Newbie here..need help with picture quality

Potapie · 03-09-2007, 09:14 AM

Hello, I'm very new to HD and trying to learn as much as I can to get the most out of my new tv. We just purchased 52" Sharp Aquos LCD. We are using Rogers and have connected an Explorer 3250HD box. A tech. guy from Rogers was here yesterday and boosted our signal. He said that on a scale of 1 - 10, we've got a 9. The HD channels look good but the analog channels not so good. We are getting a lot of 'pixenation' (this is what the Rogers guy called it). It's particularly bad on some channels, ie. the golf channel, when the golfer is walking across the greens, i can see these little pixels moving on my tv. I went to Future Shop yesterday and the use Rogers in the store and basically the picture quality on analog channels in the store was the same. The guy I spoke to suggested I buy Monster THX Ultra 1000 Component video cables. He had these cables hooked up on a different TV (also LCD) and the picture was better on analog channels but I'm not sure that's due to the cables or the tv itself. The cables are about 247.00 although i can get them for less on Ebay but I wanted to ask for your opinion before I go ahead and buy them. The other thing I should mention is that the rogers guy put in a splitter so that my new lcd and my bedroom tv share the same line. He did this because my bedroom line was bad. Would the splitter make my picture worse?
I also have the option of switching to BEV. It would appear that almost everyone in my neighbourhood uses BEV and I'm not sure why that is. I'm sure the question has been asked before, but do you think I would get betteer pic. quality on analog channels with BEV.
Is there anything else I can try to improve the pic. quality with Rogers? ie. use different cables for the line?

Thanks in advance.

Mingy · 03-09-2007, 03:31 PM

Ok. First, step away from the Scamster cables. I mean the Fraudster cables. No, I meant the Monster cables. They are a rip off and do no good to anybody but the people selling them.

In general, SD looks awful on and HDTV. Pixelation is caused by either a weak signal (actually a loss of signal followed by an attempt to 'catch up') which is unlikely in your case because you have cable, and HD looks good; or by 'over compression' which is why you see it often on PBS 'HD'. In your case , it likely originates with the STB, not the TV so 'better' cables, which Monster are not, wouldn't make a difference.

I have BEV, so I don't know about the specifics with Rogers, but I am told the cable guys are having trouble delivering HD + broadband + lots of SD and are cranking the compression up to make SD channels fit. This could be the problem. You can ask your neighbors who have Rogers what their experience is.

Usually, BEV doesn't show this sort of stuff, but it does suffer from the problems associated with satellite like no signal at all during heavy precipitation.

audicfa · 04-04-2007, 05:02 PM

I have had the same experience as Potapie. I have a 46 inch Sharp Aquos LCD with a Shaw PVR. I am running component video to the TV from the box. We have signal booster as well. The pic quality on SD channels is quite frankly aweful. HD channels are mostly quite good although quality does vary. CBC HD for sports inferior to what I have experienced with TSN HD. Fox HD is wow! I am also running a Toshiba HD DVD player which is great too.

I have 3 kids and am new to HDTVs so don't have alot of time to muck around with different set ups or for that matter read manuals.( I have a weeks holiday coming up so I may just have to devote some time to figure this all out) I recently had Shaw upgrade my box to digital feed ( meant to sharpen up SD channels) and was wondering if I need to change the Shaw box settings to 720p rather than have them set at 480p. 480p is the current and pre-digital setting. Since the upgrade to digital feed, no noticeable change to SD pic quality.

luminous · 06-04-2007, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mingy

Ok. First, step away from the Scamster cables. I mean the Fraudster cables. No, I meant the Monster cables. They are a rip off and do no good to anybody but the people selling them.

In general, SD looks awful on and HDTV. Pixelation is caused by either a weak signal (actually a loss of signal followed by an attempt to 'catch up') which is unlikely in your case because you have cable, and HD looks good; or by 'over compression' which is why you see it often on PBS 'HD'. In your case , it likely originates with the STB, not the TV so 'better' cables, which Monster are not, wouldn't make a difference.

Personal i did see an improvement with better cabling from standard included cables to Acoustic research and Monster without changing to a better connection. Better Picture Quality and Sound Volumes. I do not think the top end cables are necessary but the low or midrange cables are nice and i think any reputable companies shielded cables will do fine. I only got the brands i did because i have the ability to get cost. This not include the Optical or the DVI/HDMI cables, as with either of these if the signal works it works. Don't believe me go buy one and check.

hddvdguy · 06-04-2007, 07:36 PM

Try using HDMI slot. Maybe can get a 1080i signal if the LCD is capable. If it doesnt have HDMI take it back.

