AWA 81CM LCD TV Review

[Ingram]

I figured a lot of people are interested in this TV and the 66CM version so I feel a review would be worthy of your attention.

Let's get the details out of the way.

http://www.decktron.com/images/products/lcd_tv/dl32-c00p.jpg

These review images were taken on a Canon A610 on multiple settings depending on the situation.

The TV was running from a HTPC via DVI-D at 1216x684 resolution (Exact same as 720P except less overscan!)

The Pro's

* Cheap
* Good image quality
* Accepts a lot of resolutions/Hz
* Good range of inputs
* Big screen!
* Well built. No back light leaking
* Minimal ghosting. Even my picky self has failed to note ghosting issues under games and movies!

The Con's

* EDID is difficult to get past to acheave 1360x768 from a PC. But on a Xbox 360 this isn't an issue.
* Slow channel changing. Not an issue if you use a reciever or external device
* Remote requires direct POV to operate, again doesn't matter if you use a receiver
* Typicial bloom problem when on DVI *ONLY* easily fixed from a HTPC by adjusting contrast output. VGA/component is unaffected!
* Blacks are not black. But with an external halogen lamp like I use you can shine it onto the screen and get very close blacks! It isn't an issue once your engrossed in what your doing. And with games there will be rarely a lot of black on screen. (Depending on the game I guess.)

Now for some images!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_x360logo.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/x360logo.jpg)
Excelent static image and text reproduction. You can't get much clearer than this (besides using VGA leads to run native resolution :P)

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_viewingangle3.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/viewingangle3.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_viewingangle2.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/viewingangle2.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_viewingangle1.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/viewingangle1.jpg)

Excellent viewing angles. Although when you get on the extreme side of things you get some purple screen issues. But really this is not going to be an issue as long as your at the front. Even with 4 people sitting around none of you are going to be having issues seeing properly. And as you can see from the images top down viewing angles are flawless :)

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_static.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/static.jpg)
Another static image of my desktop from the HTPC.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_HDTV.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/HDTV.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_HDTV3.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/HDTV3.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_HDTV2.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/HDTV2.jpg)

Some SC10 HD and Win HD loops. Nice!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_dvd.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/dvd.jpg)

Just catching some Farscape DVD's! Love this show :)


http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_condemed.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/condemed.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_COD2b.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/COD2b.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_COD2.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/COD2.jpg)

Now for some Xbox 360 HD WMV videos from E3. Full 720P. Maybe not finished games so don't judge graphics here folks. Purely examples.

Any questions please feel free to ask! :)

More pictures. This time 720P screenshots from Xboxyde

Please note that these are actually taken with the TV set at 50 brightness. So they will appear darker than they should. I forgot/couldn't be assed changing it for pictures :P

PS: Farcry looks utterly awesome. Easily the best of the screens I displayed on the screen!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_pd02.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/pd02.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_pd01.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/pd01.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_pd0.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/pd0.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_nnn.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/nnn.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_nnn2.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/nnn2.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_farcry.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/farcry.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_farcry2.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/farcry2.jpg)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/th_bfme.jpg (http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/Lord-Ingram/bfme.jpg)

[Shane]

thats absolutely excellent. how does it fare running PC games?

[Ingram]

I don't play PC games on it. But I was once bored in bed so I fired up an RTS called Codename Panzers and played that for a few minutes. It was interesting playing an RTS in bed using a mouse only lol.

I've noticed a lot of these pictures came out crap. Like the HDTV ones are little blury. The DVD image is really dotty and reds look to be leaking. But this isn't the case!

Feel free to link me to 720P game images that I can put onto the screen and take a picture of to demonstrate to you. But of course seeing a picture is nothing to seeing the real thing!

[Diamond D]

Nice, looking quite good. You'd prolly need bigger than 66cm for a living room tho, wouldn't you?

[Ingram]

So get 81cm or 94cm model :p

[Lord Fistus]

thats absolutely excellent. how does it fare running PC games?
I have one of these TV's and it's sweet!

I run my 360 thru VGA, my PC thru DVI and my DVD recorder/player thru component.

So far as my PC goes, it's wonderful (those Apple high def trailers look great). Aside from the fact that my new graphics card doesn't seem to be playing video at full screen very well, the games are tops.

I've played Half Life 2, the V8SC's 3 demo, EA Cricket 05, FIFA 06, and the best of all, Madden 06. Madden looks incredible. No more 17" 4:3 gaming anymore, except Cricket and FIFA don't a have 16:9 res. I especially enjoyed this summer playing EA Cricket whilst watching the real cricket with PIP.

And now i have a VGA cable for my 360 (special thanks to IBobot for that), the detail is amazing. 1380x768!!. Looks way better than 720p. A note: as others have pointed out, the picture can look a little "off" using VGA, but this TV allows you to edit the contrast and brightness for the VGA channel seperate to the global settings, thus bringing it back to a fabulous quality without compromising the regular/component channels!

