[LCH]

I'm starting this thread in the hope that it will become the repository for all things HTPC as they concern usage with the Samsung DLP monitors. I'm posting this here instead of the HTPC forum because the expertise and early adopters of the DLP sets ALL post here.


With BOTH a DVI and a RGB input, these sets offer great potential for the high quality output of a properly setup HTPC.


Feel free to post any and all issues, concerns and questions that specifically relate to the Samsungs used as PC displays.

 

[ftlee]

LCH,


Just so that you know, there is already one of these threads in the Home Theater PC forum.


-ftlee

 

[LCH]

Thanks Frank, but as I noted, the "experts" on the Samsungs post here, and I wanted this to be a "convergence" thread.


I'll check out that other thread though.

 

[rocketcityhog]

Good idea. I posted this on another thread, but this looks like the better place.


I'm getting better resolution out of TV wide setting over PC wide. I'm using VGA input + powerstrip+1280*720. When displaying this text, it is crisp and very clear on TV wide but smeared on PC wide. PC wide is not bad, but TV wide is incredible.

Can anyone else confirm this?

 

[LCH]

Thanks for your response. I'm at a disadvantage because I've ordered a 507 but have not received it as yet!!!


I was just about to post a question about resolutions, how ironic.


I understand TV Wide causes some overscan (where the desktop edges are beyond the viewable area), but you at least get "fullscreen" video.


Also, you've enlightened me as to the VGA input capabilities. I knew the "native" resolution for the DLP is 1280 x 720, but thought the xga rez through the VGA was limited to 1024 x 768.


I downloaded the user manual and have payed special attention to the "PC Display" section. It seems to contradict itself ? What refesh rates are you using in Powerstrip ? The manual recommends 60 Hz vertical on one page, but then presents a "Display Mode" chart on the next page with rates as high as 85 Hz for lower resolutions.


Any Powerstrip specifics you (or others) care to post would be very useful. In other words what will this set accept from a PC input ? Let's determine it's "safe" limits.

 

[Bri]

My pc is connected to my 507 via the RGB.


settings:


1) 1280 x 720 via a fan-less Matrox which does not require Powerstrip. The card is not good for gaming but gets every thing else done. The manual is misleading. 1280 x 720 is the only way to go. IMHO


2) tv is set to tv-wide. This provides a per-pixel map and is much more detailed. Overscan? yes. but so you loose half of the "square x" in the upper right corner. No big deal.


My family and friends say "nice TV" then when I switch to PC input and display my desktop or a Power-point slide show thew say "WOW! that's cool".



-Bri

 

[KenLand]

rocketcityhog,


PC(Wide) bad, TV(Wide) good.


On Phil's 507 through DVI and TV(Wide) we were able to verify a 1:1 pixel mapping. Very Cool!


Can't get any better than that.


Ken

 

[rocketcityhog]

LCH - using 60Hz, but have not tried anything else


Ken - 1:1 mapping is very good! Interesting that the 1:1 mapping is on TV (wide) setting - counter-intuitive to me.

 

[LCH]

Thanks Gentlemen ! A consensus is forming.

 

[Kilroy]

kenland, or anyone else in the know,


If I understand this correctly, wide tv mode gives us 1x1 pixel mapping but with overscan, while wide pc reduces the desktop to 92% so that you can see the whole desktop, but with about an inch of black bars around everything. Do you know if there is any way in the service menu to tweak the wide pc desktop reduction setting? I'm wondering how that 92% is coded. BTW, I read about that wide pc 92% figure in the manual somewhere. If this setting can be tweaked, then it should just be simple trial and error to find a setting which would allow the desktop to perfectly fit the viewable screen.


-Kilroy

 

[Bri]

Quote:

Originally posted by Kilroy kenland, or anyone else in the know, If I understand this correctly, wide tv mode gives us 1x1 pixel mapping but with over-scan, while wide PC reduces the desktop to 92% so that you can see the whole desktop, but with about an inch of black bars around everything. Do you know if there is any way in the service menu to tweak the wide pc desktop reduction setting? I'm wondering how that 92% is coded. BTW, I read about that wide pc 92% figure in the manual somewhere. If this setting can be tweaked, then it should just be simple trial and error to find a setting which would allow the desktop to perfectly fit the viewable screen. -Kilroy

The over-scan is a really not that bad. It's a very small price to pay for a 1 to 1 mapping. Anything else (short of changing the focal point of the lens) introduces some form of scaling which always compromises quality. But hay, give it a shot. If you can scale it 98% and don't mind the "fuzziness" it introduces post your results here and I too will check it out.


Honestly the over-scan is not that bad. I was pleasantly surprised. In full screen Explorer I only loose half of the status bar on the top and bottom. And half the scroll bar. No great loss. IMHO.


-Bri

 

[LCH]

Quote:

Originally posted by KenLand ...On Phil's 507 through DVI and TV(Wide) we were able to verify a 1:1 pixel mapping. ...Ken

**Note** Ken says this about the DVI input. Only true of DVI and not RGB ?

 

[LCH]

Quote:

Originally posted by rocketcityhog LCH - using 60Hz, but have not tried anything else Ken - 1:1 mapping is very good! Interesting that the 1:1 mapping is on TV (wide) setting - counter-intuitive to me.

