First to HDTV question

[TremblingBluStar]

I figured this would fit better here than in Science and Tech, since it has absolutely nothing to do with science, at least until I start taking things apart to experiment.

A few days back I upgraded televisions in a major way. I went from a 19'' set that I have used for nearly the past year to a 37'' Sylvania LC370SS9 that was on sale at my local Target for $600. I picked that set because it was the only 37'' set available, and the cheapest between Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. The video and audio quality were excellent from viewing in store as well. http://www.dealtime.com/xPO-Sylvania-LC370SS8

I have the TV connected from my cable source and DVD recorder through a coaxial cable and an RCA cable when playing DVD's. Problems I immediately noticed is extreme blurriness when viewing broadcast networks. I haven't tried DVD's yet (except for my Buffy set, which showed some of the same blurring), but no movies so I am unsure as to whether the blurring is from simply converting a non-HD signal (my cable provider has no HD) to HDTV resolutions.

Basically, there is tons of motion blur. When a character moves his face or hand, for example, there will sometimes be "ghosting" before the pixels refresh themselves. I don't think this has anthing to do with the television, as reviews I have read online are extremely positive, and the display model at Target had none of these issues.

I'm going to get a component video cable for the DVD player (it has no HDMI output) and give that a shot to see if image quality improves. Otherwise, does anybody have any further suggestions to get the most out of image quality on the set? Is it possible my set is defective?

 

[Timby]

Your problem is your source. If you're watching SD content on an HD set through RCA and coaxial cables, then your shitty picture is no surprise.

 

[Brolan]

What JKTim said, you need an HD source to get an HD picture. And SD often looks horrible on HDTV because of the scaling differences and the much larger screen.

We often answer HDTV questions in the Science and Tech forum.

 

[Sledder]

Agreed with the two answers above.

 

[Garrovick]

Just a thought, but are you running your input source through the DVD recorder to the TV? If so, that would be a bottle neck.

Also I've read that a TV under 50 inches should be 720 max and the DVD should be blu-ray. At least that's what I'm going for.

 

[Small White Car]

There are ways to maximize the quality of SD on an HD set.

1) With any A/V equipment you have, always try to use S-Video or Component cables if you can. (Component being the best choice.) Using coax or composite cables is never ideal.

2) Get an HD-up-converting DVD player and use either HDMI or Component cables with it. This should be possible for $50 or possibly less. If that's too much, at LEAST get a progressive-scan player with Component output. If you don't even have that much you're in big trouble.

3) Go through the menus. Every manufacturer likes to hide their own secret "enhanced" modes that are supposed to make the picture look better. A lot of times they don't, experiment with turning things on and off.

 

[TremblingBluStar]

Just a thought, but are you running your input source through the DVD recorder to the TV? If so, that would be a bottle neck.

Shouldn't be. It's no different than playing through a VCR, which does absolutely nothing to impede the signal while the system is not turned on.

There are ways to maximize the quality of SD on an HD set.

1) With any A/V equipment you have, always try to use S-Video or Component cables if you can. (Component being the best choice.) Using coax or composite cables is never ideal.

I just purchased component cables and hooked them up. They definetly help with the image of DVD's, while the image of the cable networks is unchanged. I've found the image can be made to improve slightly when I play with the image sharpness. By default it was maxed out, for some reason, causing the grainy picture.

My Buffy DVD's still look pretty rough, but that could just be from being a 10 year old show not shot in high-def. Also, I'm not sure about the quality of my DVD recorder (it was a cheapie).

2) Get an HD-up-converting DVD player and use either HDMI or Component cables with it. This should be possible for $50 or possibly less. If that's too much, at LEAST get a progressive-scan player with Component output. If you don't even have that much you're in big trouble.

I'll check into getting a DVD recorder that does upscaling. I'm not sure if the one I have does or not, to be quite honest. It's a SV-2000 unit that was on sale at Walmart for $60 because it was being discontinued, and I couldn't pass up. This was a year ago, and I'd think if it did upscale the feature would be displayed prominantly on the front.

As for what I can afford, if I were that broke I wouldn't have bought the TV! :LOL:

Thank God for my tax refund!

 

[Captain Ice]

Does your cable box support S video, HDMI, or component video cables?

 

[Sledder]

Does your cable box support S video, HDMI, or component video cables?

I don't think he has a cable box, I got the impression he was putting the cable directly into the back of the tv.

 

[Noname Given]

I figured this would fit better here than in Science and Tech, since it has absolutely nothing to do with science, at least until I start taking things apart to experiment.

A few days back I upgraded televisions in a major way. I went from a 19'' set that I have used for nearly the past year to a 37'' Sylvania LC370SS9 that was on sale at my local Target for $600. I picked that set because it was the only 37'' set available, and the cheapest between Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. The video and audio quality were excellent from viewing in store as well.

I have the TV connected from my cable source and DVD recorder through a coaxial cable and an RCA cable when playing DVD's. Problems I immediately noticed is extreme blurriness when viewing broadcast networks. I haven't tried DVD's yet (except for my Buffy set, which showed some of the same blurring), but no movies so I am unsure as to whether the blurring is from simply converting a non-HD signal (my cable provider has no HD) to HDTV resolutions.

Basically, there is tons of motion blur. When a character moves his face or hand, for example, there will sometimes be "ghosting" before the pixels refresh themselves. I don't think this has anthing to do with the television, as reviews I have read online are extremely positive, and the display model at Target had none of these issues.

