The "Ask Any Question about HDTV or Audio" Thread
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-expensive A/V cables, (Monster, Acoustic Research, et. al.) are the snake oil of the 21st century (if you don't believe me, look at the founder of Monster Cables's mansion, if that doesn't show that their products are overpriced and overrated, nothing will)
-not only has HD DVD won the first round vs. Blu-Ray, it won it in a landslide
-1080p is very, very overrated and is used as more of a marketing tool than an actual screen resolution
-don't make the mistake many others make, if you buy a decent display, dont't sell the audio side short, pair it with a phenomenal digital audio system
-for your own sakes, please don't buy Bose, if you have that much money to spend on audio, there are comparably priced, better-performing alternatives
So, again, post any questions, you'll get some semi-worthwhile answers.
Ok I have a question, every time I go check out the LCD HDTV's at Best Buy, the picture has small tiny squares is that normal?Samurai-Cell
It could be, one drawback of LCD is that there is visible pixel structure (sometimes referred to as the screen door effect). Some LCDs are better at covering up this "interpixel gap" and some aren't.
Next time you go to the store, try turning the TV off, waiting a few seconds, and then turning it back on again or try to switch to different inputs to see if that clears it up. If not, I'd move on to the next LCD.
The rule of thumb for PC hardware is that the hardware performance doubles every 18 months. It probably won't apply much for anything else, but once 1080p becomes standard (not anytime soon), will we start to see things like 2160p, 3240p, and 4320p after that? Will screen resolution become one of those things that increases more because we can? People thought we would never need more than a gigabyte in computers at one time. So I guess my question is, Will resolution doubles become as standard as PC performance in the future, especially as a consumer may be more likely to buy a TV that has 2160p over one that says 1080p?Kaintae1134
Good question. This is only speculation on my part, but if I had to guess, I'd say that 1080p will be the maximum standard for a while for a few reasons:
-there are no broadcast stations that deliver content in 1080p right now (but there will be eventually) so there will be pressure on hardware manufacturers from content providers not to go higher than what we have now because they don't want to spend even more money to upgrade (as it stands now, it is still very expensive to broadcast at 720p and 1080i)
-for those familiar with computer monitors, we already have displays that can go higher than 1080p (1920x1080) but the computer monitors with this ultra high resolution also have ultra high price tags; manufacturers are already having a difficult time selling HDTVs as it stands now, asking them to upgrade to something even more may be a bit much
Hope this answers your question.
I have a question for you:
I am going to buy me a new HDTV. And I saw this one. And here are the Technical specifications.
Is it a good TV?
Umm, round 1 hasn't even begun, and won't begin for another few weeks when BR gets past the soft launch. Everyone has been holding back their titles until Sony, Pioneer and the PS3 ship.-not only has HD DVD won the first round vs. Blu-Ray, it won it in a landslide
I have a question for you:
I am going to buy me a new HDTV. And I saw this one. And here are the Technical specifications.
Is it a good TV?
enormousaxie
That's not a bad choice for the right price (how much are you paying for this). It has both HDMI and DVI inputs (you can use it as a computer monitor via DVI) and a single component input (good for the 360 or the Wii). A built-in digital tuner means that you can just connect an HD antenna and get HD broadcasts over the air (check www.hdtvpub.com to check your area for ease of finding HD signals). Also, I'm impressed with the warranty, 2 years is pretty rare these days, you'd be lucky to get a year with most TVs. Also, since the service is on-site, don't waste your money on an extended warranty.
One word of caution, the 600:1 contrast ratio (the percentage of white vs. black) is a bit low. LCDs generally have a problem displaying true black (black appears more as dark gray) which will make dark areas lose detail. Think about it this way, if in a movie, you see a guy with a black jacket, on an LCD, you'd have a hard time making out the buttons on that jacket where on a TV with good black levels, the buttons would be more than visible instead of blending into the color of the jacket.
Again, depending on the price, this isn't a bad TV.
Umm, round 1 hasn't even begun, and won't begin for another few weeks when BR gets past the soft launch. Everyone has been holding back their titles until Sony, Pioneer and the PS3 ship.-not only has HD DVD won the first round vs. Blu-Ray, it won it in a landslide
Round 1 not only has begun but has been over for a while. Both HD DVD and Blu-ray are introducing their second-gen players and during the first round, many tech. sites and magazines have raved about HD DVD's picture quality, especially when compared to Blu-ray (most of this is probably due to BD using older, less efficient compression technology). HD DVD has definitely beat Blu-ray on price and overall sales (both players and disks).