At the time (August last year) the TV was on sale for $1575, but since i work for Woolworths i was able to get my "5% military discount" and paid about $1500. I haven't been to Big W lately but i've heard (probably here :D ) that the price is now under $1500.

Also, their dead/bright pixel policy is alot like others in that they a have a certain allowance for different sizes before a warranty can be effected. I believe for the 81cm model it's 6 or 7 broken before you can get it fixed/replaced. At the time i read this i thought "yeah, i'll have 5 and they'll all be right in the centre of the screen." In the end...... not one!!!!

So, if it's not obvious already, or if you hadn't read an earlier post i made about it, i recommend this TV. The only draw back i can see is that it doesn't support HDMI. But that tech is still a while off so if you are looking to jump straight into hi def, then this is a good way to go.

BTW, i may work for the company, but aside from the fact that i get nothing for plugging these as i work for the supermarkets, there would be no love lost if this company went bust overnight, so please don't think i'm helping myself. And besides that, there's no such thing as a commission at Big W anyway.

Enjoy! and i hope this helps those thinking about it. Yeah, you can pay more and get better quality, but if it does the job and does it well......

[Odin]

thanx for the review. I think im going to have to buy one now.

[Ingram]

WOW Lord Fistus if your claim that the TV works perfectly with 1360x768 I am sold on getting a 360 100%.

*Dream comes true.*

[Shane]

well i was sold on the Samsung TV, but now i have doubts... if i can get a 81cm for $1400-$1500 then this is a great option.

who manufactures the screen for the AWA? is it an LG/Phillips?

[Ingram]

LG/Philips is correct.

The AWA is a great TV for the price. A lot of people want to move into HD but can't afford it. These TV's are a great way to do that without killing your bank account. Although when I bought this thing it had just came out and was 1998. But I saved 100 bucks with my staff discount.

With the news that this TV works with the Xbox's 1360 resolution it will be EXTREMELY hard to beat the image quality this set is going to produce for the price. Infact I would be willing to say you won't see a difference unless you compare to a 3k-6k LCD screen.

I'm very proud of my baby :)

[hellboy44]

Looks great I agree - and just in my beggar's price range -

BUT

500:1 Contrast ratio...............???

Umm.............

[Ingram]

Looks great I agree - and just in my beggar's price range -

BUT

500:1 Contrast ratio...............???

Umm.............

Um what? It's just a number. The screen still shits over my PC CRT and standard TV in terms of contrast.

Most people I know with 700:1 or 1000:1 contrast screens turn the damn contrast down anyway because their too bright :P

You only have to look at the screens I took to see contrast isn't an issue.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/02/26/lcd_technicalities/page2.html

[Shane]

Lord Fistus, can you take some photos of your Xbox 360 running on it? im 99.9% convinced ;)

[Ingram]

Lord Fistus, can you take some photos of your Xbox 360 running on it? im 99.9% convinced ;)

He has some on his blog but they are pretty tiny.

[Diamond D]

He has some on his blog but they are pretty tiny.
http://spaces.msn.com/lordfistus/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaHandler=TWlj cm9zb2Z0LlNwYWNlcy5XZWIuUGFydHMuUGhvdG9BbGJ1bS5GdW xsTW9kZUNvbnRyb2xsZXI%24&_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaFolderID=cns!B3D0D33E5E72AD64!1 54&_c=PhotoAlbum

[Digger]

Im going to be puting one of these on Layby as soon as i make sure i havent won the LCD from the VIP pack. :chortle:

I know i said that about 6 months ago.. but i ended up buying a new lounge suit instead. This time i mean it. :D

[Odin]

i just lay-by the 66cm at Big W. $1198. 81cm is $1418.


Lord Fistus do u have the 66cm or the 81cm

[Macsta]

Great review for a great tv. Honestly guys, I was going for the Samsung too and had the cash for it, but then I saw this baby.

Can anyone confirm that the 360 doesnt underscan on the tv?

[Ingram]

Great review for a great tv. Honestly guys, I was going for the Samsung too and had the cash for it, but then I saw this baby.

Can anyone confirm that the 360 doesnt underscan on the tv?

100% doesn't underscan. It does overscan however. and IMO a fair bit under 720P. But under native resolution there will be no overscan or underscan at all unless a game has borders which will most likely be never.

[Fletch123]

I have the 81cm version of this tv as well - I've been running my Xbox360 thru it since Dec - Its a sweet tv. For the price, you can't go wrong.

I have everything (xbox, Xbox360, STB, DVD Player) hooked in via the tv's component input using a switcher box. My xbox is wirelessly networked to my PC allowing me to stream all my divx stuff from my PC (which is in the same room). All controlled with a Harmony 360 remote. Its worked out really nicely, even the wife can manage it.

