TMDaines wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2024 12:38 pm
Nothing prepares you for the moment when your projector bulb loudly explodes above your head. Thought someone had shot at our windows! Ordered a replacement for the BenQ W1110 from myprojectorlamps, who seem to be well regarded for the sweet spot of OEM bulbs in 3rd party casing.
Coincidentally this happened when I was double-flashing my Hitachi/LG BP55EB40 Blu-ray drive to make it UHD compatible. Thought the two things were linked for a minute, but once I got my heart rate back down and switched to my TV monitor, I saw that the flashing was seemingly succesful and now I am just waiting for a UHD disc to test.
Turns out my projector bulb had done 69 hours in normal mode and 4771 in SmartEco for equivalent lamp hours of 4910 before exploding. Not the longest life, but could have been worse. Was easy to swith it over even when ceiling mounted, as the new one was in a casing. I was surprised the new bulb didn't look noticably brighter than my old one, as many people remark on that being the case. My old one obviously aged well before self destructing.
Also, thanks for the chat here on flashing Blu-ray drives to read UHD discs. I can now read UHD discs at no additional cost. DvdFab Passkey does not seem to work with my particular flashed drive, whining about AACS 2.0, but MakeMKV works perfectly. Already tweaked Pot Player + MadVR to have appropriate settings for playing HDR 4K content for both a 4k TV and a 1080p projector.
So, my PS3 BD player seems to be living his last moments, cannot read a disc longer than 30 min.
I've thus treated myself (finally !) with a Panasonic UB820 player to replace. One thing I can't get my head around whether it's normal or not : when ejecting a disc, or when clicking the "return" button of my remote to exit the USB Video section, the player doesn't go back to the Home menu, but instead display "tv snow". The player is still on, and I can click on Home and then it goes back to it, but it does not return to it by default. It's as if it's losing the handshake. I find it strange and wonder if that's the standard with this player.
It also does that when existing the Home settings menu.
I've installed the latest 1.82 firmware when I received the player.
Edit : problem solved by factory resetting the player.
I'm trying to play a blu-ray with only a 3.0 surround audio option (the All That Jazz Criterion disc) but don't have any external speakers, so all I'm getting is faint background sound. My player is the Sony UBP-X700. Anyone know which setting I have to activate to get full sound?
What's a good size of tv for watching movies with subtitles? I sit 8 feet away and like the idea of a 77" for immersion but I'm afraid that would be to big for watching films with subtitles, which is what is mostly in my library.
Yeah I’m about 8 feet away from a 65” TV and I could prob go bigger. There’s a formula out there for figuring this out that some live by, but I find it favors a much smaller screen than anyone who actually watches TV would want
ZHansen wrote:I'm trying to play a blu-ray with only a 3.0 surround audio option (the All That Jazz Criterion disc) but don't have any external speakers, so all I'm getting is faint background sound. My player is the Sony UBP-X700. Anyone know which setting I have to activate to get full sound?
If the player is directly plugged to your TV, I suspect there is an audio setting, most likely on the player, to ensure it downmix the 3.0 for what would be 2.0. Possibly an option between Stereo or Surround.
Edit : I'd try Settings --> Audio --> Downmix : Stereo.
chuggy2 wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 2:37 pm
What's a good size of tv for watching movies with subtitles? I sit 8 feet away and like the idea of a 77" for immersion but I'm afraid that would be to big for watching films with subtitles, which is what is mostly in my library.
My setup is this exact size at this exact distance. Subs can sometimes be a little large but not so large that it's an issue. When I have the option (streaming content, my own disc rips), I definitely scale it down a bit. The larger more immersive image is worth the tradeoff.
ZHansen wrote:I'm trying to play a blu-ray with only a 3.0 surround audio option (the All That Jazz Criterion disc) but don't have any external speakers, so all I'm getting is faint background sound. My player is the Sony UBP-X700. Anyone know which setting I have to activate to get full sound?
If the player is directly plugged to your TV, I suspect there is an audio setting, most likely on the player, to ensure it downmix the 3.0 for what would be 2.0. Possibly an option between Stereo or Surround.
Edit : I'd try Settings --> Audio --> Downmix : Stereo.
Thank you. I did try that and it didn't solve the issue. I may just have to finally upgrade to a surround system, though this is the only disc I've tried to play with 3.0 as the only sound option so far.
I am finally opening up to the idea that maybe it's time for me to get a 4k TV. I've been very very happy with my Samsung plasma since 2015, but it seems like the LG OLEDs can easily be had for less than $3K now. I assume that's still the standard, best option? Is there anything else to consider? Are there any meaningful bells and whistles coming out this holiday season from a newer model I should hold out for? Is burn-in a concern at all on these OLEDs? Or is there a good reason not give up on my old reliable plasma?
Our first floor heating was not well-designed -- so having the plasma TV on in winter adds some welcome extra warmth....
