Samsung TV Owners & Discussion Thread

[smoothchat]

Way to go Hari !

The next step is to try to get DVI happening, then it'll be digital all the way from the pits on the DVD through to the LCD panel.

Welcome to the the HTPC club

[GLO]

What home theater have you paired up with your 61inch Samsung?

[Shintaro]

To get into the service menu's try this: (these work on my Samsung SP47W3) and may work for the LCD RPTV you guys are discussing.

Convergence screen:(with tv on) Mute-1-8-3

Service menu:(with tv off) Display - Menu - Mute - Power

In the convergence screen, here's a list of key commands:

1. Reset no convergence

2. Reset to factory convergence (?)

3. Reset to default Convergence (this is the default settings on the tv when you buy it)

4. toggles off/on move convergence screen

5. On/Off fine adjustment (not sure about this, when I select it, it shows my tv model info????)

6. Half step mode

7. selects Red CRT

8. selects Green CRT

9. selects Blue CRT

Display. Allows you to return to normal viewing to check your adjustments.

S-mode. Exit convergence

Use the joystick to move the cursor around the screen.

Use Ch up/down and Vol left/right to make adjustments.

There are some other key commands, but I don't really understand what they do........yet

Hope it helps.

Update:

If you open the flap, you can use the Program arrows (up/down) on the right side to move the convergence grid up or down.

You can also use the P.STD & Sleep keys to move the grid left or right.

The following keys, +100, 0, -/-- will change the color of the grid. pushing different combo's will give you more grid colors (not sure on it's purpose).

[Hari1503559519]

Holly **** I got into the Service menu for my Samsung.

Thank You SO SO Much Shintaro.

[Hari1503559519]

The TV always powers up with its internal TV tuner as the default source, so you have to press a few buttons on the slightly clumsy remote to switch the source to PC / hi-def box or whatever.

To set your Sammy to start up on what ever source it was on last (instead of TV) do the following.

How to navigate the service menu

Use up and down on the Joystick to go to different service menu options.

Press Right on the Joystick to enter a service menu option.

And to modify a value you also press Right on the Joystick.

Go into the service menu. (Service menu: (with TV off) Display - Menu - Mute – Power.)

Select 13. Option Table from the Menu

Scroll Down to 15. AV Input set it to Last Memory

Press the Menu Button.

Then press the power button to save the settings.

Enjoy.

[Dilligaf]

ahhhhh Good stuff guys - Ill have to do that

Now if only I could change my foxtel channels

[GLO]

Hi Guys,

I had a closer look at the Samsung today. It was receiving a HD signal,Channel 9 infact.

One thing that I noticed upon close inspection was some strange signal across the middle of the screen. It was only noticeable when looking for display defects.

Its hard to describe but it was kinda like moire spanning about an inch and a half high right across the middle of the screen!

Does anyone know a better way to describe this?

[Shintaro]

Hari,

Your welcome. Glad to hear it works for you as well.

[Hari1503559519]

Hi Guys,

I had a closer look at the Samsung today.  It was receiving a HD signal,Channel 9 infact.

One thing that I noticed upon close inspection was some strange signal across the middle of the screen.  It was only noticeable when looking for display defects. 

Its hard to describe but it was kinda like moire spanning about an inch and a half high right across the middle of the screen!

Does anyone know a better way to describe this?

I have never seen this problem with my 61” Samsung or other 61" (or 50") Samsungs I have seen at my local stores.

[bags1503559585]

I created a Driver for the Samsung 61" using PowerStrip and now I can run the Samsung at 1280 * 720 (The Samsungs Native resolution.) and its full screen no boarder yay. (The picture looks awesome)

Hi guys

I too have 1280x720 res working nicely through the VGA input. Snapshot is at: http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~wieden/samsung.htm

I've played around a bit with the timing through powerstrip, and can get all but a few pixels around the edge visible.

For anyone considering setting up a htpc box, a word of warning: I'm using a slimline case and was relying on the motherboard's onboard vga, however it doesn't support 'custom resolutions'. So to get 1280 x 720, I've had to source a low-profile vga card, and naturally, one that provides DVI output is preferable.

cheers

bags

[bags1503559585]

To set your Sammy to start up on what ever source it was on last (instead of TV) do the following.

rock on!

thanks guys.

I'll be trying that one out when i get home today.

I was expecting to have to come up with some elaborate macro for the programmable remote control.

it's great... all the annoying little issues are gradually getting sorted out.

cheers

bags

[Hari1503559519]

I created a Driver for the Samsung 61" using PowerStrip and now I can run the Samsung at 1280 * 720 (The Samsungs Native resolution.) and its full screen no boarder yay. (The picture looks awesome)

Hi guys

I too have 1280x720 res working nicely through the VGA input. Snapshot is at: http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~wieden/samsung.htm

I've played around a bit with the timing through powerstrip, and can get all but a few pixels around the edge visible.