I'm going to get a component video cable for the DVD player (it has no HDMI output) and give that a shot to see if image quality improves. Otherwise, does anybody have any further suggestions to get the most out of image quality on the set? Is it possible my set is defective?

If you've taken the plunge for an HD set; it's time to upgrade your cable box (or whatever your using and start subcribing to an ACTUAL HD service. Get a box that will support HDMI and use an HDMI cable from the box to your set.

Next, Blu-Ray players have come down in price; and will play and upconvert standard DVDs automatically as well. Plus, you can start getting native Blu-Ray discs; and once you watch those - standard def signals will ALWAYS seem fuzzy/out of focus from them on. A standard def signal doesn't look all that great on an HD set, and never will. If you've decided to 'take the pluge' (which I did bacl in 2006); time to go all the way - until you do, you'll be very underwhelmed with the performance of your new set.

 

[the_wildcard]

And for HDMI cables, look online for deals. Do not buy them in the store. They are absoutely ridiciously expensive. I spent $10 for 2 6 feet cables with free shipping.

Check out the online deal websites like www.bensbargains.net first for deals on hdmi cables.

 

[Small White Car]

If you've taken the plunge for an HD set; it's time to upgrade your cable box (or whatever your using and start subcribing to an ACTUAL HD service. Get a box that will support HDMI and use an HDMI cable from the box to your set.

I'm just gonna save some time here instead of waiting for him to come back and say it.

(my cable provider has no HD)

 

[Sean Aaron]

Also a good idea to get DVD Video Essentials to help calibrate your set. There's also the fact that LCD TVs don't deal with a lot of movement (sports and action films) unless they have a good image processor.

 

[erastus25]

And for HDMI cables, look online for deals. Do not buy them in the store. They are absoutely ridiciously expensive. I spent $10 for 2 6 feet cables with free shipping.

Check out the online deal websites like www.bensbargains.net first for deals on hdmi cables.

Amazon is also good. I got a similar deal through them quite recently.

 

[RAMA]

It occurs to me that we don't know if your cable box supports HD programming! You can't automatically get HD with an HDTV, nor will channels that are not being shown in HD look sharp.

RAMA

 

[CaptainHawk1]

And for HDMI cables, look online for deals. Do not buy them in the store. They are absoutely ridiciously expensive. I spent $10 for 2 6 feet cables with free shipping.

Check out the online deal websites like www.bensbargains.net first for deals on hdmi cables.

Amazon is also good. I got a similar deal through them quite recently.

You find me anyone who beats Monoprice and I'll eat an HDMI cable.

It's absolutely offensivethat HDMI cables are selling for $60 and $100 at Best Buy.

What I recently discovered as well is the phenomenal difference between 1080i and 1080p. My old TV, a 53" Panasonic rear projection HD TV c. 2003, 2004 with a max. output of 1080i had the IC circuit blow on it a couple of weeks ago so I went and got a 65" Mitsubishi DLP HDTV and I'm absolutely amazed at the difference between Blu Ray on 1080p and 1080i and 720p. It's not even close.

Also, I realized just how much my cable company is screwing me with HD as well because my HD DVR maxes out at 1080i.

The bottom line is as pointed out, the video source and cables mean everything when it comes to getting the most out of your HD TV.

 

[Sledder]

Also, I realized just how much my cable company is screwing me with HD as well because my HD DVR maxes out at 1080i.

There are no TV stations that broadcast at 1080p so there is absolutely no reason for your DVR to output at anything higher than 1080i.

 

[CaptainHawk1]

Also, I realized just how much my cable company is screwing me with HD as well because my HD DVR maxes out at 1080i.

There are no TV stations that broadcast at 1080p so there is absolutely no reason for your DVR to output at anything higher than 1080i.

Yeah, the Cox cable guy said that last night but it still doesn't change the fact that I'm getting screwed out of 1080p.

 

[Sledder]

Also, I realized just how much my cable company is screwing me with HD as well because my HD DVR maxes out at 1080i.

There are no TV stations that broadcast at 1080p so there is absolutely no reason for your DVR to output at anything higher than 1080i.

Yeah, the Cox cable guy said that effect last night but it still doesn't change the fact that I'm getting screwed out of 1080p.

How are you getting screwed out of 1080p? It's simply not available, to anyone. How is that the cable company's fault?

I doubt that's going to change anytime soon, it would take twice the bandwidth to transmit a show at 1080p as it would at 1080i so you would get 1/2 as many HD channels from your cable provider.

If you want to take it up with someone take it up with the TV networks but good luck with that.

 

[CaptainHawk1]

There are no TV stations that broadcast at 1080p so there is absolutely no reason for your DVR to output at anything higher than 1080i.

Yeah, the Cox cable guy said that effect last night but it still doesn't change the fact that I'm getting screwed out of 1080p.

How are you getting screwed out of 1080p? It's simply not available, to anyone. How is that the cable company's fault?

I doubt that's going to change anytime soon, it would take twice the bandwidth to transmit a show at 1080p as it would at 1080i so you would get 1/2 as many HD channels from your cable provider.

If you want to take it up with someone take it up with the TV networks but good luck with that.

It's everyone' fault.

I blame the man.

When you support and rally around a technology without having the ability to take advantage of its full capabilities and you do it as a coordinated effort between hardware manufacturers, broadcasters and cable/satellite providers and then you pitch it to the public without giving them the full scoop then it's collusion and it's everyone's fault.

So I blame everyone.

I might even blame you, too.

As for not seeing 1080p any time soon, apparently this isn't the case.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/04/16/1080p-channels-on-the-way-according-to-tandberg-ceo/

I've read other articles that indicate this as well.