I found something useful for Visio!
Home AV Setup
Dotted line components are future purchases - the VCR/DVD combo probably today. HDTVs are way too complicated.
So I got everything hooked up last night. The 37w3 has a ton of inputs: 1 composite, 1 s-video, 2 component, 2 DVI, 1 VGA, and 1 HDMI. It has stereo audio output jacks as well. So if you have a bunch of newer electronics, you're fine.
Unfortunately for me, all my stuff is built around SDTV. My DVD player has component out and I grabbed component out for my PS2. There's no tuner in the TV and I don't have digital cable, so I had to drag my old VCR out from the basement and plug my coax into it before routing it to the composite input. Apparently, my DVD player is old and bad, though. When outputing via component, disks will consistently black out, have crazy lines across everything, or otherwise have strange visual artifacts. Playing DVDs through the PS2 or DVD on composite have no problems.
So in the end, I don't have any true HD source to give you folks an opinion. I played Burnout 3 and Resident Evil 4 over component, both of which do 16:9 and 480p and they looked just amazing. Regular TV is nice and big and looks better, though it is not HD. I ran the THX Optimizer off a Pixar disk and think I've tuned it up pretty well. Overall, I'm just thrilled with the TV.
Pros: Tons of inputs. Crisp picture, easy menus, great sound quality from internal speakers. PS2 looks great and has no lag at all! DVDs look great. When I get my computer hooked up to it, I'm sure it will also work great. Less than 50 lbs. Just looks great.
Cons: No tuner. I didn't realize how much of an issue that would be for me. We only have channels 2 - 69 available because I'm running it through an old mono VCR. We have to change channels with its remote. The s-video and composite inputs share the same audio source. So while I could output my DVD player with s-video, I can't hook both it and my TV signal's audio up at the same time.
I think overall, this is a fantastic TV. I think I just jumped the TV about 5-10 years above the rest of my AV electronics and am paying the price. Which works alright for me - it will push me to upgrade everything else.
BTW: Kate gets in tonight. ROCK!
Dotted line components are future purchases - the VCR/DVD combo probably today. HDTVs are way too complicated.
So I got everything hooked up last night. The 37w3 has a ton of inputs: 1 composite, 1 s-video, 2 component, 2 DVI, 1 VGA, and 1 HDMI. It has stereo audio output jacks as well. So if you have a bunch of newer electronics, you're fine.
Unfortunately for me, all my stuff is built around SDTV. My DVD player has component out and I grabbed component out for my PS2. There's no tuner in the TV and I don't have digital cable, so I had to drag my old VCR out from the basement and plug my coax into it before routing it to the composite input. Apparently, my DVD player is old and bad, though. When outputing via component, disks will consistently black out, have crazy lines across everything, or otherwise have strange visual artifacts. Playing DVDs through the PS2 or DVD on composite have no problems.
So in the end, I don't have any true HD source to give you folks an opinion. I played Burnout 3 and Resident Evil 4 over component, both of which do 16:9 and 480p and they looked just amazing. Regular TV is nice and big and looks better, though it is not HD. I ran the THX Optimizer off a Pixar disk and think I've tuned it up pretty well. Overall, I'm just thrilled with the TV.
Pros: Tons of inputs. Crisp picture, easy menus, great sound quality from internal speakers. PS2 looks great and has no lag at all! DVDs look great. When I get my computer hooked up to it, I'm sure it will also work great. Less than 50 lbs. Just looks great.
Cons: No tuner. I didn't realize how much of an issue that would be for me. We only have channels 2 - 69 available because I'm running it through an old mono VCR. We have to change channels with its remote. The s-video and composite inputs share the same audio source. So while I could output my DVD player with s-video, I can't hook both it and my TV signal's audio up at the same time.
I think overall, this is a fantastic TV. I think I just jumped the TV about 5-10 years above the rest of my AV electronics and am paying the price. Which works alright for me - it will push me to upgrade everything else.
BTW: Kate gets in tonight. ROCK!