Samsung HLP5063 and Dish Network SD channel quality

[mudixon]

I just spent the most money I have ever spent on a TV, and it was my first HDTV: the DLP Samsung HL-P5063 (new 50 inch model). I still have a Dish 4900 receiver (non-HDTV model) and I have an antenna in the attic to receive over-the-air channels.

I have to admit that everything except for DVDs looks awful. I'm using the best connections I can possibly use to connect my Dish receiver to the TV (S-video). The DVD player is connected via component video input to the TV.

This TV is _definitely_ designed to provide the best experience with those who have HDTV channel access or who want to watch DVDs. If you watch SD channels via satellite or OTA, it just doesn't cut it. Dish's compression artifacts are so obvious on this large screen.

Now, I'm considering getting the Dish 811 receiver if it will do the following:

1. improve Dish Network's regular channel picture quality vs. my 4900
2. if using its DVI connection will improve Dish Network's regular channel picture quality
3. will improve OTA digital local channels now available in my area (none of them broadcast HDTV, but they are "digital".)

I also am considering getting the HD program package from Dish, just so some of the programming will look decent on this TV.

If you see this TV in the stores, and it looks good, chances are they're playing a DVD or some HD channel. See if you can change the input or channel to something not in HD or on DVD...then you'll see.

I'm not saying this TV is poor quality, it is just ahead of its time. As programming catches up, I'll be ready. Until then, I have to deal with watching compression artifacts on 120 Dish Network channels. If anyone has suggestions or ideas on improving my Dish PQ, let me know!

 

[douweb]

>1. improve Dish Network's regular channel picture quality vs. my 4900
I have no idea on this one, but I doubt it

>2. if using its DVI connection will improve Dish Network's regular channel >picture quality
This will not help you, if the source is poor, the end-result will be poor no matter what kind of cable you push it trhough

>3. will improve OTA digital local channels now available in my area (none of >them broadcast HDTV, but they are "digital".)
I have found the picture is better than regular sat SD; I never watch my regular SD locals via the sat signal anymore since I installed OTA

 

[NightRyder]

I just spent the most money I have ever spent on a TV, and it was my first HDTV: the DLP Samsung HL-P5063 (new 50 inch model). I still have a Dish 4900 receiver (non-HDTV model) and I have an antenna in the attic to receive over-the-air channels.

I have to admit that everything except for DVDs looks awful. I'm using the best connections I can possibly use to connect my Dish receiver to the TV (S-video). The DVD player is connected via component video input to the TV.

This TV is _definitely_ designed to provide the best experience with those who have HDTV channel access or who want to watch DVDs. If you watch SD channels via satellite or OTA, it just doesn't cut it. Dish's compression artifacts are so obvious on this large screen.

Now, I'm considering getting the Dish 811 receiver if it will do the following:

1. improve Dish Network's regular channel picture quality vs. my 4900
2. if using its DVI connection will improve Dish Network's regular channel picture quality
3. will improve OTA digital local channels now available in my area (none of them broadcast HDTV, but they are "digital".)

I also am considering getting the HD program package from Dish, just so some of the programming will look decent on this TV.

If you see this TV in the stores, and it looks good, chances are they're playing a DVD or some HD channel. See if you can change the input or channel to something not in HD or on DVD...then you'll see.

I'm not saying this TV is poor quality, it is just ahead of its time. As programming catches up, I'll be ready. Until then, I have to deal with watching compression artifacts on 120 Dish Network channels. If anyone has suggestions or ideas on improving my Dish PQ, let me know!

I have the HLN507W1 Model.

1. The bulb takes about 100 hrs to break-in (achieve the proper light output and color balance). The SD picture will improve slowly over that time.

2. Get the set off of the factory settings. Go to the setup menu choose custom picture settings then adjust the contrast, brightness, color etc. manually. After you've got over 100 hours on the set use a good setup disk like Avia or Digital Video Essentials and adjust the set properly.

3. If you get an 811 defiantly use the DVI connection. These are fixed pixel sets and you will notice an improvement with DVI. Note: Don't over pay for the DVI cable (aka Monster). There are plenty of good quality DVI cables for less than $25 delivered.

4. Check out http://www.avsforums.com and read...read...read. The knowledge you gain there will help you get the most out of your set.

