Help-HD TV !

[TBman]

Our family room is finally finished. We bought one of those big Sony XBR TV sets and we got the HD TV cable box. Using the component video cables supplied with the cable box we are getting a picture that is not as clear as when we saw the TV in the store. Will using a HDMI/DVI connection give us the best possible picture?

Thanks

Barry

[Tahitijack]

Yes, using the HDMI cable will help, but sometimes the cable company is the source of the trouble. After you connect the HDMI-and the picture does not improve-have the cable guy come back to check out the signal. You may need an amplifier to improve the picture. You should also call the store where you purchased the Sony and tell them you have a problem. Do they have a set-up technician. Even if this service is not free it will be worth $100 to $200 to get the picture corrected. BTW when the set up is finished have the tech write out all the settings so you can "reset" them later if the settings are lost or go back to the origial factory set up. My guess is the audio/video shop where you purchased the Sony professionally set all the screens in order to gain the best preformance and sell them. Your probably only a short visit from a technician away from the picture you were expecting.

[TBman]

Thanks!

Barry

[barkley_01007]

Dumb question, but do you have the HD cable package to go along with the HD box? If so, are the HD channels more like what you expected? The standard digital cables don't look so terrific when you blow it up to 42,52 or 62"...that's the dirty little secret they don't tend to tell you in the store, which is why they only feed HDNet, or Discovery HD theatre etc, to show the very "best" picture possible.

[utah]

New displays are quite different from the CRT ( tube ) TV's that we used to watch.

On an LCD or plasma design, the incoming signal is always 'mapped' to the resolution spec of the display. So, standard definition signals have to be mapped to the HD resolution of the display. In essence...extra pixel information is generated by the digital signal processing to accomplish that, and it doesn't always look that great.

On the other hand, when you connect an HD signal to the TV....the digital signal processor doesn't usually have to do much or any upconverting to display it.

However, not all HD content is created equal. And, of course....HD channels are frequently broadcasting content that wasn't shot in HD in the first place.
Now, upconverted content on an HD channel will look much better than SD content on an Non-HD channel, that's being displayed on an HD TV....

but neither will look as good as excellent quality HD-Content, shot in HD and broadcast in HD.

One other factor here is this. I'm assuming that you have one of the SXRD rear projection sets from Sony ( given that you say it's big ) unless of course you have an LCD panel ( XBR2 or XBR3 series ).

Either way, those sets are 1080P resolution. They are actually upconverting all signal ( inluding 1080i or 720p HD broadcasts ) to a higher resolution panel ( about double the pixels / 2 million versus 1 million ).....so again, some upconverting might be adding some picture artifacts to what you're seeing.

But...as more 1080p content comes out ( Blu-Ray HD-DVD's for example ), your set will look amazing.

I guess the simple answer is this. The capablities of the TV exceeds for the most part, the capability of the signals you're connecting to it. For that reason....sometimes the picture quality suffers. However, as the capability of the signal you can input improves....the Sony XBR should benefit greatly from that, and you should see a big improvement in image quality.

[FNG]

Regular cable on an HDTV is marginal.

DVD on a HDTV...getting better. I went with the HDMI cable from the DVD to the TV, and component video cables from my cable box.

HDTV signal from my cable box....now we're talking. I only get 9 channels, but it is worth it.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by barkley_01007

Dumb question, but do you have the HD cable package to go along with the HD box? If so, are the HD channels more like what you expected? The standard digital cables don't look so terrific when you blow it up to 42,52 or 62"...that's the dirty little secret they don't tend to tell you in the store, which is why they only feed HDNet, or Discovery HD theatre etc, to show the very "best" picture possible.

Yes, the HD channels are fantastic. I was watching a tennis match in HD and it was just like being on the sidelines. I think ESPN broadcasts football in HD so I'm a happy guy. We'll get the HDMI/DVI cables and call the store to get a guy out to tweak the regular channels. As time goes on, more stations will be adding more HD transmissions to their schedule hopefully.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by utah

New displays are quite different from the CRT ( tube ) TV's that we used to watch.

On an LCD or plasma design, the incoming signal is always 'mapped' to the resolution spec of the display. So, standard definition signals have to be mapped to the HD resolution of the display. In essence...extra pixel information is generated by the digital signal processing to accomplish that, and it doesn't always look that great.

