TV Advice

[MrLizard]

i meant scart, sorry...

 

being forced into wiifit step aerobics has affected my way of thinking

[Sarnie]

my boss has a 50" sony with sky hd in it, looks good when what they are watching has been filmed in hd, other than that the upscaling is so so,

 

The TV has 3 HDMI sockets all capable of 1080p

 

360/ps3 will require 2 of them,

 

the Wii runs in standard def and just needs a composite cable in, the tv runs that at 540p is it? (someone correct me?)

 

The way I have mine setup is running through my AMP with the sound going through the TV back to the amp, which if you have a surround sound system is the way you want it done

 

Although if you have both 360 and ps3 why would you want a dvd player as well? (which you would have enough spare sockets for if needed)

 

The screen picked up the highest native res of everything ive put in it so far... including my PC.

 

Also comes with panasonics own TV guide (like sky)

 

I havent noticed any blur/or pixelation or issues with blacks/brightness or skin tone (which is a good test), well happy

 

Ok, what are HDMI sockets? Are these like the scart sockets I use on my current TV to connect the PS3 etc to the TV etc?

[M13KYF]

yes they are like scart cables. They are the only cable able to carry the HD signal though.

[GC350z]

Looks a bit like a USB cable Liam. Have a look at the port on the back of the PS3.

[Sarnie]

yes they are like scart cables. They are the only cable able to carry the HD signal though.

 

Cool.

 

So will I have to buy a HDMI cable for my PS3 and Xbox360 or will I already have one that each console came with that I'm not currently using?

 

How do I ensure I get the best picture when watching normal TV? Will I need a HDMI for my sky box? Or if I upgrade it to SkyHD, I'd assume it would come with that?

 

[M13KYF]

don't think they come as standard kit with the came consoles. Not sure on SKY HD. Yes it is the only way to watch HD TV programmes other than a Virgin Box. Only a few programmes and films are true HD, the rest on the HD channels are just upscaled

[H5]

yes they are like scart cables. They are the only cable able to carry the HD signal though.

 

Cool.

 

So will I have to buy a HDMI cable for my PS3 and Xbox360 or will I already have one that each console came with that I'm not currently using?

 

How do I ensure I get the best picture when watching normal TV? Will I need a HDMI for my sky box? Or if I upgrade it to SkyHD, I'd assume it would come with that?

 

 

Check how many HDMI inputs the screen has. Pana's normally have 3 nowadays, but you will need one for each console yes. And it is worth getting a decent cable (something like a QED). Check what the output plug is on the console as well - you might need something other than an HDMI - HDMI lead.

[Sarnie]

yes they are like scart cables. They are the only cable able to carry the HD signal though.

 

Cool.

 

So will I have to buy a HDMI cable for my PS3 and Xbox360 or will I already have one that each console came with that I'm not currently using?

 

How do I ensure I get the best picture when watching normal TV? Will I need a HDMI for my sky box? Or if I upgrade it to SkyHD, I'd assume it would come with that?

 

 

Check how many HDMI inputs the screen has. Pana's normally have 3 nowadays, but you will need one for each console yes. And it is worth getting a decent cable (something like a QED). Check what the output plug is on the console as well - you might need something other than an HDMI - HDMI lead.

 

I think the TV has 3 HDMI Connections:

 

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/products ... t_id=15918

 

I assume that the PS3 and Xbox360 has HDMI outputs based on what others have said on this thread.

 

If the TV has 3 HDMI sockets, two for the consoles, would the third be used by my sky box or would I still connect that to the TV with a scart socket?

 

[H5]

yes they are like scart cables. They are the only cable able to carry the HD signal though.

 

Cool.

 

So will I have to buy a HDMI cable for my PS3 and Xbox360 or will I already have one that each console came with that I'm not currently using?

 

How do I ensure I get the best picture when watching normal TV? Will I need a HDMI for my sky box? Or if I upgrade it to SkyHD, I'd assume it would come with that?

 

 

Check how many HDMI inputs the screen has. Pana's normally have 3 nowadays, but you will need one for each console yes. And it is worth getting a decent cable (something like a QED). Check what the output plug is on the console as well - you might need something other than an HDMI - HDMI lead.

 

I think the TV has 3 HDMI Connections:

 

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/products ... t_id=15918

 

I assume that the PS3 and Xbox360 has HDMI outputs based on what others have said on this thread.

 

If the TV has 3 HDMI sockets, two for the consoles, would the third be used by my sky box or would I still connect that to the TV with a scart socket?

 

 

If you have got Sky HD then use the third HDMI for that.

[Sarnie]

Will I need one of these too:

 

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/products ... t_id=13402

 

Or is this only needed if you don't have enough HDMI sockets on your TV?

 

[MrLizard]

the Xbox 360 didnt used to come with HDMI out, i had mine replaced under warranty recently and it now has the HDMI out on it, im unsure when the change over happened as i had my 360 from day 1...

 

If you dont have a hdmi out on your 360 i now have a spare VGA cable, which is certainly capable of 720p.

 

I dont think you need that QED box just yet... always something you could get in the future tho...

[M13KYF]

if you have one of the original Xbox 360 which don't have the HDMI output you use the original output cable that comes with it making sure you change the output of your exbox 360 to HD in the dashboard and also on the switch on the cable

[Sarnie]

if you have one of the original Xbox 360 which don't have the HDMI output you use the original output cable that comes with it making sure you change the output of your exbox 360 to HD in the dashboard and also on the switch on the cable

 

Ok so my PS3 has a HDMI output, so I need one of these I assume:

 

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/products ... ct_id=6455

 

(£55 )

 

My Xbox may be one of the original ones as its output has a switch on it to switch it to HDTV. Although there is a USB shaped slot above where the internet cable goes but its not labelled. Is this the HDMI socket?