(I am fond of it -- I really like how things look on it -- so might keep it as long as it lasts, after it got repaired a couple of years ago after getting damaged by a lightning0induced surge).
Drucker wrote: Thu Aug 29, 2024 11:58 pm
I am finally opening up to the idea that maybe it's time for me to get a 4k TV. I've been very very happy with my Samsung plasma since 2015, but it seems like the LG OLEDs can easily be had for less than $3K now. I assume that's still the standard, best option? Is there anything else to consider? Are there any meaningful bells and whistles coming out this holiday season from a newer model I should hold out for? Is burn-in a concern at all on these OLEDs? Or is there a good reason not give up on my old reliable plasma?
I can’t recommend LG OLED highly enough and don’t think you can go wrong with any of them as they’ve become so sophisticated, even the lower-tier ones. I have an upper-end model (G2 series) but family members have more budget friendly ones and when setting them up, I was really pleased with what I saw. Burn-in should no longer be a problem as there’s a strong “pixel cleaner” setting available to get rid of burn-in in case something occurs but it’s unlikely unless you really just watch regular TV in vivid mode that jacks up the brightness of logos. I’ve had my first OLED in 2020 which I’ve passed on in my family and there’s not even a hint of burn-in and they’re regularly watching TV, but in an appropriate picture mode.
Regarding potential unmissable features, you should be good to go with what’s already available. By now OLEDs are so advanced that year-to-year upgrades are minor. Some more brightness, “better” AI features and the usual marketing gag. Make sure to select a model that features Dolby Vision (not sure if there are any models without it any more).
In case you decide on a TV and need help with settings or have other questions, feel free to post.
Put it like this, when I needed to buy a Dolby Vision-compatible 4K set in preparation for Indicator turning to UHD a couple of years ago, I asked David Mackenzie which model he recommended (I thought that asking the actual disc author would be the most sensible course of action), and he said "LG OLED" without any hesitation at all.
So I bought a 55-inch C2 model - the biggest that would viably fit in my office - and haven't had the slightest regret; the picture is truly jaw-dropping compared with my living-room set (also 4K, but LCD, and you can really see the difference between that and OLED!).
Not sure if things have changed, but when I was researching a few years ago (late 2021), the general consensus was go for a Sony OLED if you mostly watch movies, an LG OLED if you mostly play games. LG has/had better support for things like high framerates, Sony has/had finer control over image quality. Beyond that, they're using the same panels from the same factory, but Sony gets first pick, and LGs were, consequently, more likely to have issues—dead pixels out of the box, bad vertical banding, etc. I'd imagine QC on OLEDs has improved in the past few years, and Sony is definitely pricier, so it may not be worth the step up anymore, but back then, the LG OLED discussion threads/boards in various places around the internet were invariably populated with QC complaints and exchange sagas, and the Sony OLED threads were mostly about optimal settings. That, and some haggling with the dealer, tipped the scale to Sony for me.
You might also want to check out the Samsung QD OLEDs. Compared to the LGs you loose Dolby Vision but make up for it with better quality panels, higher color volume and brightness, as well as perfect viewing angles (most noticeable when watching widescreen B&W content). Last year’s S90C and the current S90D are widely considered to offer the best value, and can generally be found at prices similar to the LG C series.
Sony has a QD OLED as well which does have Dolby Vision but it’s one of the most expensive TVs on the market today.
I did not do any comparisons before I bought my Samsung S90C earlier this year, but I am very happy with it. It is bright (much brighter than I was used to) and offers beautiful color and true blacks. I would say that the user interface is somewhat confusing and does not offer 100% complete control over the picture settings, but I was able to set up a standard viewing mode and one specifically for movies and haven’t needed to touch the settings since. I use an attached Apple TV for streaming and such and don’t use the (extremely ugly and confusing) native app interface on the TV.
I was aware that LG OLED is probably the favorite, but I had a bad experience with a LG (not OLED) screen I bought before and swore I wouldn’t buy another from them. Sony was a bit expensive for me given the limited benefits over the Samsung.
Appreciate the advice everyone. I actually emailed David (he calibrated my tv in 2016) and he recommended the Sony A95 QD (which certainly seems like a "if money is no issue" type option).
I've been very happy with my Samsung and it's heartening to see Michael also holding on to his until it gives out, which is part of the advice I was seeking (has anyone else here purposely held on to their HD set, basically). I noticed a very, very, nearly unnoticeable amount of burn-in on my TV the other day associated with keeping a reality TV cable show on too long while I was doing a regular screen wipe, and just kind of started thinking maybe it was time to upgrade. (this lingering logo is only noticeable when selecting the screen cleaning option and is completely unnoticeable when anything else is visible on the screen). So with holiday sales around the corner, I figured I'd keep an eyeball on some models.
