Widescreen Gaming Forum

Hello everyone, glad to have found this place.

I´m testing out a widescreen configuration and so far have run into some issues connecting a Samsung (LE32R41B) HD Ready 32" TV to my NVIDIA 8800 GTS secundary output. I´m using a ACER 20" widescreen monitor as my primary screen.

My goal is the same as everyone here, to play games on a kickass screen simular to a console. However I find the amount of tweaking and the resulting quality disturbing.

When using a HDMI -> RGB converter to connect my PC to the Samsung I get a lot of supported resolutions, using e.g. 1360x768 works like a charm, I get a good aspect ratio and decent in game quality, although some times the framerate goes down a bit in comparison to my monitor.

So I´m thinking I need a digital connection using HDMI -> DVI. So I bought a 40$ cable and tried that out. The result is terrible. I only get the option of using 1024x786, 800x600 or 1920×1080, all of which give me either a blown up desktop with the edges torn off (using the NVIDIA utility to correct this does nothing) And in-game it looks awful, hardly able to read text and a bad color scheme.

The thing is, I´m using this TV somewhere else and was planning to buy a Full HD TV for this very purpose. But I´m afraid spending $$$$ on a HDTV does not offer me much more then using my current screen in monitor mode at 1360x786. I find it hard to believe my Wii connected via a component cable on 480p looks better on my TV then my NVIDIA using DVI!

Hopefully someone can offer me some insight..

This is an older HDTV, yes?

Older HDTVs are not really suited for PC use. Most of them don't support anything but standard HDTV resolutions over digital connections; though it's odd that you wouldn't have 1280x720 available.

Your edges are getting cutoff due to overscan. Most good, newer HDTVs have a no overscan setting, older ones do not. Though even older TVs will usually disable overscan for RGB/VGA input.

Basically, you're not going to have any luck using the DVI port on that TV. You'll have to stick with RGB/VGA.

Why you're getting worse performance at a relatively low resolution like 1360x768, I have no idea, it might be a result of your multi-monitor setup.

Most newer Samsung and Sharp HDTVs - at least US models - do not have these issues. My Samsung set for example has built in support for 1360x768 over HDMI as well as a no overscan mode. Though Sharp's are typically the best in terms of features that make them nice for PC use. This applies only to the higher end model lines though. Cheaper models are always lacking on features even if they're not lacking in screen quality.

Thx for the response,

Note that I only get a resolution of 1360x768 using RGB VGA (and the picture looks very nice), using DVI I get only 3 options, which all look terrible.

But what your saying so basically, using my current TV set I´m better off using RGB/VGA, but when I buy a new HDTV I should get a decent picture using HDMI/DVI...

Yes. However, as said, cheaper HDTVs still don't have good PC support.

Any decent TV manufacturer has their TV manuals available for download on their site. One of the best things to do when you're interested in a particular TV is look at the manual for it.

A TV with good PC support will specifically list the resolutions that it supports through the various inputs. Additionally, under picture settings, check to make sure that there's a no overscan picture size setting. Unfortunately all the TV manufacturers call this by different names. Samsung for instance calls it "Just Scan" mode; Sharp calls it "Full Mode" or something like that. Regardless of what they call it, it's pretty easy to tell if they have it.

I'd say it's not necessarly an old or cheap model for it to lack features. My westinghouse is considered lower then the likes of sharp/panasonic/etc yet it has picture in picture and many other options that those name brands (including much pricier models) don't.

Could be an exception but I'd say be careful when making such general groupings.

If the Westinghouse TV's were reliable, they would be THE TV to own.

Mine has been reliable since I got it. Can't say it's on their entire product line, but then, I've seen many problems with other brands as well ...

My point was, brand, how recent a set is or anything similar isn't a useful frame of reference on which to generalize.

Does it have a no overscan setting, does it support PC resoutions through HDMI? Those are the only features that matter in this topic. I have predominantly only seen those features on newer sets; newer meaning like since mid 2007, I don't mean like last month new.

As far as more expensive sets, Sharp sets are the only ones I know of that have a built in 1:1 (no scaling) setting, which can be very useful for PC of course. And by cheap I mean like the Olevia and Vizio; I know that even their newer models still lack no overscan settings.

I'm sure there are certainly exceptions, but a few exception don't invalidate a generalization - that's why it's a generalization and not a fact.

In any case you should always find out for sure anyway, by checking the manual before you buy.

It has a 1:1 setting.
It's handled every resolution I've sent it through vga, hdmi or dvi, including a very non-standard 1440x1080.

This is for the most part because the only TV part of it is that it's 42" large, it's actual class is 'high definition monitor' rather than TV.

In it's price class the competitors have tuners and everything else up to the kitchen sink, in relation to the HDTV part anyways. So it's king on it's own class.

I have however noticed it has features that even double price-class models don't have. Mainly because all of them are aimed exclusively as TV and not Monitors.

I've never used Olevia and Vizio's so I can't say anything about em.

My original point was that such general comments tend to dilute the discussion into being pointless. Please get back on topic.

Most newer (within the last 2 years) Brand Name (Sony, Samsung, JVC, Sharp) LCD HDTV have PC setting (no overscan). For the cheaper Brands, Sceptre and Westinghouse 37" and up LCD also have that feature.