The problem with HDTV

[JoeZhang]

So - a couple of months ago, I purchased a TV - I hadn't had one for years (about ten). While buying it, I also decided to get a HDTV receiver (Sky HD in the UK). Fantastic....

except... when watching shows that are SD, I can't concentrate on the show, I keep thinking "is the TV tuned in right?" "why is the picture so fuzzy? Why are the colours so dull?" I've checked and it's not a technical problem, it's all working perfectly fine.

Anyone experienced this after getting HD TV?

 

[Michael Chris]

Not really, but most of the stuff I watch is in HD or at the very least on DVD.

 

[Amaris]

So - a couple of months ago, I purchased a TV - I hadn't had one for years (about ten). While buying it, I also decided to get a HDTV receiver (Sky HD in the UK). Fantastic....

except... when watching shows that are SD, I can't concentrate on the show, I keep thinking "is the TV tuned in right?" "why is the picture so fuzzy? Why are the colours so dull?" I've checked and it's not a technical problem, it's all working perfectly fine.

Anyone experienced this after getting HD TV?

I haven't noticed it, and I tend to watch for that, too.
We have a Toshiba though, which has it's own onboard color enhancing hardware.

J.

 

[Mr. B]

Different TVs have different scaling chips which vary wildly in quality. You might do well to ask about your particular model at a forum like avsforum.com. Perhaps better settings would help.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I have noticed this, especially when I first hooked up the tv. After a couple of weeks I have sort of gotten used to it though, and now I only notice it occasionally.

 

[BigFoot]

I don't really watch normal TV anymore. It's either up-scaled DVDs which look good, 720p TV shows which look really good, or Blu-ray (in 1080p) which look fantastic.

 

[RoJoHen]

My cable box crapped out on me a couple months ago, so I unplugged it and switched back to basic cable for the time being. That was really the only time I noticed a drop in picture quality.

I really need to get that box replaced, though.

 

[Bloodwhiner]

I run everything through an upscaler so while SD programs aren't really HD quality they are watchable. That was an important issue because I watch a lot of old documentaries and movies from the 40-s and 50-s.

 

[JoeZhang]

Different TVs have different scaling chips which vary wildly in quality. You might do well to ask about your particular model at a forum like avsforum.com. Perhaps better settings would help.

I did - they said it's fine, it's simply that a lot of SD content starts to look crappy after you get use to HD.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Different TVs have different scaling chips which vary wildly in quality. You might do well to ask about your particular model at a forum like avsforum.com. Perhaps better settings would help.

I did - they said it's fine, it's simply that a lot of SD content starts to look crappy after you get use to HD.

It may be that I'm running a media centre, so it's being upscalled pretty well by the graphics card, but I notice it more on other people's TVs than on my own.
I've taken to watching a lot of nature documentaries in HD, and really can't be bothered watching them in SD.

 

[Noname Given]

So - a couple of months ago, I purchased a TV - I hadn't had one for years (about ten). While buying it, I also decided to get a HDTV receiver (Sky HD in the UK). Fantastic....

except... when watching shows that are SD, I can't concentrate on the show, I keep thinking "is the TV tuned in right?" "why is the picture so fuzzy? Why are the colours so dull?" I've checked and it's not a technical problem, it's all working perfectly fine.

Anyone experienced this after getting HD TV?

Yes, I have. I don't bother with SD channels on my DirecTV list; it's all HD or nothing; and if it's a stretched or 'upconverted SD to HD' proram on the HD station, I now change the channel. After watching HD at 1080i and Blu-Ray discs at 1080p; SD TV is 'fuzzy'

 

[EnsignRicky]

There's nothing wrong with your TV. All standard definition programming looks like blocky pixelated crap on an HD TV. Sadly, so do a lot of DVDs.

 

[DarkHelmet]

There's nothing wrong with your TV. All standard definition programming looks like blocky pixelated crap on an HD TV. Sadly, so do a lot of DVDs.

Yes, but some more so than others, depending on the source.

 

[RAMA]

There's nothing wrong with your TV. All standard definition programming looks like blocky pixelated crap on an HD TV. Sadly, so do a lot of DVDs.

I haven't seen a regular DVD that doesn't look better on my HD-DVD player.

SD is never going to look good on an HDTV. Its the price we all pay for being in a transition period for TV technology.

RAMA

 

[MANT!]

SD actually looks good on my CRT HDTV..( a rare beast but I do own one)..the CRT really can switch different resolutions and they all look great..480 interlaced, 480 progressive look good though not as sharp as 720 progressive or 1080 interlaced..(the max my 2005 HDTV can get)..I have noticed with a Samsung LCD HDTV that SD looks better than on other cheaper brands (like the "Zlotney" that Radio Shack pushes on an unsuspecting public)...and that is a function of it's scaling chipset..

 

[jamestyler]

SD is never going to look good on an HDTV. Its the price we all pay for being in a transition period for TV technology.

Thats part of my argument for avoiding HD for a while. That and it just doesn't benefit me at all. But then, I did avoid DVD's for a ridiculously long period of time.

 

[backstept]

for me the problem with HDTV is the cost . . . I bought my car for less than a cheap HDTV!

 

[Franklin]

SD is never going to look good on an HDTV. Its the price we all pay for being in a transition period for TV technology.

Thats part of my argument for avoiding HD for a while. That and it just doesn't benefit me at all. But then, I did avoid DVD's for a ridiculously long period of time.

A friend got a 62" HDTV not long ago. Man, he was proud of it. The HD picture is very very good. But the picture for "standard" programming sucks. Almost unwatchable. When he flipped back and forth between an HD channel and the same channel in non-HD, it was like going from seeing with clear vision to cataracts. It bothered him so much that if a show he wants to watch isn't available in HD, he now watches it on the old 32" TV he has in another room.
His experience is the main reason why I don't have an HDTV, yet.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

for me the problem with HDTV is the cost . . . I bought my car for less than a cheap HDTV!

That must be a shitty car.

 

[Hermiod]

A friend got a 62" HDTV not long ago. Man, he was proud of it. The HD picture is very very good. But the picture for "standard" programming sucks. Almost unwatchable. When he flipped back and forth between an HD channel and the same channel in non-HD, it was like going from seeing with clear vision to cataracts. It bothered him so much that if a show he wants to watch isn't available in HD, he now watches it on the old 32" TV he has in another room.
His experience is the main reason why I don't have an HDTV, yet.

62" is a bit extreme, though. I imagine at that size you're pushing the boundaries of how good even HD can look.