EDTV? Samsung TSK series direct-view (1 Viewer)

[Dennis P]

Hello,
Sorry if this is long-winded, I'm a new member trying to educate myself on the morass of feature combinations and permutations that are available on direct-view TV sets. My viewing area is small, so for budgetary reasons I'd like to stick with 27-32", would like at least 480p for watching DVDs (I just bought a progressive player on sale, the Sony DVPNS700P), and I seem to like the flat screens. I've never liked the look of RPTVs (sorry!)
Samsung makes (made?) what they called EDTV ("extended-definition") sets with just 480p under the TSK series. Apparently they no longer make these, as their website is devoid of any information about them (they are pushing their new HDTV sets), and my local Tweeter has them drastically marked down (including one floor model for half price).
I've read about important things like the progressive scan line doubler, 3DYC comb filter, 16:9 vertical compression, etc.. and have narrowed my search to three models:
Samsung TSK2792F 27" EDTV 4:3 flat screen floor model (cheapest).
Samsung TSK3092WF 30" EDTV 16:9 widescreen (most expensive, even on sale)
Samsung TSL2795HF 27" HDTV 4:3 brand new model (almost as much $ as the 30")
Has anyone had experience with these specific sets, or Samsung in general?
With the TSK2792F I'm concerned because it's a floor model. Is it a bad idea to buy a floor model, even at a great price?
I'm concerned about the TSK3092WF because they have no demo and I can't have them run through a demo for me. Not sure that a demo of a "similar" set would be relevant.
I'd like to see how the various types of programming I watch would look: DVDs (both anamorphic and non-anamorpic widescreen, and 4:3 movies), analog cable TV in 4:3, and analog cable TV channels that are letterboxed (e.g. PBS and some movie channels). I'm really interested in knowing how the 16:9 tv will display the letterboxed cable tv shows... will I get black bars at the sides AND at the top? Or can I "zoom" in to fill more of the screen?
Finally, a comment on picture quality. I've looked at similar Samsung sets at different retailers, and the picutre quality seems to vary. I'm chalking this up to source differences or improper setup by the staff... but one thing that jumped out at me was an apparent slight "posterization", particularly noticable with gradations of color like a blue sky. What causes this? Again, I'm not an expert but I AM observant. I also tend to notice geometry problems more than the average person. I walk into a store and see the same program across 40 sets, and immediately notice that a circle is being displayed as a wide variety of ovals across the different sets. Unfortunately, that makes me a person with expensive tastes but without the wallet to back them up, as my wife likes to remind me.
Probably 80% of my viewing is 4:3 analog cable programming. This is why I concluded that a good 480p set with line doubler is enough for me. I can't see buying an HDTV set until there is more HDTV programming (I rule out anything that requires me to set up an ANTENNA again). By the time that happens, TVs should be more like computer monitors (e.g. LCD with DVI) and have truly digital inputs (e.g. FireWire or SVGA) from an HDTV receiver.
--
Brad

 

[Dennis P]

Wow, not a single response. Rather disappointing. Maybe everyone is on vacation.

 

[ThomasL]

Dennis P, check out the most recent Sound and Vision Magazine (I think?) for a review of the new Samsung 32 inch HDTV. Also, check out the June issue of Home Theater Magazine for a review of the 30 inch widescreen Samsung set.
I'd be leery of buying a floor/demo model. With your amount of 4:3 viewing, I'd say your best bet is the 27 or 32 inch 4:3 HDTV ready set. On a 16x9 set, yes, a non-anamorphic dvd or letterboxed tv program will have black bars on the side and the top of the image. As for 4:3 sets displaying a 16x9 image, the Samsung does have squeeze capabilities for 16:9 dvd viewing.
cheers,
--tom

 

[Jean Weitzmann]

Dennis,
I have a Samsung TSK3292F (EDTV 4:3 32") that I bought in January as my "bedroom setup". (my HT room has a DWIN CRT projector with a 7' wide 16x9 screen, and a progressive DVD player/scaler running at 720p).
I use this TV to watch cable TiVo, occasionally Full Frame DVDs, and -if I really have to- VHS tapes.
Those "EDTV" sets are indeed 480p capable, but not 1080i nor 720p (hence EDTV instead of HDTV-ready). The new sets (TSL3295 for the 32" 4:3, which can be found for $1199 + shipping) are now HDTV-ready.
The TSK sets have a built-in NTSC to 480p Progressive scan converter and also 480i/480p YPrPb component inputs for progressive DVD players and external line doublers.
The internal 480p converter is not very good. It doesn't generate combing artifacts, but it does give that "apparent slight posterization" effect that you noticed, sometimes.
The user settings can really improve the picture compared to the poor factory default settings, but you can't get rid of that effect completely.
I had looked at the Panasonic CT32HX40 and Sony 32XBR400 sets
and they had the same kind of effect (at a lesser degree on the Sony), but they were signficantly more expensive.
When using a progressive scan DVD player at 480p on the Samsung, it looks great, no "posterization" whatsoever.
I guess that, if you source Cable signal is good, using an external doubler should work just as well.
The Samsung and the Panny have a video noise reduction feature which is useful on poor cable signal and TiVo.
My set had some geometry problems originally, and I was able to sort most of it using the service menus, but it's not perfect. However, this is only noticeable on Avia or VE test patterns, but actual video looks OK.
I had a service technician come to tweak the color alignment as the red was bleeding a little. He corrected it (once again, not perfectly, but close enough), and he told me that any set of any brand with flat screens of that size always had some "minor" geometry imperfections.
I think that the 27" sets have a much better picture than the 32", but my previous set was a Toshiba 65" widescreen RPTV and I couldn't go with a picture smaller than 32"...
The best picture that I have seen on 32" direct view sets is on the RCA/Proscan sets, but they do not have an internal doubler; they require the use of an external unit.
Good luck!