HDTV guidance

[UGotSmkd]

I just bought an 1080p LCD HDTV, that was flickering on and off upon initial start up, but seems ok now. The problem I am having seems to be that the picture comes out kind of fuzzy. It isn't as clear as the exact same model that was in the store. It is hooked up with standard coax cables to a converter box. Does the tv have a "break in" period or could it be the cables?

Some of the channels were HD channels, btw.

[Wag 42]

You shouldn't have that problem. I'd check the cables.

[majesticix]

I assume you don't have an HD cable box or Satellite receiver and are just receiving local channels in HD via the converter box? The stores will demo strictly HD material via either blu-ray or HD cable/satellite provider boxes generally. Not sure how your converter box handles HD content, it may be down-converting it to SD. If there are any HD outputs such as component, DVI, or HDMI, I would go with either of those cables (HDMI preferably).

[Greg@PacePerformance]

Coax on HDTV that is the problem....

[Wag 42]

I assume you don't have an HD cable box or Satellite receiver and are just receiving local channels in HD via the converter box? The stores will demo strictly HD material via either blu-ray or HD cable/satellite provider boxes generally. Not sure how your converter box handles HD content, it may be down-converting it to SD. If there are any HD outputs such as component, DVI, or HDMI, I would go with either of those cables (HDMI preferably).

Good point. Sounds like the box to TV isn't connected VIA HDMI or Component cables.

[Nickj]

Ok, to help.... when you say converter box, you are talking about a cable or satellite box I presume? As for a fuzzy picture, even digital, standard TV channel's will appear a little blurry while true HD channels will appear much much crisper. Its about the broadcast itself, all HD Broadcasting is 720p/1080i while the standard digital signal is much lower quality... Check out this for more info on that:
DTV Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_television)

Formats and bandwidth

Digital television supports many different picture formats defined by the combination of size, aspect ratio (width to height ratio) and interlacing. With terrestrial broadcasting in the USA, the range of formats can be coarsely divided into two categories: HDTV and SDTV. It should be noted that these terms by themselves are not very precise, and many subtle intermediate cases exist.

High-definition television (HDTV), one of several different formats that can be transmitted over DTV, uses different formats, amongst which: 1280 × 720 pixels in progressive scan mode (abbreviated 720p) or 1920 × 1080 pixels in interlace mode (1080i). Each of these utilizes a 16:9 aspect ratio. (Some televisions are capable of receiving an HD resolution of 1920 × 1080 at a 60 Hz progressive scan frame rate — known as 1080p, but this standard is not currently used for transmission.) HDTV cannot be transmitted over current analog channels.

Standard definition TV (SDTV), by comparison, may use one of several different formats taking the form of various aspect ratios depending on the technology used in the country of broadcast. For 4:3 aspect-ratio broadcasts, the 640 × 480 format is used in NTSC countries, while 720 × 576 is used in PAL countries. For 16:9 broadcasts, the 704 × 480 format is used in NTSC countries, while 720 × 576 is used in PAL countries. However, broadcasters may choose to reduce these resolutions to save bandwidth (e.g., many DVB-T channels in the United Kingdom use a horizontal resolution of 544 or 704 pixels per line).[5]

Each commercial terrestrial DTV channel in North America is permitted to be broadcast at a data rate up to 19 megabits per second, or 2.375 megabytes per second. However, the broadcaster does not need to use this entire bandwidth for just one broadcast channel. Instead the broadcast can be subdivided across several video subchannels (aka feeds) of varying quality and compression rates, including non-video datacasting services that allow one-way high-bandwidth streaming of data to computers.

A broadcaster may opt to use a standard-definition digital signal instead of an HDTV signal, because current convention allows the bandwidth of a DTV channel (or "multiplex") to be subdivided into multiple subchannels (similar to what most FM stations offer with HD Radio), providing multiple feeds of entirely different programming on the same channel. This ability to provide either a single HDTV feed or multiple lower-resolution feeds is often referred to as distributing one's "bit budget" or multicasting. This can sometimes be arranged automatically, using a statistical multiplexer (or "stat-mux"). With some implementations, image resolution may be less directly limited by bandwidth; for example in DVB-T, broadcasters can choose from several different modulation schemes, giving them the option to reduce the transmission bitrate and make reception easier for more distant or mobile viewers.


