bbjamie14
I recently bought a 1080p lcd hdtv, right now im watching tv just through basic cable without a cable box or anything else. But when im watching tv i dont feel the picture quality is very good, it looks somewhat blurry and i just dont feel like im getting what im suppose to. I wasnt really expecting that though it being an HD ready tv and putting out 1080p. Would getting an HD cable box from my cable provider help?
Answer
The picture looks bad because you are looking at standard-definition channels, not HD channels.
HDTVs usually make standard-def channels look WORSE, not better!
So what you need to do is get some HD channels.
To do that with cable, you probably have to upgrade your cable account to pay extra for HD and get an HD cable box. But before you do that, you could try without a box, and have your TV scan for new channels (tell it you have digital cable when you start the scan), and it may pick up a few channels (mostly major networks) in HD. If you are happy with just those in HD, you might not need to pay extra for HD.
The picture looks bad because you are looking at standard-definition channels, not HD channels.
HDTVs usually make standard-def channels look WORSE, not better!
So what you need to do is get some HD channels.
To do that with cable, you probably have to upgrade your cable account to pay extra for HD and get an HD cable box. But before you do that, you could try without a box, and have your TV scan for new channels (tell it you have digital cable when you start the scan), and it may pick up a few channels (mostly major networks) in HD. If you are happy with just those in HD, you might not need to pay extra for HD.
HDTV With Picture Quality Problems?
Michael A
We got a Samsung 32" HDTV (New Version) but we only have Basic Cable Channals right now (Not HD or Digital) but the channels are coming out blurry or a bit out of picture. Will this change when we get HD and Digital and what do we need to improve the picture or get when we get digital and HD? Also are the Digital all in HD or is it only the HD listed ones? Are digital Channels going to come out a lot better than Basic? Do we need a HDMI cable? DO we need a HD Box and does it convert?
Answer
Your picture quality will change for the better when you get HD.
When you get HD you will need to connect the set top box to the TV with either Component or HDMI cable. Component uses the 3 connectors (that are usually marked with red, green, and blue). HDMI is a single cable.
Digital broadcast does not mean HD. The cable company transmit in digital so they can give you more features and/or channels. You will need a set top box that will send HD format to your TV.
You don't necessarily need an HDMI cable to view HD. Component cables can carry an HD signal too up to 1080i which is the highest that the cable company will broadcast. HDMI can carry 1080p which some HD DVD players or HD Video Game Consoles can produce.
Having an HD box is a vast improvement over the standard box, especially if you have a bigger screen.
In the meantime, until you get your HD box, there are a couple minor adjustments you can make to your TV setup. The first is to switch cables if you need to and the second is to check the calibration of your TV.
Switch to component cables if your box has component output. If your box doesn't have component output, check to see if you have S-video outputs. S-video is better than the one yellow RCA looking connector that is called composite. The worst setup you can have is to connect the TV to the box with a coax cable. Step up to either S-video or the 3-signal component (better).
Next, slip in a video test pattern disk. You probably already have one and don't know it. Any DVD with the THX logo on it will have the video test patterns (e.g. Disney's Ice Age 2). Go into the setup menu and choose "THX optimizer". You want to check your set for contrast, brightness, and color. The brightness and contrast are interactive. Think of the intensity of each pixel on your TV as a number from 1-10. If the contrast and brightness is off, you many not get the full range of intensity your set is capable of. The contrast changes the overall range and the brightness offsets it. For example, if your contrast is set too low to say, in this example an 8, you may only be able to display 8/10 of the possible intensities. Setting the brightness up may allow you to see the intensities from 3 to 10 or setting the brightness too low will allow you to see intensities from 1 to 8.
The video test pattern of THX Optimizer shows a white rectangle within a black background. Inside the white rectangle are 8 separate squares of different shades of white. The contrast should be as high as possible while still being able see the 8 separate squares. The contrast is interactive with brightness. The brightness test pattern has 10 shades as well and if the brightness is correct only 7 should be visible, with the 7th just barely visible. You'll have to go back and forth between the two adjustments and narrow in on the correct setting. You'll know you are done when you don't have to tweak either one. Then you're off to do the color. Your set may have a color temperature setting which should be on low or 6500K. Cyan and Magenta should look correct when the color is set right. If you have the $2 filter from the THX website they will look the same when you look through the paper filter glasses (because on a properly setup display both cyan and magenta contain the same amount of blue).
The only compicated part is that each input type (UHF, composite, S-video, Component, and HDMI) have their own unique calibrations. If you use the disk with test patterns, just note what you set it to and change all the other inputs to be similar and check them out - hopefully they'll be the same. On top of that, some sets use different unique calibrations for each format (480i, 720p, 1080i, etc.)
Hope that helps.
Your picture quality will change for the better when you get HD.
When you get HD you will need to connect the set top box to the TV with either Component or HDMI cable. Component uses the 3 connectors (that are usually marked with red, green, and blue). HDMI is a single cable.
Digital broadcast does not mean HD. The cable company transmit in digital so they can give you more features and/or channels. You will need a set top box that will send HD format to your TV.
You don't necessarily need an HDMI cable to view HD. Component cables can carry an HD signal too up to 1080i which is the highest that the cable company will broadcast. HDMI can carry 1080p which some HD DVD players or HD Video Game Consoles can produce.
Having an HD box is a vast improvement over the standard box, especially if you have a bigger screen.
In the meantime, until you get your HD box, there are a couple minor adjustments you can make to your TV setup. The first is to switch cables if you need to and the second is to check the calibration of your TV.
Switch to component cables if your box has component output. If your box doesn't have component output, check to see if you have S-video outputs. S-video is better than the one yellow RCA looking connector that is called composite. The worst setup you can have is to connect the TV to the box with a coax cable. Step up to either S-video or the 3-signal component (better).
Next, slip in a video test pattern disk. You probably already have one and don't know it. Any DVD with the THX logo on it will have the video test patterns (e.g. Disney's Ice Age 2). Go into the setup menu and choose "THX optimizer". You want to check your set for contrast, brightness, and color. The brightness and contrast are interactive. Think of the intensity of each pixel on your TV as a number from 1-10. If the contrast and brightness is off, you many not get the full range of intensity your set is capable of. The contrast changes the overall range and the brightness offsets it. For example, if your contrast is set too low to say, in this example an 8, you may only be able to display 8/10 of the possible intensities. Setting the brightness up may allow you to see the intensities from 3 to 10 or setting the brightness too low will allow you to see intensities from 1 to 8.
The video test pattern of THX Optimizer shows a white rectangle within a black background. Inside the white rectangle are 8 separate squares of different shades of white. The contrast should be as high as possible while still being able see the 8 separate squares. The contrast is interactive with brightness. The brightness test pattern has 10 shades as well and if the brightness is correct only 7 should be visible, with the 7th just barely visible. You'll have to go back and forth between the two adjustments and narrow in on the correct setting. You'll know you are done when you don't have to tweak either one. Then you're off to do the color. Your set may have a color temperature setting which should be on low or 6500K. Cyan and Magenta should look correct when the color is set right. If you have the $2 filter from the THX website they will look the same when you look through the paper filter glasses (because on a properly setup display both cyan and magenta contain the same amount of blue).
The only compicated part is that each input type (UHF, composite, S-video, Component, and HDMI) have their own unique calibrations. If you use the disk with test patterns, just note what you set it to and change all the other inputs to be similar and check them out - hopefully they'll be the same. On top of that, some sets use different unique calibrations for each format (480i, 720p, 1080i, etc.)
Hope that helps.
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