Rca Mm36110 Tv

ralpharch

Just because there is a consensus doesn't make it right - just that you have asked uninformed people.

Either d-sub input will behave the same if you change the default for text versus video in the menu system. Its just that the one labled for the digital tv is preset to video and the one labled for svga is preset for text. Change them if you want. (Also the video has rca jacks for audio input and the svga has the computer audio jack - again you can get adaptors for a couple dollars to change these from one to another).

In my case the component was only 480i - but apparently with the 36110 the component can be progressive so just get a progressive dvd player and use the component inputs

(in case of using one of the two d-sub inputs it will have to be rgb. So use a computer to feed it rgb and use a tv card in computer and play with that software (remember only like 800x600 or 1080i - which almost all video cards do).

Or transcode the output of a dvd player but why go that route if it will take progressive component directly?

For either

ralpharch

Also - as far as resolution goes it can do about 930 vertical lines horizontally - so its in the upper resolution range of "HD" tvs even though at the time RCA would not call it HD. (Back then HD was reserved for sets that could resolve around 1 million or so "pixels" which this set would not be capable of. But it beats most recent HD CRTs except the SONY super fine pitch models which are capable of around 1400 vertical lines horizontally.

By the way - the component in (being only 480 vertically - interlaced in my case but progressive in yours) should be reserved for DVDs which are 480i. You would want the higher vertical resolution of either d-sub input for higher resolution material such as 1080i broadcasts (view at either 1080i or 800x600- rgb in either case)

Loves2Watch

If you read the posts carefully, you will see that your set is HD through the component inputs (red, green, blue).

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kieljon

Thanks for the input.

I picked up an OTA receiver yesterday, and the picture looks great. I've got it coming through the RGB inputs right now... But you're saying that the picture will be better if I transcode it and put it through the VGA (d-sub) inputs?

Can you recommend a transcoder? I saw good reviews for the VD-Z3, but it costs at least $50. Any others out there?

Forgive me, but I'm very new to all the lingo...
Thanks for the help!

ralpharch

There is definitely some confusion in this thread - both you me and others.

First lets get an understanding of what you are inputting. When I say red green blue I mean either of the vga inputs (d-subs) - which won't look right if they are fed via component (y b r or whatever you want to initial component as). The component input is via a set of 3 rca plugs but I won't state the color here.

That said I will make an assumption that you are feeding you set currently through the component inputs, and feeding it component. As love2 watch notes below - there is reference in this thread and in the linked manual that component input on your set can take and sync to an HD signal. (Mine, MM36100 can not - on my set the component is restricted to 480i). So for sure you set takes progressive component, and if you are seeing it fine out of a STB with output set above 480p (this set does not take 720p but definitely takes 1080i on the RGB [edit - in my speak means d-sub/vga input) to say 1080i, then that is the best you are going to get.

If you can only input 480 p or i via component then you may want to consider transcoder for using one of the d-subs for HD input. But the difference between 480p and 1080i (540p) will not be that noticeable to spend a whole lot of money on. Its all analog horizontally anyway.

On the other hand raw computer output at 800x600 will be a potential upgrade visually on one of the d-subs as the vertical resolution is a little greater than 540p or 480.- - so you could try a laptop set at that with tv card or software outputting HD to try to see the difference (monitor is plug and play on the d-sub that is paired with computer audio jack)

kieljon

Thanks Ralpharch!

I understand now... I guess it was made more difficult with a few differing opinions thrown about. Thank you for taking time to make things clear!

After reading through the manual again, I think I've got the picture as good as it will be... From my receiver, set to 1080i, through component cables (Y-Pr-Pb), to the TV.

But now, to get a dvd player set up without having to trade out inputs when I switch from TV to dvd, I guess I need to buy a transcoder so I can use a VGA input on the television (I do not have a VGA output on either my receiver or dvd player, only component and S-video, and the TV only has one component input).

Or, would a simple cable converter (with a picture loss) be enough? Since dvd players aren't really HD?

Anyone have any thoughts?

ralpharch

I rarely watch DVDs because so much HD material is available. You don't really want to watch 480i on that set - its too big and the scan lines will be very noticeable. So I would try to upscale somehow to RGB - or use the component input somehow. You could just get a switch for the component input, or use a (audio receiver) to switch component inputs.