If what you are saying is true, that the Blu-ray crowd is holding back, what are they waiting for? You only get one chance to make a first impression, especially if you're going against a cheaper and comparable format so if they did hold back on picture quality and price, they made a gross miscalculation.
if i connect ps3 to my lcd monitor via an HDMI-DVI cable what will i have to do for audio? i have external speakers which i would like to connect ps3 to. i don't know much about audio cables and ports, but i know alot about video cables and ports.timmay9021
I'm not completely familiar with the PS3's connectivity suite, but here are a few guesses:
-if your computer speakers have an optical digital input (I doubt this), you can use an optical audio cable
-if your computer speakers are like most and have a male connection jack (that you plug into your computer's headphone input), you're going to have to go to Radio Shack or another store and get a converter to plug onto that male jack to convert it into a female input. Then what you do is connect the composite cable that the PS3 comes with into its AV multi out and then connect the red and white cables from that onto the female converter that you have connected to your computer speakers
Hope this helps.
1080p may be slightly overrated, but that doesn't mean it's entirely useless. Any LCD/Plasma/digital panel that can display every pixel of 1080i will also be 1080p capable. There's a slight improvement moving from the "i" to "p" as well.epsilon72
True, 1080p is not useless and it will (in theory depending on the display) show every line of a 1080i broadcast but the way it is being marketed, people think that a 1080p monitor will show a night and day difference compared to a 720p or 1080i native monitor. This simply is not the case, there are slight improvements to picture quality but that depends on the size of the display, the signal being fed to it, the distance one sits from the display, how it's calibrated, etc.
What second gen Blu-Ray players? Not a single company has announced a second deck, or anything with even a revised model number. Toshiba won't be shipping their second gens until February, and the A2 is greatly stripped down, for example it's missing the analog audio outputs required if you haven't thrown down for an HDMI 1.3 reciever for advanced audio. Samsung insisted on shipping their deck back in the summer, so they released a smattering of titles. Even so, BR is ahead of where HD was in title #s at similar points. MPEG-2 has nothing to do with the picture quality, there's a ton of reference MPEG-2 BR discs out there like Good Night and Good Luck, Tears of the Sun and Lethal Weapon. Unlike HD-DVD, BR is capable of using a variety of codecs, including VC-1. Toshiba is charging the same $800-1000 prices for HD-DVD outside of the US. They're loss leadering here to try to diffuse the $500 PS3 advantage. It's as simple as that.Round 1 not only has begun but has been over for a while. Both HD DVD and Blu-ray are introducing their second-gen players and during the first round, many tech. sites and magazines have raved about HD DVD's picture quality, especially when compared to Blu-ray (most of this is probably due to BD using older, less efficient compression technology). HD DVD has definitely beat Blu-ray on price and overall sales (both players and disks).
You keep assuming that the Samsung deck was the official launch. 95% of the buying public have no idea either of these formats exist, or only a vague notion, nor are the vast majority of them itching to upgrade over DVD right now, especially at $500 a player BR has the 4 exclusive studios, who own 60%+ of the movies ever made, HD has one BR has every major manufacturer except Toshiba making decks, HD has...Toshiba. It's simply a matter of time. In 2 weeks there will be 400,000 new BR capable decks, quadrupling HD's best case scenario numbers for installed base (that's players sold, not shipped), and there will be at least a few million of them sold in the next few months, and it's the installed base that determines the winner in a format war. Oh and they didn't "hold back in quality". I want you to go back and take a look at the DVDs that were shipped during it's soft launch back in March 1997. They looked like CRAP compared to what came later. 6 months later, they had the big rollout. VC-1 for HD-DVD takes 8 hours PER PASS to compress with 4 computers chewing on it, and typically they need 3-4 passes to get the compression right. Sony took the gamble because they can do MPEG-2 encoding in real time. The trick was they had to learn HOW to do it right, as HD is a completely new ballgame to compress properly. Check out all the new BD-50 discs coming out, especially the stuff from Fox is amazingly high quality(Kingdom of Heaven being the hallmark apparently) The same things they had to learn with DVD Don't forget what you're also seeing is master issues. Why does Fifth Element look like crap? Because the film itself doesn't look that great. And remember, film grain is supposed to be thereIf what you are saying is true, that the Blu-ray crowd is holding back, what are they waiting for? You only get one chance to make a first impression, especially if you're going against a cheaper and comparable format so if they did hold back on picture quality and price, they made a gross miscalculation.
