Need help finding 1:1 flat screen

Hello AVSers!

I am finally able to upgrade my old, seriously burned-in Acer 37" LCD. Since I haven't shopped (or stayed up to date) for TVs in years, and considering I absolutely need 1:1 capability, I thought I'd ask you guys for recommendations. It's really hard to find information about this specific feature for most TV models... and this television will be used almost exclusively with HTPC input. So I need the television to display exactly what I am sending it (just like the old Acer does).

Now, I don't really care that much about LDC vs plasma (although plasma would be prefered)... and I am looking for a 50 to 55" screen. PC input can either be DVI or HDMI... I don't care either way. 1080p is essential and anything 120Hz and over should do.

I am in Canada, so US sold brands/models should also be available here. I am looking to pay no more than 1500$. I am a graphics designer, so image quality is a criteria. I also exclusively watch HD programming and will also use the screen as a computer display from time to time.

So I am hoping some of you know about 1:1 capability of current TV models and can suggest some models I can choose from.

THANKS in advance! As you can guess, your input is invaluable on this!
Edited by WoRkZ - 8/26/12 at 11:20am

Thanks lot! Nice TV, the reviews seem very good on PQ and the price is bang on!

Do you own this model? Can you confirm it does 1:1 on PC input? This is after all the most important criteria for me...


Also, can anyone else add some other choice appart from this model? It would be nice to be able to choose from 2 or 3 models... altough I've had good experiences with Panasonic TVs in the past.

My current HTPC has HDMI and DVI outputs. They are the same protocol anyway. Right now the HTPC goes to the Acer via DVI and displays 1:1 on screen (DVI is a PC input after all). But I can also use DVI to HDMI or HDMI ot HDMI. I can't see why there would be a difference between the two.

The reason I want to be really sure about this is that my brother bought a LG 40" LCD a few years back. It did 1:1 on TV signals (BR and HD set-top) of course... but when it came to PC input, it crapped out the picture (black bands all around). It is a big loss of quality as you can imagine. We were never able to force it to do 1:1. It must have something to do with overscan or something...

So I want to be 100% sure that my next TV will do 1:1 on HDMI from a PC. This is always the main use of my TV... I don't even have a set-top box hooked-up to this one. Even the BR player is an internal unit in the HTPC...

Thanks for your input (no pun intended)!

Image retention is ghost images being stained into the panel, right? You must know that I don't often use the TV as a monitor per se. Most of the time, when it's on I am watching TV or a movie on it. It's just that it goes through a PC instead of the usual set-top boxes. The rest of the time, it's either off or showing a high-res photos as a screen saver. Does that affect your recommendation?

I don't care about the technology as long as it actually does 1:1 on HDMI input from my HTPC. If anyone has a decent 50-55" model to recommend that actually does 1:1 with a PC signal, that's what I'm gonna go with. There's not much info out there on 1:1 support. That's why I am looking for hands on knowledge about this... so I can buy a TV with complete confidence that it is going to do what it is intended for...
Edited by WoRkZ - 8/25/12 at 9:26pm

Can anyone else suggest any more models with confirmed 1:1 support through HDMI/PC input? As stated, I cannot find any clear info on this... and I'm afraid I will end up with a TV that doesn't work properly with my HTPC.

VERY INTERESTING! THANKS! I will investigate this further... this sounds like a really good option for me!

I don't mind loosing picture settings since I don't use them anyway: I normally calibrate the display using my USB color probe. It does a much netter job than looking at color bars anyway...

I have started contacting manufacturers to try and establish if any of their products will do 1:1 on a HDMI input from a PC (using the TV's native resolution, of course). Since there doesn't seem to be anyone who has thorougly researched this before, I will keep this thread updates as a reference for members who would liike the info later on.

Here's the reply I got from Sony. This is no definitive assurance that the TV would display exactly what I sent it through HDMI... and they are only quoting very expensive models.


EDIT: I asked for more info... and I'm really satisfied with the very specific info they sent! Kudos to Sony support!

Edited by WoRkZ - 8/27/12 at 8:25am

Here's what I gto from Panasonic. I don't need to tell you I'm not buying a Panasonic TV any time soon...


No word from Samsung yet. But I predict I will get the same kind of answers I got from Panasonic.
Edited by WoRkZ - 8/27/12 at 8:35am

And now for the lamest answer yet!


Yeah, thanks Samsung! I will make sure NOT to buy any of your products...

That would be ideal, yes. My old Acer does that. But I would settle for 1:1 when feeding it its native resolution... which isn't easy to find/confirm already. So it appears my chances of finding one that will display any resolution 1:1 are almost nonexistent. But it's not that important... as long as it does 1:1 correctly on native res (which I absolutely need to confirm before buying).

I wrote to Home Theater magazine... maybe someone there knows about this.

It took more than two full days for LG to get back to me... only to provide this answer:

Of course, I have asked for a much more precise answer, including assurances that the image sent in the TV's native resolution is actually displayed as is on screen. Will update this post when (if) I get a satisfying answer back.

Great info! Thanks a lot!


So you think this applies to any Samsung model out there? I'd rather buy a Samsung... Sony are expensive. I'm sure they are good products, but I'd rather not spend that much...


I think I'll go to Best Buy this evening and check if the Samsung models still have this PC mode capability... I'll keep you posted.

This is invaluable info! Many thanks for your contribution to my quest for a suitable TV!


What do you mean by "Overscan is an option"? Did you mean to say it can be disabled? If so, this kind of contradicts what their support rep told me... but then again, do support reps really know what they are talking about most of the time... (I know, my brother was one for a couple of years)

You're right, I realize that hoping for a real 1:1 capable TV is simply wishful thinking. In the off-chance that one actually exist nowadays, it would severely limit my choices. So I will go with the advices you guys have given me and start looking at Samsung. It seems like Sony TVs are (as always) way too expensive for not enough more quality. I already looked at the Samsung e550 range and Panasonic ST50 (if I can switch off overscan)... and it looks like I will have a hard time choosing one over the other. Stay tuned, more hair pulling to come...
Edited by WoRkZ - 8/28/12 at 10:06pm

In some instances I have used the 1:1 mode on smaller resolutions on my old Acer, for instance when playing games since my HTPC is not the most powerful machine there is... and I hate looking at a rescaled image. But you're right, as long as it does at least 1:1 on its native resolution, I will be a happy camper. Anyway, I plan on upgrading my HTPC in the coming months... it should be much more powerful on the graphics side (since right now it is running on a integrated GPU that's almost 4 years old).

The more I look at it, the more I think I'm gonna go with the Panasonic ST50 range... maybe the 55" if the budget permit. I don't play games often and never for more than a hour or two at a time... and the rest of the time, the TV is either turned off, having a movie displayed on it or running a screen saver. So I don't expect too much burn-in problems. And the PQ seems to be the best in its category. So as long as it displays the PC input pixel for pixel, it will probably be the best TV for me. If disabling the overscan doesn't work as it should, I can always return it and have ago at the Samsung...


Once again, thanks a lot for your help!

Exactly. And I plan on building my next HTPC around a current generation chipset with a good integrated GPU... so it should run the couple of games I like playing on the HTPC (I don't play often anyway). But since all my content goes through my HTPC, I still wouldn't buy a TV that wouldn't display it like it should. Of course, my 720p content is scaled... but it is so by the PC, so I have control over everything.

I give myself a couple of weeks to find the best price on the ST50... if I get a really good price I'll snatch the 55", if not I'll buy the smaller size as planned.