Sharp Aquos LC-32P50E EXT3 input options

thevoyeur · Oct 3, 2005

Hello all,

Just got my Aquos LC-32P50E on Friday and am having a bit of agro with the input options. Basically, I only really use Sky and a DVD player, so I've got them both connected to EXT3, DVD via Component and Sky via S-Video. I tried Sky on SCART, but the quality was a lot worse, so I just couldn't do it! Anyway, it seems to be a limitation of that input that in spite of it being set to auto detect the signal type, it doesn't actually switch the display between the 2 if you switch one off and other on.

Anyway, I've programmed my universal remote to go through the multiple key presses necessary to switch the signal types on EXT3 whenever I switch between Sky and DVD.... however, this isn't ideal.

Has anyone else had this issue? This is my first higher end TV... I've only ever had SCART inputs before... but it seems obvious to me that many people would want to use both S-Video and Component at the same time, yet it's a pain to have to manually switch the signal type.

Thoughts? Solutions?

neilmcl · Oct 3, 2005

I can't help with EXT3 but when you had Sky connected via scart to EXT1 did you make sure both the TV and Sky Box were set to RGB. Mines connected that way and I don't have any issues with picture quality. Also I think you can only auto detect via scart as there is a scart control option in you're sky box for this purpose.

thevoyeur · Oct 3, 2005

Hmmm, no I didn't... when I get home this evening I'll try that. If it solves my image quality problem with SCART I'll be very happy. I know what you're saying about auto-switching via SCART... but there isn't a SCART input on EXT3, only S-Video, Component and Composite. I spoke to Sharp this afternoon, and it was explained to me that the AUTO option simply allows the TV to automatically tell what sort of signal is being received via the EXT3 input and adjust it's display accordingly. This option seems pointless if there is only one device connected, you could just explicitly choose S-Video or Component and forget about it. It seems it's usefullness would come in when there is more than one device connected... but this doesn't seem to be the case. But maybe it's there to avoid a new or non-technical user from having to go into the menu system on first set-up... rather than actually being used to auto-switch between 2 different input signals on the same physical input.

Anyway, just a small rant. Hopfully I can sort it out tonight.

jobseeker · Oct 3, 2005

I dont know whether the Sharp guy misinformed you or you misunderstood him. Ext 3 does have a system whereby it should auto detectthe connection from which it is receiving a signal. Therefore, if your component connected device is not switched on, it should pick up the y/c or composite connected device. Mine does. Mind you, I think it might only detect when you select the input for the first time rather than if you switch the component connected system off and then wait for it to detect another input while you already have inoput 3 selected.

neilmcl · Oct 3, 2005

thevoyeur said:
Hmmm, no I didn't... when I get home this evening I'll try that. If it solves my image quality problem with SCART I'll be very happy. I know what you're saying about auto-switching via SCART... but there isn't a SCART input on EXT3, only S-Video, Component and Composite. I spoke to Sharp this afternoon, and it was explained to me that the AUTO option simply allows the TV to automatically tell what sort of signal is being received via the EXT3 input and adjust it's display accordingly. This option seems pointless if there is only one device connected, you could just explicitly choose S-Video or Component and forget about it. It seems it's usefullness would come in when there is more than one device connected... but this doesn't seem to be the case. But maybe it's there to avoid a new or non-technical user from having to go into the menu system on first set-up... rather than actually being used to auto-switch between 2 different input signals on the same physical input.

Anyway, just a small rant. Hopfully I can sort it out tonight.

The fact that it can autodetect becomes useful because each type of input has it's own set of display settings. Thus you can have a setup thats specific to you're component DVD, eg, backlight set to -6, film mode on etc, and a completely different setup for your S-Video device. Depending what you've got switched on at the time the TV will detect and use the appropriate settings.

thevoyeur · Oct 4, 2005

Thanks for the reply jobseeker....

I did think that maybe what you said about it detecting the signal from the powered on device (component or s-video connected) the FIRST time you go to EXT3 once the TV is powered on... so I tested it last night by powering off the TV in between switching devices, hoping it would redetect at power on. It didn't work... I guess it must also remember the last input signal type along with the input itself. So this evening, I'll see if i can get it to re-detect by manually going to an alternate input between switching devices.

Hey,