Because people are spreading misinformation, people who have no idea how the movie industry works. It's not about who has the best tech, and both techs are virtually identical once you get past the disc itself, it's about how many people you can bring to the party. That's why VHS beat out Beta, because JVC was smart where Sony was stupid. They learned their lesson this time.Why are you guys fighting on the net about disks GROW UP
Signal degredation and overcompression. They're taking a feed from DirecTV at most BBs, and that signal is very compressed. It's half the bitrate you'll see out of the HD disc formats.Why are you guys fighting on the net about disks GROW UP, anyways back on topic, today I went to my bestbuy again to look at more HDTV's and noticed that almost all of them had smalll blocks, Are HDTV's like that or do bestbuy workers not know how to properly connect them?
great thread...i'm looking into purchasing an lcd hdtv in the coming weeks and i'd like to know as much as possible before deciding which one to get...
are you familiar with specific models? i'm considering four 32" lcd hdtvs:
1. Toshiba 32HL86
2. Sharp Aquos LC32D40U
3. Samsung LNS3241D
4. Panasonic TC32LX60C
the toshiba tv is the cheapest, and the sharp, samsung and panasonic are the same price, but costs $300 more than the toshiba...the price of the sharp/samsung is the absolute most i'm willing to go....
this tv will be used mainly for hd gaming (360 now, and the ps3 next year) and for watching tv both in hd and sd, as the futureshop i'm buying the tv from is offering a free rental of the hd cable box and hd channels for a full year (i'll be paying for it afterwards)...i doubt i'll be watching regular dvds on this, but i might get an hd-dvd player or a bluray player (ps3) next year....
the tv will be hooked up to a standard jvc home theatre in-a-box with no hdmi inputs, so i'll be using component hookups for the video and the optical cable for 5.1 audio for now....
i read the newest futureshop flyer and they had a Q&A in regards to playing videogames on an hdtv, and it was recommended to buy a tv with a quick response time, so in that case i'd be leaning towards the aquos and the 6ms response time, but then i've heard that orion produces the 32" model and is a step down in quality from the 37" and up aquos tvs....i've also heard of ghosting issues for videogames with this model despite the quick response time...
from what i know, all of the 360 kiosks at the electronics stores use the LNSxx41D model, so i already know it looks great for videogames....and i've also heard it has a "game mode" option...does this option really make videogames look better? i was looking at the 32" model on the futureshop website and it currently has a 2.97 rating out of 5 (95 customer reviews)....is there something that bad about the tv that i don't know about?
i've seen the toshiba the least, but i definitely liked what i saw....i just wondered if the aquos and samsung tvs are really $300 better than the toshiba....
and to complicate things, the current flyer has the 37" toshiba for the exact same price as the 32" samsung and aquos tvs....does this make the 37" toshiba a no-brainer for me? my viewing distance will be between 6.5 and 7.5 feet for now, and 4 months later will increase to about 9-10 feet....
sorry for the long post....any help or suggestions will be appreciated....
great thread...i'm looking into purchasing an lcd hdtv in the coming weeks and i'd like to know as much as possible before deciding which one to get...
are you familiar with specific models? i'm considering four 32" lcd hdtvs:
Prodigy_basic
1. Toshiba 32HL86
2. Sharp Aquos LC32D40U
3. Samsung LNS3241D
4. Panasonic TC32LX60C
the toshiba tv is the cheapest, and the sharp, samsung and panasonic are the same price, but costs $300 more than the toshiba...the price of the sharp/samsung is the absolute most i'm willing to go....
this tv will be used mainly for hd gaming (360 now, and the ps3 next year) and for watching tv both in hd and sd, as the futureshop i'm buying the tv from is offering a free rental of the hd cable box and hd channels for a full year (i'll be paying for it afterwards)...i doubt i'll be watching regular dvds on this, but i might get an hd-dvd player or a bluray player (ps3) next year....
the tv will be hooked up to a standard jvc home theatre in-a-box with no hdmi inputs, so i'll be using component hookups for the video and the optical cable for 5.1 audio for now....
