[sightandsound]

It has been established that DNIe cannot be turned off in the user menu on the new Samsung plasmas. These tv's do, however, have the DNIe demo mode, in which one half of the screen turns the function off and the other keeps it on.


My totally amateur opinion is that there must be some way to turn this thing off in the service menu or otherwise. The simple fact that the TV can turn it off for the demo proves that the DNIe function can be turned off somehow. How easy that would be is another discussion.


Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. And I'm sorry for stating what seems to me to be the obvious.

 

[the_bode]

I completely agree. DNIe isn't "hard-wired" into the Samsung plasmas, and the demo mode proves it. If enough people complain, Samsung could probably release a firmware upgrade, or at least tell people how to turn it off in the service menu.

 

[lyris]

I agree with you. That's utterly insane that it can't be turned off. Samsung must be the kings of stupidly forgetting to include menu options to turn off annoying "Features". I returned the last Samsung LCD I owned because you couldn't manually adjust the backlight.

 

[pdub99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bode I completely agree. DNIe isn't "hard-wired" into the Samsung plasmas, and the demo mode proves it. If enough people complain, Samsung could probably release a firmware upgrade, or at least tell people how to turn it off in the service menu.

Tech support currently states that it can not be. However, I did get a snailmail address for where to contact for feedback:


Attn: Miss Segura

Samsung Electronics

400 Valley Road, Suite 201

Mount Arlington NJ.

02856


(No first name given).


Hope that helps somewhat.

Pat.

 

[RandyWalters]

I watch a lot of SD. I am SO GLAD i didn't choose the Samsung. Too many reports of bad SD (pretty much everybody).

 

[TVwillKillUsAll]

But Randy, does anyone have good SD? They've all looked like crap to me in the stores. I know they've got oversplit signals there but it still puts the tvs on equal footing for comparing crapitude. I had pretty much given up on expecting to find good SD.

 

[the_bode]

I agree with TVwillKillUsAll (love the name!), and would add my 2 cents...


If I plunk down upwards of $5K for a new TV, it's because I plan to keep it for at least 5 years, and I sure hope SD will be history by then. I am more concerned with HD PQ than with SD at this point.


Looking at my TiVo, more than half the stuff I watch is already available in HD today, and most of the rest should be in the next 2-3 years.


The Samsung has very good picture quality in HD (DNIe woes notwithstanding).

 

[RandyWalters]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVwillKillUsAll But Randy, does anyone have good SD? They've all looked like crap to me in the stores. I know they've got oversplit signals there but it still puts the tvs on equal footing for comparing crapitude. I had pretty much given up on expecting to find good SD.

I haven't seen much SD in the stores as most can't tune it in, but in the few stores that did have SD it didn't look so good on any of the plasmas. However, i trusted the other AVS-ers (especially R Harnkness) when they said they get very good SD performance on their Panasonic plasmas but still i was somewhat shocked at just how good SD cable looked on my 42PX50 when i first got it, and with careful tweaking over the next few days it looked even better. For the first few days i left my 32" HD-ready Panny set up near the new plasma and used it as a reference as i adjusted the Panny and i was able to make SD look 95% as good as it did on the tube TV which is very very good.


Also, i have a friend with a Pioneer 504CMX and SD Direct TV looks pretty darn good, but not quite as good as mine. There are plenty of people here who also get good SD PQ, including a few who returned their Samsungs and got Panasonics to replace it and report much better SD performance.


It's funny, i recently bought a new 15" Samsung LCD TV but SD looked worse than it did on my existing 2-year-old 15" Sharp LCD in a side-by-side comparison and nothing i did could make it match the Sharp. So i returned it and got a 2003 floor model Sharp and it kicks the Sammy's butt on SD. HD looked great, but SD sucked.

 

[EricScott]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWalters I watch a lot of SD. I am SO GLAD i didn't choose the Samsung. Too many reports of bad SD (pretty much everybody).

Well as the owner of a Samsung DLP and LCD I have to disagree (can't speak for the Sammy plasmas). I find that SD picture quality is quite good on both displays. My DLP is an HLP model and I do keep DNIe off. The LCD is an LNR model so DNIe cannot be turned off but the PQ is still really good.


I'm using a SA 8300HD via HDMI to my DLP and an SA3250HD via component to my LCD. I used to have an 8000HD connected via component to my Samsung and find that the PQ (both HD and SD) improved significantly on the 8300 (both component and HDMI).

 

[RandyWalters]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricScott Well as the owner of a Samsung DLP and LCD I have to disagree (can't speak for the Sammy plasmas). I find that SD picture quality is quite good on both displays. My DLP is an HLP model and I do keep DNIe off. The LCD is an LNR model so DNIe cannot be turned off but the PQ is still really good. I'm using a SA 8300HD via HDMI to my DLP and an SA3250HD via component to my LCD. I used to have an 8000HD connected via component to my Samsung and find that the PQ (both HD and SD) improved significantly on the 8300 (both component and HDMI).

But we are talking about plasma here. I have watched SD on a friend's 46 Sammy DLP and another friend's 56" DLP and it looked pretty good for SD, and was definitely better than the SD i saw in stores on the Sammy plasmas.


SD through an SA8000HD looks like crap no matter what the display is. I have one alongside a regular SA8000 (connected to the same plasma) and SD on the SA8000 looks way better than it does through the SA8000HD. But if i put the SA8000HD into "SD Mode" and connect with S-Video instead then SD suddenly looks great. SD (and HD for that matter) on the 8300HD supposedly looks much better than on the previous 8000HD.

 

[sightandsound]

Ahh how easily a thread is hijacked.

 

[naj]

well, fwiw, i just had my 50" samsung plasma (hpr5052) calibrated on friday by d6500ken. i don't think he figured out how to "turn of dnie", but i think he reduced it's effects. dvds look really great now, and the hd is better too... the hd sports are amazing on this set - we didn't calibrate sd.


that said, i've only been able to see a few of the panasonics in stores around here (no one has the pioneers) and don't have a lot to compare to, let alone compare to one that has been calibrated properly.

 

[EricScott]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWalters But we are talking about plasma here.

Sorry - I was confused b/c you made a comment on LCDs as well.


Didn't mean to hi jack the thread.

 

[Casey Jones]

Well as far as SD is concerned, I recently bought a Philips 9630a. Just prior to the purchase I 'Braced" my family for what I thought would be expected viewing SD Channels on a 42 inch HD panel. Right now we have an analog STB channels 0-99. Tomorrow my SA8300HD box arrives Well back to my point. We were all in for one big surprise. And a pleasant one at that. The picture quality is just fine. Depending on the channel it ranges from real good to excellent. I cant tell you how relieved I am , I wanted the plasma to shine in all respects but after reading so many posts about bad SD I was sure that was not possible. Keep in mind that this would be our familys primary viewing television, so poor quality would just not be acceptable.And like all of you out there I am extremely critical of the picture quality and expect top qulaity from a set at this price point or it goes bye bye.Prior to purchasing this panel I had the salesperson at CC hook up an SD feed so I could view the picture quality, it really wasnt that good at all. But when hooking the system up to Cablevision cable all I can say is WOW. I think that my feed must be alot better then at the store and have to also credit Philips pixel plus 2. As advertised it works on any source. A happy camper so far here