Component Better Than HDMI?

They are the connections between my Toshiba D-R560KU DVD recorder and my Toshiba 32AV502R TV. The component connection gives a much sharper picture with less conspicuous halos. At first, I used a noname $4 HDMI cable. Then, suspecting that I got what I payed for, I bought (from Walmart) and used a $26 Philips HDMI cable and there was no improvement. The status reports on the TV say both component and HDMI inputs are 480p.

Is this normal?

Also, if the recorder was "1080p upconverting" as advertised at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001415ENM/ref=cm_rdp_product/191-1353993-7234253 wouldn't the status report on the TV say "1080 p"?

They are the connections between my Toshiba D-R560KU DVD recorder and my Toshiba 32AV502R TV. The component connection gives a much sharper picture with less conspicuous halos. At first, I used a noname $4 HDMI cable. Then, suspecting that I got what I payed for, I bought (from Walmart) and used a $26 Philips HDMI cable and there was no improvement. The status reports on the TV say both component and HDMI inputs are 480p.

Is this normal?

Also, if the recorder was "1080p upconverting" as advertised at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001415ENM/ref=cm_rdp_product/191-1353993-7234253 wouldn't the status report on the TV say "1080 p"?

No. It is not normal. The player should upconvert and send a 1080P signal (over HDMI only) to the TV. Something is not set correctly on the player.

They are the connections between my Toshiba D-R560KU DVD recorder and my Toshiba 32AV502R TV. The component connection gives a much sharper picture with less conspicuous halos. At first, I used a noname $4 HDMI cable. Then, suspecting that I got what I payed for, I bought (from Walmart) and used a $26 Philips HDMI cable and there was no improvement. The status reports on the TV say both component and HDMI inputs are 480p.

Is this normal?

Also, if the recorder was "1080p upconverting" as advertised at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001415ENM/ref=cm_rdp_product/191-1353993-7234253 wouldn't the status report on the TV say "1080 p"?

The upconversion will ONLY work with HDMI.

If component looks that much better than a HDMI connection, your TV inputs need to be calibrated using a disc such as DVE, Avia or Spears and Munsil (currently the best and easiest).

There should be no difference between HDMI and component.

The upconversion will ONLY work with HDMI.

If component looks that much better than a HDMI connection, your TV inputs need to be calibrated using a disc such as DVE, Avia or Spears and Munsil (currently the best and easiest).

There should be no difference between HDMI and component.

But, component is also better than HDMI with direct feed from the recorder's tuner to the TV without DVD playback. I believe that Amazon's advertising that my recorder is 1080p upconverting is a lie. There is no mention of "1080p upconversion" in the manual. There are no available settings on either the TV or recorder that make the HDMI picture better than the component. I think at some point I was getting 720p instead of 480p through HDMI but I do not know the cause and have since been unable to reproduce this.

But, component is also better than HDMI with direct feed from the recorder's tuner to the TV without DVD playback. I believe that Amazon's advertising that my recorder is 1080p upconverting is a lie. There is no mention of "1080p upconversion" in the manual. There are no available settings on either the TV or recorder that make the HDMI picture better than the component. I think at some point I was getting 720p instead of 480p through HDMI but I do not know the cause and have since been unable to reproduce this.

I was wrong in that my recorder is, in fact, upconverting. There is a button on the recorder's remote that I hadn't noticed before that controls the HDMI resolution. However, it really doesn't help the picture quality which is still worse than that of the component. I assume that it should be best to upconvert to the TV's native resolution of 720p.

To elaborate on the problem, with HDMI, edges in an image have a bad halo. With dark objects against a lighter background, there is a light halo nearest to object followed by a dark halo. With component, both halos, but particularly the dark one, are less noticeable. Textures are rendered about equally.

I was wrong in that my recorder is, in fact, upconverting. There is a button on the recorder's remote that I hadn't noticed before that controls the HDMI resolution. However, it really doesn't help the picture quality which is still worse than that of the component. I assume that it should be best to upconvert to the TV's native resolution of 720p.

To elaborate on the problem, with HDMI, edges in an image have a bad halo. With dark objects against a lighter background, there is a light halo nearest to object followed by a dark halo. With component, both halos, but particularly the dark one, are less noticeable. Textures are rendered about equally.

Again I will say CALIBRATE your TV.

I was wrong in that my recorder is, in fact, upconverting. There is a button on the recorder's remote that I hadn't noticed before that controls the HDMI resolution. However, it really doesn't help the picture quality which is still worse than that of the component. I assume that it should be best to upconvert to the TV's native resolution of 720p.

