Digital TV HELP

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Caretaker

Digital TV HELP

Post by Caretaker »

I just hooked up a digital TV to my Direct TV standard box via coaxial cable. The TV is an LG 32 inch LED 1080p, 120hz (model LG 32LE5300). The picture looks awful with ghosting next to each letter. I have manipulated all the settings and cannot get it clear. I then called Direct TV. They tell me to try using the yellow-white-red plugs instead of a coaxial cable. While that gets rid of the ghosting, the picture still is not very good, with the letters now taking on a jagged edge look. I now see that the Direct TV standard box does not have an HDMI port, only a USB, coaxial, S-video, and yellow-white-red ports. The picture looks VERY sharp when working with the LG set up windows. The degredation is clearly when interfacing with the Direct TV standard box. I'm shocked there isn't an HDMI port on the standard Direct TV box, but since it is a standard definition box, perhaps there is no need for that port. Questions:1. can a USB plug be used for video instead of the yellow video plug?2. Since the LG does not have an S video port, is there some kind of interface devise that will allow me to go from S-video (Direct TV box) to HDMI (LG TV)?3. Since the ghosting went away when I swapped out the coaxial cable for the Y-W-R cables, does that prove that this is a signal issue, and that if I find the right remedy, the edgy lines will go away as well?All my other TVs in the house are fine. Is HDMI the best cabling devise to use to get the best picture out of all the possibilities I've outlined above? I'm wondering if Direct TV has another type of standard box that does have an HDMI port. I guess another way to test the system is to take the LG and hook it up to the one HD box I have so see what the picture looks like. Thanks in advance for your help.
ou.grizzly
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Re: Digital TV HELP (Caretaker)

Post by ou.grizzly »

With your digital TV, you need to have an HDMI Cable. Try setting your TV to a lower resolution and see if that fixes the issue
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Blanco_Diablo
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Re: Digital TV HELP (Caretaker)

Post by Blanco_Diablo »

I have a DTV standard black box running a whopping 480i resolution (upstairs) and it has an HDMI connection to my Samsung flat screen HD TV. Do you just have a really old DTV box?
Caretaker

Re: Digital TV HELP (Blanco_Diablo)

Post by Caretaker »

I only know what Direct TV gave me. I will call them tomorrow to find out if they have a standard definition box that has an HDMI output. Right now their boxes have S-video, coaxial, standard yellow-white-red cables, and a USB. Unfortunately, my LG TV does not have an s-video.
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Re: Digital TV HELP (Caretaker)

Post by tribalman »

the Red, Yellow, White connection is called RCA. Just so you know.Yes there are RCA to s-video adapter cables out there. They don't cost a whole lot.
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psiu
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Post by psiu »

You will want either an HD box or at least an SD box with HDMI (they make such a thing?) or component video (red, green, blue for video plus the red/white for audio). However...a standard definition picture on the HDTV will generally look pretty crappy.Good luck
Caretaker

Re: (psiu)

Post by Caretaker »

Thanks to all, and especially to Blanco Diablo for chatting offline. I wish I knew all of this before buying my TVs. This DTV transition has been nothing but a PITA for me and my family. 21st century technology sucks.
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Re: (Caretaker)

Post by keithvibe »

I have a 46 sony 240hz 1080 tv hooked up to the direct tv standard box with no issue. I recently upgraded the box to their DRV box and I still don't have an issue.I used the coax cable for the connections. Are you running the cables threw a surge protector?If so by pass it and go direct to see if it clears it up.If you have another box in the house that you can swap to see if it's the box that would be your next step.I only run the HDMI cables threw my PS3 for the movies.The only way to get the HDMI ports on the Direct TV box is if you upgraded to their HD service.
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Caretaker

Re: (keithvibe)

Post by Caretaker »

Thanks Keith. Yes, I moved the TV upstairs and plugged it into the other standard definition box and got the same results: shadows (especially noticable on the Direct TV menu) with the coaxial cable. When I use the colored RCA cables, the shadows go away, but the letters have jagged edges. I tried plugging it into the wall instead of the power strip as you suggested, but no effect. I have played with every expert setting on the LG, but cannot get the shadows to go away. Once I hooked the LG up to my one HD Box, the picture looked perfect. While our colleagues here have schooled me that the standard def picture will never look very good compared to HD, I'm hoping that there is some kind of better "plug" I can use between the standard def box and the TV to smooth the picture out. Off to Best Buy I go.........
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Re: Digital TV HELP (Caretaker)

Post by TONY TAT2 »

