[mythtv-users] Choosing a HDTV for myth usage

[Craig Partin]

On 8/16/06, Steven Adeff <adeffs.mythtv at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8/15/06, Mario Limonciello <mario.mailing at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hello Myth list,
> >
> > I'm looking at buying a HDTV this week and have been spending the last few
> > weeks doing some reading about TVs and trying to narrow my list down.
> >
> > I'm down to 3 TVs:
> >  LG 32" LC2D, LG 37" LC2D, and Samsung 32" LNS3251D.
> >
> > Now to my eyes, the picture between the Samsung and LGs looks strikingly
> > similar, but I've come a cross something that may be a deal breaker.
> > Both TVs have a native res of 1366x768 and have HDMI & VGA inputs.  I own a
> > HDMI->DVI cable and planned to use that.
> >
> > The Samsung TV indicates in its manual that it supports 1366x768 as an input
> > resolution and even provides necessary information to create a modeline on
> > page 39.  However, if I go back to page 14 of the manual, it indicates that
> > PC input is only supported on the VGA input.  Now i'm not sure if this is
> > just them covering their butt if something doesn't work, or if it flat out
> > won't take 1366x768 on the HDMI.
> >
> > The LG TVs on the other hand, their manuals indicate that the maximum PC
> > resolution available is 1024x768.  If this is true, then LG is out of the
> > picture.
> >
> > A week ago (before I read the manuals), I went into the store briefly with a
> > port replicator that I borrowed from work and used for DVI output on my
> > thinkpad.  Using fglrx drivers, I was able to spit out 1280x720 on both TVs
> > via EDID info, but neither 1360x768 or 1366x768 was generated automatically
> > by EDID info.  I wasn't about to start trying to generate a modeline for
> > these TVs in the store :)
> > Now, I didn't pay close enough attention to see if the 1280x720 on the LG TV
> > was just being downscaled to 1024x768 and upscaled back to 1366x768.  I
> > probably can't get the replicator again to go look either.
> >
> > Now does anyone own these TVs that could dispel these myths about these two
> > tvs?
> > Does the Sammie really only accept the 1366x768 on VGA?  Does it actually do
> > a pixel for pixel acurate display then?  What is the max it will really take
> > on the HDMI?
> >
> > And the LG's, what are they really doing with PC inputs, both on VGA and
> > HDMI?
>
>
> From what I've seen of last model years' Samsung HDTV's they do not
> accept non-HDTV resolutions over HDMI, but they do support PC
> connections via VGA to the native resolution.
>
> Their new 1080p HDTV's apparently will accept 1080p over HDMI
> though... (not that this helps you).
>
> So you very well may be stuck with running your computer to it via VGA
> (which isn't really a problem, monoprice.com has very cheap, high
> quality, long VGA cables...)
>


Isn't it better to use the DVI though?  I thought the ideal solution
was to run X at the TV's native resolution over the digital link (DVI)
and let the software scale the video to that resolution.  Do you lose
anything by using VGA?