A few questions....

What TV Service? I assume you have the HD service with them....
Are you hooking the box up to the TV via HDMI?
Have you changed the settings on the box to the highest resolution possible (720p/1080i - none offer 1080P just yet)?

I dont even claim to be an expert, but, I have worked at Best Buy for 10 years (management) and I pick up a lot of good info on the cool new stuff.


EDIT: Damn me for taking too long to type, Ida been the third response if I was quicker!

[GXPPilot]

What model TV? What service/receiver are you hooking up to?

Your receiver should have HDMI out, in that case head back up to the store and get a cable to hook up that way, then see what you get.

[majesticix]

Coax on HDTV that is the problem....

Actually with a QAM tuner in the TV you can hook up Coax from your cable jack and get local HD channels. Of course, you're better off getting the actual HD box so you can get all your HD channels.

[UGotSmkd]

It's digital cable converter box from Comcast. The TV itself, has connections for DVI, HDMI< and USB.

[UGotSmkd]

Samsung LN40B550 - 40" LCD....if that helps.

Right now it's just coax from wall to cable box to TV.

[UGotSmkd]

I assume you don't have an HD cable box or Satellite receiver and are just receiving local channels in HD via the converter box? The stores will demo strictly HD material via either blu-ray or HD cable/satellite provider boxes generally. Not sure how your converter box handles HD content, it may be down-converting it to SD. If there are any HD outputs such as component, DVI, or HDMI, I would go with either of those cables (HDMI preferably).

So there is and HD cable box and then your standard digital one?

[Wag 42]

Yes sir, there is. If you have a Comcast office close by, you can just take your box down and switch it for an HDTV box. Make sure to get an HDMI cable from them-they don't charge for it.

[UGotSmkd]

Yes sir, there is. If you have a Comcast office close by, you can just take your box down and switch it for an HDTV box. Make sure to get an HDMI cable from them-they don't charge for it.

I wonder why they never mentioned it when setting up the service, or why I never saw it as an option on their website.

[gearhead455]

Samsung LN40B550 - 40" LCD....if that helps.

Right now it's just coax from wall to cable box to TV.


This is your problem,to watch HD you need to have an HD cable box and HD programming and use an HDMI cable from the box to the TV,watching regular TV programming on an HDTV the picture will look like sh!t

[gearhead455]

Learn more from the best AV forum on the internet!!!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/

[r1owner]

LOL! I can't believe the Comcast dude didn't mention that! I would call Comcast and say hey, my new HD picture looks like crap. Your service sucks and I'm going to DirecTV! ;)

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

I have Comcast and had to request an HD box for both my HD LCD TV's, so it doesn't surprise me that they gave him a standard digital box. Here's something I learned recently and I bet a lot of people don't know this. I can burn 720p HD movies on a standard 4.7GB DVD with my DVD burner in my PC and play them in high definition with my Blu-Ray player. I get a beautiful 720p HD picture and 5.1 Dolby digital surround.

[r1owner]

Sorry, a standard DVD will not produce a full length HD film. The blu-ray player is upconverting the content of the DVD you made.

