HD - Tivo DVR question - please help

[ELsolly]

Hi,

I have just upgraded my TV to a vizio 47" HDTV (I used to have an old 27" analog piece of junk!). I am also currently using a D* TV phillips / Tivo DVR which I love.

The problem I am having is the picture coming through from the DVR to the TV is somewhat fuzzy and blurry. I can see grainy lines and some pixles - which is very annoying. I am connecting my DVR via AV cables.

I was told that my DVR is only broadcasting in analog and to get a better picture I need to upgrade my DVR to a digital HDTV box and dish. I know toget HD picture I need this BUT will this help with all the other regular non HDTV channels as well. Also is there a way to get a Tivo DVR instead of D* TV's own brand?

Please share your expert advice

Thanks

Leo

[dot19408]

Upgrading to a HD receiver will give you a better picture WHEN VIEWING HDTV CONTENT.

Unfortunatly, the non Hidef channels from DTV are worse than a 1994 REAL Media video over 28.8 dialup.

The difference now is your TV is trying to resolve every pixel as accuratly as possable. Those pixels just happen to be garbage.

[dot19408]

To be fair...
Cable is not much better, not around my place anyway.

HBO and Starz looks better than the rest of DTV, but they are still compressing the channels WAY TOO MUCH.

You can still find the HDTivo on eBay, but you will never get more HD channels than they are broadcasting now. The Tivo will decode ONLY MPEG2 video, all of the new HDTV channels are going to be MPEG4.

Using better cables with good shielding, and adjusting the TV will help clear up (or fuzz out) the picture, but it's never going to be sharp and crisp.

[litzdog911]

.... I am connecting my DVR via AV cables.

...

Can you be more specific?

You'll get somewhat better video quality using SVideo connection than the composite (yellow RCA) video connection.

Also, proper adjustment of your TV's video setting can help a lot. Buy or rent a video calibration DVD, such as AVIA or Digital Video Essentials.

[ELsolly]

Can you be more specific?

You'll get somewhat better video quality using SVideo connection than the composite (yellow RCA) video connection.

Also, proper adjustment of your TV's video setting can help a lot. Buy or rent a video calibration DVD, such as AVIA or Digital Video Essentials.


I tried the S video but had the same poor picture quality. It could very well be the pictuer I'm getting is the best for a SD feed (it's coming through at 480i -) maybe I need to buy a 42" TV set - with less picture size.

Any thoughts ...

[litzdog911]

I tried the S video but had the same poor picture quality. It could very well be the pictuer I'm getting is the best for a SD feed (it's coming through at 480i -) maybe I need to buy a 42" TV set - with less picture size.

Any thoughts ...

The larger you blow up 480i video, the uglier it's going to look. So, yes, a smaller TV would look better. But you can improve the video quality of your 480i video by properly optimizing your TV's video adjustments using one of the calibration DVDs I mentioned.

[harsh]

Some televisions process SD content better than others. There are only a handful of HD televisions (out of hundreds of models) that don't make SD content look noticeably worse than an SDTV.

If you're adamant about sticking with SD sources, you should stick with an analog TV.

[harsh]

The larger you blow up 480i video, the uglier it's going to look.GIGO is the principle here. Upconverted DVD is really quite nice. When you get into the reduced resolutions offered by satellite, cable and some of the five subchannel ditigal OTA stations (AKA VHS quality), things get exponentially worse.