Question for lcd tvs

[Sean8]

So I bought a new lcd tv, it was hooked up with just the cable coaxial from the cable box. The picture quality was bad, so I tried s-video, it got a little bit better but still bad.

So i tested a dvi to dvi cable with my laptop and it was perfectly clear.

So my question is should I change in my comcast cable box for an hd box and use an hdmi cable? I dont want hd channels, I assume I can just use the box for hdmi and regular channels I already pay for though. I would take a picture of it, but it doesn't show up.

 

[newtekie1]

If you aren't getting HD channels, there is no point in getting an HD box and HDMI cable. The problem is that the signal coming from comcast itself is only 480i(720x480), your TV has to scale the image up to match the 1080/720p(1920x1080) panel in the TV. Any time you do this, it will look like crap compared to an actual HD source. It is even worse because the HDTV is using a different aspect ratio, which means the image also has to stretched.

 

[Sean8]

If you aren't getting HD channels, there is no point in getting an HD box and HDMI cable. The problem is that the signal coming from comcast itself is only 480i(720x480), your TV has to scale the image up to match the 1080/720p(1920x1080) panel in the TV. Any time you do this, it will look like crap compared to an actual HD source. It is even worse because the HDTV is using a different aspect ratio, which means the image also has to stretched.

So even if i buy the hd from comcast, its only going to be good quality in a few select channels then crap in the rest?

 

[BroBQ]

Comcast has free HD ... all you need to do is call them and tell them you wanna upgrade. Connect via HDMI cable to recive HD TV and the picture will be perfect on all channels.

 

[newtekie1]

The picture is far from perfect on all channels, the SD channels still look just as bad. But yes, the HD channels look perfect.

 

[HolyCow02]

just don't go to the SD channels... these days if you get an HD box you get all the local and major HD channels for no charge. Just stay away from the SD. You can have it not upscale the SD channels so that when you get to one you can picture box the image (have black bars on the sides) so that it doesn't stretch out the image and hurt your eyes.

 

[newtekie1]

Having the image not scale certainly is an option.

Really, though, if you go HD and all the channels you watch are HD, then it certainly is nice. But, honestly, you get used to the poor quality of SD channels pretty quickly.

 

[thraxed]

When tvs came out there default resolution ntsc 320x240 vhs tapes (coax), then beta/svhs we got 480x480 (svideo). Windows kind upscales it and thats why you get the crappy picture on the television. So you need the hdmi box or a video converter to get a crisp picture with a hdtv display.

 

[mrhuggles]

my tv has a similar [possibly identical?] situation going on, basically analog RF = horrific, composite = even worse, svideo = better, component = perfect, and hdmi also = perfect, its just filtering issues, and stuff like that, if you try component it should be flawless if thats the case

i should say, my tv comes with a xillion[ATI] decoder dealy, whats yours use?

 

[Sean8]

my tv has a similar [possibly identical?] situation going on, basically analog RF = horrific, composite = even worse, svideo = better, component = perfect, and hdmi also = perfect, its just filtering issues, and stuff like that, if you try component it should be flawless if thats the case

i should say, my tv comes with a xillion[ATI] decoder dealy, whats yours use?

You've tried hdmi and it was better? Not sure on what decoder thing I have, but I have a 40inch toshiba 1080p tv.

So many mixed opinions on this topic though one says something, another says something else. Gonna just ride over to comcast this weekend and talk to them