pferris Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 So Steve So far what is your opinion of the TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 So SteveSo far what is your opinion of the TV Pros Good digital picture quality Plenty of connection options including VGA and DVI Good price (the $899 special at KMart) Cons Narrow horizontal and vertical viewing angle Inability to display 4:3 input in progressive or VGA mode without stretching it to 16:9 I haven't tried it as an analogue TV and haven't used the set's sound as my inputs are connected through a home theatre system. If I get a chance today or tomorrow I'll run Video Essentials on it and see how it comes out. Overall it seems a pretty good purchase for a second TV in the bedroom or study. SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EZYHD Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Does the 26" have the 4 Vesa holes for wall mounting?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauld Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Hooked up the PC via VGA and it was able to display 1280x1024 resolution at 75Hz with 32bit colour. However it stretches the image to fit the screen and there is no way to tell it to display in 4:3 format.Also connected it to the HD VGA output on my STB and it gave a beautiful picture. However the manual says that with the VGA input (and DVI which I haven't tested) it only displays 1024x768 rather than its native 1366x768 resolution. There is no info displayed on the screen to confirm this. SteveO This is sorta good news, but did you try 1366x768 from the PC? Your graphics card driver may let you display resolutions that are not listed in the Plug and Play list it receives from the panel. There is often a check-box in a dialog box you need to tick to enable this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campster123 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Hooked up the PC via VGA and it was able to display 1280x1024 resolution at 75Hz with 32bit colour. However it stretches the image to fit the screen and there is no way to tell it to display in 4:3 format.Also connected it to the HD VGA output on my STB and it gave a beautiful picture. However the manual says that with the VGA input (and DVI which I haven't tested) it only displays 1024x768 rather than its native 1366x768 resolution. There is no info displayed on the screen to confirm this. SteveO Ouch, so did you even try inputting 1366x768 (a widescreen res so no stretching)...? That's very disappointing if it can't take it's own native res and map it 1:1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Ouch, so did you even try inputting 1366x768 (a widescreen res so no stretching)...? That's very disappointing if it can't take it's own native res and map it 1:1... The graphics processor is fairly basic and doesn't have a 1366x768 output option. While the dialogue box allows for higher resolutions if I try to use them the TV displays a message "out of range". SteveO Does the 26" have the 4 Vesa holes for wall mounting?. There are 4 mounting holes on the back. SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 One further quirk. Decided to try the analogue TV. It gave a reasonable analogue picture and sound. However when I hooked the VGA input up it wouldn't operate as an analogue TV. It works fine again when you disconnect VGA. SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 indeed if you cant pass the native res of 1366x768 from DVI/VGA then its gonna be stretched and rape the quality. I want to hook up to PC as a 2nd monitor, so i can play like racing games on it Got any games you can test out steveo the fact you cant select 1366x768 doesnt have any bearing on your video card. The resolutions you can select are simply the ones they put in (that they figure youd want to use). If your video card is old especially, in the drivers they wouldnt have been thinking about HDTV res options ). Updating to the latest drivers i still only have a 1360x768 option (6 pixels off ) Powerstrip will enable you to set all the wierd resolutions http://www.entechtaiwan.com/files/pstrip.exe Even though it bad that it always stretches 4:3 content, its not an issue if your using it via a PC, you can set the application to format the video anyway you want. Earlier you mentioned the TV specs said it only displayed PAL (yet it does NTSC fine) Im hoping the listed 1024x768 max res is through vga/dvi is just another misprint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 indeed if you cant pass the native res of 1366x768 from DVI/VGA then its gonna be stretched and rape the quality. I want to hook up to PC as a 2nd monitor, so i can play like racing games on it Got any games you can test out steveo the fact you cant select 1366x768 doesnt have any bearing on your video card. The resolutions you can select are simply the ones they put in (that they figure youd want to use). If your video card is old especially, in the drivers they wouldnt have been thinking about HDTV res options ). Updating to the latest drivers i still only have a 1360x768 option (6 pixels off ) Powerstrip will enable you to set all the wierd resolutions http://www.entechtaiwan.com/files/pstrip.exe Even though it bad that it always stretches 4:3 content, its not an issue if your using it via a PC, you can set the application to format the video anyway you want. Earlier you mentioned the TV specs said it only displayed PAL (yet it does NTSC fine) Im hoping the listed 1024x768 max res is through vga/dvi is just another misprint Sorry don't have any suitable games to test. Yes it is an old and fairly basic video processor built into the PC motherboard. I don't use the PC for graphics intensive activities. The LCD was bought as a TV rather than a monitor. Don't think the resolution is a misprint as there is a note at the end of the manual as follows: "If possible, use the VESA 1024X768@60HZ video mode to obtain the best image quality for your LCD monitor. If used under other resolutions some scaled or processed pictures may appear on the screen. The TV has pre-adjusted (sic) to the mode VESA 1024X768@60HZ." SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 so how does the PC look under this recommended 1024x768 or the other res you tried ? can you fire up a word processor is it sharp enough to be used as a monitor ? btw thanks for taking the time to answer our queries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 so how does the PC look under this recommended 1024x768 or the other res you tried ? can you fire up a word processor is it sharp enough to be used as a monitor ? btw thanks for taking the time to answer our queries The picture was as sharp as my normal Hercules monitor. Didn't try word processing but used it for my email and to post the response to your last question. Both were sharp enough also visited acouple of websites and while the graphics were stretched they again were very sharp. As a TV the picture using VGA is sharper than the YPbPr picture at 1080i presumably scaled to the 1366x768 screen resolution. SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaladvisor Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Connecting up to this LCD should not be a problem. Most modern graphic cards (just experimenting with nvidia 6600GT and