[tbdombrosky]

I'm thinking of getting the X1. I know it only has one HD input through the VGA port and I want to use that to connect to my Scientific Atlanta 3100HD box. Right now with my Panasonic widescreen rptv when using the component outs for standard 4:3 tv, everything is displayed with black bars on the right and left side. I'm assuming it's converting regular tv to 1080i. There's no way you can change this on the box. It looks pretty good in my opinion though.


This is what I want to use with the X1 through the VGA input, but I'm worried since it might be 1080i that everything will have bars on the top and bottom, and right and left, instead of filling the whole screen. Does anyone know if this will happen? Thanks a million.


Tom

 

[mpilon]

Tom,


this might not be helpful, but my .02 is that SDTV looks great in full screen; w/ my dish network receiver most channels look very good blown up to the full 4:3 that the X1 will display, and that's thru S-video. the only time I deliberately cut my image size is if the signal source is not good and the large picture isn't watchable.


If you can't tell your 3100HD box to output std def signals in 4:3, and if you don't have any other source for SDTV, then you'll probably get black bars top,bottom,left & right.


does your 3100 have another output which might work for SDTV ?



Mark

 

[tbdombrosky]

Yeah, I knew one of the X1's benefits was the dcdi processor but it's such a hassle to switch inputs on the X1 every time I want to go from s-video to component (sdtv to hdtv). So whenever I go from 704 (which is NBC-HD) to 04 (which is NBC) I have to switch inputs on the X1, which is what I'm trying to avoid. I guess I'll just get a 16:9 projector. But the X1 has everything is just soooo cheap right now.


Tom

 

[mpilon]

Tom,


try a couple of things:


1) set the X1 to autodetect its source -- then see if a channel change from HDTV to SDTV causes the X1 to find the active input. this assumes the 3100 can be told to turn off the vga output when handling SDTV.


B) the remote on the X1 has the star key (literally, the key w/ a * on it) -- can it be programmed to change input sources ? you'd still have to press a button but it's easier than navigating menus.


and maybe you could do something with a programmable remote to change screen aspect and source w/ 1 button press.


might it be cheaper to get a different / more flexible HDTV box than another projector?


I think you're close to a fix,


Mark

 

[patrick21]

Tom, I have the exact 3100HD box as you. I used the component cables Time Warner provided and used a $49 adapter from Radio Shack to connect the X1 VGA input. Using the X1 remote, I select Computer and to me everything works fine. When watching HD channels, the image fills my 16:9 screen. When I change the channels to non HD (4:3), the image fits the screen top to bottom, but has black bars along the sides. To me, this does not present any problem at all.


If this presents a problem, then you can connect the 3100HD using component out to the X1 VGA input AND connect the Svideo out to the Svideo in on the X1. Then, when watching HD channels, you select the Computer input from the X1 remote. If you want full screen 4:3 tv, then simply select Video 1 from the remote. Mine is connected this way but I hardly ever use it like this.


I hope this helps.


patrick