks,

I use a HTPC with mediaportal as a media device.
I watch, record TV, listen to music.
In my case I feel that the mediaportal does not support all my needs and WAF isn't too high.

Since it is a media device it fits perfectly in the place where all other media equipment is situated, around the TV.

The other factor is that i find TV:s better to show moving pictures (price, brightness and size for example).
A monitor and a TV are constructed with different requirements in mind.

 

[knutinh]

All that is very interesting but I have a question: WHY do you want to use a TV with MediaPortal??

A single LCD screen is not the solution? (because MP supports TV cards, TVserver also exists ...)

Maybe my question is stupid but I really would like to know why you want to spend a lot of momey buying a HD TV when you can achieve the same result with a LCD screen for computer. Is is a problem of size?

Please explain.
Thanks,

Because I use MP in my living room. Therefore I need a large screen. Large PC monitors are expensive, have more resolution than is needed, and their contrast/black-level is optimised for PC use.

Because there arent many "tv-type" flat screens out there without a tv-tuner, and those that exists cost about the same as those featuring a tuner.

Because "monitor-type" screens often does not fit the usage pattern of tv/video. They may not support 50fps. They may have poor black-levels. They may have "ghosting".

For my living room I actively tried to find a ~40" monitor-type display, believing that I could get better value for my money without the tuner, speakers etc. I found no valid candidates.

-k

 

[mrkaras]

I've missed the area of conversation but anyway:
samsung is now off my list of good brands, my Samsung TV has a plug labelled "DVI/HDMI", if you connect a DVI port to it (through a DVI/HDMI cable) there is no way to get a decent picture, sending the native resolution results in massive over-scan. there are only about 3 resolutions and one refresh rate supported anything else results in an unknown mode message. it works OK in VGA mode but I bought it because it said it worked on DVI, I have never heard of any other DVI apart from PC DVI.
any resolution should fit perfectly, it is a digital device, it should display properly like a monitor would. the bios screen has lots of over-scan and no way to fix that even in VGA mode.

 

[thematrixz]

I've missed the area of conversation but anyway:
samsung is now off my list of good brands, my Samsung TV has a plug labelled "DVI/HDMI", if you connect a DVI port to it (through a DVI/HDMI cable) there is no way to get a decent picture, sending the native resolution results in massive over-scan. there are only about 3 resolutions and one refresh rate supported anything else results in an unknown mode message. it works OK in VGA mode but I bought it because it said it worked on DVI, I have never heard of any other DVI apart from PC DVI.
any resolution should fit perfectly, it is a digital device, it should display properly like a monitor would. the bios screen has lots of over-scan and no way to fix that even in VGA mode.

Have you contacted Samsung support (try to talk to senior support staff, not the rookie ones), they have released a few non-public firmware with "Just Scan" feature to enable 1:1 pixel mapping. For example, I know there is firmware V.1026 for the LN-S4096 and LN-S4095 TV's that will do just that, but for HDMI 1080 mode only.

Worth a try.

 

[mrkaras]

I did contact samsung, an maybe I got the wrong guy but he just said "not suported" to everything I said and was very unhelpful.

 

[thematrixz]

I did contact samsung, an maybe I got the wrong guy but he just said "not suported" to everything I said and was very unhelpful.

What's the model of your TV? You might want to check out AVSforum.com for firmware, someone might post it there.

Tan

 

[gdirwin]

I have a Samsung ln-t4665 1080p LCD tv (46") working with a ATI Radeon 9600 Pro vid card - DVI out to HDMI works well at 1080p, also the ATI DVI to component adapter also works at 1080p. The VGA output somehow seems to add panning at 1280x1024 though - this is a vid card problem I think as the VGA input should also allow 1080p. You have to tell the LCD tv whether you are inputting a PC into the HDMI port or if it is a satellite, DVD player etc... For the PC input, use the Just Scan feature to get 1:1 pixel mapping - 1920/1080 60 Hz is what you want.

Only issue is a HDMI handshake issue with the 4665 and 4661 sets (occasional stutter and pink/green flashes) - this apparently has been solved with latest hardware boards and software firmware updates (the H/W board can be easily swapped on these units). Best of all, Samsung admits when there is a problem and then takes steps to fix it... Traded in a Westinghouse LVM-47W1 1080P LCD panel - it looked great for about 9 months, then died - service in Canada was impossible and took 5 weeks (long time to stare at a dead screen!).

Looks awesome with MP - playing back 1080p HD downloads also amazing!

Garth

 

[thematrixz]

Garth

Ditto to the 4665, 1080P is beautiful. I have no problem with HDMI handshaking (probably a newer board, since I just got this about 3 weeks ago).

 

[mrkaras]

I did contact samsung, an maybe I got the wrong guy but he just said "not suported" to everything I said and was very unhelpful.

What's the model of your TV? You might want to check out AVSforum.com for firmware, someone might post it there.

Tan

My TV is a LA32R7, searching that site for that number shows no results.

 

[thematrixz]

Sorry Mrkaras, I'm not familiar with that model number (probably not one that's sold here in the USA). You definitely should contact your local Samsung support to get the firmware, unless it's a few years old and they stopped making changes to it.