[shannon26]

Yeah I have the 81cm model, and my EU 360 hooke up, and I couldn't be happier, it's a great buy, well worth it IMO if you have the cash to spare. :thumbsup:

[hellboy44]

Um what? It's just a number. The screen still shits over my PC CRT and standard TV in terms of contrast.

Most people I know with 700:1 or 1000:1 contrast screens turn the damn contrast down anyway because their too bright :P

You only have to look at the screens I took to see contrast isn't an issue.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/02/26/lcd_technicalities/page2.html

Well I urge everyone with an interest in how to interpret HDTV Specs to visit that link - it's great!

Is this info relevant to ALL displays? (Plasma, DLP, CRT) or just LCDs???

It looks like you don't need a contrast ratio of more then 400:1 (for home use) !

[Jamie 86]

Oh man, now I don't know which to buy! :D

I, like Shane, was sold on the Samsung. Now, I'm thinking about getting the 81cm one for around the same price, if not a little cheaper.

Wish someone on this forum had both this and the Samsung! :chortle:

[Sutto]

I have the 66cm version, it's excellent. The only difference is except for the size (I think) is it has a resolution of 1280x768.

A question though, would I better off running component or VGA for the 360?

Also it might be worth mentioning, the newer AWA's have a different design (at the same price) but aren't made with the LG/Phillips screen. Not 100% on that one though.

[Ingram]

The newer model is apparently just this which does use the LG/Philips panel.

http://www.decktron.com/products/lcd_32_g.html

[Odin]

The 66cm has a resolution of 1280x768 & the 81cm has a resolution of 1366x768.

What does this actually mean to each TV? is there a major advantage to have that extra little bit of res?

[Ingram]

It means one is bigger than the other.

An 81CM LCD that was only 1280x768 would have a terrible dot pitch ratio.

[GNU]

Damn you guys, i think if these TV's are such good value I'll break the bank and load up the credit card and get one 6 months ahead of when I planned to get one

[Lord Fistus]

Ok guys, some reply's regarding...... me! lol

Mine is the newer 81cm model, as linked to the makers site (Decktron) by Ingram.
Here's another look (http://www.decktron.com/english/product/dl32_g00p.htm)

The pics in the blog (thanks for linking guys) were not taken by me as i don't have a camrea but i'll update them very soon. Also, the pics may be from before i was using hi def. Not sure on that one.

As for the res. According to my manual, the max res is the mentioned 1366x768 but it may actually have a natural res of 1280x768. At least that is what it says to run my PC at, which i don't. I run the desktop at 1360x768.

Good to see few fans of the TV here. Glad i'm not the only one who thinks it's a good TV.

[Ingram]

As for the res. According to my manual, the max res is the mentioned 1366x768 but it may actually have a natural res of 1280x768. At least that is what it says to run my PC at, which i don't. I run the desktop at 1360x768.

Yes the manual is incorrect. The manual is basicially the 66CM model with 81CM on the front cover. It should read 1360x768 for PC usage :P

[hellboy44]

Ingram, in regards to the contrast ratio issue (in the link) :

Is this info relevant to ALL displays? (Plasma, DLP, CRT) or just LCDs???

[Ingram]

Ingram, in regards to the contrast ratio issue (in the link) :

Is this info relevant to ALL displays? (Plasma, DLP, CRT) or just LCDs???

Just LCD I think.

[Sutto]

Would I better off running component or VGA for the 360?

Any one know?

[Ingram]

VGA. But it depends on your need's. For this LCD TV VGA will be needed to run native resolution :)

[Sutto]

VGA. But it depends on your need's. For this LCD TV VGA will be needed to run native resolution :)

Does this still apply to the 66cm version (1280x768 res)?

[Ingram]

Not sure if the VGA leads do 1280x768. But Component will do 1280x720 which is nearly what the 66CM's native res is. Assuming you're right. I thought it was 1280x720.

[Sutto]

I was going off the spec sheet the Big W clerk gave me, here's a scan of it


Click Here (http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/5572/scan25rz.jpg)

[Lt Frost]

So what’s the definite price on the 66cm and 81cm and does Big W ever have storewide sales like Kmart?

[Digger]

The last time i checked the 66cm was just under $1200 and the 81cm was $1418 (down from about $1700). That was at least a week ago though.

[Shane]

i've forgotten, does anyone have an Xbox 360 running on the AWA tv via dsub/vga and were pictures posted anywhere?

[Ingram]

i've forgotten, does anyone have an Xbox 360 running on the AWA tv via dsub/vga and were pictures posted anywhere?

Why do you ask?

[Jamie 86]

Why do you ask?
He probably wants to see what it looks like, as do I. :)

I'm almost completely sold on the Samsung but I'm still thinking about the AWA.

[Ingram]

I imagine it will look identicial to the images I posted. From the distance I took those images and the fact that they are *images* would mask the fact that it was in 720P and not native resolution.