 

[H5]

if you have one of the original Xbox 360 which don't have the HDMI output you use the original output cable that comes with it making sure you change the output of your exbox 360 to HD in the dashboard and also on the switch on the cable

 

Ok so my PS3 has a HDMI output, so I need one of these I assume:

 

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/products ... ct_id=6455

 

(£55 )

 

My Xbox may be one of the original ones as its output has a switch on it to switch it to HDTV. Although there is a USB shaped slot above where the internet cable goes but its not labelled. Is this the HDMI socket?

 

 

Expect to spend about 10% of the value of the equipment being connected to match a cable (roughly) - the sound and picture difference between cables will be the difference between buying a Pana screen and something for £300 from Asda.

 

What does the destruction manual say the port is for the XBox?

[Rob_Quads]

Although don't use the 10% rule on HDMI cables if its just a short run.

[H5]

Although don't use the 10% rule on HDMI cables if its just a short run.

 

How do you mean? It still has two connectors and requires shielding from the equipment.

 

Agreed shorter cables will be cheaper, get the best you can afford. The QED Qunex is good tho.

[Rob_Quads]

IMO If you are talking about a 1-2m lead *most* basic HDMI cables are going to do the job as good as any other. The shielding in most HDMI cables are suffient for a 0 to still register as a 0 and a 1 to register as a 1. If a cable shows up artifacts then its a duff cable.

 

There have been numerous blind tests of short HDMI cables from £5-£100 and I am yet to read of someone being able to tell the difference.

 

On my system I have currently got a £30 (2.5 years ago) 10m cable going from Sky HD -> LCD Screen through the wall. I also had a chance to test a £100 2m cable and could not see any difference

[Sarnie]

if you have one of the original Xbox 360 which don't have the HDMI output you use the original output cable that comes with it making sure you change the output of your exbox 360 to HD in the dashboard and also on the switch on the cable

 

Ok so my PS3 has a HDMI output, so I need one of these I assume:

 

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/products ... ct_id=6455

 

(£55 )

 

My Xbox may be one of the original ones as its output has a switch on it to switch it to HDTV. Although there is a USB shaped slot above where the internet cable goes but its not labelled. Is this the HDMI socket?

 

 

Expect to spend about 10% of the value of the equipment being connected to match a cable (roughly) - the sound and picture difference between cables will be the difference between buying a Pana screen and something for £300 from Asda.

 

What does the destruction manual say the port is for the XBox?

 

The instruction manual doesn't say anything about any of the ports. I took a pic of it:

 

 

HDMI or not?

 

I assume the cable i linked to previously is what i need to connect up the PS3. Will I need something similar for my sky box or DVD player or should I play my DVD's through the PS3?

 

[H5]

IMO If you are talking about a 1-2m lead *most* basic HDMI cables are going to do the job as good as any other. The shielding in most HDMI cables are suffient for a 0 to still register as a 0 and a 1 to register as a 1. If a cable shows up artifacts then its a duff cable.

 

There have been numerous blind tests of short HDMI cables from £5-£100 and I am yet to read of someone being able to tell the difference.

 

On my system I have currently got a £30 (2.5 years ago) 10m cable going from Sky HD -> LCD Screen through the wall. I also had a chance to test a £100 2m cable and could not see any difference

 

Which is why the QED at £50 tends to come out best. Money doesn't always equal a decent product so the tests come in handy to make sure you don't get ripped off.

[Sarnie]

IMO If you are talking about a 1-2m lead *most* basic HDMI cables are going to do the job as good as any other. The shielding in most HDMI cables are suffient for a 0 to still register as a 0 and a 1 to register as a 1. If a cable shows up artifacts then its a duff cable.

 

There have been numerous blind tests of short HDMI cables from £5-£100 and I am yet to read of someone being able to tell the difference.

 

On my system I have currently got a £30 (2.5 years ago) 10m cable going from Sky HD -> LCD Screen through the wall. I also had a chance to test a £100 2m cable and could not see any difference

 

Which is why the QED at £50 tends to come out best. Money doesn't always equal a decent product so the tests come in handy to make sure you don't get ripped off.

 

So is that socket ^^^^^^^^^^^^^HDMI or not?

[H5]

On the 360? Doesn't sound like it. What does it say it is in the manual? Then you will need a XXXX - HDMI lead to connect the 360 to the screen.

[M13KYF]

i think the top one is USB and the bottom one is ethernet. You may have one of the early addition one so you will need to use the tv cable that originally came with it. start off with a wide D plug, goes through a swith which says HD or TV (i think those are the lables) and thewn splits into 6 individual cables with small jack plugs on

[Rob_Quads]

That XBox is one of the earlier ones which does not have HDMI. You need an XBox360 Arcade or Elite for it to have HDMI

 

As for a £50 HDMI, personally I would only spend £5 on a short one at most.

[M13KYF]

On the 360? Doesn't sound like it. What does it say it is in the manual? Then you will need a XXXX - HDMI lead to connect the 360 to the screen.

 

you can't get a conversion lead as the early Xbox360 output board doesn't have a digital output. They changed the output board later and put in the HDI socket on.

[H5]

On the 360? Doesn't sound like it. What does it say it is in the manual? Then you will need a XXXX - HDMI lead to connect the 360 to the screen.

 

you can't get a conversion lead as the early Xbox360 output board doesn't have a digital output. They changed the output board later and put in the HDI socket on.

 

So Sarnie, no, you need to ditch the poverty model 360 and get a new one!

 

As for the cable stuff, it's also down to what they support. The tip of the iceberg..... http://whathifi.com/home-cinema/archive ... s-aim.aspx