RCA MM36100 and HDTV

HDTVnoob · 11-14-05, 01:09 PM

I just stumbled into a great buy on a (ridiculously old) 36" MM36100. Unfortunately, I don't know much about hi-def yet. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this particular model they could share.
I have it working very well with DVD, VCR, standard cable, etc.
Now I want to try HDTV via my cable provider, but Im not sure what all I will need. My cable box has component out for the HDTV connection. The MM36100 only supports HDTV on the 15pin VGA input, I think.
Would a component to VGA adapter/converter cable work? Or do I need some sort of decoder, like the old DTC100 (made around the same time as the tv)?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks!
Brent

RalphArch · 11-14-05, 02:32 PM

I have that TV and the component inputs are only 480i so useless for HDTV

Since there are two db15 inputs you can transcode a component signal (say from a cable box like Motorola 6412 or an IODATA LP2, both of which I use. I got a Key Digital component to RGB transcoder from Digital Connections (was around $300 so your purchase was not as cheap as you thought but still its a good TV)

Alternately (or additionally in my case) - just use an HTPC with the RGB output. I use a MyHD MDP-130 and it works fine for HD cable via QAM. In our area, and I believe in most areas, the network local feeds are unencrypted and you should be fine watching these.

Even without a MyHD card you could watch HDTV live or recorded via firewire from a settop box to computer and then played back with TheaterTek or VLC (or again with a MyHD). Enjoy and if there are any other questions I'll try to answer.

Use 1440x1080i for the RGB input from something like a MyHD card - the mm36100 is PNP at 800x600 as a computer monitor.

Michael TLV · 11-14-05, 02:54 PM

Greetings

As mentioned above ... need a component to VGA transcoder. Can be had for $150-200 or more.

Fed into the TV ... you need to access the service menu and do a vertical squeeze to make the hd image a proper 16:9. This will only affect HD and not the other stuff.

Regards

RalphArch · 11-14-05, 05:23 PM

The MM36100 is kind of "dumb" and has no "vertical squeeze" mode. But this is not a big problem as all you have to do is watch things like MyHD card in letterbox mode, (or full if you want the 4:3 portion of an HD signal - actually looks great on this TV

Also for a STB the 1080i settings worked for me - but these are a compromise on the Motorola (depending on choices of 16:9 and 4:3 and letterbox versus full.

Actually the IODATA has better aspect ratio choices for this tv - but the cable box will work ok and you can find a good setting (There's always 480p that you already have but that is far from HD on this set). Similarly I don't feel that 800*600 does justice to HD compared with 1440*1080i but either will work (in RGB)

Michael TLV · 11-15-05, 09:55 AM

Greetings

The set is rated for about 960 horizontal lines as indicated in the specs. 960x1080i ... which is better than most tube HD sets. Just not better than the Sony xbr fine pitch tubes.

But there's a funny thing about being able to show 1440 lines ... HD doesn't work that way as it is digital. There are no "half pixels" of information to resolve. You get a lot of pixel overlapping as a result.

Regards

HDTVnoob · 11-16-05, 03:20 PM

I _REALLY_ appreciate all the (quick!) help from you guys. I went ahead and ordered the Key Digital KD-CTCA3 transcoder and am crossing my fingers. I should have it by the weekend and can post a reply of success or problems I encounter, should anyone else end up in the same boat (though I cant imagine there being many of these old TVs still around!).

Thanks again for your time!!!
- Brent

Michael TLV · 11-16-05, 03:22 PM

Greetings

Psst ... the service menu and all the access information are both provided in the TV itself. Take the back cover off and you will see the list of parameters.

Regards

Ratman · 11-16-05, 03:43 PM

LOL... a little RCA secret that everyone knows about!

(normally pasted on the inside of the back cover)

HDTVnoob · 11-16-05, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratman

LOL... a little RCA secret that everyone knows about!

(normally pasted on the inside of the back cover)

And now another newbie does, too! Thanks, Michael.

RalphArch · 11-16-05, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratman

LOL... a little RCA secret that everyone knows about!

(normally pasted on the inside of the back cover)

Well I've had that TV for ages - before the local stations started HDTV (except WETA-DT) and I never knew that until now. So thanks from a not so newbie!

The amazing thing about it - considering all the dissatisfied RCA customers - is that I have never had to do anything at all with my set.