Also remember those images I took were from DVI-D! And I did not appropriatly adjust the brightess so they might appear dark.

[whitey660]

will be nice to hear how it actually handles playing games though. Looking forward to your comments in a few weeks Ingram :)

ie Any noticeable or significantly annoying ghosting in high-speed games. And how it handles 'dark' scenes such as Oblivion's dungeons and the like.

What's it like with dark movie/tv stuff Ingram? I'm wondering how it's going to handle my Star Trek collection :D

[Ingram]

will be nice to hear how it actually handles playing games though. Looking forward to your comments in a few weeks Ingram :)

ie Any noticeable or significantly annoying ghosting in high-speed games. And how it handles 'dark' scenes such as Oblivion's dungeons and the like.

What's it like with dark movie/tv stuff Ingram? I'm wondering how it's going to handle my Star Trek collection :D

I watched 7 seasons of Buffy and 5 seasons of Angel on this set. And those shows are very dark!

With the absolute correct configuration and a nice Halogen lamp to add some external light I had no problems with it. Once your engrossed in the show it isn't even an issue. I also watched Startrek First Contact on it recently and it was magnificant.

Best thing to do for DVD playback is to load up a disc with the THX optimizer or buy the video essentials dvd to correctly configure the screen!

As for ghosting. I get no noticable ghosting when playing Splinter Cell Chaos Theory or Burnout 3 in 480P. However since Burnout 3 applies graphicial blur it is hard to comment in that department.

The trick is to adjust the brightness so that the screens natural black is the same as the inputs black. You only run into problems when you have the brightness configured lower than what the screen is actually capable of.

[whitey660]

Thanks for the feedback.
This LCD sounds like excellent value for money, especially considering the 3 yr warranty.

I'm one step closer to making a decision :)

[hellboy44]

I watched 7 seasons of Buffy and 5 seasons of Angel on this set.

Yet ANOTHER poster on this forum with taste!

:)

[Shane]

yeah seeing as this is 600+ cheaper than the same size samsung, i think i'll be giving one a shot also. i'll be stressing to the manager of the store though about it being the main review unit for XBW and if i'm in any way, unhappy with the quality that i will be bringing it back the next day.

the Big W catalogue that arrived yesterday has them for $1418. the lack of HDMI is a small concern, but not $600 bucks worth of worry.

i'll only be using it for Xbox 360 via vga cables, DVD's via whatever the next best connection is that the player supports, and maybe, just maybe down the track, Digital only tv broadcasts.

[whitey660]

Is $1,418 a sale price, or is that the regular price now?

[Shane]

sale price. not sure what RRP is.

[Ingram]

The DVI-D port supports HDCP so you can quiet easily get a HDMI-DVI adapter and it will work. So don't worry about that :)

[Jamie 86]

sale price. not sure what RRP is.
In the catalogue it said that the regular price was around $1700. :)

[Sutto]

sale price. not sure what RRP is.

Do you know when the sale ends? I'm thinking about buying the 81cm to replace the 66cm model I've got.


Best thing to do for DVD playback is to load up a disc with the THX optimizer or buy the video essentials dvd to correctly configure the screen!

Where can I find either of those?

[Ingram]

Do you know when the sale ends? I'm thinking about buying the 81cm to replace the 66cm model I've got.



Where can I find either of those?

Video Essentials can be had from here

http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/231982

Or you can be cheap and use a THX optimized DVD. Like Starwars, Finding Nemo, ect.

[Jamie 86]

Do you know when the sale ends? I'm thinking about buying the 81cm to replace the 66cm model I've got.
The latest sale/catalogue was on from the 2nd March - 8th March. You'd think it'd stay around that price after the sale though. :)

[Ingram]

http://www.bigw.com.au/catalogue%202-03-06/site/pages/01/a.jpg

Straight from the new catalogue just released in the last 3 hours on the net.

Looks like the 91CM is pictured. Unless the 81CM adopts that same kind of apperance.

[Shane]

im sooooooooooooooo tempted :D

sorry, this has been asked before no doubt.. does it have vga/dsub input? i have vga cables for a xbox360 here just waiting for my console, and the ideal tv for it :)

[Ingram]

Why else would my signature contain VGA cables in my 360 order? ;)

[Lt Frost]

Has anyone used this LCD screen for their PC? Im thinking about the 66cm one, what would it be like for gaming, general browsing?

[Lord Fistus]

Has anyone used this LCD screen for their PC? Im thinking about the 66cm one, what would it be like for gaming, general browsing?
I have used the 81cm one with my PC. Works great. Can struggle with certain lower resolutions, but no other problems to note.

Here's some pics of my TV. You'll have to excuse the quality, as they were taken on my brand new Nokia 6280 (sweet), and then saved using Paint to keep the file size low. And sorry for the low light, it was a bit wet in Brissie today.