i read the newest futureshop flyer and they had a Q&A in regards to playing videogames on an hdtv, and it was recommended to buy a tv with a quick response time, so in that case i'd be leaning towards the aquos and the 6ms response time, but then i've heard that orion produces the 32" model and is a step down in quality from the 37" and up aquos tvs....i've also heard of ghosting issues for videogames with this model despite the quick response time...
from what i know, all of the 360 kiosks at the electronics stores use the LNSxx41D model, so i already know it looks great for videogames....and i've also heard it has a "game mode" option...does this option really make videogames look better? i was looking at the 32" model on the futureshop website and it currently has a 2.97 rating out of 5 (95 customer reviews)....is there something that bad about the tv that i don't know about?
i've seen the toshiba the least, but i definitely liked what i saw....i just wondered if the aquos and samsung tvs are really $300 better than the toshiba....
and to complicate things, the current flyer has the 37" toshiba for the exact same price as the 32" samsung and aquos tvs....does this make the 37" toshiba a no-brainer for me? my viewing distance will be between 6.5 and 7.5 feet for now, and 4 months later will increase to about 9-10 feet....
sorry for the long post....any help or suggestions will be appreciated....
Here are the specs to your choices:
Toshiba: 1366x768, 8 ms, 800:1 CR, 1 component, 1 HDMI, 1 DVI, 1 PC input
Sharp: 1366x768, 6 ms, 1200:1 CR, 2 component, 2 HDMI input
Samsung: 1366x768, 8 ms, 3000:1 CR, 1 component, 2 HDMI
Panasonic: 1366x768, ? ms [probably 6-8], 3000:1 CR, 1 component, 1 HDMI
Here's the deal, re: lag, there really isn't much difference between 6 ms and 8 ms so don't let that be a factor in your decision (I myself have a Sharp Aquos 26" LCD with 8 ms and I haven't noticed any image lag) but two things you might consider are the contrast ratio and connectivity suite.
That Toshiba has a pretty good amount of inputs, you can pretty much connect everything you'd want to it. But the difference between contrast ratios is telling. There will be a noticeable picture quality difference between 800:1 and 3000:1 (again, contrast ratio is the difference between white vs. black, the higher the number on the left, the better black levels you will have). Based on this alone, if picture quality is important, go with the Samsung, if price and connectivity are important, go with the Toshiba.
But you really threw a monkey wrench in when you stated that you're considering a 37" Toshiba for the same price as the others. I'll tell you want I tell everyone else, no matter what distance you'll be sitting from the TV, GET THE BIGGEST TV THAT YOU CAN AFFORD. Especially if like you said, you anticipate sitting farther away down the road, a bigger TV for a few more bucks makes sense.
In conclusion, if you don't mind the extra money and the slightly grayer blacks, go with the Toshiba. After all, you'll be getting a TV with many inputs and it's not like you're settling for a cheap brand, last time I checked, Toshiba makes some very nice stuff.
thanks a lot Galvatron....i'll take your advice and focus on the toshiba....i'll be going to futureshop tomorrow to check out all of the tvs, but most of my attention will go to the 37HL86 (37")
Toshiba: 1366x768, 8 ms, 800:1 CR, 1 component, 1 HDMI, 1 DVI, 1 PC inputGalvatronType_R
i believe the toshiba has 2 component inputs, unless i'm mistaken:
http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=en§ion=2&group=6&product=6260&category
here's a couple more questions relating to this tv:
1. i noticed that the toshiba does NOT have upconverting technology....someone told me that SD on this tv will look terrible due to possible pixelation...but that's not really my question unless you want to comment on it....my question about this was that my parents just told me that they plan on watching regular dvds on this from time to time...assuming i use component cables on my 360 and use it as a dvd player, how will the picture quality be? pretty bad, i'm assuming? should just get the 360 hd-dvd player asap if my parents plan on watching movies on it?
2. as i said earlier, my home theatre receiver does not have an hdmi input, and that i currently plan on using component for my 360 for video, and the optical digital cable for audio...will it be possible to run hdmi for video, and optical digital for audio...and if so, will it look better? i will definitely look into upgrading my home theatre system, but it won't be for another year or so....
i'm not sure what cables i'm supposed to be buying either...
thanks again
[QUOTE="enormousaxie"]I have a question for you:
I am going to buy me a new HDTV. And I saw this one. And here are the Technical specifications.
Is it a good TV?