And I got it on closeout from a Floor model at a Radio Shack store ages ago.

Sometimes I wish it would up and die so I could run out and get a 1080p widescreen digital display - but its awful hard justifying that to the better half considering it still has a great picture.

Michael TLV · 11-16-05, 04:58 PM

Greetings

It may not have died on you but I bet it does that high pitched squeal of death every so often.

My 32 Proscan of the same lineage does that probably once a month ...

Regards

RalphArch · 11-16-05, 06:01 PM

yes - quite scary in the beginning and about on the same frequency as youl

good heads up to hdtvnoob

TJames · 03-26-06, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael TLV

Greetings

It may not have died on you but I bet it does that high pitched squeal of death every so often.

My 32 Proscan of the same lineage does that probably once a month ...

Regards

Michael: I still love my 4 year old MM36110, but it does the squeal occasionally but mainly in the summertime. Has this problem ever been resolved?

darkeyes909 · 08-23-06, 04:15 PM

what causes this problem?

Ratman · 08-23-06, 05:00 PM

Could be Humidity.

rezzy · 08-26-06, 07:51 PM

Does the squeal happen on any input or watching via tuner only?

RalphArch · 08-26-06, 08:13 PM

I almost never use the tuner so unrelated to that. It must be something like the high voltage power supply

rickvm · 02-04-07, 11:15 PM

I'm new here and hope you can help me out. i've got an RCA 36100 and love it. i'm trying to figure out how to hook up my playstation2 to the tv to watch progressive scan games and dvd's. Since the only hd input is through the vga ports, which component to vga transcoder will work the best with this tv? i've tried a few vga boxes from fry's and also the key digital kd-ctca2. the key digital works the best so far(picture off center) but only displayes a picture when the ps2 switshes into progressive scan mode so theres a few seconds of black screen until the switch. is there a box that works in 480i and 480p, in order to see the ps2 menu and the dvd menu? I would like it to work just like my dtc-100, standard def for regular channels and automatic switch to hd when on a hd channel. is this even possible?

thanks in advance.
Rick

11-14-05, 01:09 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
HDTVnoob New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 3	RCA MM36100 and HDTV I just stumbled into a great buy on a (ridiculously old) 36" MM36100. Unfortunately, I don't know much about hi-def yet. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this particular model they could share. I have it working very well with DVD, VCR, standard cable, etc. Now I want to try HDTV via my cable provider, but Im not sure what all I will need. My cable box has component out for the HDTV connection. The MM36100 only supports HDTV on the 15pin VGA input, I think. Would a component to VGA adapter/converter cable work? Or do I need some sort of decoder, like the old DTC100 (made around the same time as the tv)? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks! Brent

11-14-05, 02:54 PM	#3 \| Link
Michael TLV ISF-THX'er at Large Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: ISF/THX Calibrationist/Instructor, Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 5,443	Greetings As mentioned above ... need a component to VGA transcoder. Can be had for $150-200 or more. Fed into the TV ... you need to access the service menu and do a vertical squeeze to make the hd image a proper 16:9. This will only affect HD and not the other stuff. Regards __________________ Michael @ The Laser Video Experience ISF/THX Video Instructor Lion A/V Consultants Network

11-15-05, 09:55 AM	#5 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
Michael TLV ISF-THX'er at Large Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: ISF/THX Calibrationist/Instructor, Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 5,443	Greetings The set is rated for about 960 horizontal lines as indicated in the specs. 960x1080i ... which is better than most tube HD sets. Just not better than the Sony xbr fine pitch tubes. But there's a funny thing about being able to show 1440 lines ... HD doesn't work that way as it is digital. There are no "half pixels" of information to resolve. You get a lot of pixel overlapping as a result. Regards __________________ Michael @ The Laser Video Experience ISF/THX Video Instructor Lion A/V Consultants Network

11-16-05, 03:20 PM	#6 \| Link
HDTVnoob New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 3	Thanks! I _REALLY_ appreciate all the (quick!) help from you guys. I went ahead and ordered the Key Digital KD-CTCA3 transcoder and am crossing my fingers. I should have it by the weekend and can post a reply of success or problems I encounter, should anyone else end up in the same boat (though I cant imagine there being many of these old TVs still around!). Thanks again for your time!!! - Brent