[Nickj]

Heh, blu-ray discs are 25-100GB's at the moment.... the enhanced picture and sound takes up a hefty amount of space.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

Sorry, a standard DVD will not produce a full length HD film. The blu-ray player is upconverting the content of the DVD you made.
Sorry but it IS a full HD movie, it's not upcoverted and displays a true 1280 x 720p picture. It's called AVCHD and it utilizes the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression codec and Dolby AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio compression codec. It's the same format a digital video camera uses to record and playback an HD movie in 720p. Actually it also supports 1920 x 1080p, but too much compression is needed and video quality suffers, so I just use 720p and the picture quality is fantastic. After I burn the movie on the standard DVD it won't play in standard DVD player, it will only play on a Blu-Ray player. You can read all about it in the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD

[UGotSmkd]

LOL! I can't believe the Comcast dude didn't mention that! I would call Comcast and say hey, my new HD picture looks like crap. Your service sucks and I'm going to DirecTV! ;)

Well, I didn't tell them when I set up the service. I just figured the standard converter was all I needed. When he came out to hook it up, all I had at that time was a small TV because my HDTV hadn't arrived yet. I think that is why he never mentioned anything.

[Struggle]

When we switched to a Sony flat screen we just plugged into the coaxial for the current cable at that time and what a huge disappointment the picture was just like you saw.

We are now running with DishNetwork and it is night and day difference. HDMI hook up. HD is sometimes a little to revealing if you watch stuff like Dirty Jobs.

[fiveoh]

BTW I think you have to pay $5 extra a month for the HD box if I remember correctly.

Comcast in Houston blows, get att uverse if you can imo.

[Wag 42]

And don't forget the extra $$$ if you want a HD DVR...

[G8GXP4now]

There are 2 HD boxes available for Comcast. One has the ability to record on the built in hard drive, and the other doesn't have a hard drive.

Get the one with hard drive. I don't think I ever watch live TV anymore.

Do you have a blu-ray player yet? You will be amazed by how nice 1080p looks.

[Nickj]

Sorry but it IS a full HD movie, it's not upcoverted and displays a true 1280 x 720p picture. It's called AVCHD and it utilizes the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression codec and Dolby AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio compression codec. It's the same format a digital video camera uses to record and playback an HD movie in 720p. Actually it also supports 1920 x 1080p, but too much compression is needed and video quality suffers, so I just use 720p and the picture quality is fantastic. After I burn the movie on the standard DVD it won't play in standard DVD player, it will only play on a Blu-Ray player. You can read all about it in the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD


I doubt highly that it compares to Blu-Ray technology at 1080p, but then again, it is camcorder technology, so, 720p would be the most likely format due to size constraint on the standard DVD and the mini-dvd that it was intended for. Maybe a DL DVD, but, even then, it still wont compare to a side by side comparison with a Blu-Ray.

Interesting idea, but, the tech hasnt quite caught up for burning movies in 1080p yet. Yes its possible, but, I have yet to see something do it easily or with as good a quality as a produced BD movie.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

The quality of the picture from a DVD disc recorded in AVCHD is EXACTLY the same as the picture quality of a 720p HD TV broadcast. Plus I have compared the picture of a 1080p Blu-Ray disc with a DVD burned using AVCHD in 720p, and there's very little difference in picture quality between the two of them. Besides all Blu-Ray movies aren't 1080p, some of them are 720p, so Blu-Ray isn't just displayed in super high definition.


Interesting idea, but, the tech hasnt quite caught up for burning movies in 1080p yet. Yes its possible, but, I have yet to see something do it easily or with as good a quality as a produced BD movie.
Sure it has, if you have a Blu-Ray burner you can burn a 25 GB Blu-Ray writable disc in 1080p using the same utilities I use to burn the AVCHD DVD discs, with ZERO loss in picture quality. I'm just too cheap to buy a Blu-Ray burner and writable Blu-Ray discs that cost $5 a piece, instead of .20 a piece for a standard writable DVD disc.

[BehemothGXP]

If you don't have Verizon Fios, get DirectTV or DishTV. Comcast sucks.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

Comcast is great, I get lots of HD channels, hardly ever is the service down, and the internet is blazing fast.

[IcePickFreak]

Comcast likes to compress their HD stuff, and last I heard (a month or two ago) they were talking about compressing it even more. Sure it's HD, but at a low bit-rate, so it doesn't look that hot compared to true HD broadcasts.

[DRCUSTOMPARTS]

It looks just fine to me.