Setup for SD/HDTV programming on HL-R6168W

[cgheorghe]

Hello,

This is my first time posting here. I have a question is regards to the most optimal hookup to my new TV. I have bought a Samsung HL-R6168W which is getting delivered tomorrow --quite excited about that, actually. I just picked up today from my cable company (Aurora Cable Internet) an HD Digital Terminal (Motorola - DCT 6200 HD). I see that this receiver can be setup to send 16:9 format 1080i res to the TV. Do I want to do that or do I want to have the TV convert the signal to 1080i and try to zoom or something? I guess the question is: is it better to let the receiver do the upscaling rather than the TV? Oh, forgot to mention, I plan to use DVI output on the receiver to DVI input on the TV. I have been told I have firmware 7.15 so the DVI-D out should work.


Thanks a lot,
Cristian

[JEL7]

Christian

Hard to say which does better job as I have a DirectTv HD H10-250 STB and have tried both ways using scaler in it and the Samsung HLR6168W...don't see the difference. Guess you'll have to try both to see.

A few tweaks worth considering on the Samsung if you're comfortable using the Service Menu are to change the Gamma from 2 to 0, do an Actuator Gain adjustment, and a vertical/horizontal position adjustment. These helped my PQ along with regular menu adjustments in Standard mode of contrast to 75, brightness to 53, color to 46, and color tone to Warm 2 from the default settings.

Great TV...enjoy.

Jim

[cgheorghe]

Hi Jim, thanks a lot for the advice.

As you can see I am a newb when it comes to HDTV, but I try to educate myself. After doing lots of research I decided to get the HL-R6168W and it seems like a pretty good choice.

I have picked up the digital terminal but they gave me the wrong model, I have to change it tomorrow. Aside from that, they screwed up my programming, I was supposed to get all channels, including HDTV but I could only access the basic channels -- which did not look too good, to be honest.

Also, perhaps tomorrow I am going to get the OPPO DVD player.

Right now, I am only running a progressive DVD player using component cables to the TV and I guess I am getting 480p with that, not sure. That looks all-right right now, can't wait for the OPPO-DVI output to see what the diff is.

I think I am going to go for a Digital Video Essential (DVE) and try to calibrate the unit. Some people claim that it is quite good so I'll give it a shot. But in my newbeeness :-) here are some questions that you might be able to help me with.

Assume that I have the OPPO and Digital Receiver hooked up to the Samsung using DVI (none has HDMI, but as far as video is concerned I understand that it should not make any diff). So I am going to try to calibrate this setup using DVE, here are the questions.

1. Might be wrong, but I think I saw people saying that instead of changing the TV's brightness, hue, sharpness and so on, they made these changes on the DVD player itself. Is that a better option, to calibrate the units individually?

2. If so, then while watching TV, you still need to select among Dynamic, Standard, Movie. If no changes are made on the TV side, aren't the TV's settings going to override (to a certain level) what is coming in from these devices?


Just curious about that, thanks so much.


Regards,
Cristian

[JEL7]

Cristian

Have not heard of adjustments on DVD side of things. Would assume what you are going to want to do is set up the TV with settings for each input you use (DVI, Component 1, TV, etc. Have used the DVE disc and short of professional calibration believe I'm close enough for my eyes.

Jim

[cgheorghe]

Hi Jim,


Thanks a lot for the info. You are totally right, I totally missed the fact that there's not just one Standard, Dynamic, Movie and so one, but one of each for each different input such as DVI, HDMI1, HDMI2, component and so on.


Thanks a lot,
Cristian