**rbinck** · 06-04-2007, 09:07 PM

This is a common complaint for satellite and cable users. SD is just overcompressed and combine that with the 52" screen size and you have a recipe for ugly video. Try using your PIP to put two windows side by side. If the picture is back to good, then you set is just too big for the quality of SD service you have.

mcfly · 06-08-2007, 09:19 PM

is there any way to fix pixelation on my hdtv??

03-09-2007, 09:14 AM	#1
Potapie What is HD? Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kitchener, ON Posts: 1	Newbie here..need help with picture quality Hello, I'm very new to HD and trying to learn as much as I can to get the most out of my new tv. We just purchased 52" Sharp Aquos LCD. We are using Rogers and have connected an Explorer 3250HD box. A tech. guy from Rogers was here yesterday and boosted our signal. He said that on a scale of 1 - 10, we've got a 9. The HD channels look good but the analog channels not so good. We are getting a lot of 'pixenation' (this is what the Rogers guy called it). It's particularly bad on some channels, ie. the golf channel, when the golfer is walking across the greens, i can see these little pixels moving on my tv. I went to Future Shop yesterday and the use Rogers in the store and basically the picture quality on analog channels in the store was the same. The guy I spoke to suggested I buy Monster THX Ultra 1000 Component video cables. He had these cables hooked up on a different TV (also LCD) and the picture was better on analog channels but I'm not sure that's due to the cables or the tv itself. The cables are about 247.00 although i can get them for less on Ebay but I wanted to ask for your opinion before I go ahead and buy them. The other thing I should mention is that the rogers guy put in a splitter so that my new lcd and my bedroom tv share the same line. He did this because my bedroom line was bad. Would the splitter make my picture worse? I also have the option of switching to BEV. It would appear that almost everyone in my neighbourhood uses BEV and I'm not sure why that is. I'm sure the question has been asked before, but do you think I would get betteer pic. quality on analog channels with BEV. Is there anything else I can try to improve the pic. quality with Rogers? ie. use different cables for the line? Thanks in advance. Last edited by Potapie; 03-09-2007 at 09:22 AM.

06-04-2007, 09:07 PM	#6
rbinck Administrator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 12,337	This is a common complaint for satellite and cable users. SD is just overcompressed and combine that with the 52" screen size and you have a recipe for ugly video. Try using your PIP to put two windows side by side. If the picture is back to good, then you set is just too big for the quality of SD service you have. __________________ www.highdefinitionblog.com www.BlogOfHawaii.com

06-08-2007, 09:19 PM	#7
mcfly What is HD? Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3	help is there any way to fix pixelation on my hdtv??

03-09-2007, 03:31 PM	#2
Mingy DLP Rocks! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 141	Ok. First, step away from the Scamster cables. I mean the Fraudster cables. No, I meant the Monster cables. They are a rip off and do no good to anybody but the people selling them. In general, SD looks awful on and HDTV. Pixelation is caused by either a weak signal (actually a loss of signal followed by an attempt to 'catch up') which is unlikely in your case because you have cable, and HD looks good; or by 'over compression' which is why you see it often on PBS 'HD'. In your case , it likely originates with the STB, not the TV so 'better' cables, which Monster are not, wouldn't make a difference. I have BEV, so I don't know about the specifics with Rogers, but I am told the cable guys are having trouble delivering HD + broadband + lots of SD and are cranking the compression up to make SD channels fit. This could be the problem. You can ask your neighbors who have Rogers what their experience is. Usually, BEV doesn't show this sort of stuff, but it does suffer from the problems associated with satellite like no signal at all during heavy precipitation.

04-04-2007, 05:02 PM	#3
audicfa What is HD? Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1	I have had the same experience as Potapie. I have a 46 inch Sharp Aquos LCD with a Shaw PVR. I am running component video to the TV from the box. We have signal booster as well. The pic quality on SD channels is quite frankly aweful. HD channels are mostly quite good although quality does vary. CBC HD for sports inferior to what I have experienced with TSN HD. Fox HD is wow! I am also running a Toshiba HD DVD player which is great too. I have 3 kids and am new to HDTVs so don't have alot of time to muck around with different set ups or for that matter read manuals.( I have a weeks holiday coming up so I may just have to devote some time to figure this all out) I recently had Shaw upgrade my box to digital feed ( meant to sharpen up SD channels) and was wondering if I need to change the Shaw box settings to 720p rather than have them set at 480p. 480p is the current and pre-digital setting. Since the upgrade to digital feed, no noticeable change to SD pic quality.

06-04-2007, 07:36 PM	#5
hddvdguy High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 154	Try using HDMI slot. Maybe can get a 1080i signal if the LCD is capable. If it doesnt have HDMI take it back.