Official Sanyo HT32744/HT30744 thread

I didn't find out about this set due to this board but it certainly made my choice in buying it. I walked into Super Walmart and saw all the HD sets and this one just popped out at me. Then I looked at the price and thought it was pretty good until I found it had an onboard tuner and I was stoked. I did a little research and found this site and read through the "monster" thread and it was a sealed deal. I even mentioned it to a buddy and he bought one too.

Anyway I've had it a few days now and I'm in no way an videophile but I know a little. I don't have any HD programming. I'm on DirecTV and I"m not sure about going that way. I live about 50 from a TV market so I'm assuming I'll need a fairly good antenna to receive it.

I have my DirecTV Tivo hooked to the TV with composite cables. I wanted to use S-Video (no component on the D Tivo) but it looks like poop. Through the RCA it's stellar. Any ideas why? The cable is the one that came with the D Tivo but I find it hard to believe it's that poor.

I do have my DVD player hooked through component video but it's not progressive scan so I'm sure it would be better, correct? It (DVD) is unbelievable! I'd be hard pressed to think it could get any better. Yes or no?

My Directv channels are wonderful (even if they're not HD).

So I guess I have some questions. One is there something I could try that I'm not doing to get a better picture using S-Video on the DirecTV Tivo? Secondly would I really gain by getting a PS DVD player? Also I have a couple of questions I haven't addressed. Picture size. Is Normal only a 4:3? Or does normal mean whatever the native display of the signal is? I assume it's only a 4:3. I put a DVD in and it shows as 4:3 in this setting even if my DVD player is set to 16:9 and the movie is widescreen. I would also assume that to view DVD's I need it in Full correct? The other is are anamorphic DVD's the only ones that will actually fill the screen? I'm asking about the 30" widescreen model of course.

Well that's about it. All in all I'm very happy with this TV. It's my first HDTV and I doubt I would have gone that route if it weren't for this set. I really don't know much about HDTV but I've learned a lot here reading through everything. Thanks to everyone here. I'm pretty excited about getting OTA HD........except putting up an ugly antenna that I thought was a thing of the past

TH3_FRB, thanks for starting this thread!

I have read all the posts from the other thread concerning the Sanyo HT 30744/32744. I have the HT30744 and find it to be a decent deal. However, it does have one flaw. There is a tilt issue. My screen is tilted towards the left and is very obvious especially when watching letter-box. I know that in the initial thread there was no way to correct tilt, at least in the service menu. I was just hoping that all of our options for correcting tilt issues were exhausted. I don't want to return my set if there is a fix for the tilt out there.

ghoulie

Check page 17 in the service manual provided by Strickland and see if your screen tilting problem is actually one of the pincushion problems which can be corrected through service menu. Tilting as in one side of the screen is noticeably higher than the other is very unusual. May be it is the AFC angle pincushion problem.

I have a question about these TV's, that I can't find an answer to (i may have missed something in the extrordinarily long original post)

I am leaning toward the 32 inch model because
"With regular broadcasts a 30" WS TV was equivalent to a 24" or so TV.
With widescreen broadcasts a 32" is equivalent to a 29" TV so you do not lose that much. "

over 80% of my watching is normal, analogue cable, so the 32 inch seems like a better option.

So I actually get to my REAL question:

I plan on attaching the 32 inch to my HTPC via a DVI - HDMI converter cable. Since HDTV signals are meant for widescreen, will the image -
a) leave black bands above below the picture while viewing signals from my HTPC
b) Distort the image/ stretch it to fit
c) Just send a high resolution 4:3 signal over the HDMI connector (is this possible?)
d) You forgot something - here's a better solution.

Just purchased a Sanyo 32744. The picture is absolutely gorgeous, especially on HD OTA. I did notice on the HD OTA channels that the screen is bowed inward ever so slightly on the top and bottom of the 16x9 picture. If this is an easy thing to fix I would attempt to do it, but the newer TVs just dont have the screws in the back like the old ones did!!! (lol) Ive read about getting in to the service menu to fix problems like this but wouldnt want to try unless I had specific manual or instructions to follow. Again, it is ever so slight, but if I could perfect it.....

