2nd Gen. Samsung DLP better than 3rd?

I have a question for the HDTV elite, particularly those familiar with Samsung's DLP sets. I recently decided to make the switch HD from SD. I upgraded to DirectTV HD and bought a second generation 61" Samsung HDTV model# HLN617W after much research. Watching Discovery HD and HDnet on this new set looked really great. Shortly after I purchased that set I learned that the 3rd generations DLP's were available. So today in fact I bought the newer 61" Samsung HDTV model# HLP6163W thinking it should look better based on what I've read about it and its new chip is supposed to bring better contrast, brightness, color, detail...etc.

Boy was I wrong. This newer set actually looks worse!!! I have both sets sitting in my living room side by side comparing them as I write this, switching the DVI cabel back and forth, and the 2nd generation looks better.

Now I'm convinced I'm going to return the newer one and stick with my 2nd generation model unless someone has a possible explanation for this. There is nothing wrong with the new one, it looks nice, just does not have the punch and definition of the older one. Anyone have any answers? I've heard in some forums that this newer chip is actually not as good?

hope this helps.....
HD2+ (Mustang) This is TI's upgrade to their second generation DLP HD engine with 720 x 1280 pixels. The Plus (+) version of the Mustang DLP engine has improved black levels and contrast ratios (around 2000:1 when used in a rear projection TV or 4000:1 when used in a front projector) as compared to the original HD-2 version. Also the associated signal processing electronics have reduced digital noise as compared to the HD2 based designs.

HD3 Although the HD3 is a third generation 720 x 1280 pixels it is not a replacement for the HD2+ series. Rather TI has figured out how to make the imaging chip's overall dimensions smaller (0.55 inch as compared to 0.8 inch with the HD2 series) and at a lower manufacturing cost. The performance in terms of black level and contract ratio (around 1500:1 when use in a rear projection TV) is a better than the original HD2 but is a notch below that of the HD2+. You can expect the see the HD3 light engine in lower cost DLP projectors with the more expensive models using the HD2+ engine

Well...the 63 series DLP has a britghter, I believe, contrast than the 17W series DLP...sometimes a brighter contrast is not what the doctor orders...also...it could be the software programing and any possible video noises that may occur in your particular setup...it could very well be possible that the programing in the processor of the new 63 Series DLP might possibly be interepting the signal(s) a little differently than your older 17W DLP set.

I was in Tweeter Electronics store 3 weeks ago and they had the Samsung HLN617W sitting right next to HLP5063W. The salesman brought it to my attention what the difference is between the HD-2 and the HD-3. When the picture was dark, the HLN617W had a pinkish tint and sometimes a green one. The HLP5063W reproduced the picture perfectly. That sold me. I purchased the HLP5063W that same evening!. Had my TV for 13 days and no problem. Just thought you would like to know that bit of information.

hope this helps.....
HD2+ (Mustang) This is TI's upgrade to their second generation DLP HD engine with 720 x 1280 pixels. The Plus (+) version of the Mustang DLP engine has improved black levels and contrast ratios (around 2000:1 when used in a rear projection TV or 4000:1 when used in a front projector) as compared to the original HD-2 version. Also the associated signal processing electronics have reduced digital noise as compared to the HD2 based designs.

HD3 Although the HD3 is a third generation 720 x 1280 pixels it is not a replacement for the HD2+ series. Rather TI has figured out how to make the imaging chip's overall dimensions smaller (0.55 inch as compared to 0.8 inch with the HD2 series) and at a lower manufacturing cost. The performance in terms of black level and contract ratio (around 1500:1 when use in a rear projection TV) is a better than the original HD2 but is a notch below that of the HD2+. You can expect the see the HD3 light engine in lower cost DLP projectors with the more expensive models using the HD2+ engine
So a more appropriate name for the generations would Ver. 2.1 for the light engine containing the HD2 processor...and Ver. 2.2 for the light engine containing the HD2+...then Ver. 3.1 for the light enigne containing the HD-3 processor...

I went to Best Buy yesterday to purchase a hard drive and happened to walk over to the flat screen area . . . I walked directly up on the Samsung 5065W DLP and was thrown back by it, my first concern was did it have a PC input and it did after spinning it around to take a look at the back. I started comparing it to the other TVs around it and could not beleive the clarity, brightnes and deep dark tone definition superiority to the others. I went over and looked at the LCD's as I originally wanted a flat screen but after looking at them all I found that you could see the pixles when up close on all of them but when I took a very close look at the Samsung it was amazing . . . it looked like a true picture, no visible pixles at 12" away from the screen. I looked at other DLP's by panasonic, LG, etc. but pixles were visible. Is this the best thing out there for the price $3199 at Best buy, I also found it online at digitalcraze.com for about $2500. I'm seriously thinking about buying this unit, Did you find that the HLP5063W was better than the HLP5085W, whats the difference in the engine (the HD-2 and the HD-3)?? Thanks, Gianni

I was in Tweeter Electronics store 3 weeks ago and they had the Samsung HLN617W sitting right next to HLP5063W. The salesman brought it to my attention what the difference is between the HD-2 and the HD-3. When the picture was dark, the HLN617W had a pinkish tint and sometimes a green one. The HLP5063W reproduced the picture perfectly. That sold me. I purchased the HLP5063W that same evening!. Had my TV for 13 days and no problem. Just thought you would like to know that bit of information.

so here's an update on my HD and DLP situation:

first of all thanks for the replys everyone.

second, Ive found that the reason my HD-2 appeared to look better at first than my newer HD-3 Samsung was because of my HD feed. Little did I know that my Direct TV feed wasnt working properly. I had it aligned and recalibrated, hooked the HD-3 DLP back up and it definately looked better than the older HD-2 chipped DLP. Something about the software inside and the way it was reading the poor signal i had before made the older set look better. But now after another side by side comparison in my home, swapping the DVI cable back and forth, the HLP6163W looks much better. It has more clarity, more detail, better brightness and contrast and overall has better detail than the HLN617W.

So to answer your question gianni, i would say that Samsung has definetely improved on their DLP TV's with this newer HD-3 chip. I'm very happy I re-evaluated after tweaking my Direct TV, because at first I couldnt understand how the HD-2 could look that much better. Now I know it was just a glitch in my HD providor. Tomorrow I'm returning the HLN set and will be enjoying my HLP for many years to come. :-)

I have the HLN507W and have no tinting problems what so ever. Sounds like they made the less expensive set look bad so you would buy the more expensive one, a trick as old as dirt. As long as your happy that's all the counts.

I`ve spent the last 3 days hanging out at circuit city watching the olympics in hd,observing the new dlp`s,my conclusion is that the capt.kirk is hands down winner.This display is the sharpest looking,has the best contrast,color saturation, of the bunch.The hln is a close second,appearing just as sharp.The hlp looks very good abiet soft, film like,very good color and contrast with no visiable pixel structure up close ,at about a foot structure appears dimond in shape.All the other brands pale. jojo

http://www.dlptvreview.com/dlptvreviews/samsungdlptv.html

With the HD3 the DMD has 640x720 mirrors plus a secondary mirror. To get the 1280x720 final image, the DMD draws 2 640x720 images at 120 frames/sec, and the secondary mirror is used to shift the 2 images by 1 pixel (left and right) 60 times a second. Thus you get a 1280x720 final image at 60 frames per second. The pixels of the HD3 are in a diamond patern, and overlap slightly between the 2 frames. This reduces the visibility of the pixels (smooth picture in marketing speak), and softens the image somewhat.
Thus an HD3 set will not be as 'sharp' as an HD2 or HD2+ set.