I am very happy with my HLN507W1. HD is stunning and SD is now what I'd term "good". Good luck with your adventure.

NightRyder

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I too have a HLP5063W, hooked up to an 811 with OTA antenna for local SD/Dig/HD channels. When I went from Comcast digital cable (using component connections) to the 811 using DVI, I saw a noticeable improvement in SD quality, although I agree that the sat SD stations generally reek on this set.

Where this set shines is OTA/Sat Dig/Def. Here in Sacramento, I get all the major networks, all of whom have OTA digital broadcasts, which are a quantum leap over OTA SD broadcasts. The OTA HD broadcasts rock, as does the Sat HD. I am so looking forward to football and basketball season.

My DVD player, a low-end Samsung progressive scan unit, really does well on this set when connected to the component I/O. If you can find a unit with DVI or HDMI, you may get an even better DVD experience.

I think this set flat rocks and will get better as more def programming becomes available -- what I have seen for just makes me want tomorrow to get here sooner with more def programming!

As a side note, my son has an X-box. Many of the games are HD capable in 480p or 720p mode -- once we got the HD component cables for the system, the games on the 5063W were a quantum leap over analog.

Enjoy!

 

[mudixon]

5063 & SD comments

You guys are awesome. Many thanks for the comments and suggestions. My area local TV stations are all "digital" but I kinda doubt they're actually sending anything in HD. Once I get the 811, I'll find out. I want to be able to get those channels OTA without subscribing to the Dish Network locals plan, since many in these forums think the quality is worse (I believe them).

I tweaked the contrast and brightness on the 5063 last night. It is easier on the eye now. They shipped it white hot, and when you're 10 feet away, it is painful when a white background hits you. Color was quite accurate from the start.

I bought a brand-new DVD player when I got this TV. I had a 1st generation DVD changer from Sony. Worked great, but didn't like my homemade DVD-R movies I create on the computer. It also didn't support DTS. My new DVD player is the Sony NP675 changer which is twice as thin as my original Sony DVD player, and plays every format known to man (plus, minus, even JPEG CDs). With component video and digital audio going out of that unit, DVDs are unbelievably gorgeous with this TV.

You mentioned X-Box on your 5063. I have a Playstation 2 with the regular cable that came with it (composite video). They have a S-Video and component video cable set. I'll be getting the component cable, and I'm hoping that will improve the image. There aren't any true 720p PS2 games out there (just 480p and 16:9), but I'm not about to put another penny in Mr. Gates' pocket by getting an X-Box (even though there are many 720p games out there on that platform). Besides, I'm just a casual gamer anyways.

Finally, I will be getting my 5063 serviced in a few days. It is less than 1 week old, but it seems something was mounted crooked inside. When watching CNN Headline news, you can really notice it. The bottom text box is higher on the right than on the left. Dang frustrating now that I know it is there. Also, I see something behind the acrylic screen. When I press in that area, it goes away, but it comes back later, so there is some space where something has gotten in there. I have the Circuit City 5 year extended plan that should cover anything, even the bulb. They'll replace the TV if necessary. Not bad, but I still think $599 is too expensive for the warranty.

 

[Carl B]

I've owned a Sammy HLN507W since last July and a Dish 811 since last December. My initial hookup of the Sammy DLP DTV was with a 2700 and 4700 via S-Video.

First off, there are 3 presets for picture on the Sammy. Sounds like you had it on Dynamic, which is strictly for bright, natural light rooms. Try Standard, or the dark Movie. I've never had a brightness problem except when I've left Dynamic on while watching a movie late in the evening or when the 811 had a very dark video problem from S-Video.

Our initial PQ for SD was appalling. Wife wanted to go back to the 27" Sony Trinitron. I re-wired with new RG6QS and added an HTS-3600 power conditioner and the PQ greatly improved. SD via S-Video was very good on premium channels and passable on our Dish locals.

With the 811, I primarily use a DVI connection and I have an OTA antenna for DTV. SD picture quality is excellent on OTA local DTV and Dish premium channels. Dish locals are now good to very good and all other Dish SD channels are very good. Of course HD, whether Dish or OTA, is outstanding.