The optical digital audio output on the back is great for feeding sound to my receiver. Makes the Olympics come to life!! Very satisfied with this TV for the price and its features. My wife even liked it, and she mostly could care less about av stuff. The 4:3 format is great for the dish and old Winnie the Pooh videos the kids have, plus the added bonus of being able to have a HiDef picture about the same as a 30" wide screen. A great compromise and all I had to do was modify my entertainment center slightly!! Overall, a GREAT value for a TV.

OH, Ive notice that since this forum changed names, that a lot of posters have been lost. Hope they come back and we can glean info from them about this great TV. I know I read all the posts when I was considering the purchase of this unit and it convinced me I was making the right decision!!

dakguy:

Your geometry problem is classic pincushion problem. But because you do anything, lower the brightness and contrast/Brightness/sharpness to around 40%/60%/20%. That alone should fix big part of the pincushion problem.

Download graystrickland's Sanyo Service Manual (link is in the other BIG thread) and check page 17 in the manual to identify the actual type of pincushion problem, then do the adjustment. I did mime in less than 2 mintues by eyeballing.



http://www.slf.us/sanyo.pdf (manual here)

http://www.slf.us/sanyo_servicemanual_page5.pdf easier to read page 5

so coming from my HTPC will I be able to send an 800x600 or 1024x768 resolution to this TV? or am I stuck with 480i??

I am trying to configure my GeForce4 Ti4200 correctly to connect to my HT32744 via a DVI-HDMI cable. Everything works except that I don't really know what values to use for the VertRefresh and HorizSync.

Am I right in assuming the Vertical Refresh should 59.94?
I can't find anywhere in the service manual what range of values is acceptable for this. All computer monitor manuals have this info. (Not that it matters much any more as it is usually probed.)

If you haven't guessed yet, I'm using linux (and hence XFree86.) The refresh and sync values aren't strictly required (it assumes a HorizSync of 15.00-46.00kHz and a VertRefresh of 59.00-61.00Hz.) However, these values restrict which "modes" are valid so I'm wondering if I'd have more options (possibly fewer of course) if I really knew what ranges were valid for this unit.

Hopefully I just missed it in the manual and someone can point it out to me.

Thanks,
Aran

I'm not quite sure how you got that out of the post you quoted but the aspect ratio has little or nothing to do with the resolution of the display.

I currently am setup to send 1280x720 (720p) to my HT32744 through a DVI-HDMI cable from my GeForce4 Ti4200 card. There may be better options and I'm still tinkering with it. The interesting this is that because the resolution used is 16:9 in aspect but the physical display is 4:3. This means that I had explicitly tell the software I use (MythTV) not to pillarbox standard 4:3 material. I think it assumed that because the pixel ratio was 16:9 that the display must also be 16:9.

You may not be able to get "standard" pc resolutions to work though. In general you're better off sending something like a standard HDTV resolution.

In other words, you're not stuck with 480i, unless you're using the standard composite inputs of course!

Hi guys! It's a good idea to start this new thread, TH3_FRB. I have a question for all on this great TV set. I just moved to Orlando, and am about to get Time Warner Cable (through Bright House Cable) and was wondering if Time Warner will be providing component input or DVI cables or do I have to buy them myself?
Is there a discernable difference between a signal by DVI or Component cables? Thanks.

Buzzly:

Thanks for the info. Is there a link for the 32"? The link is for the 30" widescreen and the bow info is completely opposite of what it would be for the 32". Thanks!!

Unfortunely the 32" service manual is not available. I was assuming the "NO. ITEM"-- 11A, 11D, 11F, 120, 11B, 11C would be the same for both the 30" and 32".

