Dlp Rptv? (1 Viewer)

It is amazing how one's budget can increase if you can get the wife to look at a TV. But, I digress.

We have decided that we like the looks of the DLP RPTVs. The one we are most considering is the Samsung HLM507W. I realize this is new technology so there is not much of a history. Those that have purchased or considered purchasing a DLP unit -- why did you purchase or not purchase one. If you did purchase a DLP -- how is it holding up? Are you still satisfied with your purchase?

Any input would be appreciated.

There's nothing wrong with a DLP set...in fact I'd venture to say that the life-span of such a set will be far longer than a traditional CRT based system (given bulb replacement, naturally).

The only downside to the Samsung might be the quality of that particular manufacturer's version. The price is really, really good though!

Hey...do you have a darkened room? Have you thought about DLP *front* projection? There's nothing like it and anyone who has light control should investigate DLP projection before they "settle" for a RP TV (not trashing RP TVs...just noting that front-projection is all that and MORE...often for near the same cost). A big-screen really can look like the movies with the clarity the TI HD2 chip has (and decent black-level too)!

I think over at AVS there was some discussion about the Samsung DLP RP set. Might be worth doing a search over there. have you heard of that forum? www.avscience.com.

-dave

Evan you can also do a search here. And there is AVSForum they have a big section about them also.

Thanks for the input.

I went through the same process as you Evan, and had decided the Samsung 617 was IT for me until I read continuing saga's of issues with the Sammy's over at AVS. Another factor was $$. I've decided to hold off for a while on the RPTV (any flavor) and concentrate on a FP system - keeping my old 27" for everyday TV veiwing. I still think that someday I'll go for a DLP or LCD rear projector, but I want the tech to settle down for a while longer. This also allowed me to spend more on the audio end of the system I'm building.
FWIW,
Gordon

I like the Samsungs and planning on picking up a 50 incher pretty soon. It's picture quality was just superior to anything else I have seen thus far apart from maybe LCOS and the price is unbeatable.

Greetings,

I have looked through the AVSForum site and there appears to be a lot of inconsistency. Some love them, some hate them.

We took some of our DVDs with use and adjusted the TV’s settings to neutral. The picture was stunning. I have yet to take our DVD player to the store (a Tweeters).

The caveat for us is that a good friend of our purchased a Sammy 50” DLP in late May. After three days it quite. He took it back to the store and got a new one as they could not repair it. The new one quit in three days also. Back to the store. They gave him a 52” Panny in exchange. He has been happy ever sense. No problems with it except he feels the off axis viewing is not as good as the Samsung unit.

Is reliability for these units getting better or is it a “crap shoot”. $4,000 is quite a lot of money to spend on a TV but if it will last for 20 or so years I can justify it.

Anyone happy with their purchase?

What store is more likely to support a customer with a purchase of leading edge technology such as a DLP if something goes wrong.

Should I just wait a year or so to see who else introduces a DLP RPTV?

One thing is for sure...

If you're buying and item from a store location...open the box IN THE STORE and turn on the TV...hook it up to a DVD player in the store and make sure it's working.

My friend bought a Samsung 27" 4x3 HD TV (480P/1080I) which produces a stunning picture that nothing anywhere near the price can match. Problem we had was the first unit we got home and unboxed (I helped her) contained a TV that had a big crack in the plastic case of the actual set...the next day we swapped it for another which when we got home *again* and unboxed and set up...would only produce a picture for the on-screen-menus...but nothing from the built-in-tuner or AV inputs. Back to Best Buy for yet a THIRD TV which we unboxed and operated while we were there before we left.

The jerks, including the store manager, gave us a hard time about the whole thing and how it was "probably our fault for handling the TV too roughly". I politely explained that I had worked as an AV installer and set up many HDTVs in my time and that I knew how to handle them properly (true). Then after telling me this the goons behind the counter practically slam the TV down on the ground after getting it out of the box (which 3 of them had trouble doing...when myself and the woman I was shopping with had no such difficulty )...the store manager didn't bat an eye.

Well...if *that* was the proper way to handle a "delicate HDTV" then we were certainly giving it the royal treatment when we had *carefully* unboxed and set it up!

Oh...the 3rd TV works fine and has been for over a month.

Want to know how much they wanted to charge us for a "service plan" for the $600 TV??? $300!!!!!!!!!!

Think about it!