GalvatronType_R
That's not a bad choice for the right price (how much are you paying for this). It has both HDMI and DVI inputs (you can use it as a computer monitor via DVI) and a single component input (good for the 360 or the Wii). A built-in digital tuner means that you can just connect an HD antenna and get HD broadcasts over the air (check www.hdtvpub.com to check your area for ease of finding HD signals). Also, I'm impressed with the warranty, 2 years is pretty rare these days, you'd be lucky to get a year with most TVs. Also, since the service is on-site, don't waste your money on an extended warranty.
One word of caution, the 600:1 contrast ratio (the percentage of white vs. black) is a bit low. LCDs generally have a problem displaying true black (black appears more as dark gray) which will make dark areas lose detail. Think about it this way, if in a movie, you see a guy with a black jacket, on an LCD, you'd have a hard time making out the buttons on that jacket where on a TV with good black levels, the buttons would be more than visible instead of blending into the color of the jacket.
Again, depending on the price, this isn't a bad TV.
I'm paying 500 euro for it. :)
thanks a lot Galvatron....i'll take your advice and focus on the toshiba....i'll be going to futureshop tomorrow to check out all of the tvs, but most of my attention will go to the 37HL86 (37")
[QUOTE="GalvatronType_R"]Toshiba: 1366x768, 8 ms, 800:1 CR, 1 component, 1 HDMI, 1 DVI, 1 PC inputProdigy_basic
i believe the toshiba has 2 component inputs, unless i'm mistaken:
http://www.toshiba.ca/web/product.grp?lg=en§ion=2&group=6&product=6260&category
here's a couple more questions relating to this tv:
1. i noticed that the toshiba does NOT have upconverting technology....someone told me that SD on this tv will look terrible due to possible pixelation...but that's not really my question unless you want to comment on it....my question about this was that my parents just told me that they plan on watching regular dvds on this from time to time...assuming i use component cables on my 360 and use it as a dvd player, how will the picture quality be? pretty bad, i'm assuming? should just get the 360 hd-dvd player asap if my parents plan on watching movies on it?
2. as i said earlier, my home theatre receiver does not have an hdmi input, and that i currently plan on using component for my 360 for video, and the optical digital cable for audio...will it be possible to run hdmi for video, and optical digital for audio...and if so, will it look better? i will definitely look into upgrading my home theatre system, but it won't be for another year or so....
i'm not sure what cables i'm supposed to be buying either...
thanks again
Hey, not a problem, that's what this post is for. Re: your two questions:
1. Each and every HDTV has upscaling/upconverting technology, that is, it will take a 480i or 480p source and convert it to the TV's native resolution [in the case of the Toshiba, EVERYTHING will be converted to 1366x768]. This is just a guess on my part, but as long as you have a halfway decent progressive scan DVD player (the 360 will do just fine), 480p DVDs will look fine. If you really want to go all out, buy the VGA cable for the 360 and hook it up to the Toshiba's PC input and now you can upscale DVDs to 720p (don't be fooled, you won't get actual 720p resolution but you'll get a somewhat better picture than 480p).
Also, re: the 360's upcoming HD DVD drive, while the price is good, I'd recommend that people hold off on that for a variety of reasons (but that's a whole other post). But in the end, the best way to judge is to see the Toshiba in person, if possible, and switch it to its analog inputs to just its upscaling prowess (some HDTVs are good at this, some aren't).
2. Unlike the PS3, the 360 does not have a dedicated HDMI output so the best you can do for now is what you're planning on, that is, component for video and optical for audio (until MS releases an HDMI or DVI cable for the 360). While a pure digital source like DVI and HDMI do give a somewhat better picture than component, it's not enough to justify an upgrade.
With cables, to get the most out of your 360, just use the component cable it came with, buy an optical audio cable (for that hole that's on the dongle of the 360's component cable and be sure to switch the cable from "TV" to "HDTV" and turn on the digital audio out in the 360's dashboard) and you'll be set. Look at www.monoprice.com for super inexpensive but quality cables. Like I said in my original post, don't be fooled into buying expensive cables, a la, Monster. You will see no to negligible performance improvements and definitely not enough to justify a $100 video cable.
thanks Galvatron
1. Each and every HDTV has upscaling/upconverting technology, that is, it will take a 480i or 480p source and convert it to the TV's native resolution [in the case of the Toshiba, EVERYTHING will be converted to 1366x768]. This is just a guess on my part, but as long as you have a halfway decent progressive scan DVD player (the 360 will do just fine), 480p DVDs will look fine. If you really want to go all out, buy the VGA cable for the 360 and hook it up to the Toshiba's PC input and now you can upscale DVDs to 720p (don't be fooled, you won't get actual 720p resolution but you'll get a somewhat better picture than 480p).
