HDTV Advice  

I have the latest model Sony SXRD (the 50"), and using a DVI -> HDMI cable from my HTPC I choose 1920x1080 and it looks excellent. Super crisp, just like 1080p should be, reading small text from the couch is no problem.

I think my graphics card will explode if I try to game at that res though (6800gt).

my advice is to run a couple of searches for the model you're interested in in the HTPC forum. There's a huge thread for the SXRD's, hopefully there's one for the Sammy DLPs.

I own the 6168 model. I love the set! It works great for my gaming/htpc via vga (as long as you have a good computer system and video card ) Also, I have an xbox 360, 1080 via component and the picture quality is great, no lag. Some of the best entertainment dollars I've ever spent and my first widescreen tv. :)

It's amazing how much these things have come down in price in recent years.

I actually ended up going for a plasma HDTV. Pioneer. Love it.

I'd like to throw my 2 cents in here:

If you're paying that kind of money for a display, it had damn well better allow you to run DVI or HDMI from a PC into the set.

VGA will never look as good on a digital display as a DVI or HDMI digital connection would.

When you run DVI or HDMI into a digital display, what you get is, effectively, a gigantic laptop screen. Perfectly rendered, no blurriness, no edge-enhancement, no ghosting.

With VGA, on every single display I have seen, there is always a noticible degradation of image quality, particulary with text.

Now...why am I bringing this up when games will look just fine? Simple: If you plan on using this as a PC display, 1080p text is going to be SMALL if you're sitting far away from it......so you want it to be as razor sharp as it can possibly get, which you wont get if you run analog into the display.

..my .02 cents...

I have a 1080p Toshiba and the VGA input does not support resolutions above 1024 x 768 and I am surprised to here that the Samsung does...would be curious to see that...but anyways I'd bet you could ignore the 'Not PC Compatible' that your reading. I have that as well and get a great picture over component.

Be aware that the first HDMI ready graphics cards are just coming out, and this will be the likely solution for everyone...DVI needs to be forgotten...

Later,
Trebuken

With my Sammy 6168, the picture is incredible through VGA, including text. I use the DLP for computer related viewing about 90% of the time it is on. At the time I purchased it, it was the only display that I could afford that would allow full native 1080p for the computer. I know that VGA will be limited in the near future because of all of the DRM that is being forced down our throats and limiting HD content through non HDCP input/outputs.
My next set will be HDCP compliant and will accept a 1080p via HDMI, although that will be many years from now. Can't justify spending thousands of dollars every few years on tv upgrades to stay DRM complient. If I was purchasing a tv now to work with my computer, I'd do research for a set that would accept 1080p via HDMI. That would make it more future proof. However, I am happy with my Sammy so far.

If you can wait a bit longer I'd wait.

I use a Sharp projector (96" screen) and while is image is great and very involving those HDP lamps are expensive. I expected them to drop in price as more and more people bought DLPs but they haven't. They are still $400 a pop, and if you are talking about using the display for TV, movies and PC use you'll be replacing the bulb AT LEAST once a year. I've had some early failures on my bulbs due to how long I run it (the projector was not designed for 6 hour frag sessions followed by a movie) and I'm on my third bulb in just over a year. When this one goes I'm planning to just sell the projector and buy one of the new LED or laser DLPs due in stores in a month or two.

I stopped by Magnolia over the weekend and they will be getting the 56" Sammy LED model at the end of September. Expect to see Mitsubishi's laser models in the stores before Christmas. They have some huge advantages. No bulb replacement (LEDs/Lasers will last 20,000+ hours), greatly reduved chance for rainbows and less noise due to no color wheel and lower heat output (no need for a fan) and from a performance perspective LEDs and Lasers can reproduce truer colors than HDP lamps can. The only place they fall short is in maximum light output, though the laser sets are said to be very close to HDP lamps.

I have a HL-S5688 and a plain VGA cable works fine. True, I had to get a 50 footer but still.....

Yes, I play games on it Battlefield xx, F.E.A.R., Guild Wars, etc.

I saw a press release from Sapphire announcing an ATI branded HDMI video adapter. Didn't see the card, just the release.

I'm posting this on a 50" Samsung DLP 1080p through VGA and I'm happy. There is a little overscan in 720p.

Has anyone had burn in with these?

Burn in is not possible with a DLP. You could develop dead pixels but this is an unrelated issue (e.g. dead pixels won't develop because you leave a static image on the screen).

Here's the burn-in hierarchy

PLASMAS : Most succeptable to burn-in.

REAR PROJECTION CRT TV: Second most succeptable to burn-in

CRT: Highly unlikely to develop burn in due to uneven pixel wear

LCD: Almost impossible to burn in or create uneven pixel wear

DLP: Impossible to burn in

Cool, that's what I've heard-I've just known other people that got RPTVs that were supposedly burn in proof that have burn in after a few years.