Bottom line, make sure you have good cable and connectors and get a good power conditioner. Then opt for a Dish 811 or 921 and enjoy! BTW, I've never tinkered with the Sammy's setup beyond the basic user adjustments. Serious setup requires use of the Service Menu and that voids the warranty. PQ is impressive enough now that the wife likes to show visiting friends just how nice it is to watch a big, wide-screen TV.

 

[chastulsa]

Trust me that warranty is well worth it. the bulb is $650 for the good OEM bulb. Circuit City will replace the bulb twice a year for free. So if you have a 4yr warranty I suggest replacing it at least once a year to keep the picture bright. SO if you replace the bulb only 3X's then you will have your $$ worth. ($1950 for 3 bulbs) Just call thier service center line and say your picture is really dim. Since they cover performance (it will be dim after the 1st 1000 hrs just you wont notice it) peice of cake!!

 

[cpdretired]

Trust me that warranty is well worth it. the bulb is $650 for the good OEM bulb. Circuit City will replace the bulb twice a year for free. So if you have a 4yr warranty I suggest replacing it at least once a year to keep the picture bright. SO if you replace the bulb only 3X's then you will have your $$ worth. ($1950 for 3 bulbs) Just call thier service center line and say your picture is really dim. Since they cover performance (it will be dim after the 1st 1000 hrs just you wont notice it) peice of cake!!

Who told you the bulb cost $650.00? This sounds like another Circuit City ploy to sell an extended warranty. How much was the extended warranty? The bulb is guaranteed by Samsung for one year from purchase. You can buy a replacement bulb from Samsung for $164.18. Here is the P/N AA47-00008A.

No service call is needed to replace the bulb. The Samsung manual states that it can be replaced by the owner.

http://www.samsungparts.com/search/search.asp

 

[NightRyder]

At first I didn't buy the extended warranty, then my 1st set developed a stuck mirror right in the center of the screen. I was just passed the 30 day exchange period from CC but they went ahead and let me exchange it anyway. I usually don't buy extended warranties but when they offered me the 4 yr. extended for $249.00 on the replacement set, I went for it. I figure I'll get at least 1 or 2 bulb replacement during that period so that will pretty much cover the cost of the warranty. Having coverage against a more costly failure is just icing on the cake.

NightRyder

 

[mudixon]

Samsung 5063 and extended warranty

I also don't usually get extended warranties from stores such as Circuit City, Best Buy, etc. And my first choice was to go with Best Buy (their ext warranty is much cheaper than CC). BB didn't have the set, wouldn't get it for a while, and didn't have decent interest-free financing at the time, so I didn't want to wait. But since this is a new generation of DLP TVs, and since I've never spent this much on a TV in my life, I wanted some protection beyond the 1 year.

I hadn't planned on using the warranty to get bulb replacements each year, but I might just do that to get my money's worth. I've seen pricing around $200-250 for the bulb. I guess getting it from the manufacturer might be a good idea. However, I do have a service call in to fix the tilted screen and to look into some transparent mess behind the screen that goes away when you press in that area, but eventually comes back. I'm still within my 30-day return period, but I'm gunning to have this set replaced.

 

[mudixon]

HL-P5063 uses different bulb

I did a search for the 5063 bulb, and the one you quoted below is for the previous generation. The 5063 has a different bulb part number and is much more expensive (around $250).

Who told you the bulb cost $650.00? This sounds like another Circuit City ploy to sell an extended warranty. How much was the extended warranty? The bulb is guaranteed by Samsung for one year from purchase. You can buy a replacement bulb from Samsung for $164.18. Here is the P/N AA47-00008A.

No service call is needed to replace the bulb. The Samsung manual states that it can be replaced by the owner.

http://www.samsungparts.com/search/search.asp

 

[MF]

At first I didn't buy the extended warranty, then my 1st set developed a stuck mirror right in the center of the screen. I was just passed the 30 day exchange period from CC but they went ahead and let me exchange it anyway. I usually don't buy extended warranties but when they offered me the 4 yr. extended for $249.00 on the replacement set, I went for it. I figure I'll get at least 1 or 2 bulb replacement during that period so that will pretty much cover the cost of the warranty. Having coverage against a more costly failure is just icing on the cake.