Also, re: the 360's upcoming HD DVD drive, while the price is good, I'd recommend that people hold off on that for a variety of reasons (but that's a whole other post). But in the end, the best way to judge is to see the Toshiba in person, if possible, and switch it to its analog inputs to just its upscaling prowess (some HDTVs are good at this, some aren't).GalvatronType_R
about the vga cable...is it an improvement over component for 360 games as well?
so the only way to upscale dvds to 720p (or close to it) would be to buy the vga cable?
and for the second paragraph, can you explain the part in bold a little further? how will i be able to do this when i'm at the store? any tips?
thanks! this is good stuff
i have a 32 inch samsung lcd tv...1366 x 768.....and i've noticed small smudge marks on certain areas of my tv.....however i do not notice them at all when playing ps2 games.......i was just wondering if i would notice them in any way if i was playing a next gen game.,.....if it helps the contrast ratio is 5000:1khalsa101
Since you're not seeing any smudges when playing the PS2, I'd guess that the same would apply if you played the 360, PS3, or Wii on it.
Re: the smudges themselves, if that's a new TV, I'd be a bit leery about them. Try this, the clean the cable contacts you have connected to that input with a slightly damp cloth (don't use a paper towel, that can leave small flecks of material). After waiting for the contacts to air dry, plug the cable back in. Also try to switch inputs. If you're still seeing smudges, it might be a good time to use the warranty.
thanks Galvatron
[QUOTE="GalvatronType_R"]1. Each and every HDTV has upscaling/upconverting technology, that is, it will take a 480i or 480p source and convert it to the TV's native resolution [in the case of the Toshiba, EVERYTHING will be converted to 1366x768]. This is just a guess on my part, but as long as you have a halfway decent progressive scan DVD player (the 360 will do just fine), 480p DVDs will look fine. If you really want to go all out, buy the VGA cable for the 360 and hook it up to the Toshiba's PC input and now you can upscale DVDs to 720p (don't be fooled, you won't get actual 720p resolution but you'll get a somewhat better picture than 480p).
Also, re: the 360's upcoming HD DVD drive, while the price is good, I'd recommend that people hold off on that for a variety of reasons (but that's a whole other post). But in the end, the best way to judge is to see the Toshiba in person, if possible, and switch it to its analog inputs to just its upscaling prowess (some HDTVs are good at this, some aren't).Prodigy_basic
about the vga cable...is it an improvement over component for 360 games as well?
so the only way to upscale dvds to 720p (or close to it) would be to buy the vga cable?
and for the second paragraph, can you explain the part in bold a little further? how will i be able to do this when i'm at the store? any tips?
thanks! this is good stuff
I've seen the VGA cable in action and when plugged to an HDTV, there are neglible improvements over component, but when plugged into a computer monitor, there is more of a noticeable improvement.
Yes, the only way to get the 360 to upconvert DVDs is to use the VGA cable. Via component, the max that the 360 will output is 480p.
Judging an HDTV's upconverting process entails just switching the inputs from its HD inputs (component, HDMI, DVI) to a composite input (S-video, composite, RF). If the store you're in has a composite signal fed into the TV, you will be able to judge just how good that TV is at upscaling. Look for color accuracy, brightness, blocks of pixels, grain, image artifacts, etc. If most of these look good to your eyes, you can be sure that the HDTV has good upscaling circuitry. Again, some HDTVs are good at upscaling, some aren't, the only way to judge is to switch inputs and look closely.
I get a buzzing sound when there is white light on my TV from my home theatre surround system. I have s-video and CRT apex 20" and a 100 watt durabrand HT system and (walmart) DD optical from an Xbox. On War of the Worlds DVD movie the menu will buzz and parts of the movie where there is a ton of white light I get a buzzing sound from my speakers. Is there anything I can do?Varese_basic
Hmm, this is a pretty unique problem that I haven't heard of before. Is it only with the War of the Worlds DVD? If so, there's your answer right there. If not, try checking your connections starting first with the optical wire from your Xbox and then your speaker wire. It's also possible that if you have a lot of stuff that can produce interference (microwave, router, refrigerator, etc.), you may need to get thicker gauge speaker wire (12 gauge should do). Most home theater in a box kits come with thin gauge wire, usually 18 gauge.
