Pre-Newbie with stupid questions.

Damn, you people are making my decision tougher all the time. DVI has better detail, but component has better color saturation. Decisions, decisions. :)

I was also thinking that I could use something like Avia to calibrate the TV and hopefully get the detail AND better color saturation on the DVI input, but the DVD player is going to be on the component input, so that won't work. Duh!

I guess the only choice I have is to put the Voom STB on both inputs (one at a time, of course), and make my decision that way.
 
It comes down to the television set and reciever interactions, some TVs have better electronics on the component inputs, some on the DVI. Odds favor the DVI doing better because the signal does not have to be converted to analog. Only way to figure it out is to hook it up to your TV and see which picture you like better.
 
Thanks Mike123abc.

What I'm getting out of all this is that the "better color saturation" of the component input is brand dependent because each TV will convert the signal in it's own way. Hell, TVs of the same brand could also convert the signal in their own way, theoretically! Whereas the DVI input, since there is no conversion, is showing exactly what's coming from the STB. The picture, however, could be manually fine tuned by the owner to get the better color saturation, and still keep the finer detail Am I on the right track here??
 
pete65 said:
Whereas the DVI input, since there is no conversion, is showing exactly what's coming from the STB.
To make things even more confusing some TV sets convert DVI to analog and process the analog signal instead :(
Yes, you should connect both and decide for yourself, which one you like more. This is the only sure way!
 
I've seen reports at AVSForum that the DVI has very little color control, kinda "what you see is what you get". I've played around with mine and the colors actually look more natural on DVI, just not as "rich".
 
What's wrong with you people? Listen to yourself. Don't you have anything else to do beside watching TV? Gosh, I go online every now then, usually between few beers, just to check my email and to see whether or not my friend Sean has another friendly comment about me :D :D :D .

Couldn't you find something more interesting to do? How about fighting with your wife, playing with your kid, having good time with your new boyfriend :p or something?! Gee, some folks are day and night on this forum.

Pete, to stay on the topic, you probably won't see any difference at all. I don't wanna be a smart a$$ (there is slight difference) but 99% people are not bothered with what kind of cable they use. It is mostly just about your personal preferences. Try both and if you like one or the other, you don't need us to tell you that. You can spend thousands of dollars on your equipments (as many of us did) but still it is just a TV.
 
Newbie - Take as much time with your HDTV as you are doing with satellite and components. A new HDTV should be burned in for about 100 hours then calibrated before serious viewing. You wouldn't drive a new car that was not tuned properly would you?
Same with your HDTV. In the showrooms they have them all set to neon brightness which will burn out in a few years. Turn off all the automatic crap and have a trained ISF Calibrator get you off on the right road to HDTV. (Or read up about it on some forums like THE SPOT or on SOUND AND VISION Forum.)
 
You guys can dismiss an upconverting DVD player all you want, but it does make a difference. An all-digital signal path (DVI) that delivers the set's native resolution (in this case 720p) is amazingly crisp. The difference is apparent.

I recently spent a jaw-dropping evening at the home of a friend running an ISF-calibrated Sammy DLP. He has Voom coming in on component (says he tried both and didn't see any appreciable difference.) He also has a Sammy DVD HD-931 coming in over DVI. We watched scenes from LOTR/ROTK, Ice Age, Saving Private Ryan, etc.

I was so impressed I bought an open-box 931 for half-price the next day. No, it's not true HD, but it's as good as you're going to get with your current DVD collection. Real-world availability of HD discs and players at reasonable prices is still a good ways off, IMHO.

By all means read the threads at AVS on the Samsung 841 and Zenith 318, along with the Bravo D2 and Momitsu V880. If you can wait a few more weeks, the Sammy 941 will be released and may be the best of the bunch.
 
Pete65,

Like you I am in research mode, looking at Sammy DLP's, Voom, DTv, Cox etc. Gonna wait a few more months.

The Sammy DLP should have 1 DVI and 1 HDMI connection. You might be able to buy a DVI/HDMI Cable($50) to run from Voom's DVI port to the HDMI port on the Sammy, thus leaving the DVI port on the Sammy open for the DVD.

Or

If the the sammy DVD player has the HDMI port you run the DVD player in HDMI to HDMI on the Sammy and the Voom will be DVI to Sammy DVI.

Link to cable is:
http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI-hdmi_cables.html

I would love to know if anyone is using a DVI/HDMI cable. Is there any issues w/ this cable and setup?

Good Luck,
Let me know how it looks all set up :)
S.



pete65 said:
Hello All,

First and foremost, please excuse my ignorance; I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.

Second, a little background. I call myself a "pre-newbie" because I'm about to embark on the road to HDTV ownership with a Voom subscription. I'll be moving into a an apartment soon and will have a some spare cash to splurge on an HDTV. I've already got a Yamaha 5.1 sound system, but I'll be picking up a Samsung 61" DLP RPTV and a Samsung HD-DVD player.

This is where my question comes in: The Samsung HD-DVD player comes with a DVI output. I understand that the Voom STB also comes with a DVI output. Unfortunately, the Samsung 61" only has one DVI input. In your collective experiences and knowledge, which should I connect to the DVI and which to the Component inputs of the HDTV, the DVD player or the Voom STB? I understand that much of the answer to this question lies in whether I'm a bigger DVD or HDTV fan, but I'd like your opinions and advice anyway.
 
slater1182--
I bought the DVI/HDMI cable and use it from the Motorola STB (DVI) into the Pioneer media box (HDMI) that controls the Pioneer PDP4340HD. Also have the component hookup complete, so it is easy to compare DVI to component using the options menu on the TV.

It is easy to see the difference between the two hookups. It is not a startling difference, but the DVI/HDMI connection gives a more well-defined picture. I don't notice any color saturation problems with either hookup. Also had ISF calibration using the DVI/HDMI connection.
 
Stone Man,

Where did you get your DVI/HDMI cable? Local store or off the net? approx cost would be great too.

thanks,
S.
 
Thanks Slater1182, that would definately solve my problems. I'm looking at the Samsung HLP6163W. I don't think the current crop (2003) of Samsung DLPs have that HDMI port, but the ones coming out now do!
 
I bought the cable from one of the internet companies. It was either pacific cable or ram electronics, and it cost $48. Monster cable at BB was $129. I bought the Monster cable because BB would take it back--no questions. Once I knew that it worked, I bought a different one online.
 
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