High Definition? Novatech 32" HDLCD TV

[paulbadassbriant]

Sorry to use your post, just thought i'd highlight the problem


This TV should not be labeled HD READY as it does not comply with the EITC standards for HDTV

The EITC states that a a TV to be called "HD READY" must meet the following standards.
.1 Display – Display Engine

- The minimum native resolution of the display (e.g. PDP, LCD) or display engine (e.g. DLP™) is 720 physical lines in wide aspect ratio.

2. Video Interfaces

The display device accepts HD input via:

- Analogue YPbPr¹ - and

- DVI or HDMI


HD capable inputs accept the following HD video formats:

- 1280 x 720 @ 50 and 50Hz progressive (720p) – and

- 1920 x 1080 @ 50 and 60Hz interlaced (1080i)

The DVI or HDMI input supports content protection (HDCP).

Since this TV does not support HD resolution via DVI it is not"HD READY"
Comfimation can be found here
http://www.organicledtvinfo.com/news/pr ... asp?id=203 (http://www.organicledtvinfo.com/news/pressrelease.asp?id=203)

[DarrenT]

Hi

I’m afraid your comments regarding the DVI input capability of this HD-Ready TV are incorrect.

If you were to visit the Novatech showroom, you would be able to see this unit running at 1280 x 720 via the DVI port.

All of our HD-Ready TVs meet the requirements listed on the website you have provided the link for, most of them, including the ‘Novatech 32" HD ready TV’ are in fact able to surpass these requirements, having a maximum resolution of 1280 x 768.

[Coops]

Which TV are you referring to here?

[disneyd]

The TV we are refering to is the Atec ( NOV-LCD320) if you try tp put a Sky HD box to the DVI port you recieved the DVI out of range message. This does not happen on other TV's I have tested on. The handbook calls this a PC input not a TV input. If there is a way of ajusting this I would be glad to know.

[stuclemit]

I have just had Sky HD installed and the Sky engineer spent 2 hours trying to get a high definition picture. DVI input had the picture frame to the right with no menu option to correct this. He left me with component cables connected, but the colour in is no way acceptable. It's dark and colours are way out of true and unwatchable. I am waiting for a reply from Novatech on this serious issue, but I think this is a fault with these sets. The sky engineer said it was the first TV he had unsuccessfully set up.

[ad1974]

Wish I had seen these posts before!!!

I too have just had my Sky HD box installed today. Same problems with DVI and component (my screen is red). Has anyone heard anything since the lasts posts? Is there much point in me phoning the technical support line as it appears everyone else is being told to wait for someone else to come up with a solution.


Have paid over a £1000 for this tv and hd box set up and am not impressed.

I have had a 768 picture with a dvd upscaler on this tv, but had same problems when trying to force it into 720. managed to fix the problem by changing dvd player output to NTSC!!!! Sadly Sky HD box doesn't have that option.

[paulbadassbriant]

Does anybody with SKY HD connected using component, have an XBOX 360, surely if the XBOX 360 works so should the SKY HD? Can't believe some peoples tv's work using SKY HD component and others don't.

[ad1974]

I don't have an X-box 360, but I have just tried connecting my HD-dvd player via component and still got the red screen. Have tried 3 sets of cables plus the set the sky engineer had, all the same, so I think I can rule out cable quality.

Lets hope someone comes up with an acceptable solution soon

[ad1974]

Has anybody had a pc connected to one of these tv's via the dvi socket and managed to get the menu up to alter the horizontal positioning??

Just a thought that if it works for the pc output, will the tv keep the settings? If I dont get a reply I will try this tomorrow, but sadly have to go to work now...and miss the England game!!

[ad1974]

In answer to my own question....no!! connecting it to a pc doesn't unfreeze the picture adjustment sub menu. I assume it only works thru RGB, which is pretty pathetic...given the fact that most new computers use a dvi connection fo. the display. On the upside it looks great, but I didn't fork out all this money to check my email in 32" widescreen.

Am still awaiting a response to my email like other people, but I wont wait a week. Sky fitters haven't seen anything like this before and think it's a joke.

[paulbadassbriant]

Dear Sir



I am an electronic engineer working for Amkotron UK Ltd, we provide repair service and support for Atec and several other manufacturers.



Connection to the TV via DVI seems to require the Sky box to be set to 576p mode.