On the other hand, when you connect an HD signal to the TV....the digital signal processor doesn't usually have to do much or any upconverting to display it.

However, not all HD content is created equal. And, of course....HD channels are frequently broadcasting content that wasn't shot in HD in the first place.
Now, upconverted content on an HD channel will look much better than SD content on an Non-HD channel, that's being displayed on an HD TV....

but neither will look as good as excellent quality HD-Content, shot in HD and broadcast in HD.

One other factor here is this. I'm assuming that you have one of the SXRD rear projection sets from Sony ( given that you say it's big ) unless of course you have an LCD panel ( XBR2 or XBR3 series ).

Either way, those sets are 1080P resolution. They are actually upconverting all signal ( inluding 1080i or 720p HD broadcasts ) to a higher resolution panel ( about double the pixels / 2 million versus 1 million ).....so again, some upconverting might be adding some picture artifacts to what you're seeing.

But...as more 1080p content comes out ( Blu-Ray HD-DVD's for example ), your set will look amazing.

I guess the simple answer is this. The capablities of the TV exceeds for the most part, the capability of the signals you're connecting to it. For that reason....sometimes the picture quality suffers. However, as the capability of the signal you can input improves....the Sony XBR should benefit greatly from that, and you should see a big improvement in image quality.

Yes, we have the KDS-R60XBR1 model with the 1080p. I just have to brainwash my wife into realizing things will get better with time. She likes watching her soapnet alot so we can "push" her into watching that in the living room. We'll be watching movies, playing on the playstation 2/Xbox in the family room most of the time anyway.

[utah]

Originally Posted by TBman

Yes, we have the KDS-R60XBR1 model with the 1080p. I just have to brainwash my wife into realizing things will get better with time. She likes watching her soapnet alot so we can "push" her into watching that in the living room. We'll be watching movies, playing on the playstation 2/Xbox in the family room most of the time anyway.

I have a friend with the KDSR-50XBR1. He sits quite close to the set, which is where the 1080p improvement comes in hand ( less visible picture architecture ). Initially, he had his set hooked to Standard Definition Satelite. He then switched to HD-Digital Cable. Big improvement.

Yes...it's going to take time for the quality of signal to catch up to the TV's. But, in general you set should look very good on HD broadcasts....and maybe not so good on Standard Def broadcasts. If you're finding that the HD broadcasts don't look up to snuff....you might want to consider switching providers if possible. Maybe switching from HD cable to HD Satelite, or vice-versa if possible.

[barkley_01007]

Also, I found the more spoiled I got with HD broadcasts, the less I could stomach standard def....guess I've turned into one of those HD snobs my mother warned me about.

[gteague]

Originally Posted by utah

<Del>But, in general you set should look very good on HD broadcasts....a<DeL>

none of my late night skin-o-flicks are in hd yet.

actually, one showed up the other day. a nude spoof of 'raiders of the lost ark'. but it seemed more like a proof-of-concept than anything serious.

/guy

[crowdedstr]

Originally Posted by TBman

Yes, the HD channels are fantastic. I was watching a tennis match in HD and it was just like being on the sidelines. I think ESPN broadcasts football in HD so I'm a happy guy.

i hate to say it, but i'm thoroughly unimpressed with the quality of ESPN's broadcasts... from nfl football to world series of poker, i think it really leaves a lot to be desired.

i've found the cbs, fox, and nfl network broadcasts to be fantastic though... which is fine cause you'll get many more games via cbs and fox than you will on espn within a given week.

10 days till the season opener!!

[barkley_01007]

Originally Posted by crowdedstr

i hate to say it, but i'm thoroughly unimpressed with the quality of ESPN's broadcasts...

\


...that may be, but you have got to give them a thumbs up for sportscenter. that set is killer in HD.

[crowdedstr]

Originally Posted by barkley_01007

\


...that may be, but you have got to give them a thumbs up for sportscenter. that set is killer in HD.

I take back my statement to a certain extent...

the Monday night football broadcast looked very good the other night, and also the pre/post game stuff. SportsCenter has been good too.

some of their programming still sucks though