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HDTV picture quality question...

Here goes...my first post and it's not even audio related...you'll have to excuse me...cause I'm desperate.

I just purchased a Toshiba 34HDX32 and I've got a problem. Watching DVD's are good, I know it'll be better once I get all my cables...I've ordered them and they'll be here in a week. BUT, my main concern is the picture quality of regular TV. I used to have an older ('99) 27" Samsung and when watching TV, it looked not half bad. Now, on the Toshiba, the image is all pixelated, fuzzy, just generally unclear. Anyway, any ideas on how to improve the picture if at all possible?

Here's what I have:
Toshiba 34HDX82
Satellite (Starchoice, I'm here in Canada)
- Yes, it has S-video out but my bettercable Silver Serpent has yet to come...so that'll improve the image...right? In the meantime, I'm using a standard video cable.
- The majority of channels; ALL major stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, local, etc.) have this problem.
- The channels that do look GOOD, and yes, they look real good are the higher channels (Discovery, TLC, the Food network, etc.)
- The satellite receiver itself is hooked up via a standard/generic F-pin/CATV/Coax cable. I'm thinking of replacing this but have no idea what to get...I was looking at MIT but someone out bid me on those. Anyway, ANY help is much appreciated. Thanks for your time!
spencer23
9 responses Add your response
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Yeah- you are seeing the limitations of the input software on a highly resolving display device. Conventional broadcast channels are highly compressed and will look pretty poor off of cable or DBS with a high end DTV/HDTV/large screen. I found out the hard way, too. I guess that's why they always use a DVD at the store. Not only to show what it can do (awesome DVD), but what it can't do (improve NTSC cable & DBS).
spencer23 OP
2 posts
 
Well, I JUST got my bettercables Silver Serpent S-video and replaced that generic RCA video cable I was using. I had a look at some of the problem channels and though there was improvement (thankfully) it's still not perfect. But the channels that I didn't have a problem with before are even sharper...maybe even too sharp. I'll have to do some tweaking when I get home again. :) I've been poking around in avsforum.com (thanks Edesilva) and it's pretty much common knowledge there that picture quality takes a HUGE hit when you have DBS on a large screen or HDTV. Such is life I suppose.
snipes
119 posts
 
Another thing you may want to try that worked for me initially on my Mits. Get rid of the S-Video connector from the STB to the TV and use a good quality RCA cable. This is assuming you don't have componant out's on your STB. By using the RCA cable you force your TV to use it's internal line doubler. If you use the S-Video you are using the line doubler in the STB which is normally inferior to what is in your TV. This came straight from the Mits rep when I was back at my dealer complaining about the same thing. I took his advice and the improvement was very noticable. It was NOT a slight imporvement, but a large one. Of course, a few months later I upgraded to the HD STB and this was no longer an issue for me.
Also, if your TV has a built in HD decoder do yourself a favor and get the antenna. You'll be amazed and there is quite a bit of over-the-air programming out there in HD. Assuming your local stations are broadcasting it.

Good luck.
edesilva
768 posts
 
Er, you also need some means for decoding the HDTV signal. Is your set top box (STB) capable of receiving satellite HDTV channels? (Are there HDTV satellite channels)?

Dunno how it works up north, but in order to get over the air (OTA) HDTV, I needed an HDTV set top box. Although some digital HDTV ready TVs are now being marketed w/HDTV OTA tuners, the large majority of those sold today *do not* have tuners for HDTV built in. In addition, the large majority of the DirecTV STBs are not HDTV compatible--whether satellite or OTA. That being said, I believe that most satellite STBs that provide for HDTV satellite reception also have the capability of doing HDTV OTA. So, you are really looking at shelling out an additional $500 or so to get HDTV reception OTA.
glen's avatar
glen
714 posts
 
Matt, That's interesting. You say you can pick up the HD signal for local channels with a $15.00 antena? Where do you get the antena? What part of CA are you from? I guess you still need the HD converter box with five video outs to the tv?
matt8268
92 posts
 
A quick check with your satellite provider may be able to confirm whether or not it's the source. I know on my DirecTV certain channels definitely look better than others, and within that, look better or worse at different times of day (prime time usually higher quality). May want to check around to see if there's a different satellite provider with better signal quality.

Also, don't know how it is in Canada, but in California now you can pick up a $15 antenna, hook it through a HDTV receiver to your TV, and pick up all the local channels (NBC, ABC, CBS, etc.) in crystal clear HD.
spencer23 OP
2 posts
 
Thanks for your help guys. I'll check out the avsforums and look into that Divio line doubler. As for my satellite provider...Starchoice, which is a Canadian provider, receives signal from 1 of 2 satellites; Anik F1 and Anik E2. Anik F1, which is newer and larger, carries the bulk of the English-language programming. Anik E2 carries mostly French and ethnic programming...and I don't watch any of the latter programming. But anyway, I'll keep looking into it and again, thanks for your help!

sw.
jcaudio's avatar
jcaudio
237 posts
 
This is fairly normal on digital sets as they try and convert the analogue signal to digital. You can fix this by adding a inexpensive line doubler like the Divio from the satellite. You will notice on HDTV satellite broadcasts this is not present. That is because it is digital from the outset.
You will also get used to it over time. I have on my digital set. It is much worst on larger screens than smaller sets.
edesilva
768 posts
 
Might be as simple as the source. If some channels look good and others don't, it may be that the signal the satellite is retransmitting is simply poor. You may notice more when you have a larger/better resolution TV b/c your frame of reference has changed. Another possibility is that, if you have a multisat system, you may be receiving one satellite better than the other. I don't know whether you have, like DirecTV, SAT A, B & C or not.

Beyond that, might be some issue as to the way the TV is upconverting the signal. You might want to try the gurus on www.avsforum.com or see if there is a thread there on your particular Tosh.
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