Also, it is well documented that the default brightness and sharpness are too high, causing bowing on the edge of the screen. Try to lower that first.
BTW, if you know "the bow info" is completely opposite, can you still adjust it accordingly?

I hope I'm in the minority when it comes to my experience with the HT30744. I went and bought it last night at Walmart, set it up and then a huge disappointment: the TV won't even power up. I could hear a click when I press the power button but nothing else. I promptly returned the set and now my confidence in this set has been shattered. This TV was going to be a replacement for a 32" Sanyo that died after 4 years of service, which is not exactly the best testimony for reliability.

Great TV, I am a comcast customer and the built-in tuner is picking up a couple of channels without a STB. Only proble is, there is a tremendous audio delay. Anyway to fix this, or is this only solved with the STB?

Thanks

I am very happy with my 30", a breakthrough product as far as I'm concerned.

I have been looking for a small HDTV. This looks like it will fit the bill. I had a hard time spending too much money.

-Old7

I'm still debating between the 30" and 32" - what is the general consensus on the fill-screen modes for 4:3 content on the 16:9? I am not a fan of stretched images, so the "full" mode is probably out, but how are the other two zooms?

Secondly, I was told that the widescreen has a 16:9 native display, but the 4:3 will have to downconvert to display the same image, and quality will be lost. But, it is my impression that the 4:3 has vertical compression, thus making the difference between the 30" and 32" only a matter of preference?

I do not know how much HD content I will be able to pick up (with either OTA or through cable), and I do watch quite a bit of SD analog channels now. On the other hand, I also watch movies fairly often, so I'm still torn between which set to buy.

There were some posts on the other thread regarding a few of these issues, but they were never really addressed completely. What are your thoughts on these things? Thanks!

This might help;
http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi

Only you can decide 4x3 or 16x9.

I have the 30"WS model and have a question. I have a outdoor UHF on the digital input. I also have DirecTV and I'm using it on Video 1. For some reason the S-Video is terrible compared to the composite. Any ideas why? Would I be better served using coax and going to the analog input?

Thanks,
Joel

[quote]Originally posted by buzzly
[b]Unfortunely the 32" service manual is not available...

Actually, a service manual is available for just shy of $30 shipped from PacParts (can't give url, but just enter com after name). I was not given permission to scan and post the manual unfortunately.

So far, I am very happy with my 32" version. Much better SD picture than on any of the lcd or dlp rptv's I've seen at the stores and HD content is truly amazing after I adjusted things using the Avia calibration dvd. Just ordered the Zenith DVB318. Anyone hooked one of these up via a DVI to HDMI cable, and if so, is it as good as via component? I am currently using all of the component connections.

For someone that used DVE or AVIA, can you post the stats, like how many clicks for everything, contrast, sharpness, brightness, etc.

Sorry to tell you that Zenith DVB318 has HDCP handshake problem with Sanyo. The Zenith will just freeze and require unplugging of the power cord to reboot. How do I know that? The bald spot on my head is the result of too much hair-pulling from trying to fix that. My TV is the 30", but I am very certain that the 32" is the same way. The problem is with the DVB318 I think. A new firmware from Zenith will be available soon. Don't upgrade or you will lose the upconverted 1080i output via component capability. Your newly-ordered DVB318 should have the old firmware.

The good news is the upscaled image via component (1080i) is just stunning.


[quote]Originally posted by Skallywag
[b]

Thanks for the responses guys! I'm probably going to end up getting the 32" (if space permits).

Slickman - Let me know if you find out anything...I would also be interested in what these discs say are the "optimum" picture settings without having to spend the extra cash right now to do it myself. While DVE or AVIA will definitely be a future purchase, it would be nice to have a general idea of what to set it to now.

Hi guys, question, why was the original thread locked?


Also, I was checking on Walmart's website for a 34" widescreen, I didn't find any, but I did notice the HT30744 is now available on their website.

Here's the link http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...A3996%3A136948


I know that will help out atleast one gentleman who couldn't get a truck to pick up the TV himself.