Questions on HDTV

[Matt2]

Ok, I'm posting this in off topic because I am not sure if this counts on on topic.

I just bought a Mitsubishi 55" wide screen TV 1080i. To say the least I am quite unhappy with the picture quality. How do I use HDTV? Can I increase the image quality? I am using AT&T digital cable.

Thanks for informing the clueless.

Matt

 

[JimmyEatWorld]

I don't think digital cable is hi-def

edit:you prolly need satalite to get the same channels with hi-def

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Well if it is a projection set, it ought to be calibrated and adjusted professionally for best results. Also I suggest a progressive DVD player. They look great on a HDTV. I too have ATT digital, but the quality is very good. I have a small tube set, so that is why I wonder if yours if set up correctly. Just a thought

 

[Ameesh]

why did you buy a hdtv if you didnt know anything about it?



the digital cable signal you get is not HD quality, at&t is rolling out HDTV in some areas in the country you should call them and find out. Dish Network offers showtime and hbo in hd as well as discovery channel

if you wanna see what your tv can do you should get a progressive dvd player and get the new star wars episode 2 widescreen dvd and play that, and as you are pissing your self think to yourself how much better HDTV will look.

 

[Emos]

You can find info at AVS Forum, they'll be happy to help. Problems with visual quality are usually the result of inferior cables/connectors or improper calibration. Are you having problems watching broadcast TV or DVDs?

 

[SSP]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider
Well if it is a projection set, it ought to be calibrated and adjusted professionally for best results. Also I suggest a progressive DVD player. They look great on a HDTV. I too have ATT digital, but the quality is very good. I have a small tube set, so that is why I wonder if yours if set up correctly. Just a thought

Do you have to set it up on all the new projection TV's?

 

[Dari]

Time Warner offers HD digital cable. If you can't get digital cable, get satellite, they offer it.

Projection TVs look good in the dark or at night. They suck in the day.

 

[Emos]

why did you buy a hdtv if you didnt know anything about it?

Yes it's really one of those "Do your research before purchasing" items. Speaking of which, what are some decent component video cables out there that don't cost an arm and a leg like Monster Cable?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: SSP

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider Well if it is a projection set, it ought to be calibrated and adjusted professionally for best results. Also I suggest a progressive DVD player. They look great on a HDTV. I too have ATT digital, but the quality is very good. I have a small tube set, so that is why I wonder if yours if set up correctly. Just a thought

Do you have to set it up on all the new projection TV's?

I dont claim to be expert on projection sets, but when I was looking in a few stores and asked, they all said the purchase price included the setup at home which included calibration etc. It seems reasonable that things can get out of alignment in shipping. I am sure others here can give a more authoritative answer.

 

[0roo0roo]

u dont' have to pay, they broadcast hdtv signals in many areas sure only prime time shows are hd ussually, but its way better then dvd

yes some satallite services have HD, u coulda watched shows like sex and the city/band of brothers/sopranos on HD, so sweet they only have low res dvd right now, so suck

 

[Dari]

Yes it's really one of those "Do your research before purchasing" items. Speaking of which, what are some decent component video cables out there that don't cost an arm and a leg like Monster Cable?

I have some. Check in the Fore Sale section.

 

[Emos]

I dont claim to be expert on projection sets, but when I was looking in a few stores and asked, they all said the purchase price included the setup at home which included calibration etc. It seems reasonable that things can get out of alignment in shipping. I am sure others here can give a more authoritative answer

Yes I would check into having a tech from the store you purchased the set from do a calibration. Professional calibrators can charge a couple hundred bucks for the service! There are DVDs out there that can let you perform simple calibrations.

 

[Matt2]

thasks guys, forget the HDTV thing, all I wanna know right now is why the quality on regular broadcast TV is bad. There shouldnt be that huge of a drop off between image quality.

 

[Dari]

thasks guys, forget the HDTV thing, all I wanna know right now is why the quality on regular broadcast TV is bad. There shouldnt be that huge of a drop off between image quality.

well, to be honest, the better the television, the worst regular television looks.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Dari

thasks guys, forget the HDTV thing, all I wanna know right now is why the quality on regular broadcast TV is bad. There shouldnt be that huge of a drop off between image quality.

well, to be honest, the better the television, the worst regular television looks.

i know...on a 13" tv broadcast looks pretty nice

 

[Matt2]

So is AT&T going to use HD signal for digital cable or at least plan to?

 

[Antisocial Virge]

I wouldn't trust the store to do a "calibration" they probably adjust the brightness and thats it. A true calibration takes hours and costs big $$. There are people who go on "tours" and do a large roadtrip and calibrate TV's. As for you using digital cable, I know personally that in my area digital cable signal is horrible. I plan on sticking with the old cable till they pry it from my dead hands.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Matt2
thasks guys, forget the HDTV thing, all I wanna know right now is why the quality on regular broadcast TV is bad. There shouldnt be that huge of a drop off between image quality.

Well, that television (I have a Mits 55857 ) is capable of displaying much higher-res images than your old set. Picture it this way...take a 21" computer monitor and run it at 640x480 and tell me how it looks compared to a 15" monitor doing the same. Looks blocky and blech, eh?

Someone else already mentioned AVSForum (great resource) but also check out The Spot, esp. the Mitsubishi mfr forum and the Mitsubishi tweaks forum.

Enjoy!

BTW, looks like you're in L.A, eh? You have several DTV broadcasters from which to choose and if you bought a Mits w/an integrated ATSC tuner, you can pick up HD OTA broadcasts for free!

Oh, and for the store tech to do a calibration? Pffft...you'd be better off picking up a copy of the Avia DVD and learning more about your set from The Spot. Either that or plunk down the cash for a trained ISF tech to do it properly.

 

[Michael]

Digital cable uses compression. When you take a compressed image and blow it up and add in upscaling the picture to a tube with higher resolution than the source was filmed for, you'll end up with a "bad" picture.

DirecTV and other such services also use compression. Some of their channels will look fiarly poor as well.

A true HD signal (available over-the-air in most major markets) will give you the best picture quality.

Michael

 

[Dari]

not true, Mike. HDTV on digital cable looks just as good anywhere. Picture quality only looks "bad" depending on the cable used. Digital cable on a component source looks much better than digital cable on s-video or RCA. The only issue there is the fact that the component (read: HDTV) will show all non-HDTV in 4:3 mode. Even if you have a 4:3 television, it'll still have two black bands on the side.

 

[Michael]

There are very, very few HD signals on cable. Most 'Digital" cable means regular definition that is compressed so the cable comanies can fit more channels on the same wire.

I agree that a HD signal on cable should look good.

Michael