First some shots of the TV on my cabinet. Then a couple of shots of Shrek 2 (running on S-video from Foxtel to a DVD recorder and from there, 576i into the component input of the TV). Then some shots of the 360 running thru a VGA input. You can see the res i run in a couple of them.

TV1 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=tv1.jpg)
TV2 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=tv2.jpg)
TV3 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=tv3.jpg)
TV4 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=screen.jpg)
TV5 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=screen2.jpg)
TV6 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=360screen.jpg)
TV7 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=360screen2.jpg)
TV8 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=360screen3.jpg)
TV9 (http://photobucket.com/albums/e2/lordfistus/?action=view&current=360screen4.jpg)

[Lt Frost]

Cool thanks, just considering replacing my Samsung 15" LCD with a 26" AWA and connect xbox, tv and computer for my room, just making sure it would be good for day to day use - might be a little big for pc but oh well, will just have to sit back a bit.

Eventually i'd probably go for a digital TV tuner in my PC and run Xbox off component cables, then upgrade stereo etc etc etc and it just keeps on going i guess lol.

[Anasazi]

Guys im thinking of buying the 81cm version AWA i was wondering if anyone knows the refresh rate ??

also it does do 720p and 1080i yeah..???

[Sutto]

Guys im thinking of buying the 81cm version AWA i was wondering if anyone knows the refresh rate ??

also it does do 720p and 1080i yeah..???

The refresh rate is 16ms, and yes it does 720p and 1080i.

[Shane]

is 16ms ok on this unit? i've read about people having issues with some other brands that run at that rate.. blurring etc

[Paranoid666au]

16ms might be OK, I'd check it out yourself. Maybe bring some DVD's with fast motion scenes into a shopt and get them to hook up a DVD player.

[Ingram]

Thanks Lord Fistus for 100% proving the AWA works in native res :D

[Shane]

yeah! thanks Lord Fistus.. methinks this will be the one.. no more procrastinating, i promise :D

[Lord Fistus]

No worries chaps!

On a personal note, i was playing 3plyr splitscreen last night and i realised 2 things...
1. That considering the size of some of the TV's i've played splitscreen on in the past, dividing an 81cm widescreen into quarters isn't that bad actually:D .
2. That when playing 2plyr splitscreen, it's weird on your perspective because the picture remains as wide as it did before but now it's only half as high. Obviously it means more looking up and down, but if you switch between normal and splitscreen modes somewhat frequently, it can feel a bit odd sometimes.

Ok, that seems like a pointless comment that i'm sure most people have realised for themselves, but when it's widescreen, it's compounded.
Nothing really important, just thought i'd mention it as a talking point.

Enjoy the TV boys, i know i enjoy mine (but not in that way).

[Shane]

yeah on a widescreen, the option to split the view vertically instead of horizontal would be fairly welcome.

some games do this but they are few and far between.

[ryan_a87]

so if i was twaddle down to jbhifi, do i just say "where do u have your awa (is it a.w.a, or a-wa)lcd tv's"

and they will know what im talking about

[Odin]

I think AWA is exclusive to Big W.

[Lord Fistus]

so if i was twaddle down to jbhifi, do i just say "where do u have your awa (is it a.w.a, or a-wa)lcd tv's"

and they will know what im talking about

Nope. It's "ay, double u, ay" and Odin is correct, they are exclusively imported by Big W

[staden]

Another interesting point is that in the catalogue, it states on the price that it is "ROLLBACK" which I think means it is it's normal price now!

Also Lord Fistus, or Ingram can you tell me if this screen will run at the native res on your computer through DVI, and if not will it do it though VGA (in ingrams original review he said he had trouble) and also are you 100% sure about the HDCP over DVI???

Thanks for your insight on this TV!!

[Ingram]

Also Lord Fistus, or Ingram can you tell me if this screen will run at the native res on your computer through DVI, and if not will it do it though VGA (in ingrams original review he said he had trouble) and also are you 100% sure about the HDCP over DVI???

Thanks for your insight on this TV!!

Native res over VGA no issues at all.

Over DVI is another issue. The EDID on DVI thinks the max res is only 1280x768. The only way I have ever managed to get around this was using the ATI Omega drivers. They must ignore the EDID or something.

Both the Dektron website and the BIG W catalogue have said it supports HDCP. Maybe not the current big W cat but it did.

[staden]

Also did your DVI-D - DVI-D cable that you ordered make any difference?

[Ingram]

Make any difference to what?

I don't use native resolution from my HTPC > DVI-D > TV because it's only 60hz. Movies and TV require 50Hz so I use 1216x684@50Hz from my PC.

I compared DVI to VGA and the difference was nothing much. The VGA cable I tested with was no sheilded so I had ghosting issues. Made it hard to fully compare.

[staden]

To the contrast problem you were having.