I sorely wish Samsung would get their quality act together 'cause I love their tech! The 50" DLP I looked at had the best picture this side of a $20K Runco plasma that I've seen! I still hope to get one after the dust settles a little and they work through their issues with future releases. A 2/3 failure rate on a CRT direct view, makes me wonder, though.

Gordon

I too Loved the Picture and Price of the Samsung DLP, have had two of them in my house.

But after problems with Grey spots and loud noises from the color wheel I decided to try a Sony Grand Vega 50" LCD.

I have never looked back.

Sony has much better PIP controls.

I have already figured out that Best Buy is not a place to buy anything.

I am in the same boat as Jimmy_S. I bought a Sammy 5065W (very similar to 507W) and took delivery on Jan. 24th. On Super Bowl Sunday the GD thing would'nt turn on!!! Made 3 attempts to power up and then the 3 LED's on the front panel started blinking, indicating a fault. After unplugging and replugging several times the TV finally powered up. By I had the same problem about 5 times since then.

Samsung was initially unwilling to arrange for an exchange so they had a tech sent out to attempt to repair the issue. Again, the TV worked fine for a few days but started having intermittent problems.

After round 2, I decided that I just was'nt willing to live with this kind of substandard Quality Control on a $4,000 TV. I swapped out for the Sony 50XBR800 and have no regrets thus far.

If it were not for the problems I had with the Samsung I would have kept it. It has a very nice, bright vibrant picture as long as you're feeding it good source material. The rainbows weren't an issue for me as much as the occasional color banding/temporal dithering.

You guys with Sony GWII's check out this thread if you have not already.

GWXBR Tweaks

I was able to really improve my set with this information.

Evan,
The next gen DLP's from Sammy are due out in May 03. This line will include a 56" and 46". Also stick with Tantus line of DLP's from Samsung. The ones at Best Try i mean Best Buy are not Tantus line and are also the older original DLP's. The Tanstus line consists of the 437W, 467W, 507W, 567W and the 617W. Tweeters, Ultimate or an online retailers are the best way to go. Also read all the tweaks on AVS Forum for the TV. I myself seen the new ones at CES and was quite impressed. I am waiting for the new line and also the ones that are out now do not have the same issues that some of the first ones did. FWIW I personally have 2 friends with them and they are both happy.
Thast my 2 cents

Good call Kevin...they do indeed have a higher-standard brand they market through the more "botique" shops like Tweeter (well, not exactly botique...but a step in that direction from Worst/I mean "Best" Buy).

Do you know if the Tantus line is manufactured with better standards or just the same thing as the regular best-buy version with a few more features and higher cost?

-dave

Like David, I would like some information on the Tantus models (507W). Additionally, the quality failures my friend experienced were with a Sammy 5065W. According to the Tweeters sales woman the 5065w is an older model.

Could it be that quality improvements have indeed been made at Samsung and the 507W is preferable to the 5065W?

The 507W may be better than the 5065W, but I would not say preferable. The two bad machines I had were 507Ws.

Jimmy

David,
Overall from the time I have spent doing my homework on these sets that the Tantus line for one uses Video Processing DCDi by Faroudja, while the 5065 and 4365 do not. The quality of the parts also difer which causes a price increase, case inpoint with pioneer there elite line does not use the same parts as there regular line. Also the new sets which will be badged with HLN will use the DNie Chip for video enhancing like the 617W has already. My suggestion is wait till may for the new line and buy then.

Just to set the record straight on the 5065W vs. 507W - I did a lot of reading prior to my purchase of the 5065W. Most of what I have read suggests that the 5065W has the exact same guts as the 507W, just a different chassis. Apparently, the reason Samsung chose to differentiate this set from the 507W is to prevent Best Buy and other whores, errr I mean discounters from price matching against Tweeter and other upscale shops. Also, the chassis used on the 5065W is supposedly from a surplus that was to be used for Samsung's aborted attempt at LCOS RPTV.

As far as the Faroudja issue, it appears that the 5065W features the same Faroudja/Genesis chip as the 507W. If you go into the 5065 service menu there is a reference to the FLI2200 Deinterlacer...same as the one used in the 507. So why would'nt Samsung list the Faroudja feature on the 5065W specs?? Because manufacturers have to pay to display the Faroudja DCDi logo on their product. This could have been a cost savings move by Samsung to allow them to sell the 5065 for $200 less.

For what it's worth- I see no difference in picture quality between the 5065 and 507.

That's what I suspected. Thanks for the info.