11-16-05, 03:22 PM	#7 \| Link
Michael TLV ISF-THX'er at Large Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: ISF/THX Calibrationist/Instructor, Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 5,443	Greetings Psst ... the service menu and all the access information are both provided in the TV itself. Take the back cover off and you will see the list of parameters. Regards __________________ Michael @ The Laser Video Experience ISF/THX Video Instructor Lion A/V Consultants Network

11-14-05, 02:32 PM	#2 \| Link
RalphArch AVS Special Member AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 2,639	I have that TV and the component inputs are only 480i so useless for HDTV Since there are two db15 inputs you can transcode a component signal (say from a cable box like Motorola 6412 or an IODATA LP2, both of which I use. I got a Key Digital component to RGB transcoder from Digital Connections (was around $300 so your purchase was not as cheap as you thought but still its a good TV) Alternately (or additionally in my case) - just use an HTPC with the RGB output. I use a MyHD MDP-130 and it works fine for HD cable via QAM. In our area, and I believe in most areas, the network local feeds are unencrypted and you should be fine watching these. Even without a MyHD card you could watch HDTV live or recorded via firewire from a settop box to computer and then played back with TheaterTek or VLC (or again with a MyHD). Enjoy and if there are any other questions I'll try to answer. Use 1440x1080i for the RGB input from something like a MyHD card - the mm36100 is PNP at 800x600 as a computer monitor.

11-14-05, 05:23 PM	#4 \| Link
RalphArch AVS Special Member AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 2,639	The MM36100 is kind of "dumb" and has no "vertical squeeze" mode. But this is not a big problem as all you have to do is watch things like MyHD card in letterbox mode, (or full if you want the 4:3 portion of an HD signal - actually looks great on this TV Also for a STB the 1080i settings worked for me - but these are a compromise on the Motorola (depending on choices of 16:9 and 4:3 and letterbox versus full. Actually the IODATA has better aspect ratio choices for this tv - but the cable box will work ok and you can find a good setting (There's always 480p that you already have but that is far from HD on this set). Similarly I don't feel that 800600 does justice to HD compared with 14401080i but either will work (in RGB)

11-16-05, 03:43 PM	#8 \| Link
Ratman AVS Special Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Collingswood, N.J. Posts: 8,242	LOL... a little RCA secret that everyone knows about! (normally pasted on the inside of the back cover)

11-16-05, 04:58 PM	#11 \| Link
Michael TLV ISF-THX'er at Large Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: ISF/THX Calibrationist/Instructor, Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 5,443	Greetings It may not have died on you but I bet it does that high pitched squeal of death every so often. My 32 Proscan of the same lineage does that probably once a month ... Regards __________________ Michael @ The Laser Video Experience ISF/THX Video Instructor Lion A/V Consultants Network

11-16-05, 06:01 PM	#12 \| Link
RalphArch AVS Special Member AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 2,639	yes - quite scary in the beginning and about on the same frequency as youl good heads up to hdtvnoob

08-23-06, 04:15 PM	#14 \| Link
darkeyes909 Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Long Beach, Ca. Posts: 97	what causes this problem?

08-23-06, 05:00 PM	#15 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
Ratman AVS Special Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Collingswood, N.J. Posts: 8,242	Could be Humidity.

08-26-06, 07:51 PM	#16 \| Link
rezzy Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colt's country Posts: 5,605	Does the squeal happen on any input or watching via tuner only?

08-26-06, 08:13 PM	#17 \| Link
RalphArch AVS Special Member AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rockville MD Posts: 2,639	I almost never use the tuner so unrelated to that. It must be something like the high voltage power supply

02-04-07, 11:15 PM	#18 \| Link
rickvm New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1	I'm new here and hope you can help me out. i've got an RCA 36100 and love it. i'm trying to figure out how to hook up my playstation2 to the tv to watch progressive scan games and dvd's. Since the only hd input is through the vga ports, which component to vga transcoder will work the best with this tv? i've tried a few vga boxes from fry's and also the key digital kd-ctca2. the key digital works the best so far(picture off center) but only displayes a picture when the ps2 switshes into progressive scan mode so theres a few seconds of black screen until the switch. is there a box that works in 480i and 480p, in order to see the ps2 menu and the dvd menu? I would like it to work just like my dtc-100, standard def for regular channels and automatic switch to hd when on a hd channel. is this even possible? thanks in advance. Rick