[QUOTE="Varese_basic"]I get a buzzing sound when there is white light on my TV from my home theatre surround system. I have s-video and CRT apex 20" and a 100 watt durabrand HT system and (walmart) DD optical from an Xbox. On War of the Worlds DVD movie the menu will buzz and parts of the movie where there is a ton of white light I get a buzzing sound from my speakers. Is there anything I can do?GalvatronType_R
Hmm, this is a pretty unique problem that I haven't heard of before. Is it only with the War of the Worlds DVD? If so, there's your answer right there. If not, try checking your connections starting first with the optical wire from your Xbox and then your speaker wire. It's also possible that if you have a lot of stuff that can produce interference (microwave, router, refrigerator, etc.), you may need to get thicker gauge speaker wire (12 gauge should do). Most home theater in a box kits come with thin gauge wire, usually 18 gauge.
I've heard TV speakers buzz with very bright images, but not seperate speaker systems buzzing with those images...
If the Xbox 360 - and more specifically its HD-DVD drive - does not have HDMI output then does that mean it won't be capable of displaying 1080p? If movies (and, potentially, games) are in 1080p, would we only be able to view them at 720p/1080i, and if so, would the quality difference be noticable?
Sorry, that's quite a mouthful :)
If you can't afford a regular BR or HD player, then it won't look any different on any TV you can afford pretty much 60" and up;)If the Xbox 360 - and more specifically its HD-DVD drive - does not have HDMI output then does that mean it won't be capable of displaying 1080p? If movies (and, potentially, games) are in 1080p, would we only be able to view them at 720p/1080i, and if so, would the quality difference be noticable?
That depends, how do you define "best"? Because best can get into thousands of dollars per speaker. On the consumer level- Pioneer Elite, Onkyo, Klipsch, JBL. Then you start getting REALLY expensive.What're the top brands to look at. I don't want to get a cheap set so I want to look at the best.
The better the equipment, the less cables they throw in the box. You'll need an optical cable, don't go nuts, bits are bits, and you'll probably need to buy speaker wire if it's a "good" reciever.2. What do I need to hook it up to my 360/HDTV? Does it come with everything I need?
Without a good knowlege of sound based from experience, none of the complex stuff. Follow the diagrams. In reality, you probably want something like this- http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=30945 Speakers you need to go listen to, and DON'T go to Best Buy or some place, go to a specialty store like Tweeter where people actually know somewhat what thye're talking about3. When I do finally have my set, what do I do? Is it simple to set up or is there some type of tutorial you could recommend
makes no difference at this stage. The 360 can output 1080p over component if your TV supports it.If the Xbox 360 - and more specifically its HD-DVD drive - does not have HDMI output then does that mean it won't be capable of displaying 1080pBritesparc
I get a buzzing sound when there is white light on my TV from my home theatre surround system. I have s-video and CRT apex 20" and a 100 watt durabrand HT system and (walmart) DD optical from an Xbox. On War of the Worlds DVD movie the menu will buzz and parts of the movie where there is a ton of white light I get a buzzing sound from my speakers. Is there anything I can do?Varese_basic
if the Durabrand is a DVD/Receiver and you are using it for DVD playback then there is nothing you can do apart from buy a better quality unit. The poor video circuit is probably causing voltage interference to the audio signal.
[QUOTE="GalvatronType_R"][QUOTE="Varese_basic"]I get a buzzing sound when there is white light on my TV from my home theatre surround system. I have s-video and CRT apex 20" and a 100 watt durabrand HT system and (walmart) DD optical from an Xbox. On War of the Worlds DVD movie the menu will buzz and parts of the movie where there is a ton of white light I get a buzzing sound from my speakers. Is there anything I can do?epsilon72
Hmm, this is a pretty unique problem that I haven't heard of before. Is it only with the War of the Worlds DVD? If so, there's your answer right there. If not, try checking your connections starting first with the optical wire from your Xbox and then your speaker wire. It's also possible that if you have a lot of stuff that can produce interference (microwave, router, refrigerator, etc.), you may need to get thicker gauge speaker wire (12 gauge should do). Most home theater in a box kits come with thin gauge wire, usually 18 gauge.
I've heard TV speakers buzz with very bright images, but not seperate speaker systems buzzing with those images...
