Power Conditioners, Etc
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New member Username: SurfshoptomFort Collins, CO Post Number: 1 Registered: Nov-04 | I just bought a Samsung HLP4663 at Best Buy. Of course, the guy wanted to sell me the ext warranty. He also wanted to sell me their Monster power conditioner. Is this for real or is this a sales job? Also, I have newish Sony DVD player. Plays CDs and MP3s. The DVD and the audio is about 20 feet from the TV. I suppose I should move the DVD over by the TV and hook it up with composite video. Our Comcast doesn't do HDTV yet. Another 3 months they're saying. What would you buy for connectivity right now? Thanks. |
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Unregistered guest | First let me say I am a Best Buy employee myself, but also that we are noncommission, so we don't benefit whether you buy the whole farm, or a 6 dollar cable. As for the warranty, I would've bought it, especially for the bulb replacement, and the lightning surge protecting, plus it's in home service, so we come get it, instead you having to take it somewhere in a truck ( you can't lay these on their sides in an SUV , if you do , go ahead and chunk it away and buy a new tv, cause the added costs would be buying a new tv). As for the monster power center/conditioner, they are worth it, first for the surge protection, second for the clean power. Each input is labeled for a specific component because there is a filter which cleans the power to get it to perform its best, so the tv/monitor input is to clean up the picture on the tv ( which we run on the tv's at my home theater department). same thing for the audio inputs. As for the dvd player connection on that tv, regardless of whether it is a progessive scan or interlacing dvd player, you should use nothing but component ( Monster Brand preferably). If it is a progressive scan, then the only way to use it in progressive mode is with compoment cables. s-video and composite won't transmit the signal in progressive scan mode. A second reason you should never ever use composite on your dvd player, especially on an HDTV ( especially a great one like the samsung dlp) is that dvd's are encoded naturally on dvd's at the progressive scan mode, so to transmit the signal onto a composite video cable, it actually downconverts the signal to transmit it to the tv. So you bought a tv that looks great, to get the crappiest picture from your dvd player ? It doesn't make sense, I don't mean it as an insult, but your paying 3 grand for a tv and not using it the way it's supposed to be used. It's like buying a viper and not putting gas in the tank, it's not going to go anywhere. Once you do get hdtv from your cable company, depending on their box's output ports, use DVI if possible, it is a completely digital cable that transmits the hdtv signal without being converted to analogue such as when you use component cables for HDTV. Like I said, Best Buy is noncommission, and clearly as an employee taking time to post this I gain nothing whatsoever, but I felt compelled to let you know that buying that tv without hdtv, and using composite for the dvd player, you might as well return it, and buy a 27 inch tv, cause the picture isn't going to be anywhere near the quality that we run it instore. In store we use nothing but monster cables, usually video 3 for the component cables and the DVI cables or HDMI cables for the upconverting dvd players like the Samsung HD-DVD 841, or Toshiba 5970. These make your dvd's look great!!!! there is no way to make them look better till Blu-ray and hd-dvd comes out here. |
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Bronze Member Username: DaddyrabbitPost Number: 70 Registered: May-04 | IMHO... Don't spend the bucks on a Monster power conditioner for two reasons: 1. For a DLP you need a UPS (battery backup). The reason for this is that a good UPS will give you clean power and when power dives it will allow you to shut down the DLP and allow the fan to run finishing the "cooling the bulb" cycle. This is CRITICAL to bulb life from what I hear but for about $150.00 vs the cost of the Monster you will get more peace of mind (a bulb is in the $250.00 range BTW). 2. Monster is OVERPRICED! Not saying they don't have good product but there is equal to or better product available for less money. (once again my opinion). Where I agree with Kevin is: 1. Use component wherever possible and move up to DVI when HD is available (Comcast will probably offer the Motorola 6200 or 6208 DVR boxes, both support DVI). 2. There are two schools of thought on progressive scan. When I had my Onkyo 702 hooked up to my HLN617W Sammy via component (now have an HTPC via VGA) I found that letting the set do the de-interlacing gave me a better PQ with DVDs but your mileage may vary (it's a quick test to perform). The main thing is, YES move the DVD closer (although Comcast gave me a 20' HUGE component + audio cable so length may not be an issue) and use component. I am assuming you don't have an A/V surround system and are using the TV audio, otherwise I would recommend optical for the audio. |
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Bronze Member Username: DaddyrabbitPost Number: 71 Registered: May-04 | Ooops, forgot... For a DLP, yes buy the extended warranty if you are keeping the set awhile, it will probably pay for itself... Call BB and see if you can still purchase it (a light engine is in the $1500.00 range). Ensure that it covers bulbs however and if you can spring it order a spare from www.samsungparts.com (they are user replaceable). |