I was reading your posts at dtvforum (unless it is another person with your username and the same TV as you)

[Ingram]

Oh. Nope. It is a problem strictly related to DVI. VGA does not have this issue neither does native resolution under DVI. You will only encounter the problem in 1080i and 720P. But if you're like me and use a HTPC you can easily correct this :)

Sometimes it doesn't really matter. Like last night I watched The Island and noticed that even with the default contrast there was no white detail lost. I guess it depends on the movie.

[Lord Fistus]

Another interesting point is that in the catalogue, it states on the price that it is "ROLLBACK" which I think means it is it's normal price now!

Also Lord Fistus, or Ingram can you tell me if this screen will run at the native res on your computer through DVI, and if not will it do it though VGA (in ingrams original review he said he had trouble) and also are you 100% sure about the HDCP over DVI???

Thanks for your insight on this TV!!Hey bud, looks like Ingram fixed you up with info, plus i replied to the PM you sent.
As for the "rollback", I work for Woolworths and can tell you that it is usually a "long term special". At least, for groceries and such.
As for electrical and technological wares, I think you'll find that the "rollback" may be temporary, but the natural progression of prices in this field will see it come down over time anyway. So if it's not permanent, the price shouldn't rise over $1450 when the sale's done.

[ryan_a87]

so those who have a 360, whats the tv like

and how much does it cost, i know its proberly already been said

[Shane]

ryan_a87, the tv totally rocks. im using it via a VGA cable and running it in 1360x760 res.

i was concerned, mostly because compared to say the Samsungs, the price for the 81cm ($1418.00) was much lower, so i thought the screen might be a bit iffy.

but i was wrong. no dead pixels, it's nice and bright. i get no blurring or ghosting at all on any of the games i've tried on it so far. everything from slower games like Oblivion to mental games like FULL AUTO, the tele doesnt skip a beat.

Odin was telling me last night that Condemned was giving him some blurring/ghosting and im going to test that out tonight. he's connecting via component so it might make a difference....

i will point out though that all im using this tele for is xbox 360 and DVD's (via the 360 as well). i am NOT watching any television (SD or HD) on it at all and don't plan to due to the fact that SD television looks like shite on anything LCD.

[Ingram]

SDTV looks fine on the AWA. Analogue is what looks shit on an LCD.

HDTV is a sight to behold too.

[Droll]

so those who have a 360, whats the tv like

and how much does it cost, i know its proberly already been said

I have the 66cm version running through component. It's very nice. There's some slight colour banding due to the fact that the set can't display millions of colours, but on the games I've played it hasn't really been noticable. Only when you die in COD2 and a little on the dash board can I notice the banding.

You can, however, notice more banding when watching some TV programs.

Apart from that the image is perfect - the HD graphics on the LCD makes it look like a top end PC on a good monitor. It's HD gaming goodness at a fraction of the cost. Do it, DO IT NOW!

[Gazmon]

Can anyone say - unofficial favourite TV for XBW :)

[Ingram]

Why not official? :P

[Gazmon]

If Shane says yes, then official... for now the unofficial official one is fine :)

[Shane]

ahh yeah sorry, by SD i meant analogue.... sorry about that.

and definately the official XBW low cost LCD of choice if you can't afford the samsungs :)

[will851]

im hoping to get one of these in a month or 2

[Shane]

just an update, i played the first few levels of Condemned last night and experienced no blur/ghosting whatso-ever.

this could be due to Odin running component while im using vga, or perhaps the 66cm and 81cm have a different response time.. i dunno.

[DaLeroy]

just an update, i played the first few levels of Condemned last night and experienced no blur/ghosting whatso-ever.

this could be due to Odin running component while im using vga, or perhaps the 66cm and 81cm have a different response time.. i dunno.

Has anyone seen SDTV on this screen? Does the screen go jerky/blur/ghost etc on AFL etc?

[Macsta]

I watched the NRL grandfinal in SD and it looked great.

[Ingram]

No ghosting or jerkness. But there is bluring. Only because the source material is always interlaced bob. If it was weave it wouldn't blur so much.

[TheAnswer]

Im thinking of getting one of these, does it come with a stand? or do you have to buy one seperately, if so does Big W stock them?

What would be a relatively cheapish set top box to use with this tv?

[pferris]

Dropped an email to Big W yesterday and this is the current price (at least in Brisbane)

The current price of the AWA LCD 81cm TV model no. TFTD81 keycode 5182220 is $1998.00 each and model no. TFTD81G keycode 5349555 is $1773.00.

[TheAnswer]

I'll go elsewhere then, too expensive for me

[will851]

i would say go to your own big w and check because they are still $1440 down here in tassie

[DaLeroy]

I got one yesterday in WA for $1350. They have gone up to $2000 but I talked them back down to sale price of $1418. They then had none in stock after telling me on the phone they did, so I got the display model. For the price, you can't beat this TV.

