Various display options

[Harl]

I recently got the 36" HDTV and I'm very pleased with it sofar. I'm waiting for the digital HD cable box from Rogers Cable in Toronto so at the moment I'm unable to check out the HD part of the set.
What isn't explained in the manual is what the various 'video status' settings actually do. There are 3 - Standard, Dynamic, and Theatre.
Standard gives a rather noisy picture on standard TV channels. Dynamic looks great . Theatre gives a very muted soft look - I suppose it's someone's idea of what film is supposed to look like.

All may be explained once I get an actual HD signal to watch, but I was wondering if anyone has an idea of just what each setting is supposed to be doing.

[Harl]

Finally got the HD service from cable. It really looks excellent. The Tonight show is spectacular.
The set performs very well and, to my eye, looks better than some of the other TV's I've seen in stores.
The various video settings do work better when viewing HD. The Standard setting seems to look best for HD, whereas the Dynamic setting looks better for non-HD video. Changes are subtle, other than Theatre which gives a much softer, duller looking picture. Not sure if I'd use the Theatre setting, but it may work with a moody HD movie.

Overall I'm very happy and more than satisfied with this JVC HD TV. At 36" the screen is about as big as I can manage in the room I use. If you're in the market for an HDTV (4:3 ratio direct view) check this out.

[Waters_10]

Harl,

It's quite hard to find somebody that has this set!

I am considering this set, because it has DVI/HDCP. Can you help me with some more information?

- Is it possible to turn the Velocity Scan Modulation off?
- Do you have any geometry problems? On the corners, maybe?
- Does it save configurations (like color, brightness, etc.) for each input?
- Did you compare the picture quality with the Sony's XBR and Panasonic TAU?
- Where did you buy it and how much did you pay?

Thanks a lot!

[Harl]

I don't think you can turn off Velocity Scan Modulation. I haven't actually tried to do it but I haven't seen anything in the menus connected to that.
Geometry was perfect when I checked it via a DVD video test disc. It actually surpised me it was so good!
You can't save configurations for each input. Pity but I guess you can't have everything. You can save different configurations for the three video settings, which aren't the same as inputs.
I looked at various HD sets including Sony XBR's, Toshiba, and Panasonic direct view 34" widescreen.
My take, on looking at them side by side in the store, was that the JVC looked better on basic feeds. The store didn't have HD available for most of the sets but ran StarChoice regular channels to all of them. I assumed on true HD it would look good and it does - it looks very good. Jay Leno show is incredible.
On regular channels it's good too - the line doubling works well. If it's a crappy signal then of course it can't do much to improve it.
I got it from Eatons (Sears) in Toronto and paid C$3499.99 less C$200.00 manufacturer's rebate. The stand cost C$289.99 extra. Of course there're the usual sales taxes to be added on top (15%).
I recommend getting the stand as well. The set weighs over 200lbs and is front heavy. The stand is designed to compensate for that plus has wheels which make it easy to move the set when plugging cables in the back. Without the wheeled stand it would be very difficult to move.

[Waters_10]

Thanks for the reply!

I made a search on googles.groups.com on this tv and I found a guy that has it and he says there's a vertical stripe with S-video connection. Here's a quote:

"When watching DirecTV (s-video), YES, there is a lighter vertical stripe more towards the center on my 902. It is more or less evident depending on the channel viewed. Watching DVDs (component input), NO - I don't see it. So, I'm assuming it may be an artifact of my DirecTV receiver S-video output or the 902's S-video input."

Did you notice this? If so, is that too distracting?

Also, did you feel the need for different settings/configurations for each input? I had a Panasonic Tau that had awful colors settings with regular cable after you set up properly with a DVD through component input. I had to keep changing every time I switched from cable to DVD.

Do you have any idea why it's so hard to find people discussing about this set? It's the only set with DVI/HDCP at the moment and I was expecting a lot of people considering it, but it seems
nobody knows about it or just don't care! Maybe it's just people trying to boycott DVI/HDCP ...

[Harl]

Actually Directv via the s-video connector is excellent. I haven't seen any such problems. With the line doubling, and the digital output from the RCA box, the quality approaches HD (in 4:3) OK maybe a bit of an exaggeration but it's good nevertheless. I have the digital audio RCA box too so maybe that helps (higher quality all round).

As for the settings - they're close to the default and I leave them alone. On some programming the chroma seems a bit high but on HD it's perfect. The only control I turned down a lot was the sharpness/detail. It was from the DVD setup disc that it showed high. Everything else was close though the contrast was a bit high in the default.
I haven't noticed anything changing when I switch between component 1 & 2 (there are 2 component inputs), s-video and cable. HD (from cable) is on Comp1, DVD on Comp2, sat. on s-video, and regular cable on the rf connector. I rarely watch anything on the rf connector. It is quite the complicated set-up I have as I run s-video feeds to a Yamaha digital receiver and all audio goes through that too. I also have a microwave service (LookTV) which is on s-video and looks great too. The vcr is included in this mix too! I was very glad to see how flexible it is to hookup stuff to the JVC because of all the inputs. If any DVI boxes show up then it can handle them too.