For anyone considering setting up a htpc box, a word of warning: I'm using a slimline case and was relying on the motherboard's onboard vga, however it doesn't support 'custom resolutions'. So to get 1280 x 720, I've had to source a low-profile vga card, and naturally, one that provides DVI output is preferable.

cheers

bags

Good to see you got it working as well.

Also since we now have access to the service menu etc you could fix the slight overscan issue with the custom PC resolution....

[Hari1503559519]

Bags do you get the interlacing problem with the PC like you have with the STB?

[smoothchat]

Bags,

I guess you must be using large icons or something.

Your icons and fonts look rather large for a 720 high screen.

By the way, if you use a PC DVD player like Zoomplayer (donationware), a twist of the mouse wheel is all that is required to resize and or reposition your DVD overlay display to fit the screen precisely, plus a 1000 other ways to enhance your home theater experience.

[Hari1503559519]

Hmm I'm going to have to give ZoomPlayer a try it sounds pretty good.

Thanks for the tip Smothchat.

[captaineos]

Hari,

Zoomplayer really is a fantastic program, there are 1000's of settings and tweaks you can make that really set it apart from any other media player.

You can also set which filters you would like used for playback of different types of media, I have MPEG-2 playback from the Nvidia filters, which is fantastic, so many options to choose from , just google for zoomplayer and you will find it.

Jeremy Barr

[Hari1503559519]

I'm reading the threads about ZoomPlayer over at AVSforum.com ill give it a try for sure.

[smoothchat]

Flexibility? You're not kidding.

For my Zoomplayer DVD playback setup , I use......

Sonic (Cineplayer) for video. (and sometimes NVDVD)

Intervideo (WinDVD) for the audio. (and sometimes the excellent freebie AC3 filter with built in graphic equaliser)

Reclock as the audio renderer (set to 24 frames per second).

Why 24frames per second? Well we PAL users are watching our movies 4% faster than the original cinema experience!!.

Cinema plays the movie at 24 fps. To suit PAL playback (an even divisor of 50Hz), DVDs play at 25 fps which has the side effect of speeding everything up slightly.

Some people might not notice much difference, but the sound pitch is 4% higher (a full semitone), and the movie plays in 4% less time.

Using reclock, and selecting to use it via Zoomplayer, I can play back at the original cinema speed, duration and pitch. Some players have a "PAL" switch (eg WinDVD Platinum) which does the same thing, however reclock does it more smoothly IMHO

[bags1503559585]

Bags do you get the interlacing problem with the PC like you have with the STB?

nope... that was the first thing i checked out.

buggered if i know what causes it. it's now the one and only criticism i have with the system (i still don't know whether to blame it on the dg-tec or the samsung, but given that i've had the dg-tec replaced and the problem persists, it's either something inherent in the dg-tec, or an issue with the samsung). since component works fine for me, i'm not too worried.

bags

[bags1503559585]

I guess you must be using large icons or something.

Your icons and fonts look rather large for a 720 high screen.

yep... that shot was from my other poota... which normally runs at 1920 x 1440, so i have it set for big icons and fonts. i was just using it to test the custom resolution, as my lounge poota can't support custom resolutions 'till i get the new vga card for it.

bags

[Hari1503559519]

Bags do you get the interlacing problem with the PC like you have with the STB? 

nope... that was the first thing i checked out.

buggered if i know what causes it. it's now the one and only criticism i have with the system (i still don't know whether to blame it on the dg-tec or the samsung, but given that i've had the dg-tec replaced and the problem persists, it's either something inherent in the dg-tec, or an issue with the samsung). since component works fine for me, i'm not too worried.

bags

I'm going to say DG-TEH fault lol. :ph34r:

[GLO]

I have decided to go for the Samsung SP-61L2H!

Since this thread is dedicated to the Samsung LCD rptv I will ask this question here!

What have most owners done in regards to the set top box?

Did you buy a SD or HD STB? And what did you pay for it and does it do a good job?

Are they all the same, or is there a standout SD or HD STB out there?

Looking forward to your replies!

[Hari1503559519]

Get a HD STB GLO.

I have heard a lot of good things about the Toshiba S23 and Panasonic QTR2140 I would suggest you read the following threads.

Toshiba HD-S23A Thread:

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=23

Panasonic QTR2140 Thread:

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=36

[GLO]

Thanks Hari!

What are you using?

The 2 references you gave had good reviews but also some concern about being a clone of DGTEC boxes and over heating?

[Hari1503559519]

I have a DGTEC DH-2000A.

I have not experienced any real problems with it but seeing as lot of people have a lot of problems with the DGTEC boxes you’re probably better off with the Toshiba or Panasonic HDSTB.