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New member Username: SurfshoptomFort Collins, CO Post Number: 2 Registered: Nov-04 | Thanks Kevin and Gene I have since purchased a Samsung 841 DVD player and I have moved everything together. The living room is tore up. I've got the DVD hooked up to the TV with DVI and stereo audio. I've got the DVD hooked up to the Onkyo amp via 6-channel Dolby Digital. I'm still not sure which are the optimal settings. Sometimes everything seems to work perfectly. Other times not. On some DVDs, I don't get center channel output. On Rushmore, the picture has black bars on the top, bottom AND sides. Do you have to mess with the settings all the time with different DVDs? I never could get Rushmore full screen. I haven't purchased any cables or power conditioners yet. I haven't purchased the ext. warranty yet, but I'm considering it. I never buy them. I figure I'm ahead of the game so far. I also expect bulbs to be cheaper by the time I need one. But it could be a more expensive problem I know. It's a crap shoot. |
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Unregistered guest | Gene and Tom, good input from both. Also good job on buying the hd dvd 841, that's the dvd player i'm gonna get with my dlp, prolly the hlp5085w. also bulbs are 350 bucks right now, i don't know if they will drop in price, but if you get a surge or if some part makes the bulb go out, that's an immediate 350 or 400 bucks based off of the viewing hours, so 399.99 for 4 years is not a bad price considering we still cover everthing except personal abuse. If it can't be fixed, you get a new tv. plus the BB plan is extendable past the original 4 yrs at a reduced rate, I look at it as purchasing bulbs in advanced for a cheaper rate, esepcially if you replace it even twice in 4 yrs, that's like buying them at half price. |
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New member Username: SurfshoptomFort Collins, CO Post Number: 3 Registered: Nov-04 | You can't actually buy bulbs in advance on the plan, can you? You probably have to have a service guy come out and replace a blown bulb. What's the optimal video setting for the 841? DVI at 720p? |
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tnbubba Unregistered guest | a few weeks ago on another thread on this forum there was some discussion on using the ups back up system. can't remember which thread. someone had written not to use ups due to not having correct power. does anyone remember where this was? makes sense to have it with the fan issue, but how will effect the set if not correct power? these warranties and surge protectors are real critical on how you have things hooked up to reimburse for damage. |
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Strati Unregistered guest | I saw that posting as well but like you don't remember which thread it was on. Monster makes a UPS specifically for Home Theatres. http://www.monstercable.com/power/productPagePower.asp?pin=1227 Some people find Monster products overpriced. If that's the case maybe somebody can post other manufacturers who have UPSs for home theatres. It amazes me how some poeple will use a UPS specifically designed for computers and then complain on the forums that something went wrong. YES, a $50.00 Computer UPS will do the trick. It doesn't take a genius to post this kind of information. There's a reason these manufacturers tell you right on the box what equipment you could connect to the UPS. If anybody doubts this, then call the manufacture and find out if you will be warranteed by connecting a tv to this UPS device. Purhaps you could call APC, http://www.apcc.com and post what they tell you. |
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Bronze Member Username: DaddyrabbitPost Number: 72 Registered: May-04 | Actually I believe the figure that was posted was in the $150.00 range, no one suggested buying a cheap UPS and no one suggested buying a UPS without doing research. What APC will tell you is that they also make a UPS specifically for HT as well and my guess is that it is less expensive than a Monster conditioner. The primary reason for the warnings about connections to the UPS are to prevent people who don't research their power needs when purchasing from buying a $50.00 UPS and connecting their laser printer, coffee maker, PC, and hair dryer to it. The key is to know your voltage and power cleanliness requirements and choose accordingly. My 1000KVA unit runs my 61" DLP, My cable modem, cable router, and DVR. With these items it is at 50% load (note I do NOT plug up my A/V Receiver due to the power it consumes). IMHO while Monster makes adequate equipment where they excel is in marketing and well above market pricing. Also IMHO (and it could be wrong) I couldn't see Samsung voiding your warranty because you had an adequate UPS if they will honor it if the set is plugged straight into the wall. My honest recommendation is that if you want Monster cable (6ft DVI = $99.00 vs 6ft Generic = $25.00 with NO PQ difference) and all of the Monster power conditioning stuff then it's your money... but please do some research first and don't just spend your money on the say so of a retail salesman or on the fact that Monster SAYS they are the best (they wouldn't stretch the truth after all  ). That recommendation doesn't require genius either but a little common sense comes into play. |
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