Spliting HD signal off primary box?

Scottnot

Could be, what's the point?

That's correct, I consider your conclusion that "in most cases, HDMI looks better than component" pretty much null and void.
Why?
"hooking up hundreds of HD sets" . . . hardly a statistically significant sample and provides no standard for what is "better" other than one person's subjective opinion.
Also, I doubt that you or any other FIOS installation tech hooks up the set with both HDMI and component and then A/Bs them to make such a comparison.
And finally, (unless FIOS policy has changed recently) we all know that FIOS favors component hook up and will not provide HDMI unless the customer asks for it.

I disagree that this would qualify as a "technical" reason, however it is pretty much what I said in line 3 of my post.

Scottnot

Again, there is no technical reason why this should or would be the case.
Both HDMI and Component have the technical capability to carry all of the information necessary to deliver the highest quality image that the best 1080p displays are able to produce.

Other than that small point I believe we are in agreement that "other variables", subjectivity and the phase of the moon also have a lot to do with it.

Bob Walters

Actually,
The phase of the moon gives most displays an excessive red push while volcanic ash sometimes causes moire!!!!!

ITALIAN926

So you know Scotty boy ..we start out with HDMI for every installation. I give out HDMI 90% of the time... and the times that i do not, its bc the TV doesnt have an HDMI input or we get a handshake problem.

That isnt a technical reason why HDMI looks better ?? ... hmm. You already said yourself that when properly calibrated, HDMI and component should look the same. So, when they arent calibrated..... doesnt that mean theres a visual difference ?? You know what? I'll just let you argue with yourself.

I have switched component and HDMI on same sets more than enough times to say that HDMI simply looks better most of the time. Disagree all you want... and once again.. tell me my experiences are not real.

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JPL

Not to get into which looks better, and I don't want to speak for Scott, but I THINK what he's saying is this - if a customer didn't bother to calibrate their HDMI input, what's the chance that they would have calibrated the component input? If both come uncalibrated (set to the default settings from the factory), then both inputs are 'calibrated' equally.

So, I think what he's saying is that if one isn't calibrated, chances are pretty darn good that the other isn't either. Then again, I don't want to speak for Scott, but that's how I read his response.

Scottnot

Pretty much, yes. Except I would say that if both come uncalibrated (set to the default settings from the facory), then both inputs are 'uncalibrated' 'unequally' - which is to say (again), with uncalibrated, factory, or any random settings, there is simply no way to know how far from "ideal" either port (component or HDMI) is actually set or which one may appear to provide the 'better' picture.

Actually, I wouldn't say that.
Reason: Whether professional or DIY, sometimes not all ports get calibration.
Especially in the case of DIY, many folk don't realize that it is necessary to calibrate each port individually (including HDMI1, HDMI2, etc.).

A final note: Let's consider a calibrated S-video port and a calibrated HDMI port. The S-video port will not be able to deliver the same PQ as the HDMI port, quite simply, because there is a technical reason in spite of the calibration. S-video is simply not technically capable of delivering all of the necessary data to the set.

The same is not true of component vs. HDMI; both are fully capable (technically) of delivering all of the necessary information to the set.
I would not call an uncalibrated port a "technical reason", but rather a "situational reason" for any pq differences resulting from uncalibrated or improperly calibrated ports.

Scottnot

Guess that's why you're a tech and I'm not

schvidah

I am not a tech either, but I DID stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night......

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Bob Walters

Folks,
WITHOUT being technical, may I submit to this thread the additional AD-DA conversion involved in the use of component cables............will this degrade the signal??????

Scottnot

DA - no problem since the analog signal has the capacity to carry all of the information.

AD - so long as the sampling rate is high enough all information will be reproduced faithfully.

Bottom line, it's pretty much a non-issue with current AD/DA technology.

Bob Walters

"so long as the sampling rate is high enough"......and if it'd not???????????

Scottnot

Then . . . total crud, of course.

However based on the number of members who have posted that they are unable to distinguish between HDMI and component, it would seem that the ADs being used in all equipment are indeed sampling at a satisfactory rate.

The technical requirments have been well established for quite some time; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyquist...mpling_theorem
It would be competitive suicide for any manufacturer to design a system which did not incorporate satisfactory AD conversion capability.

kfz911

Hi everybody,

I hope you can give me some advice. I've read the posts about signal splitting but I have more questions.

Just got Verizon FIOS hooked up (from DirecTV). Got one HD receiver (HD QIP 71001) in the living room next to my 46" HDTV. Prior to FIOS I've been using the DirecTV receiver using the setup I'm describing here. There is a splitter that sits on top of the receiver (STB) that splits the signal to the living room HDTV and also has a second HDMI out line with an HDMI cable that runs about 50 feet to the bedroom to a 32"" HTDV.

I am single and I don't care if the same signal displays on both TV's since I only watch one at a time.

I have one remote control from Verizon for the living room TV/receiver. I need a remote that will work in the bedroom and basically control the receiver that is sitting in the living room (but from the bedroom). (I had a DirecTV remote that was able to do this). I went to Best Buy and looked at the Logitech Harmony 890 Remote (which is what the Verizon FIOS tech said I needed). At Best Buy it is about $375, I searched online and can get it for less, but I am writing to ask if there is another way to accomplish what I am trying to do for less $$, plus I think the Harmony 890 is overkill for what I need. I think what I need is a device that uses both radio frequency (RF) and Infrared (IR) wireless signals? If there is another way to do this I'd like to know

Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks

Karen in Pennsylvania

ITALIAN926

Times really must be getting tough.. some of you are willing to do ANYTHING to save $6 a month. You can save about $6 a month in gasoline by removing the passenger and rear seats in your car too.

Karen I sure hope you find an affordable way to control your STB from another room. I dont have any suggestions.. but keep in mind , if you cant find a way, youll need to consume about $6 a month more in food from all those spent calories walking back and forth.

Wait, I do have a suggestion.. put mirrors up all over the house and you can bounce the signal to the STB

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Xbox 360

Verizon FiOS technician
My Family Room Pic #1

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jmcohen23

Karen, first, look at the costs of the new remote and new equippment. If they exceed the extra $72/year for an extra box (times how many years you plan on staying in you place), then I would recommend to get the box.

also, it won't hurt to call Verizon and ask for a discount on the box, then tend to comply with customers that are persistant.

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