To elaborate on the problem, with HDMI, edges in an image have a bad halo. With dark objects against a lighter background, there is a light halo nearest to object followed by a dark halo. With component, both halos, but particularly the dark one, are less noticeable. Textures are rendered about equally.

As was said before, you need to use HDMI to upscale, and what you describe sounds like you have the sharpness set too high for the HDMI input and as was also said you should get a calibration disc to adjust all settings on each input. Each input on that display has a separate memory of what settings you use so you need to adjust each for the source material.

As was said before, you need to use HDMI to upscale, and what you describe sounds like you have the sharpness set too high for the HDMI input and as was also said you should get a calibration disc to adjust all settings on each input. Each input on that display has a separate memory of what settings you use so you need to adjust each for the source material.

It is impossible to calibrate if there are no controls that can solve the problem. The HDMI picture has blurrier edges AND more prominent halos around those edges. If I sharpen less to reduce halos, the edges become blurrier. If I sharpen more to sharpen edges, the halos get worse. Thus, the sharpening controls cannot possibly solve the problem.

Regarding "need to use HDMI to upscale," you must mean in the recorder because my TV has the ability to upscale. My TV has a selection menu with these following choices:

0. Natural
1. TheatureWide 1
2. TheatureWide 2
3. TheatureWide 3
4. Full
5. 4:3 HD
6. Native

HDMI is on "Natural" and "Component" is on Full. The capability to upscale in the TV leads me to wonder why there is supposed to be an advantage to having an "upconverting" device connected.

Thanks, anyway. Now, I have to worry about whether this problem is the fault of my recorder or TV. I prefer that it is my recorder's fault because I will probably buy another recorder before another TV.

HDMI should look just like Component through you recorder, if one looks horrible then the output of your recorder is at fault.

HDMI should look just like Component through you recorder, if one looks horrible then the output of your recorder is at fault.

How do you know?

How do you know?

Because they are both connections are equally capable of of displaying a HD signal, so any variation would be because of the display or the source device having better components for one input type over the other.

How do you know?

Because I am smart and I did an A-B comparison of both HDMI and component, like PFC5 said they can both carry an HD signal.

Because I am smart and I did an A-B comparison of both HDMI and component, like PFC5 said they can both carry an HD signal.

:yippee: As everyone should once their TV's inputs have been calibrated.

Because I am smart and I did an A-B comparison of both HDMI and component, like PFC5 said they can both carry an HD signal.

I was referring to "if one looks horrible then the output of your recorder is at fault." How do you know if you don't have my recorder or TV?

What is " A-B comparison?"

I was referring to "if one looks horrible then the output of your recorder is at fault." How do you know if you don't have my recorder or TV?

Okay, theoretically it could be the HDMI input on the TV. Do you have another peice of equipment that outputs HDMI to verify? Cable box or Satelitte receiver maybe? If something else looks good connected to the TV's HDMI input, it is definitely the recorder.

What is " A-B comparison?"


A side by side comparison. As in the letters "A" and "B" are side by side.

How long ago did you buy that player?

I'd send it back and get a PS3 or a blu-ray player. You can easily do that and have TRUE HD for $299!! :eek:

Okay, theoretically it could be the HDMI input on the TV. Do you have another peice of equipment that outputs HDMI to verify? Cable box or Satelitte receiver maybe? If something else looks good connected to the TV's HDMI input, it is definitely the recorder.




A side by side comparison. As in the letters "A" and "B" are side by side.

I don't have other equipment with HDMI output. Might the cheapest such equipment to buy be a PC Video Card with HDMI output? I saw one for $63. Although there is no component out on the video card to compare, the HDMI distortion that I am looking at seems to be independent of input resolution.

Otherwise, I would be happy to hear from other people with the same brand and model TV or recorder.

How long ago did you buy that player?

I'd send it back and get a PS3 or a blu-ray player. You can easily do that and have TRUE HD for $299!! :eek:

It is a DVD recorder purchased for $141 last black Friday and I dare you to show me a Blu-ray recorder with an HD tuner for less than $300!!

:yippee: As everyone should once their TV's inputs have been calibrated.

Not only did I calibrate my LCD I calibrated it in Natural, Standard and Movie mode. The differences are smaller once you get all three modes calibrated, the differences are only in brightness, color saturation, color tone and shadow detail.

@ aruzinsky. Hooking up an HDMI cable and component cabling should look the same on properly functioning AV gear.