Standard (or digital - not HD) on Samsung DLP

Is there a consensus on whether standard analog (or digital) tv signals are worse (than a traditional CRT TV) on a DLP HD unit?

Hi Tim,
I'm new to the forum and to HD technology in general, however I may have an answer for you. I've been shopping for a Samsung DLP television pretty extensively for several months now. I've ALMOST purchased the HLN507 about 10 times...the last visit to a store made my decision to wait final. Whenever you go to a retailer, they always broadcast the HD signal into the HD televisions on display...and they look incredible. However, here in Nashville, there are relatively few options for HD signals. I figure Comcast or Direct TV are my two best options for HD signals, and both only have around 10 channels to watch. So I figure most of my TV watching will be with non-HD channels. Last time I was at Best Buy, Circuti City, and Electronics Express, I asked the sales guys to switch the signal from HD to SD...the picture quality dropped substantially. When I asked why, the general consensus was that CRT televisions are more 'forgiving'. Since HD tv's show every little detail, good or bad, of the signal...I find that the picture looks substantially worse than a regular CRT Television. I've read several other forums, and other folks seem to agree. HD televisions are incredible for HD channels, and very good with DVDs, but terrible for SD channels or VHS. Hope that helps.... I'm planning on waiting for one of the new HLP series Samsung tvs. They have better contrast ratio, and the new HD2plus chip... I don't know if that will make regular channels better or worse looking, but since they are supposed to be out really soon....might as well wait.

I'm also waiting for the new HLP's (HLP4674W) specifically. I'll take a look at standard def when that model is available. I'm in Toronto Ontario and figure about 50% of what I'd normally watch is available in HD. What actually surprised me is the relatively low HD content on the HD channels. When I first started to see the channel line-up on my cable provider I naively assumed that a HD channel was 100% HD broadcast - silly me.

Well...one of the reasons HD on DLPs don't look as sharp on DLP is b/c of the DMD chip that is contained on those that are in the market...the DMD processor (Digital Mirroring Device) is set to display 720 progressive. Which is very nice but still not as good as what it could be. For example...at the store I work at...we took the new Samsung DVD-HD841 DVD player and hooked it up to the Samsung DLP HLN-5063W...we used the DVI connection on the DVD player and set the player to transmit a 1080x720 resolution using the DVD "Underworld"...then we set the DVD player to transmit 1520x1080 and the picture was no different...that was b/c the DMD processor was only capable of 720p...note that refers to vertical lines of resolution...yet...if you connect that same DVD to a projection or even the Sony Grand Wega, the picture is better b/c most projections can support 1080i...however...there are new DMD processors that will be unvieled this coming fall or a little later that will support 1080p...yes...you read right...1080p...

Hello all.

I'm very new to this forum and also relatively new to HDTV technology. Still doing my research before I plunge into buying my TV and digital signal provider.

My 2 cents on the subject of this thread is that, in Canada, all broadcast and satelite companies will be required to broadcast all their content digitally. whether that means more HD content or no... I can't say but I would assume they would want to include as much HD content as is available.

For the Samsung 50 DLP... I've been recently looking into this TV. I had been previously hooked on the HDLP50W150 RCA Scenium TV but a few bad reviews and sales reps comments had detered my interest. I've thrown all options on the table and am bouncing around between the Samsung DLP, the Sony grand Wega LCD 50, and the Hitatchi 50 LCD. If anyone has any thoughts or insights, I would be most apreciative.

XHD3 1920x1080 5000:1 contrast ratio. My guess (pure speculation) is that it'll be at least 150% more $$ than the HLP 74's. But if you wait till Jan/Feb/March then the next greatest advancement will only be 6 mos down the road....

I'm also waiting for the new HLP's (HLP4674W) specifically. I'll take a look at standard def when that model is available. I'm in Toronto Ontario and figure about 50% of what I'd normally watch is available in HD. What actually surprised me is the relatively low HD content on the HD channels. When I first started to see the channel line-up on my cable provider I naively assumed that a HD channel was 100% HD broadcast - silly me.
Tim,
Samsung is not releasing the HLP**74w series, that have pulled this model and are holding off until HLP**77w series w/ integrated HDreciever is ready (not until Nov. - Dec. '05). I was also going to wait for the 74 series since it was to have the HD2+ chip and a 3000:1 contrast ratio. I have decided to purchase the HLP5063W tv since it is available now and has some improvements over the HLN series higher contrast ratio and the 7 segment color wheel. I saw this tv next to a plasma at a highend retailer near me and the PQ was almost identical. I will have my new tv hooked up to Voom with-in the next 2 weeks...

for the heads up.... will have to reconsider options. Actually I'm also waiting for the Scientific Atlanta 8000 HD PVR to enable the DVI port...

just installed and here's my experience so far:

Comcast tech showed up with component cables when I thought he'd have DVI. Still the HD channels look spectacular but the SD channels look far worse than my old Toshiba Cinema Series tube TV. I'm still tweaking things AND have upgraded to a DVI cable (not sure if this made much of a difference. My goal is to have CNN look as good as NBC-HD. If anyone can help, I'll be very grateful.

By the way, with 1500:1 contrast ratio, this DLP will blow you out of a sunlit room, no problem. Samsung has a long way to go with documentation however (the entire manual sounds like it was written in Korean, translated into French then back to Engish.

The Comcast STB (motorola HD/DVR) is nice but Comcast provides very little documentation (but now available off the Moto site). The PVR is great (pausing live tv is a dream come true.) The interaction design and remote are sub-standard and seemed to be designed by dyslexic engineers with no sense of direction North South as well.

The bottom line is that regular analog tv was never ment to be
seen on an HDTV. The SD picture will always look bad. Garbage in
garbage out. For SD TV keep a CRT some where and your HDTV TV for HDTV only.