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post #61 of 73
3/19/09 at 6:07pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
Patrick,

I highly recommend a Harmony universal remote to go with your new setup. You will quickly retire all your component remotes to a shelf or drawer, to never be used again.

We sit about 12 feet from our 67-inch model, and I could see moving a foot or two closer if possible (it's not, due to our room layout), but that's about it.

One of these days, I probably will get a universal remote. I wonder if they'll handle the old Outlaw 950 prepro because mine got stolen as well.

The amount of viewable picture on these sets does make for easy viewing, even from a far distance away inside the house. I like not having to be close to it and still enjoying it.
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post #62 of 73
3/20/09 at 4:05pm

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Good to hear you're enjoying the new set, Pat. Didn't realize the demo unit was missing the original remote, which could certainly be a pain since you don't have a Harmony remote.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
I highly recommend a Harmony universal remote to go with your new setup. You will quickly retire all your component remotes to a shelf or drawer, to never be used again.

Hmmm... I'm wondering... How well does a Harmony remote work w/ the multi-layered menu system of these Samsung TVs? Seems basic stuff like switching input source is a bit of a pain w/ the way their menu system works.

With my URC remote (RF20), I ended up needing to create some slow-and-tricky macros to handle the input source switching, especially when it came to the HDMI connection w/ my Yamaha AVR, which is what I use to switch between my Denon DVD uni-player and my PS3 before feeding the video to the TV. Seems that the HDMI handshake can be slow-and-problematic at times, so I needed to build in additional delays and refiring of the "exit" command to ensure that the TV menu exits/closes asap after input source switch.

_Man_
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post #63 of 73
3/21/09 at 7:11am

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong
Hmmm... I'm wondering... How well does a Harmony remote work w/ the multi-layered menu system of these Samsung TVs? Seems basic stuff like switching input source is a bit of a pain w/ the way their menu system works.

There are discreet codes in the Harmony database for switching inputs, as well as the different viewing modes (although I leave the set on "just scan" all the time anyway). My Harmony 880 integrates very well with this Samsung set, as well as my Pioneer Elite receiver. I did not need to do anything special when setting up the various activities on the remote.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Sun
One of these days, I probably will get a universal remote. I wonder if they'll handle the old Outlaw 950 prepro because mine got stolen as well.

Patrick, I checked the Harmony database, and there is an entry for the Outlaw 950.
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post #64 of 73
3/21/09 at 10:46am

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
There are discreet codes in the Harmony database for switching inputs, as well as the different viewing modes (although I leave the set on "just scan" all the time anyway). My Harmony 880 integrates very well with this Samsung set, as well as my Pioneer Elite receiver. I did not need to do anything special when setting up the various activities on the remote.

But does that input switching command work exactly the same way as the original Samsung remote? If it does, then that's not what I was asking.

Ideally, there should be a 1-button-press command to switch input and bypass all the extra steps normally required by Samsung's menu system. Otherwise, the menu system basically forces us to use >=3 button presses to complete an input switch, including the need to press the "exit" button (or some other menu navigation button) *after* whatever HDMI handshake in order to return to normal viewing state unless you want to wait for the menu to disappear on its own (after a fair bit of waiting). Fortunately, at least switching back to the OTA tuner input is direct enough by simply using the channel changing commands, but other inputs won't benefit from that.

The same thing happens w/ certain other useful commands that require menu navigation though those usually do not run into the rather unpredictable timing/pause of HDMI handshake as the input switch, so they pose less problem for a macro function. For instance, I made one macro function to switch video modes via the more streamlined Tools menu.

_Man_
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post #65 of 73
3/21/09 at 11:19am

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong
But does that input switching command work exactly the same way as the original Samsung remote? If it does, then that's not what I was asking.

Ideally, there should be a 1-button-press command to switch input and bypass all the extra steps normally required by Samsung's menu system. Otherwise, the menu system basically forces us to use >=3 button presses to complete an input switch, including the need to press the "exit" button (or some other menu navigation button) *after* whatever HDMI handshake in order to return to normal viewing state unless you want to wait for the menu to disappear on its own (after a fair bit of waiting). Fortunately, at least switching back to the OTA tuner input is direct enough by simply using the channel changing commands, but other inputs won't benefit from that.

The same thing happens w/ certain other useful commands that require menu navigation though those usually do not run into the rather unpredictable timing/pause of HDMI handshake as the input switch, so they pose less problem for a macro function. For instance, I made one macro function to switch video modes via the more streamlined Tools menu.