[TheAnswer]

my local one only had the 66cm in stock at just under $1500 :banghead:

[ryan_a87]

hey guys

i finally made my way down to big w to check these tvs out

they had 2 awa's on display one was a plasma at $2000, the picture quality looked pretty bad so i looked at the resolution and it was something by 480, now im no tv expert, but thats pretty low

and they had a lcd there that was nearly $3000 with the resolution something by 720

the plasma was all silver and the lcd had a black border exactly like the one in the first post in this thread

im confused because someone said that they have seen these tv's for like $1600

[whitey660]

That would be a Standard Definition plasma. Would probably look pretty good, as long as you are not sitting close enough to it to make out the resolution - usually at about 3m. Much closer and you would start noticing the quality degrade.

The LCD sounds like the 37" - usual price is $2,700ish but they go on sale for $2,227 which is what I got mine for.

I've only watched a couple of DVD's and spent a few hours playing 360 on it, but I am very happy with it so far.
The Aeon Flux and MI3 720p trailers I d/l from xbox live also look very very good on it :)

Edit: I should mention I sit at about 3m away from the screen.

[ryan_a87]

the lcd picture also looked pretty dark, is that the case

[Droll]

My AWA lcd is nice and bright, so their settings were probably off. Ask staff to let you play with the remote - but don't ask them on a busy night or they'll probably cry.

[ryan_a87]

their settings were off?

so how much smaller is the 1400$ model then the 2700$ model

[Droll]

whitey660 said the LCD was 37 inches, which equates to 94cm. The $1400 unit is 81 cm unless I'm mistaken. I haven't looked at the AWA sets in BigW for a while, so I'm not sure what sizes they're up to.

*edit* Oh, by their settings I meant BigW's settings

[ryan_a87]

*edit* Oh, by their settings I meant BigW's settings

i mean what settings were off?

but 81cm is still a pretty good size for a tv right?

[Droll]

I'm guessing their brightness or contrast settings. I could be wrong, which is why I suggest you adjust them in the store yourself.

81cm is quite big, depending on how far you sit from the TV, although is a little small for a big lounge room - for a bedroom or similar sized room it's great. Get a tape measure and check for yourself by drawing a big rectangle on the wall (or a piece of cardboard if you like your walls unmarked). The 81cm is a measurement of the diagonal screen size in case you didn't know.

[whitey660]

FWIW I'm currently running contrast 100 and brightness 40 using the MS vga cable.
Also remember that looking at LCD screens under all those fluoro lights isn't really going to show them off real well - I doubt Big W would turn all their lights off for you though :chortle:

I've only played Oblivion & PGR3. Oblivion has plenty of dark dungeons and they look fine.

[pferris]

Also found these TVs here http://www.telefix.net.au/sales.asp

Seems to have agents all over the place, and been around for a while

AWA TFTD66 66cm LCD TV with 12 month warranty, only $999.00

AWA TFTD81 81cm LCD TV with 12 month warranty, only $1499.00

[whitey660]

not sure if those are the latest models(?) but note that you get a 3 yr warranty on the latest models from BigW for similar prices when on sale.

[diggo]

Does Big W still have the 81cm AWA? If so, how cheap are they these days?

[pferris]

Melissa (custserv@bigw.com.au) from Big W just replied back with

AWA 81cm LCD TFTD81 sells for $1998.00

Hope that helps

[whitey660]

they regularly go on sale for $1400 odd - and have been for quite a while, I'm surprised it isn't cheaper by now actually.

Th 94cm retails $2700 I think, and $2200 when on sale.

Note that some stores seem to have the cheaper prices extended outside the catalogue sale periods. If you are in Sydney try the Auburn store.

[diggo]

Melissa (custserv@bigw.com.au) from Big W just replied back with

AWA 81cm LCD TFTD81 sells for $1998.00

Hope that helps
ah ok thats the newer model right? Cheers for that

I was looking for the older one coz its more into my price range. I wouldnt mind paying anything in the $1300 range. Whitey, im suprised the price hasnt dropped further aswell :banghead:

[Jamie]

Still seems like a fair deal for a 81cm LCD. Anyone know how much the 68cm is?

[diggo]

I got an email from bigW and they said the TFTD81 will be $1598 on sale this week. How does it compare to the old model? I heard that they were the same excpet for a few aesthetical changes

[ryan_a87]

just a quick thing i thought of today

with the price for this lcd being so low, whats the lifespan expected to be on these screens

i dont want to spend 1600 only having to replace it in 18months time

[Ingram]

I've had mine for a long time now. About 18 months.

[Ingram]

FWIW I'm currently running contrast 100 and brightness 40 using the MS vga cable.