it came boxed with component connectors) will work / enforce HD 16:9 modes anyway like 720p or 1080i direct from drivers. Dpending the EDID parsed but you override the rubbish parsed limited resolutions anyway within the nvidia drivers if the display does that. You cannot just go by what the manual states - if they promised it would work then their are obligations on them to support calls and other liabilities - so they take the easy way out. I honestly cannot see issue with native as these displays basically have same firmware behind the DVI port and should allow native. The AWA does this and I own one - (provide correct EDID native parsing to PC). At worst outcome PowerStrip should be able to overcome the obstacle of lack of enforcing native resolution. At last resort don't use obsolete non compliant HDTV capable graphic cards. ATI and nVidia have this pretty well refined now in their latest cards and drivers. DA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 digitaladvisor some excellent points you make, thanks for contributing steveo i would imagine the reason VGA was sharper than 1080i is because its interlaced plus it has to downscale it significantly (being cheap it probably doesnt scale very well id assume). 720p should work much better as its closer to the native res. All guesses though never owned an LCD...yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 just got the funds so im going to pick mine up tommorrow. While im out what type of DVI cable will i need. Just a standard one from a PC shop ? Male to Male connectors im guessing as well ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 just got the funds so im going to pick mine up tommorrow. While im out what type of DVI cable will i need. Just a standard one from a PC shop ? Male to Male connectors im guessing as well ? The DVI-I input on the TV is female and PC is usually female so it would be male to male. They're about $15 at Dick Smith. Be interested in how you go with it. SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 1hr till DSE close, better go there first edit: alright got it all, now to hook the thing up ahhaah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Just ran the NTSC version of Video Essentials on the MLCD26 via YPbPr. Brightness, Contrast and Colour settings were all best at 50. I reduced Colour temp to 7300K as 9300K was giving a slight blue tinge to the grey test patterns and 6500K was giving a slight brown tinge. SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackreqiuem Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 From the sounds of things everyone is relatively happy with the quality of the 26" for the price, which is good. It makes the waiting even harder though, none of the Kmarts in my area have any of these in stock, so I just have to wait till my raincheck gets filled. My xbox 360 is just itching to be unleashed in HD... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 all i can say is wow....this is so much better than i expected. ATM ive just got 1024x768 via DVI, and the TV is definetly crisp and clear enough to use as a PC monitor (and thats even with it being scaled up to the native res). Ill definetly be looking into getting the native 1366x768 working through it (this thing would be unstoppable then ). Mine has no dead pixels or anything plus on the box it says its 8ms latency. Im also running your recommended settings steveo, great find. Well dinner time now, ill start work on getting it going in native res afterwards. 110% satisfied with this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 We tried 4 stores in Sydney on Thursday night and none of them had any in stock. We got a raincheck on it which is great but if anyone is interested you can order this via mail order with only 15 bucks delivery, the wife rang them on Friday and they had one in stock but it would have taken 4 days to deliver so would have arrived next Thursday and we are on holiday so I'll be waiting on my raincheck but someone else might want to give it a try. Still interested to know if anyone has tried an Xbox 360 though (other than the favourable link provided previously - I want to make sure it works through the Magnavox and not just the Phillips Magnavox - if there is indeed any difference). Dickie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Still interested to know if anyone has tried an Xbox 360 though (other than the favourable link provided previously - I want to make sure it works through the Magnavox and not just the Phillips Magnavox - if there is indeed any difference).Dickie Philips is the parent company of Magnavox see http://www.magnavox.com/index.cfm?event=privacy SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doubledark1503560511 Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Hi all what are the negative's of this unit? (my kid's want to play PS2/N64, I want to play DVD's & watch the footy/soccer. I'll run the audio into a Harmon Kardon stereo/Tannoy bookshelve speakers. ) Will I be disappointed? Thanks for any input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 well now i have 3 stuffed pixels lol. 1 stuck on red, 1 on blue and the other dark. Either they were there before and i didnt notice (easy not to), or that Counterstrike Source session brang them out LOL. Tell ya what though sitting in front of it its really fking bright, burns the eyes The manual states nothing in the warranty concerning dead pixels, so i have no idea what the policy is for getting a replacement. I read its like 3-5 broke pixels before a manufactor will replace. But they seem to categorise them in terms of dark pixels, bright pixels, half lit and the position on the screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackreqiuem Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 The manual states nothing in the warranty concerning dead pixels, so i have no idea what the policy is for getting a replacement. I read its like 3-5 broke pixels before a manufactor will replace. But they seem to categorise them in terms of dark pixels, bright pixels, half lit and the position on the screen. Seeing as how it is Kmart I would just take it back for a straight swap if you have any dead pixels, as they have a very generous returns policy. Though you might have a problem with them not having any stock to swap it with at the moment, while the unit is on sale... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo1503559696 Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 well now i have 3 stuffed pixels lol. 1 stuck on red, 1 on blue and the other dark. Either they were there before and i didnt notice (easy not to), or that Counterstrike Source session brang them out LOL. Tell ya what though sitting in front of it its really fking bright, burns the eyes The manual states nothing in the warranty concerning dead pixels, so i have no idea what the policy is for getting a replacement. I read its like 3-5 broke pixels before a manufactor will replace. But they seem to categorise them in terms of dark pixels, bright pixels, half lit and the position on the screen. Bummer if they're dead. If you haven't tried dead pixel test patterns try http://www.gdargaud.net/Hack/DeadPixels.html SteveO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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