# setting up new plasma TV



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

I have a 50" Vizio plasma TV that I got for an amazinv price. The picture was so much better than I've had before and the deal so good that I had to buy it. But I am confused by all the connection options.

I was told that HDMI is the best, but does that depend on whether or not I have a High quality DVD player? Or anything else? So far I have only a normal DVD player, digital cable from Cox, etc. What is the best option for setting it up?

thanks- I am a babe in the woods with this....no clue...


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

HDMI is best for video since it is completely digital and, for standard definition, component video gives you the best picture.

HDMI










Component


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

With a normal DVD player, you're not going to be using HDMI, since it won't have the output. Upconverting DVD players that output an HDMI signal aren't all that expensive, and will yield a much better picture than the analog video outputs. I have both types on my configuration, and I always use the HDMI connected Phillips player for DVD's.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

OPPO's DV-970HD is one of the best upconverting players.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, I shopped for price on one that got good reviews for it's video quality. I'm quite happy with the results. The other one is a Samsung VCR/DVD that I wanted to save having two devices, but the up conversion was very disappointing, it sucked!


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## mclarenvj (May 31, 2007)

NOTE: DO NOT TRY THIS!

heres a way to check:
1. try with HDMI stick your foot in the TV
2. If all goes well you may get electricuted

If It Does'nt, well then i think it's time for a new TV


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

I see the prices of Full-HD DVD Players are dropping and I seen one on eBuyer (UK) for just over £100, which upscales normal DVDs to 1080p and plays true HD DVD format...

Personally though - get a HDMI Upscaler (1080p) DVD Player (as they are as cheap as £30) until the price of Blu-Ray+HD Twin Format Players Drop...which they will... then you dont have to commit to just one format later on... 

You will also need an HDMI cable, then when you connect the TV should auto-detect the signal and resolution... 
change the output settings for HDMI on the DVD player to what your TV takes - personally I would stick with (P - Progressive) formats but its upto you... , depending on the resolution of your TV to what you should change the output to...

for example if your HDTV is 1080i/720p (for upto 37" HDTVs) Try both but I would use 720p
if your HDTV is 1080p then use that setting on the DVD player

Be aware that whichever you have it on the pic quality may not differ much because the TV will up/downscale the image to its native format (720p/1080p) so having it on the correct setting means the TV wont scale it and the DVD players upscaler will be at work instead of the TV's


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I think that Blu-Ray has won the battle, people are dropping HD-DVD left and right.


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## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I think I'm at this point: I'll set up the TV as HDMI and get a blu-ray player as soon as they drop in price....so what kind of HDMI cable should I get? I assume HDMI to DVI, right? Sorry if this is a bonehead question...


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

Hi Nick,

Well its like everything - you get cheap and expensive but to be honest 'Gold-Plated' HDMI cables arent gunna do much (if any difference at all) as ALL HDMI cables are designed to give good quality - through being able to pass large amounts of data to the device...

If your getting a HDMI Upscaling DVD player _...(you might wanto to get one with DivX onboard so you can play PC Movie Files like AVI/MPEG/DivX/XviD without having to throttle the PC for an hour to convert them to DVD format - and you can get on 6 movies per-disc)... _You just need an Ordinary HDMI cable (HDMI at both ends) the type of cable your talking about is for connectin certain PC Graphics cards to HD-TV (DVI->HDMI) Im unsure but I think DVI is an older Digital Format, you can get HD on Graphics cards now...

HD, shouldnt be confused with HD-DVD which has now *LOST* the format war to Blu-Ray, as youve probably heard- is the Industry Standard for a type of connection/display and not related to HD-DVD that is being dropped - as my Dad said to me yesterday "Yeah, I bet you wish you'd got a Blu-Ray TV now and not bothered with that HDMI player eh?...." hehehehehe

There are NO Blu-Ray TV's and my HDMI player is just an upscaler and doesnt playback HD-DVD's...


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