This might sound stupid, but I done it. I got a new commie cast box,my tv was set to ch 3,after I called it was suposed to be on ch4. Have ya tried playen a DVD on the new TV & see how the pic is? I also had a problem with souround sound,could only set that right usen a DVD with dolby.
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Re: Digital TV HELP (Caretaker)

Post by keithvibe »

You might want to register and do a search or post a thread to the avs forum.They are completely obsessed about this subject.linkhttp://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/doing a search for your model I found quite a few threads and postshttp://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb...#1325here are some direct links for your tvhttp://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb...71570
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jake75
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Re: (psiu)

Post by jake75 »

Quote, originally posted by psiu »You will want either an HD box or at least an SD box with HDMI (they make such a thing?) or component video (red, green, blue for video plus the red/white for audio). However...a standard definition picture on the HDTV will generally look pretty crappy.Good luck I guess I don't agree - I run a coaxial cable directly to my HD TV and all is fine. My basic service only includes about 8 HD channels and they are picture perfect. My TV has separate coaxial input for cable and antenna - can switch back and forth. In decent weather local over the air HD usually comes in fine with rabbit ears. It actually is a slightly better picture than the HD on cable. I do use a HDMI cable for a blue ray player.I think there is something wrong with your set.
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Caretaker

Re: (jake75)

Post by Caretaker »

I hooked the LG up to my HD receiver and it is beautiful. Nothing wrong with the set. I just came back from 2 Best Buys. Both stores, one with a Comcast technician in it, told me the same story: welcome to reality my good man. Both said that there are no magic connectors for making standard def look very good on today's sets. They said the old style TVs had 150 lines, whereas the new TVs have many more and will thus try to fill in the screen to compenstate for the video stream coming in (standard definition). That is why my old "tube" TV looks better with the standard definition digital stream than does the newfangled TV. They both said I am stuck getting HD boxes, and that they inform every customer that comes through their store of this since they are sick and tired of idiots like me returning TVs when the standard definition or analog cable they are hooking up to looks awful.This has been eye opening for me. I probably am going to return one of my new TVs (still in the box) and just keep my old style TV in the one room since the standard definition picture is satisfactory.
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Re: (Caretaker)

Post by jake75 »

The standard definition signal looks o.k. on my nearly 5 year old Sony XBR. It obviously is not as sharp. Looks like the picture on the old big screen rear projection TV's. My understanding is that without the box the cable is really feeding an analog signal into my set even on HD. That is why the over the air broadcast HD signal (rabbit ears) is slightly better than the cable. But it is slight. [That is also why you do not need a converter for the analog sets if you have cable.]When I first got my HD TV it was going to cost me about $60 more a month to get the digital service box and the HD package. Most of my viewing is on network, fax, and public broadcasting, all of which have HD channels on my basic cable. I'd like to have ESPN HD and my wife would like HGTV HD but we decided that wasn't worth $700 a year more.
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Caretaker

Re: (jake75)

Post by Caretaker »

Thanks Jake. Well, I need to make a decision: get the second HD box for $99 + $49 installation, or keep one of my old tube TVs (where the standard definition signal looks OK on) and return the new 47 inch LCD still in its original box. Spend the money on a second HD receiver and keep the LCD, or return the LCD and stay with the fully functioning tube TV with an integrated VHS player..............hmmmmmm. If I had only invested in Ford at $1+ a share, I would not be overthinking this
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Re: (Caretaker)

Post by jake75 »

When I bought my SONY Bravia XBR 5 years ago I did a lot of resarch as that was a $3,000 "investment" then. I remember that this Sony set was rated very high in producing a good non-HD picture. While some channels are better than others (non HD ESPN is very good) overall I am happy with the non-HD picture. How much that has to do with the fact that I am not feeding a digital signal into the set I don't know. Maybe a different brand would work better than what you bought. Best Buy is advertising here a 46" Sony 240 hz for $1,199 - supposedly a $800 discount.
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Post by northvibe »

component = red green and bluehdmi = hdmicomposite = red yellow white for that HD tv you'll want the component or hdmi
psiu
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Re: (jake75)

Post by psiu »

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »I guess I don't agree - I run a coaxial cable directly to my HD TV and all is fine. My basic service only includes about 8 channels and but they are picture perfect. My TV has separate coaxial input for canle and antenna - can switch back and forth. In decent weather local over the air HD usually comes in fine with rabbit ears. It actually is a slightly better picture than the HD on cable. I do use a HDMI cable for a blue ray player.I think there is something wrong with your set.I think the comparison is when watching HD on the HDTV...the SD stuff looks so out of place when it pops up. For us, we live in an apartment townhouse so I use Comcast Limited Basic (only the locals) because it is cheaper than just internet.It goes into my network clear-QAM tuner and feeds our HTPC in the living room which feeds 2 additional TVs in the bedrooms as well via media center extenders.About the only SD we watch is PBS Create, and some This and RetroTV subchannels.Caretaker, one thing if you are watching SD on an HD set, make sure you are watching it in the normal aspect...should have bars on the sides. If it gets stretched to fill your screen it will look even worse.
Caretaker

