Will a DTV HD reciever improve my picture.....

mmonroe53 · 02-14-2006, 05:31 AM

Will a DTV HD reciever improve my picture even if the programs not in HD.
I just bought a SONY 50" SXLD and I have a regular dtv receiver. some of the programs are real good and some are real grainy. I thinking of bringing the Tv back and getting a smallar, cheaper tv. But if the HD reciever helps I will keep it .. Can anyone shead a little light on this for me .

bgoalie35 · 02-14-2006, 06:21 AM

No, your SD channels are not going to look good enough to really impress you and make the difference for you. The HD channels will look incredible, but the SD channels will look about the same. Some people with H10s and H10-250s have even complained that their SD channels look worse than they did with their SD receivers.

CraterGrillo · 02-14-2006, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgoalie35

No, your SD channels are not going to look good enough to really impress you and make the difference for you. The HD channels will look incredible, but the SD channels will look about the same. Some people with H10s and H10-250s have even complained that their SD channels look worse than they did with their SD receivers.

I can tell you that non-HD channels look horrible on my new 50" XBR sony set with HR10-250 compared to previously on my SAT-T60 DVR with my 6 yr old 36" XBR set.

High def is just phenominal, but the non-high-def is pretty lousy.

Hugeness · 02-14-2006, 08:00 AM

I strongly disagree. I have the Sony KDF 42" LCD projection and for the first 6 months used a standard receiver and couldn't stand to watch anything on it. A month ago I upgraded to the H-20 and can tell a clear difference in Standard Def programming. Some better than others, Fox Sports is still lame but Fox News, Starz, TBS and others look pretty good. The problem is you get spoiled with HD but for sure the pixilation is not near as bad with an HD receiver. Also be sure to play around with the Custom picture settings. For example, I have my noise reduction set at medium to reduce pix and screen door effect, also have contrast below factory and brightness slightly above, black corrector on low also seems to help eliminate some of the wash out with standard def pictures.

CraterGrillo · 02-14-2006, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugeness

I strongly disagree. I have the Sony KDF 42" LCD projection and for the first 6 months used a standard receiver and couldn't stand to watch anything on it. A month ago I upgraded to the H-20 and can tell a clear difference in Standard Def programming. Some better than others, Fox Sports is still lame but Fox News, Starz, TBS and others look pretty good. The problem is you get spoiled with HD but for sure the pixilation is not near as bad with an HD receiver. Also be sure to play around with the Custom picture settings. For example, I have my noise reduction set at medium to reduce pix and screen door effect, also have contrast below factory and brightness slightly above, black corrector on low also seems to help eliminate some of the wash out with standard def pictures.

All I can say is - maybe the H20 does a much better upscaling than the HR10-250. And maybe my previous Sony XBR was just fantastic (which it clearly was, even though it wasn't high-def). There's just no comparison for me. The sony had a beautiful (almost high-def-quality) in SD. Now SD just looks aweful to me. Kindof blurred and without definition. It's not just that I'm used to the high-def stuff either.

So maybe the HR10-250 just doesn't do decent upconversion. Maybe the HR20-xxx will be better when it comes out.

I've tried tuning the image to no avail. It helps a bit but not enough to say it's a decent image. My opinion of course.

bgoalie35 · 02-14-2006, 09:07 AM

I have the H10-250 and the H20, and I think there is some truth to what both of you are saying. The H20, I believe, does do a better job of upconverting SD than the H10-250. I can't say that for sure, though, because my H20 is on a smaller set than my 10-250. I will have to plug them both up to the same set sometime and check them out side by side. My H20 is also on an LCD (Samsung 32"), and I am VERY impressed by the SD picture.

I would also point out, crater, that you said you went from a 36" tv to a 50" tv. I don't doubt the H10-250 is not displaying SD very well, but the increase in screen size will also make the flaws in SD that much more apparent.

So, mmonroe, let me go back on what I said before. I would say the H10 and H10-250 would definitely not give you a better picture from SD. The H20 might. I'll have to plug the H20 into my 51" and see how it does with SD on it. I'll get back to you.

CraterGrillo · 02-14-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgoalie35

I have the H10-250 and the H20, and I think there is some truth to what both of you are saying. The H20, I believe, does do a better job of upconverting SD than the H10-250. I can't say that for sure, though, because my H20 is on a smaller set than my 10-250. I will have to plug them both up to the same set sometime and check them out side by side. My H20 is also on an LCD (Samsung 32"), and I am VERY impressed by the SD picture.

I would also point out, crater, that you said you went from a 36" tv to a 50" tv. I don't doubt the H10-250 is not displaying SD very well, but the increase in screen size will also make the flaws in SD that much more apparent.

So, mmonroe, let me go back on what I said before. I would say the H10 and H10-250 would definitely not give you a better picture from SD. The H20 might. I'll have to plug the H20 into my 51" and see how it does with SD on it. I'll get back to you.

Good comments.