Regarding the lack of interest in this set, I have no idea why more aren't buying it. Maybe it's the lack of advertising on the part of JVC. Or maybe 'JVC' doesn't quite have the right ring to an HD set compared with 'Sony'. The only reason I found out about it was because the JVC rep. was in Eatons TV dept. when I was discussing HD sets with the sales guy. I had quite an interesting chat with him and he told me this set was about to be on the market plus mentioned the DVI connector. I decided to wait until it was in the store (some 6 weeks or so later) and could check it out and see it working (though not in HD unfortunately). After much comparing and getting the very informed salesguy's opinion on various sets I went for it - especially as there was a 15% discount after Xmas plus a $200 rebate! Never regretted buying it.

[Waters_10]

It seems like a pretty good set.

I posted about this TV in another forum and I got a reply from a guy saying that JVC will release a new 36" HDTV this summer. That seems pretty strange to me, since the 36p902 is out for only 3-5 months, right?

I also would like to know if RCA is going to replace the F38310 with a new model with DVI, before I buy this TV. The size and picture quality of the F38310 is perfect for me. That same guy said RCA will release a new HDTV model, but he doesn't say if it's going to be a replacement of the F38310.

Well, thanks for the info. Hope you enjoy this set for a long time!

[MO MOPAR]

I am also very interested in this model. I work at Radioshack but we only sell one directview HDTV the Panasoni Tau 34" which is a awsome set but it dosn't have DVI so im not sure is a good idea to buy one. so im looking at getting the AV36P902 through a electronics warehouse. Like you guys stated there's not much info on this model but it looks like it has all the spec's im looking for. My dream tv is actualy a 40 inch wide screen CRT but since nobody makes one yet i think i'll go with the JVC. Im just wondering if this tv is true Proggresive scan compoatable since the JVC web site does not mention Progresive scan, they say their tv has "natural progresive" what ever that means.

[Harl]

Here's what the manual says about Progressive Scan....
"A basic television only displays half of the 525 scanning lines one after another. This televsion is the high definition model, which can display all 525 scanning lines. This television can change the display toe the progressive mode, (all 525 lines).
This progressive mode only applies on 480i, 480p,720p and 1080i television signals.
This does not apply to the 1080p televison signal."

So translate that!!! It's word for word out of the manual so I can't offer any other comments regarding progressive modes.
I only know, that with 1080i signals it looks excellent plus other signals look very good too. Even digital satellite feeds (non-HD) look very good due to the line doubling feature.

Hope this helps.

[MO MOPAR]

Say Harl where did you get the $200 dollar mail in rebate from. I looked at JVC.ca but couldn't find a rebate. I have decided i want this set and $200 bucks off would be nice. Also do you have a gaming system(PS1, PS2, XBOX GameCube etc) do they look good on this tv.

[Harl]

The rebate was just for December last year to tie in with some soccer games. As for hooking up gaming units etc., I don't have any so I can't say how they would look.

[MO MOPAR]

Originally posted by Waters_10
It seems like a pretty good set.

I posted about this TV in another forum and I got a reply from a guy saying that JVC will release a new 36" HDTV this summer. That seems pretty strange to me, since the 36p902 is out for only 3-5 months, right?

I work at a Radioshack store up here in Canada and ive been informed by one of our suppliers that as of today we will now be able to get the 36p903 altho i have no specs on the new model. Seems kind of strange changing after only half a year in production but change can only be a good thing right?

[Waters_10]

As of today, meaning that the set has been released? Can you give us feedback about the difference between the two models as soon as you get one?

There's something strange about HDTV direct-view JVC sets. I just can't find a single local store that has the AV-36P902!

I'm in the Detroit area and none of the big chains carry them. Best Buy, Sears, Circuit City and some others don't carry it. And most salesman have no idea that JVC makes an hdtv set!

I have a friend that bought the Panasonic CT-36HX41 yesterday, because he couldn't find the JVC. It just seems very bad marketing strategy, since this set is the top line on JVC's web site.

The irony is that Best Buy carries the AV-48wp30, which is a RPTV that has DVI/HDCP as well. And this model cannot be found on JVC's website!

Thanks

[Porksoda]

Originally posted by MO MOPAR


I work at a Radioshack store up here in Canada and ive been informed by one of our suppliers that as of today we will now be able to get the 36p903 altho i have no specs on the new model. Seems kind of strange changing after only half a year in production but change can only be a good thing right?

I am trying to get in touch with JVC myself to find out the differences between the P02 and P03 so i can decide to wait if P03 has some Xtra Other featuers... I do know on the supplier info sheet.. they did mention it had native scanning capability of 1080i and 480p and is supposed to be out Aug 02.

At the same time this is intresting that Harl quoted the user manual above which suggests that the Monitor supports most/all hdtv signals.

As for the quality of the picture... i have demoes the HFX71 the 36" hdtv from toshiba and the Sony's XBR with the same source....

the JVC sure as hell stands out in a big way... the quality is closer to a Plasma compared to any other DirectView TV.

[Porksoda]

Replying to my own Post... I just got off from JVC SouthEast and apparantly the AV-36P902 and the AV-36P903 have identical features.

Misleading Website Specifications for the HDTV Monitors... they do all HDTV formats upto 1080i so probably harl can confirm that it does 720p/480p/480i/1080i etc etc..

I think im ready to go pick one up today :>