Re: (psiu)

Post by Caretaker »

Very true psiu. Thanks for the input. I too was a long time limited basic analog TV subscriber until I noticed I was no longer paying $10 for that "luxury" and was now paying $20 for only a handful of useful channels. Since I live in the lowest section of the Delta Quadrant, I cannot get over the air signals, thus rendering my digital converter box the government gave me useless. When one of my tube TVs gave out, I bought my first modern TV. I then discovered that the analog signal into my new HDTV would not cut it. I have waited nearly a decade for TV prices to crash, and the time is now. Although I am getting great LEDs in the $700 range now, I am still used to buying my Sanyos at Walmart for next to nothing and having them last forever. At $700+ a pop, I can't seem to justify having a blurry picture so I went all in. I got Direct TV to send me a second HD receiver yesterday. To me, this digital transformation has been an abonmination and is an all in or all out proposition unless you buy a 720 pixel, 60hz refresh rate model for a reasonable price for the average American income today. I would have been just as happy remaining with limited basic (analog) cable if I had not lost half of my PBS stations. Unfortunately the "big 2" will be eliminating the analog service, probably within a year. That will force everyone into the collusion world of TV, in which everyone's price is essentially the same. I just hope that at $700+ per TV, that they will last long enough to forget about all these digital TV speedbumps that have popped up over the past year. Of course the benchmark will still be my Sanyo tube TVs, where I have dropped them on the floor, cracked the mother board, glued the circuit board back together, plugged it back in and watched TV as though nothing had happened.
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Re: (Caretaker)

Post by jake75 »

Adjusted for inflation TV prices are at an all time low and quality at an all time high. In 1966 I paid about $600 for a 25 inch Zenith console color tv. I had a good job in '66 and that was 3 weeks pay. In the early 90's I paid about $450 for a 27" Mitsubishi stereo color TV. At that time that was 3 days pay. Today you can get a 32" HD Panasonic 720p/1080i LCD for about $350. That's about 1 day's pay. (I paid $499 for that Panasonic in November 2008.)
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Re: (jake75)

Post by ou.grizzly »

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »Adjusted for inflation TV prices are at an all time low and quality at an all time high. In 1966 I paid about $600 for a 25 inch Zenith console color tv. I had a good job in '66 and that was 3 weeks pay. In the early 90's I paid about $450 for a 27" Mitsubishi stereo color TV. At that time that was 3 days pay. Today you can get a 32" HD Panasonic 720p/1080i LCD for about $350. That's about 1 day's pay. (I paid $499 for that Panasonic in November 2008.)What is the refresh rate on that TV?I paid an extra few hundred dollars to get 120 hertz refresh rate in a 32" (no many companies make higher refresh rate in a 32")
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psiu
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Post by psiu »

You know, we bought a 32" Panasonic at Costco this spring for a shade under $400 I believe. Standard 720p etc, but the one thing I love about it is that it has a matte screen (anti-reflective). The thing I didn't love about it (after returning one and getting ready to dump it altogether) was that I had to update the firmware (it has an SD card slot) for sound over HDMI to work properly! But it does work properly now.
Caretaker

Re: (ou.grizzly)

Post by Caretaker »

ou.grizzly: there is no such thing as a 120hz refresh rate on a 720 pixel TV, so his must be a 60 Hz. We bought an LG 32 inch LED 1080p/120hz (model 32le5300) on Amazon for $460 delivered. You can certainly get a much cheaper 32 inch LCD, but as you pointed out, it is hard to find a 32 inch with a 120 hz refresh rate.
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Re: (Caretaker)

Post by ou.grizzly »

Quote, originally posted by Caretaker »ou.grizzly: there is no such thing as a 120hz refresh rate on a 720 pixel TV, so his must be a 60 Hz. We bought an LG 32 inch LED 1080p/120hz (model 32le5300) on Amazon for $460 delivered. You can certainly get a much cheaper 32 inch LCD, but as you pointed out, it is hard to find a 32 inch with a 120 hz refresh rate. I am not a big fan of LG, based on past experiences. It came down to Samsung or Sony...
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