The HD standard is a pretty wide one, encompassing a wide range of video resolutions and picture formats. Until Sky’s release of their HD box, the prevailing view was that 720p and 1080i would be the “standard” modes in use, as they are in the rest of the world. However, Sky’s decision to support a different mode set and also to enact the HDCP standard – which allows them to block you from using the signal on unauthorised systems, such as recording devices or anything else they decide they do not want you to use – has led to a problem with many of the HD sets on the market, in particular those which use DVI interfaces which generally do not support the HDCP Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. An explanation of HDCP can be found here http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060214-6177.html



The Sky HD Box will work using DVI in 576p mode and also on component, so either will get you working now, but it is likely that Sky will fully enact the HDCP protection at some time in the future, and this will cause problems, though they are under pressure to enact HDCP in such a way as to support legacy non HDCP devices.



The warranty issue is a thorny one. The set is HD complaint in the sense that it follows the HD specification as defined. The manufacturers of the set could not have known that there would be a problem with Sky’s HD box because it did not exist at that time. Since it could not therefore be guaranteed to work with the future Sky HD box at the time of sale, there is no breach of promise, or of “reasonable expectation” as would be defined under Sale of Goods et al. In essence, the set you bought fully supported all HD formats available when you bought it. Now that is no longer the case, but that’s not the fault of the manufacturer since they have no crystal balls either.



It’s an unfortunate reality that if you are an “early adopter” of new technologies you face a higher than average risk of going down a branch which later becomes obsolete – a bit like the VHS/Betamax quandary in its day, and the Blu-Ray / HD-DVD one now. If you buy a Blu-Ray DVD recorder today and in a year HD-DVD is the standard then it’s not the fault of the manufacturer it’s just the Darwinian nature of technological standards advancement in the arena of consumer electronics.



I understand that this is not exactly good news, but as an engineer I try to tell it like it is, no sales patter, no BS, just the basic facts as I see them. The partnership of Sky/Microsoft/Intel ties us into a concept of DRM which is aimed solely at the benefit of the producer not the consumer, and it is a fact that most of the displays sold today will be made obsolete by changes in their software at any time in the future, indeed, they are likely to all have problems when the HDCP system is fully enacted since it’s details are still not fully known, so no manufacturer can be sure their product will be fully compliant when it does come along.



If there’s any further assistance or information I can give you, just email me back at this email address.



Kind regards



Alec Wood

Technical Support Engineer

Amkotron UK Ltd

alec.wood@amkotron.co.uk

[ad1974]

well thats it then...washing their hands of it all. It doesn't work in the resolution stated...I have tried it, Sky tried it and just about everyone on here has tried it.

Also does the specification state that i am supposed to watch a red screen if using component...not just sky hd but dvd too.

Time to get some legal advice from my sister i think

[paulbadassbriant]

why don't you get in contact with him? the tv is rubbish , i've cancelled my SKY hd too.

[ad1974]

I just have. Thanks for putting this information on here mate, much appreciated.

I was getting 2 months HD subscription free too!!!!

Have the most expensive Sky plus boxes around we do.

Have passed details on to my sister who will look into the legal side of things.

Right off to sell my HD box somewhere!!!!!

[David T]

I have checked into this issue and Purchasing are in discussions with both SKY and Atec regarding this issue and it is hoped that a solution will be found soon.

Please bare with us during this investigation.

[ad1974]

David,
thanks for the update. Lets hope for all our sakes, users and sellers alike, that the situation can be resolved quickly and successfully.

Fingers crossed everyone...my brother is after my hd box on the cheap!!!!!

[ad1974]

Colour cast on component is a known problem, as you say since day one. It’s a separate issue from the Sky box one though.



The issue with the Sky box is our top service priority right now, so we’re not washing our hands of it. I’d be grateful for the url of the forums this is being discussed on, as copy of its content will help me put leverage on the manufacturers to resolve this issue in the shortest possible time.



I do feel however that it is a little unfair to heap 100% of the blame for this issue at Atec’s door – their TV works fine in HD mode with all the HD DVD players we have tested, and the Sky box was just not around at that time.



As a service company, we feel that issues such as this, while being well and truly beyond our control, don’t exactly reflect well on us either, so we are putting constant pressure on the manufacturers to resolve this issue.



I expect a solution will come soon, probably in the form of a software upgrade, but exactly how this will be rolled out to customers I do not know. That will be dependant on the nature of the upgrade and the method employed to achieve it.



If your unit suffers from colour cast on component input it should be regarded as defective and dealt with accordingly.



I received this email this morning.

Just a matter of waiting for an update now.

[ad1974]

I have asked admin if they will try and group all these postings regarding these HD problems together, to make life easy for us to find. Anyone got a problem with that?

Ady

[Danno]

post locked. please see this post.

http://forum.novatech.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=3640#3640