_Man_

No Samsung menus pop-up on-screen when changing inputs as part of invoking a new "activity" (Harmony's term for a macro). The TV simply changes inputs when necessary. It's using a discreet IR code to directly change the input. Those discreet codes may not be available via the OEM Samsung remote, but they are known to the TV. I would imagine you could find them somewhere online to program into your universal remote, too (if it supports such a function).

EDIT: Here is a thread on Remote Central regarding discreet codes for Samsung equipment that may be of some help. I'm not sure how you get the codes loaded into your URC remote -- they are already loaded in the Harmony online database, so they were automatically downloaded to my Harmony 880 when I programmed the remote.
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post #66 of 73
3/21/09 at 12:13pm

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
No Samsung menus pop-up on-screen when changing inputs as part of invoking a new "activity" (Harmony's term for a macro). The TV simply changes inputs when necessary. It's using a discreet IR code to directly change the input. Those discreet codes may not be available via the OEM Samsung remote, but they are known to the TV. I would imagine you could find them somewhere online to program into your universal remote, too (if it supports such a function).

EDIT: Here is a thread on Remote Central regarding discreet codes for Samsung equipment that may be of some help. I'm not sure how you get the codes loaded into your URC remote -- they are already loaded in the Harmony online database, so they were automatically downloaded to my Harmony 880 when I programmed the remote.

Hmmm... Thanks, Scott. I will have to check that out and see if there's a way to get those discreet commands into my URC remote. I generally just have my URC remote "learn" commands from the original remote for commands that are not included in the built-in library. Maybe I could also find a better set of built-in commands since the discreet commands do exist -- I just didn't realize they existed at all, so didn't try harder to see.

Thanks again.

_Man_
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post #67 of 73
3/22/09 at 6:41pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Last month, I ran my HD DVD XA2 player in 480i mode going to my 10-year old TV, just to make sure the XA2 player worked.

Last week, I connected the XA2 player to the new Samsung TV via componenet video, and while it looked clean, it was a little creamy little in terms of picture quality, so I wasn't wowed by it.

This weekend, I finally got long enough HDMI cables to run from my HD DVD player to the Samsung 67A750, and watched King Kong again, but the video wasn't syncing up correctly on HDMI, and then I noticed that the XA2 player was still in mode 1 (480i), which explained why it didn't look too impressive via component video since it was still 480i and upconverted. So I flipped it over to mode 2 (1080p) and restarted the player, and I wasn't prepared for the sweet picture quality of 1080p. But I sat there and watched King Kong kicked the crap out of 3 T-Rexes with a big smile on my face. Whoa.
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post #68 of 73
3/23/09 at 7:52pm

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Pat,

You're darn right, Whoa
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post #69 of 73
4/6/09 at 4:12pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

Okay, I hate the P-i-P on this TV, it's barely usable since you can only watch non ATSC channels or non-HD cable channels via picture-in-picture for the 2nd source. Oh well, nothing's perfect.
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post #70 of 73
4/6/09 at 5:27pm

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

the hd dvd should look stunning on the display, even with component video.

Always use a bias light with this display. It will definitely help relating to the Sammys contrast ratio.
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post #71 of 73
5/26/09 at 1:19pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Samsung HL67A750 - can I really abuse this TV?

I got my insurance company to pay for a Harmony One remote to replace the 8 remotes that were stolen in late December last year. I could have tried sticking it to the insurance company by replacing the individual remotes and jacking up the payout (over $600), but I think the Harmony One should be able to mimick most of the stolen remotes and 1/3 the costs. Just ordered it this afternoon.

I really wanted one that would mimick my Outlaw 950 because it's killing me not having that remote anymore.
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post #72 of 73
8/4/09 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
My Sammy now defaults to "Dynamic" every time I turn it on.

Even if I change the viewing mode to either "Normal" or "Movie", I'll get a momentary video blip after about 10-20 minutes and the viewing mode goes back to "Dynamic".

Anyone else have this issue?  Would seeking a firmware update fix this problem?

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post #73 of 73
9/24/09 at 4:17pm
Thread Starter 
Just a FYI, I ended up upgrading my firmware from version 1004 to 1005.3 with the firmware found on the Samsung website:

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/detail/supportPrdDetail.do?menu=SP01&prd_ia_cd=02010300&prd_mdl_cd=&prd_mdl_name=HL67A750A1F

Click the firmware link under the Download tab and download the 1005.3 firmware, and download the upgrade guide and follow the instructions.  You'll need a USB memory stick with about 20MB free for the firmware files. 

Now my Samsung TV set remembers the settings per input, and doesn't revert back to the torch mode upon each time the TV is turned on.  There is newer firmware (up to 1007), but it's not offered by Samsung on their website at this time.  
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