That said, I glanced again at the UHD to upgrade page and was dispirited again, as so many of the titles I would love to upgrade have some sort of issue of some kind, like filtered audio. And again, my TV is in good shape and I continue to live in an NYC apartment so my viewing experience won't be as perfect as it could be, as eager as I am to really see what the big deal about 4k is for myself!
I bought my Samsung HD TV in 2008 and never had a single problem with it. I gave it away this year (16 years later!) Its reliability was one of the main reasons I went with a Samsung for my 4K TV.
I have a 2013 Panasonic VIERA plasma still, I think the last model they made, but it doesn’t get much use anymore. No problems with it either except the front bezel panels fell off because the glue holding them on finally failed. They’re discreetly reattached with electrical tape now.
I have not purchased as many UHD titles as I first thought I might. Only new-to-me releases that I feel I must own and a few upgrades that are clear improvements over the existing Blu-ray.
I still have my 2013 Panny plasma also. Although I haven't used it in a while, I like having a 3D option available, and pretty much I'm letting my wife keep her foot down about getting any new (4K) TV. Occasionally there is some temporary burn-in here and there but it goes away sooner or later; avoiding tv logos helps and I don't play games or watch sports on it.
Regarding Sony, it was the previous HD tv I had, and it was one of those I'll never again things, with the (sxrd) rear projection optical unit's filters discoloring after a few years. Since it was only a smallish area or two, it was still watchable for a few more years yet (and I probably could have got a replacement tv of some lesser sort/size for free via the class action lawsuit), but once I replaced the bulb it wasn't long before it got really bad and that was that. Whether never again has been long enough in the past if/when there is a next tv set remains to be seen.
I’ll throw in here, too, as I’ve just upgraded from a 55” 2018 Vizio P-Series to a 65” Sony A80L OLED. The Vizio’s LED dimming was flickering during HDR playback, which finally became bothersome enough to justify a new panel.
Prior to purchasing, I compared the A80L and the LG C3. If my Vizio had failed outright I would have gone for the LG, but I crept on the Sony until it dropped to a similar price at Best Buy. (Full disclosure: I also opted to get a five-year protection plan as a hedge against technical issues, a first for me.)
While I’ve only had the new set for about a week, I’m across-the-board impressed. Everything is notably better compared to the Vizio. The setup was a breeze (the TV immediately recognized my devices), the menus are snappy, the picture settings have been easy to fine-tune, and the image is excellent. Better still, the concerns I had about it not being bright enough for my living room seem completely unwarranted. As a bonus, the HDMI 2.1 ports also allow me to pass Dolby Atmos to my soundbar using eARC. This is minor—I’m not sure I can really “hear” it in my relatively small room—but it’s still welcome.
Even though it’s only just arrived, I’m very happy with Sony, and very impressed with the OLED display. Some of this could just be the shock of the new compared to the throughly middling Vizio…but I’m pretty okay with that.
Following my recent purchase of a Panasonic UB820 player (while not having change my TV yet (a Panasonic 50G20)), I've been fiddling around the HDR-SDR options to playback HDR UHDs as best as possible.
However, I'd like to check something : my understanding is that setting such a UHD player to output HDR in SDR (whether it's SDR BT2020 when the diffuser is BT2020 able, or Rec709 if not - like me) will make the player tonemap HDR to SDR in a way that depends on the options I've input in the player.
I'm being told that it doesn't work like this, that what selecting SDR BT2020 does is straight stripping the HDR metadata, turning the disc as exactly the same thing as if it was a SDR BT2020 encode (just like you'd only read the core of a DTS HD MA track if you can't playback the lossless part), and that's why labs performing remasters/restorations shouldn't just do grades in P3, SDR Rec709 and HDR BT2020 but also in SDR BT2020.
It seems plain wrong to me. Even if the lab was to perform a (singular) SDR BT2020 grade, there'd be no way a tonemapped HDR BT2020 UHD would exactly yield this one SDR grade, because of how many different ways there are to tonemap. If it was that simply a matter of "turning off" the HDR metadata to retrieve THE SDR BT2020 grade, there wouldn't be so many ways to tonemap HDR, only one, just like there is only one core on a DTS HD MA track.
However, since I'm no expert in this particular field (HDR BT2020), I wanted to check.
That is absolutely wrong, you do not get an "underlying" SDR image by turning HDR off. It is not like turning 3D off, where you'd get a genuine single eye 2D image. The image only exists as HDR on the disc, and you can only display it in SDR by conversion.
Also if you simply stripped HDR metadata from an HDR image, instead of getting an SDR image, what you'd actually get is...an HDR image with no tonemapping flags. The TV would clip the shit out of all the highlights. In other words, a very bad HDR image.
On a side note, does somebody know how to NOT tonemap screencaps ?
Like, if I wanted to leave the screencaps as non-tonemapped HDR, with their metadata embedded, so that the conversion is entirely left to the viewers of said-screencaps ?