Couldn't help but comment since i experienced the same thing with my set. I own Sammy 56" DLP and had a stuck mirror (or pixel) in the center close to top of screen. Good thing was still under Sammy's warranty and they came out to fix it. Did not use extended warranty as I wanted Sammy to take care of it. Curious as to how they fixed your stuck pixel? On mine, they replaced this big part from the back (serviceman called it the light engine).

 

[mudixon]

HLP5063 serviced for tilt problem, finds serious problem

Well, here's an update. I had 5063 serviced a few days ago and they were unable to adjust the tilt. Reason? It was lacking the adjustment knobs! This particular set was one a undetermined number of sets that came off the assembly line without the new knobs for adjusting tilt. The technician had to order an entirely new light engine (the guts of the TV). I decided to return the TV to Circuit City and get a new one. It was no problem. The new set also has a slight tilt problem (seems to be common from the technician's viewpoint, indicating the magnetic pull is different where the TVs are assembled, then add in the shipping and (mis)handling and things happen. I'm having another technician come today (Wed.) to adjust the tilt. If this one has no knobs, I'll be quite upset, but I'll inform you folks so you know what's up.

Finally, I will be getting my 5063 serviced in a few days. It is less than 1 week old, but it seems something was mounted crooked inside. When watching CNN Headline news, you can really notice it. The bottom text box is higher on the right than on the left. Dang frustrating now that I know it is there. Also, I see something behind the acrylic screen. When I press in that area, it goes away, but it comes back later, so there is some space where something has gotten in there. I have the Circuit City 5 year extended plan that should cover anything, even the bulb. They'll replace the TV if necessary. Not bad, but I still think $599 is too expensive for the warranty.

 

[NightRyder]

Couldn't help but comment since i experienced the same thing with my set. I own Sammy 56" DLP and had a stuck mirror (or pixel) in the center close to top of screen. Good thing was still under Sammy's warranty and they came out to fix it. Did not use extended warranty as I wanted Sammy to take care of it. Curious as to how they fixed your stuck pixel? On mine, they replaced this big part from the back (serviceman called it the light engine).

I was just past the 30 day Circuit City return date but they exchanged it for a new set anyway. The fix would be as yours, to replace the light engine. This is the major componet of the set. It's over $2000.00 just for the part. That was the main reason I decided to get he extended warranty the second time around.

NightRyder

 

[NightRyder]

Well, here's an update. I had 5063 serviced a few days ago and they were unable to adjust the tilt. Reason? It was lacking the adjustment knobs! This particular set was one a undetermined number of sets that came off the assembly line without the new knobs for adjusting tilt. The technician had to order an entirely new light engine (the guts of the TV). I decided to return the TV to Circuit City and get a new one. It was no problem. The new set also has a slight tilt problem (seems to be common from the technician's viewpoint, indicating the magnetic pull is different where the TVs are assembled, then add in the shipping and (mis)handling and things happen. I'm having another technician come today (Wed.) to adjust the tilt. If this one has no knobs, I'll be quite upset, but I'll inform you folks so you know what's up.

Samsung seems to be having some serious quality control issues on the new HLP sets. Makes me glad I bought my HLNXXXW1 when I did. You can check out the site below for more information. Good luck with your repair.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=63

NightRyder

 

[mudixon]

HLP5063 2nd repair results

Well, the Circuit City technician (same one as before) came by to adjust the tilt. He saw the tilt and considered it to be not enough to adjust. However, I was able to get him to take the back off to confirm that once again, this model (like my first one) has no tilt knobs. This leads me to believe there could be a batch of HLP5063 sets out there without these adjustments. He did help me adjust the height/width, and I caught a glimpse of the service menu code for future reference.

One problem: while the picture is perfectly centered with DVD, SD, and HD signals, my progressive Playstation 2 games are off center. Anyone know if there is a way to adjust that?

Samsung seems to be having some serious quality control issues on the new HLP sets. Makes me glad I bought my HLNXXXW1 when I did. You can check out the site below for more information. Good luck with your repair.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=63

NightRyder

 

[tdti1]

All I can say is dish network has the worst picture quality bell and dtv are very bad also on any screen over 36" star choice is not bad voom I have not seen but heard it still not as good as dvd or big dish. Small dish small screen big dish big screen