Those are precisely the correct settings to use with VGA and this screen. Good job on the configuration :)

[davep]

Just as an aside to these type of units. I was @ K-mart on the w/e, they had the Magnavox 81cm LCD next to the Samsung 81cm LCD. Both were feeding in a free-to-air signal through RCA (ugh). The Samsung blew the Magnavox away. The Magnavox was stretched, grainy and just poor. I started to play with the settings. The Magnavox had the image stretched to fit the screen, the Samsung cropped the top and bottom to effective zoom-to-fill the image. Once I set the magnavox to 4:3, played with the contrast, brightness & sharpness, side by side, you could barely tell the difference in PQ.

Fine it was not exactly a HD image and the Sammy might do that better, but K-mart seem to not want to sell these things with the way they set them up :/

Ultimately my brother bought a TEAC 81cm for $1350. 1366 x 768, dvi/vga/component/s-vid/3xrca inputs... 600:1 contrast, 500 candles, 8ms response.. beaustiful unit for the money. 3 yr warranty

[AJMitchell]

Current Big W catalogue has the 81cm AWA for $1396 and the big ass 94cm for $1897.

Interestingly the picture for the 94cm looks like the pic of an 81cm a few posts ago and the 81cm looks smaller than it should.

I was sold on either the TCL that Scooby bought or the kiosk used Samsungs as my wife liked the Ikea themed white one we saw on retravision on the rotating stand. Crazy broads.

[ryan_a87]

so for a extra $500 u can get 10cm?

i think ill stick with getting the 81cm

[Shane]

yer the new 81cm model that's in the Big-W catalogue looks styled a bit differently, has HDMI now and looks a bit nicer :)

[hellboy44]

Isn't it a lower grade panel now though????

[Shane]

not sure dude, its been a pretty popular unit so i wouldnt be overly surprised if they cheapened down the components to increase the margin on it.

[ryan_a87]

hey gang

just bought one of these bad boys today

picture quality is top notch using vga

but i cant get audio working with my vga audio cables, ive got them connected to the component audio in at them moment cause that what it says in the instruction book when hooking a pc up to the screen

[Jamie]

The AWA now comes with a LG Philips panel, so by no means a low grade panel.

[ryan_a87]

The AWA now comes with a LG Philips panel, so by no means a low grade panel.

thats the 94cm model, the 81cm still uses the samsung

[Shane]

but i cant get audio working with my vga audio cables

yeah, the vga audio input looks like a microphone input, its a single small round hole :D

you'll need a rca adapter thingy, i'm using a set of logitech PC speakers for sound instead of my AWA units inbuilt speakers and luckily it came with a little adapter that works a tread.

basically it just takes the white/red rca audio and converts it into one single tiny headphone style jack.

[mulder]

They are pretty cheap. I still think the 81cm samsung for $500 more is a better buy considering its got the HD tuner inbuilt and is a better screen overall. If your not planning to watch TV though I would suggest this set, great bang for buck.

[DaLeroy]

The Samsung is now $1400 at JB HIFI. Prolly a better deal

[HiHoSylvia]

The Samsung is now $1400 at JB HIFI. Prolly a better deal

Yeh i saw that samsung man on the front cover.
Im looking to buy one for my xbox and watch tv and dvd on.
Is this samsung a good one man?
Im a total noob at this stuff

[DaLeroy]

Yeh i saw that samsung man on the front cover.
Im looking to buy one for my xbox and watch tv and dvd on.
Is this samsung a good one man?
Im a total noob at this stuff

My mate has one (paid around 2k for it at the time). I haven't studied it closely, but for the money, I reckon you're doing pretty well.

[diggo]

The Samsung is now $1400 at JB HIFI. Prolly a better deal

Mate is that the one with the inbuilt HD tuner? Im in the market for one of these atm

[DaLeroy]

Mate is that the one with the inbuilt HD tuner? Im in the market for one of these atm

Nope. It's an older model with the usual array of inputs. No tuners included

[diggo]

Nope. It's an older model with the usual array of inputs. No tuners included

Ah ok then, thanks for that

[Unrealsteve]

Bumping this cos Big W have an 81cm AWA LCD tv at the mo for $798. LTW-32DS is the model number.

Resolution: 1366 x 768, brightness 55cd/m^2, contrast 1200:1 response time 8ms, viewing angle 178°, HDMI with HDCP support and PC multimedia input.

Whats HDCP support?

REading this thread has me absolutely wanting this TV. and its an everyday low price too :yikes:!

[killer1500]

HDCP is a form of copy protection on HDDVD and Blu Ray discs. Meaning if you ever come across a disc that has the protection, it will play in proper HD. If its no HDCP compliant, the disc will render in standard def resolution I beleive.

[Unrealsteve]

Cheers for that, makes sense that CP = copy protection lol

Anyway, forgot to ask, is this new AWA tv any good?

[killer1500]

I brought one 2 or 3 years ago and its really good for the price you pay for it. My contrast ratio isnt the best, but picture is of reasonable quality for price. I would highly recommend em. Dont know about the latest ones though.