Some other ideas:

I have a JVC (Iodata) SRDVD-100U HD network streamer for my set. That will output at up to 1080i over the analog pins of the DVI output (use a DVI to VGA cable or just use one of those DVI to VGA adaptors that come with computer video cards.
igsshop dot com has them for $200. That will play and upscale DVDs, (in addition to a plethora of HD formats such as standard OTA ATSC HD files), but unfortunately it doesn't output commercial DVDs over the DVI if it doesn't sense HDCP, which our sets don't provide.

So you are limited to playing DVDs that have been ripped to a hardisk and streaming it over the network or using lower resolution routes like s-video or the component out. But it will play all sorts of HD files over network fine. But at $200 its just as cheap as a transcoder and offers more options - especially if you have an ethernet network nearby.

You could also use something like the Moome external box I use for my CRT projector - but at $400 or so its getting a little expensive. However that box will take 2 HDMI inputs and one component and output RGB (there I go again) and transcoded component to a non-HDCP device at up to 1080p (our sets will only go to 1080i) I've got my PS3, HD satellite box, and computer all set up through that box.

Just some thoughts - some of which may be outside your budget.

ralpharch

Or alternately just hook up a laptop to the db15 inputs and use that to play dvds -

As I mentioned the monitor is plug and play at 800x600 and with any decent software dvd player (even the stock os ones) you will be much better off visually that a hardware dvd player over something like s-video

ralpharch

I don't know why I couldn't post but another solution is to get an HDfury HDMI to RGB - its a little cheaper than the Moome

http://www.curtpalme.com/HDFury.shtm

kieljon

Hey Ralpharch,

I realized I forgot to thank you for all the help!! My wife and I have been enjoying the HiDef TV for about about a month now! I appreciate all your input.

I've got the signal coming directly from the OTA tuner/receiver to the tv via Component (RGB, Y-Pr-Pb, or whatever else they're called), and it works just fine.

Also, I think I finally solved the dual input confusion. I am waiting to buy some cables (Doing my research to make sure I don't spend more money than I need too...), but it shouldn't be too much longer.

Anyway, I have a Sony Digital Audio/Video Control Center (str-de898) which has two component inputs and one component monitor out. So I should be able to run my hdtv and my dvd through it and be just fine...

Anyways, thought I would give an update.

Thanks again for all the help, everyone!

-Jonathan

kilengser

I have the manual and it does not state that the component inputs are rated for HDTV only the SVGA input.

Steve44

Stop your bullshit. You copied this from DTV PLUS GUY. We all know you're here for SPAMMING in the forums. STOP IT or we'll kick you off.

koritz123

Both HD15 VGAs are 1080i. Select Video in the menu for the one that is supposed to be for a computer. Do not select text. The component is also 1080i. Hook any blu-ray to it and it will tell you what it's outputting. Then downscale it to 480 on the blu-ray and it will switch modes and you can immediately see the difference.

Koritz123

col_sandurz

I have to agree with koritz123 on this one. I recently was given the MM36110 and went through all the possible modes of connection trying to get my XBox 360 to display the best possible image (including VGA connection; see thread: Viewing 1080i (16:9) on RCA MM36110 (4:3) HDTV). I found that the component input will accept 1080i and 480p. 1080i is a visible improvement over the 480p. (Unfortunately, 1080i is native 16:9, the TV is 4:3, and the Xbox does not letterbox HD).

The SVGA (2) input will support 640x480 (same as 480p), 1080i transcoded to VGA, and 800x600 (slightly better than 1080i [540p]). I could not get the VGA (1) input to do over 640x480, which the manual makes a distinction that it cannot. The TV does not support 720p. This makes sense given its maximum resolution of 950x700. (I say maximum, as this is truly a multiscan monitor.) 480p, 1080i (540p), and 800x600 (600p) all fall below the 700 line max, while 720p is just outside. The monitor is not limited by horizontal resolution, it will squish 1920 pixels per line (1080i input) into the image, what is what happens to a 16:9 1080i image that is not letterboxed (it looks anamorphic).

Also, having connected my DVD player via component and switched between 480i (SDTV) and 480p (EDTV) modes, progressive scan is a vast improvement in picture quality. Thus, 480p is a vast improvement in quality over 480i, and 1080i is a smaller improvement over 480p still. The best resolution on this set would be 800x600 (600p and slightly better than 1080i [essentially 540p]). This resolution is more than sufficient to read small print on a computer output.

The manual I have also covers the TVs brethren, the MM32110 and MM27110 (32" and 27" versions respectively). As with differences in size, the max resolution of these smaller versions is 875x655. Only other differences in stats are the picture power and stripe pitch. Hope this helps.

pabajetho

good stuff thanks