Plasma screen + scart/rgb/s-video???

Bluehair

Am thinking about heading up to Belfast next week to buy this; http://www.richersounds.ie/asp/product.asp?ObjectID=938&Mode=0&CategoryID=6&SUB=43&ProductID=142

Will be plugging in Sky, dvd player, xbox and gamecube. Any suggestions on what the best combination would be for inputs to maximise quality on this screen?

bucks73

It looks like this is only a display and has no tv tuner or scarts or component ins. Only a dvi for a pc.

Have a look at the manual here.

pH

or speakers ... the actual 'attach on' speakers for these models can be surpisingly expensive. Otherwise you need to use the speakers from a hifi/ surround sound system. someone on boards posed a picture of a wall mounted plasma with side mounred hifi speakers .. goddamn awful looking with those trailing wires!

Best picture from sky digibox will be RGB over scart, best picture from your DVD will most likely be progressive scan via component (if its a recent mid range-decent DVD player).

Plasmas can be tricky for video gaming, they suffer from screen burn from the static components (scores/health bars etc). Modern ones are better but still ...

[edit] sorry!just to clarify - I know the plasma doesn't have these inputs, I'm just pointing out the inputs you're likely to need on a video scaler or other plasma to get the best out of your video sources.

Bluehair

Thanks for the replies, looks like rgb scart should be the way to go since I don't thing the dvd player outputs progresive scan and I don't have the funds for an upgrade just yet. Cheers.

pH

If you can afford to splash 1500 on a plasma with no inputs or speakers then you can afford a prog scan DVD player!!! (It would be criminal not to).

I've seen prog scan players for 60 euro, but have a look at something nice like a Pioneer 585 (richer sells them too).

back to richer's panny....

These TVs look cheap at 1,500 but :
No speakers
37" screen
No tuner/no scart/no component

Have a look at something like the LG 42" this is 42", hase speakers, 3 scarts (RGB on 1), component, s-video, tuner and DVI.
The panasonic will have a better picture than the LG, but overall the LG is in my opinion better value, the 'missing bits' from the panny will cost more than 500 to add.

Bluehair

Hmmm I knew someone would throw a spanner in the works! (in a good way )

I'd looked around a couple of months ago and hadn't seen anything I thought decent quality that I could afford in the 42" area.

Damn that LG is giving me something to think about.

Will the screen quality really be much different and are you sure all those inputs come as standard on this screen(no mention on the did site that i can see)?

I'm giving it serious consideration since as you say by the time I've added on the essentials to the panny i'm in that price bracket anyway.

pH

Stay away from the absolute low end rubbish that currys/Dixons sell, don't go for something really really cheap.

Yea, aren't DID crap at describing products on their website, fine for a toaster put anyone spending 2k needs some details!!!!

have a look here

You'll probably beat DIDs price by a fair bit on an internet purchase, but keep in mind these things are huge and could be damaged in transit.

Most reviews would say that the panny's have a better picture, and I agree, but its relative, the LG picture is no bad by any means.

Bluehair

pH wrote:

Yea, aren't DID crap at describing products on their website, fine for a toaster put anyone spending 2k needs some details!!!!

I did a search on avforums too and the general opinion seems to be the LG is good value, nice looking set too and the integrated stand is not only useful but one less item to buy extra.

Will def check it out over the weekend. Thanks.

Bluehair

pH wrote:

Have a look at something like the LG 42" this is 42", hase speakers, 3 scarts (RGB on 1), component, s-video, tuner and DVI.

Well I was up at DID today to have a look at this screen and was very impressed, so much so I stuck the desposit down straight away and should be paying it off in a few days!

Nice looking unit with decent quality but it really impressed when I asked him to hook up the component video :eek: bloody amazing. It's come down to €1899 now too which i'm well chuffed with.

Cheers PH for the recommendation, any advice on a nice dvd player to show off this screen then??

pH

If you're connecting Sky to this, make sure you use the scart socket which accepts RGB, and set the digibox output to rgb. Only one of the scarts on the tv is rgb enabled.

As for DVDs get something with PAL component progressive scan.

The pioneer 585 is nice (I have the older 565), it has progressive scan, and does SACD/DVD-Audio if you're into music. It is also a DivX player. If the audio doesn't interest you then the pioneer DV 380 is pretty much the same player without the SACD/DVD-A stuff and can be got for 80 euro from some german online shops.

Bluehair

Gonna take your advice on this one too then PH (i guess this is what I'm looking for; http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5807188838&fromMakeTrack=true )

Buying from Germany like this is there any technical issues that might arise? Also seeing as my German is rubbish is this unit multi-region do you know?

pH

Actually, richersounds do a multiregion model for 89, which I think when you add the postage to it will be as good value as buying from germany.

x-music on the quays used to be able to get all richersounds stuff delivered to them for collection.

Bluehair

Brilliant, richer sounds it is then. Cheers again PH you're a mine of information! Will report back once it's all up and running.

Bluehair

Well the plasma arrived a couple of hours ago and the it's so huge it's almost ridiculous! It's very deceptive in the showroom but it totally dominates my living room and there's going to have to be some furniture re-arranging to make this work. :rolleyes:

Other than that I'm very happy with it. Currently have Sky hooked up through scart rgb and the xbox via s-video. The dvd player should be here shortly and I'm definately looking forward to seeing a prog scan picture from this thing. Picture quality is good from Sky but the damn thing is so big (and i'm sitting so close at the moment) it's hard not to notice a quality reduction, sitting a reasonable distance like 8 to 10 feet and it's hard not to be very impressed.

Overall a result and 2 grand well spent! Cheers again PH for the advice.

pH

You're passing through stage 1 (awe) to stage 2 (doubt) in the Plasma owners emotion sequence!

After the initial wow wears off there's a period where you'll start seeing all kinds of problems and thinking damn should I have bought this thing? is that pixel stuck on? Is the sound crackling? Is her face too orange ...

it passes

I've read (though I'm not sure how true it is) that plasmas need a little time to bed down to their best picture, and that you shouldn't run a static picture (like Sky news logos or a video game) for a prolonged time too soon.

Glad you're enjoying your toy, wall mounting somehow seems to make the screens look smaller if you're concerned about it dominating your room.

Bluehair

pH wrote:

You're passing through stage 1 (awe) to stage 2 (doubt) in the Plasma owners emotion sequence!

Been there all weekend but have now passed into the "why didn't i do this years ago" phase (erm.... money?)

Am picking up the dvd player tomor but am just enjoying 'life-size' PGR2 on xbox for the moment. Happy days...