OK - Re-checking the 'well-written" manual, I see that there is a "DTV" row in the PC "Display Modes" chart. It's at the bottom of the chart, which ascends in resolution from the top down.


What IS DTV ? Did they mean DVI ? Yes - they might mean "Digital TV".


Regardless - in the "DTV" section, there are three resolutions listed, one of which is 1280 x 720p @60 Hz vertical frequency. Does this give you guys both full screen DVD display AND full screen desktops ?

 

[bstronger]

I will add that I am drving my 507 pc mode with Nvidia geforce4 via RGB at 1280x720 and very pleased with clarity/usability with my rf keyboard from about nine feet. Next step is HiDTV card to drive ota HD via DVI [now doing with T165].

 

[AngryCPA]

Can anyone who has their 507 (im still waiting for mine) give a comparison between the DVI input and the VGA input on a HTPC. I have a TS160 and a HTPC which both have DVI out and im not sure which one will be better suited to take advantage of the DVI signal.


Is RGB the same as VGA??


TIA

 

[jotter]

Quote:

Originally posted by LCH OK - Re-checking the 'well-written" manual, I see that there is a "DTV" row in the PC "Display Modes" chart. It's at the bottom of the chart, which ascends in resolution from the top down. What IS DTV ? Did they mean DVI ? Yes - they might mean "Digital TV". Regardless - in the "DTV" section, there are three resolutions listed, one of which is 1280 x 720p @60 Hz vertical frequency. Does this give you guys both full screen DVD display AND full screen desktops ?

It doesn't make any difference and that doesn't change the fact that the TV is overscanning the edges off the screen which IS the problem. You can tweak the refresh rates using powerstrip and its fine for quite a range before the image finally vanishes (not supported).


Check out this disturbingly similar thread not a single page away from this one:
here


My last post there read:

The 507's/437's have overscanned 1:1 pixel screens - meaning that when you send it a signal which occupies ALL of the pixels you won't see the "edges" as they are displayed off your actual visible screen.


Thats a real pain, but there was a thread (Franks I think on connecting his STB to the samsung) discussing this problem and someone talked about why thats necessary given the way todays TV signals are recorded and sent. In a purely digital environment it wouldn't be necessary but because the same signals need to be shown on analog sets the signals get a "safe" area around to cope with differing overscans on different sets.


In any event, when you switch to PC wide the set is actually downsampling the screen, effectively remapping all your 1280x720 pixels to something smaller - which is why text looks crappy in that mode and you should stick to TV wide (albeit with a few lost edges, 1/2 a task bar etc).


In a perfect world you would be able to adjust the amount of overscan on the HLMs but I'm not sure we've discovered how to do that (or if its possible).


Jonathan


Edit: oh yeah, it will be the SAME for ALL inputs because its an overscan issue.

 

[Ed Grskovich]

Quote:

Originally posted by bstronger I will add that I am driving my 507 pc mode with Nvidia geforce4 via RGB at 1280x720 and very pleased with clarity/usability with my rf keyboard from about nine feet. Next step is HiDTV card to drive ota HD via DVI [now doing with T165].

Can the Nvidia go directly to the HDTV instead of through the T165 or later through a HiDTV? Albeit, as RGB vs. DVI.


ed g

 

[mdesmarais]

Depending on your card/driver combo, Powerstrip should let you create a custom resolution. If you keep the overall timing consistent (ie for every pixel you take off the active area, you increase the porch), it should be possible to get a 1:1 desktop that both fills the screen and does not cut anything off. Well, if the granularity is fine enough anyways. You should be able to at least improve the situation.


I'd try it myself, but I'm guessing that I'm in at least the 3rd or 4th batch. ;-)


Markd

 

[LCH]

Quote:

Originally posted by mdesmarais Depending on your card/driver combo, Powerstrip should let you create a custom resolution. If you keep the overall timing consistent (ie for every pixel you take off the active area, you increase the porch), it should be possible to get a 1:1 desktop that both fills the screen and does not cut anything off. Well, if the granularity is fine enough anyways. You should be able to at least improve the situation. I'd try it myself, but I'm guessing that I'm in at least the 3rd or 4th batch. ;-) Markd

Mark-


Can we assume from your "cryptic" reference that you are also waiting for delivery of a Samsung DLP ?


Would you be so generous as to elaborate on your Powerstrip musings ? That is - detail your proposed (above) solution to the overscan issues we're seeing.

 

[jotter]

Quote:

Originally posted by mdesmarais Depending on your card/driver combo, Powerstrip should let you create a custom resolution. If you keep the overall timing consistent (ie for every pixel you take off the active area, you increase the porch), it should be possible to get a 1:1 desktop that both fills the screen and does not cut anything off. Well, if the granularity is fine enough anyways. You should be able to at least improve the situation. I'd try it myself, but I'm guessing that I'm in at least the 3rd or 4th batch. ;-) Markd

hmmm. I tried that when I first got things set up. I'll revisit this...


Jonathan