One comment about the size difference. The 36" non-widescreen is only a couple of inches less tall than the 50" widescreen, so I doubt sheer size is the main culprit when I'm viewing SD with the side-bars. The visual difference is just too great.

I'd be interested in hearing a comparison of the HR10 and H20 on the same set!

deejay · 02-14-2006, 04:08 PM

CraterGrillo,
No equipment is going to close the picture gap that you've described. The REAL problem is your difference in tv technologies. You're comparing a picture tube (your old 36"CRT) with razor sharp edges to a projection LCD set. Your 50" Sony just can't acquire that sharpness no matter how you try to control the incoming signal.

CraterGrillo · 02-14-2006, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deejay

CraterGrillo,
No equipment is going to close the picture gap that you've described. The REAL problem is your difference in tv technologies. You're comparing a picture tube (your old 36"CRT) with razor sharp edges to a projection LCD set. Your 50" Sony just can't acquire that sharpness no matter how you try to control the incoming signal.

Fortunately, most of the channels I watch are in HD which is unbelievable.

I was just surprised that someone thought the H20 had a better SD picture than the HR10-250 - There could be a difference due to upconversion and artifact removal that could be significant. Someone in another thread said they'd check it out - I'm interested just out of curiosity.

bgoalie35 · 02-15-2006, 08:25 AM

Yeah, that was me in the other thread too. I'm interested to see how they do side by side. I might get a chance to do it tonight. I have a 32" LCD and a 51" RPTV, so I'll try them on both, and see how they do.

CraterGrillo · 02-15-2006, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgoalie35

Yeah, that was me in the other thread too. I'm interested to see how they do side by side. I might get a chance to do it tonight. I have a 32" LCD and a 51" RPTV, so I'll try them on both, and see how they do.

Thanks! Looking forward to it.

02-14-2006, 05:31 AM	#1
mmonroe53 What is HD? Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: LOUISIANA Age: 41 Posts: 2	Will a DTV HD reciever improve my picture..... Will a DTV HD reciever improve my picture even if the programs not in HD. I just bought a SONY 50" SXLD and I have a regular dtv receiver. some of the programs are real good and some are real grainy. I thinking of bringing the Tv back and getting a smallar, cheaper tv. But if the HD reciever helps I will keep it .. Can anyone shead a little light on this for me .

02-14-2006, 06:21 AM	#2
bgoalie35 ATL HD viewer Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 283	No, your SD channels are not going to look good enough to really impress you and make the difference for you. The HD channels will look incredible, but the SD channels will look about the same. Some people with H10s and H10-250s have even complained that their SD channels look worse than they did with their SD receivers.

02-14-2006, 08:00 AM	#4
Hugeness A couch and an HDTV to go please. Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 10	I strongly disagree. I have the Sony KDF 42" LCD projection and for the first 6 months used a standard receiver and couldn't stand to watch anything on it. A month ago I upgraded to the H-20 and can tell a clear difference in Standard Def programming. Some better than others, Fox Sports is still lame but Fox News, Starz, TBS and others look pretty good. The problem is you get spoiled with HD but for sure the pixilation is not near as bad with an HD receiver. Also be sure to play around with the Custom picture settings. For example, I have my noise reduction set at medium to reduce pix and screen door effect, also have contrast below factory and brightness slightly above, black corrector on low also seems to help eliminate some of the wash out with standard def pictures.

02-14-2006, 09:07 AM	#6
bgoalie35 ATL HD viewer Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 283	I have the H10-250 and the H20, and I think there is some truth to what both of you are saying. The H20, I believe, does do a better job of upconverting SD than the H10-250. I can't say that for sure, though, because my H20 is on a smaller set than my 10-250. I will have to plug them both up to the same set sometime and check them out side by side. My H20 is also on an LCD (Samsung 32"), and I am VERY impressed by the SD picture. I would also point out, crater, that you said you went from a 36" tv to a 50" tv. I don't doubt the H10-250 is not displaying SD very well, but the increase in screen size will also make the flaws in SD that much more apparent. So, mmonroe, let me go back on what I said before. I would say the H10 and H10-250 would definitely not give you a better picture from SD. The H20 might. I'll have to plug the H20 into my 51" and see how it does with SD on it. I'll get back to you.

02-14-2006, 04:08 PM	#8
deejay High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: 35 miles W of Cleveland, OH Posts: 63	CraterGrillo, No equipment is going to close the picture gap that you've described. The REAL problem is your difference in tv technologies. You're comparing a picture tube (your old 36"CRT) with razor sharp edges to a projection LCD set. Your 50" Sony just can't acquire that sharpness no matter how you try to control the incoming signal.

02-15-2006, 08:25 AM	#10
bgoalie35 ATL HD viewer Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 283	Yeah, that was me in the other thread too. I'm interested to see how they do side by side. I might get a chance to do it tonight. I have a 32" LCD and a 51" RPTV, so I'll try them on both, and see how they do.