We've recently setup a couple of self professed hard core xbox gamers by connecting the console direct to the tv and then running digital audio back to the AVR. Both had Samsung UHD tvs (one was a 7100 series, don't recall the other) We then set their Samsung UHD tvs into Game mode. the picture quality degraded but game response was ok for them (in case you are wondering they spec'd and bought the TV's before we were involved). In both cases the console was in the same room as the TV so a direct short run hdmi cable made the connection.

On these new Samsung's Game mode is accessible from the System menu and is not as far as I can find available as an IR or RS232 command (on any Sammy not just the new ones). Also, since game mode is set from the bowels of the System menu it would appear to be a system wide (i.e. for all inputs) setting though a support chat with Sammy says it only applies to the input in use at the time the setting is made. At one site this appeared to be the case after a quick check of the STB connected through a denon. But I'm not yet sure.

I am anticipating that Blu-ray or streaming 'regular' content via the XBOX will suffer when the TV is in game mode. Without a programmable command to take the input out of game mode the user will have to learn to traverse the menu structure (and who knows what mischief will ensue). Did not have time to test this but will be going back to one of the sites later this week.

At one of the sites the user would have no issue changing the system settings - also does not have a custom control so there is no perceived loss of value. Seems to me that if we've sold someone a custom remote and they have to do something manually that would lessen the value of the custom remote.

If you know otherwise about the above please do tell.

Can you specify any make of the current crop of TV's HD or UHD that has discretes for taking it in and out of game mode? If so please make note - it wasn't meant as a yes or no question ;-). If its limited to only particular model line please tell.

Is there any particular combination of products and associated settings, and in particular using a UHD set, that you've found works well (enough!?) for gamers?

Does operating through an AVR with a game mode setting introduce appreciable lag? Any current make/model better than another?

Which products, at least as gaming is concerned, are to be avoided.

Do hdmi extenders introduce lag or other problems as regards gaming (whether the game is extended directly or via the avr)?

A separate discussion is what value does a UHD tv have, for video or gaming, given the size v. proximity requirement to See the increased detail - but that's for another time.

The only TV I have ever had no lag on for a game system is Vizio. I think I tried every brand but Sony in my house. I tried directly to the TV and from a Marantz, Denon, Onkyo receiver. All with the same results.

I have a couple PS4's in my house connected to Vizio TV's (older style) specifically for gaming. I think I asked this once before on here as well. Every other brand seemed to have some sort of input lag and I found it not playable for gaming.

When I had it hooked up to a Samsung Plasma and that TV was in game mode (direct connect or marantz receiver) it wasn't bad.

Sony indicated to me that their projectors were remarkably responsive for video gaming. Since I don't participate, I could neither confirm nor deny.

The Sony and Epson projectors have modes that do well for gaming generally under 50ms depending on model. The modes do sacrifice picture quality for lag time. DLPs tend to do better. JVC and Epson Laser projectors tend to have the most lag. My teenage boys and I have gamed on all them and I never heard any complaints. I am not a good enough player where I could tell the difference.

How has this not been a topic of custom installer head-banging since HDMI was introduced? Did it take several years for gamers to start using our services, or ??


BobL's comments seem right on the money. At some price point you might get little delay AND excellent performance, but that should cost some money!


This is your only hope for making this change transparent to the user. It makes some sense, too; many adjustments are specific to the input you're on when you make the adjustment.


If the TV's adjustments are made in a stupid way, there's no highly programmable remote that can do any better.

However, if you have a remote with an RF processor, meaning all commands reside in the RF receiver, AND hitting MENU (or, say EXIT, MENU) ALWAYS takes you to exactly the same place, you should be able to construct a completely unwieldy macro that would make this change. Just be sure the client knows you think this might work, not that it will always work.


So... does this mean their response is the shortest of the objectionable delays out there?

Jensen rep to me and my boss, 1972, about their speakers (we made speakers too): "You should compare the Jensens to your speakers. There's no comparison!"
Ernie's response, just as a joke: "Really? Which speakers are better?"
Jensen rep with "oops" look on his face: "Well, honestly, yours are."
Laughter ensued. Didn't buy the speakers.

This is where the game makers or console makers need to step in and add a feature to "sync" the gamer to the system the game is being played on. RockBand has a cool feature. A microphone and a light sensor in the guitar controller. You start a calibration process and it plays some tones through the audio system and the guitar sensors calculate the lag between when the tones were sent, and when they were heard. Then it strobes a white screen and you hold the guitar near the TV and the light sensor reads the strobes and the calculation is made to adjust the game play for the lag inherent in your system. Brilliant! This is especially important for games where you are trying to actually play music. If the sound is off, or the indicators on the screen are off, you will suck. The funny thing is, you can play with the lag if you let yourself get used to it. The brain is pretty good at adapting to adverse conditions like this.

There is also a manual calibration option, in which, the user presses a button when he/she hears the tones or sees the strobing white screen. This, while technically, less accurate, may be more accurate depending on the brain of the user. :)

Why can they not have a calibration feature for shooter games or sports games? It should be pretty easy to at least offer the manual calibration technique.

Seems similar to last weeks episode of Halt and Catch Fire