Yea it was the TV amp, I turned it to 0 and buzzing stopped, thanks for your help.
At that size and price point, you have a variety of choices. If it were me, I'd look into the Sharp Aquos 26" LCD panel. There are a variety of models of this but most retail under $1k.
If the Xbox 360 - and more specifically its HD-DVD drive - does not have HDMI output then does that mean it won't be capable of displaying 1080p? If movies (and, potentially, games) are in 1080p, would we only be able to view them at 720p/1080i, and if so, would the quality difference be noticable?
Sorry, that's quite a mouthful :)
Britesparc
Even without a HDMI, component can still output 1080p. The problem with no HDMI is not resolution, it's the lack of HDCP and Hollywood's possible use of ICT down the road (but that's a whole other post).
Just like I wrote in a previous post, there is not an earth-shattering quality difference between 720p/1080i and 1080p. To see a difference, you have to have a big display and sit very close to it to make out the finer details.
1. There are a wealth of very decent speaker brands out there so it all depends on your budget. I myself have B&W and love them. Look at brands like Polk Audio, Boston Acoustics, Klipsch, Mirage, Energy, and others.
2. Some speakers out there come with speaker wire but usually, it's pretty cheap stuff. If you're going to have long runs of wire (like the surrounds), go with a thicker gauge wire like 12 gauge (the lower the number, the higher the gauge).
3. Once you buy your speakers, depending on your receiver, it might set them up automatically (if your receiver has this feature, it will come with a small microphone for you to place in the listening position and will output test tones to calibrate itself). If not, start by setting all speakers to "small" on your receiver (all bass information will be routed to your sub) and then set the distance for each speaker from the listening position (in feet). Where you place the sub depends on your taste, if you want more diffuse spatial bass, place it in the middle of a wall a few feet away, if you want stronger more direct bass, place the sub in a corner near the wall. In 99% of cases, I would not set the sub above its middle setting.
4. While sensitivity, frequence response, and other numbers are important, the best way to audition speakers is to go to the store and listen to them. Bring also CDs with music that you listen to most and DVDs that you watch and listen for any distortion, clipping, muddy or too bright sound, etc. Just as important is listen to small details like whispered speech or water drops or the like and see if the speakers still express these smaller moments clearly.
Hope this helps.
They're not going to use it. Warner is the one with the hard-on for it, and everyone pretty much compromised on pulling analog outputs on the decks after 2012Even without a HDMI, component can still output 1080p. The problem with no HDMI is not resolution, it's the lack of HDCP and Hollywood's possible use of ICT down the road (but that's a whole other post).
is 1366*768 on an lcd with 1200:1 contrast ratio any good? 23 inch by the way. i saw one on an ad in the paper which is goin for 400 bucks. and thats in the price range im lookin for. also it says hd ready lcd...is that different from those that just say hd lcd? and is 1366*768 720p resolution? thanx in adavance
i have a question:
im looking for a new HDTV, that my PS3 will look good on. so i found this one: Samsung LN-S2738D.
on this site http://dpreview-cnet.com.com/Samsung_LN_S2738D_LCD_TV_27/4014-6482_9-32062500.html it says that it can do 1080p, but its only a 27" screen... it also says that the tv res. is 1366 x 768, which is not 1080p.
i want the best picture i can get on a 27" screen. i read that 1080p is only for 50+" tv's, so thats not what i should be looking for on a 27" screen, right?
simple question: do the Samsung LN-S2738D display the best picture any 27" can do? if not, which one does?
edit: more info on the tv here: http://samsung.com/Products/TV/LCDTV/LNS2738DXXAA.asp
My remote has speaker delay time buttons: center, rear, plus +, minus -, and reset. I guess with the reset should experiment but I don't know what I'm supposed to listen for. Is there an analogy?Varese_basic
the delay option is there to make sure surround audio reaches your ears at the intended time from every speaker.
Setting it up depends on how the delay time is listed. It's easier if it's listed as physical distance (feet/meters etc) since you can just measure the distance between the seating position and the speakers and the delay (either increased or decreased depending on speaker distance) is calculated by the receiver.
If it's listed in milliseconds you'll have to calculate it. If you're lucky your manual might have a calculation table.
A calibration DVD usually has audio test signals that make this easier or if you're feeling spendy you can jump to a high end receiver which ships with a calibration microhoone that will adjust the speaker settings atuomatically. Those are pretty cool.
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