Noob H20 questions...

[Chip Moody]

Hi everybody... I'm expecting D* folks out next week to upgrade my dish to the 5-LNB model and install a H20 box. This won't get much use until I get my new Aquos TV, which will hopefully arrive shortly after that. In the meantime, I figured I should get a couple of questions answered so I can be as prepared as possible...

A) when I hook the H20 up to the Aquos, I'm planning on using HDMI and leaving the H20 set to 1080i, native turned off letting it upscale lower-res programming, and letting SD channels be "pillar boxed". Does this sound like the right plan, or have others had better luck/picture quality by turning native on and letting the TV switch resolutions? (Or am I completely overlooking something else?)

B) I also have a standard-def Tivo that I'd like to hook up to the S-Video output of the H20. Can I assume correctly that SD programming will look the same as what I'm used to now off of my ancient Sony SAT-A4, and that anything widescreen will come out the H20's S-Video jack letterboxed?

Much appreciation in advance from a HD Noob.

- Chip

[veryoldschool]

Hi everybody... I'm expecting D* folks out next week to upgrade my dish to the 5-LNB model and install a H20 box. This won't get much use until I get my new Aquos TV, which will hopefully arrive shortly after that. In the meantime, I figured I should get a couple of questions answered so I can be as prepared as possible...

A) when I hook the H20 up to the Aquos, I'm planning on using HDMI and leaving the H20 set to 1080i, native turned off letting it upscale lower-res programming, and letting SD channels be "pillar boxed". Does this sound like the right plan, or have others had better luck/picture quality by turning native on and letting the TV switch resolutions? (Or am I completely overlooking something else?)

B) I also have a standard-def Tivo that I'd like to hook up to the S-Video output of the H20. Can I assume correctly that SD programming will look the same as what I'm used to now off of my ancient Sony SAT-A4, and that anything widescreen will come out the H20's S-Video jack letterboxed?

Much appreciation in advance from a HD Noob.

- Chip
A) this really needs you to try both ways and see which you like better [native on/off]. There are two camps with many followers in each. I happen to be in the native on camp as my TV [to me which is what counts] looks better when it does the scaling. So look at both and then you will find what you like best and then that is the right way for you.
B) Yes but you might get pillar bars on the SD channels as the receiver will be set to the 16:9 size and this will have the same thing come out the S-Video also. So when you want to record, it would be best to set it to stretch so the pillar bars are gone.

Now you can what HD channels through the same S-Video and you older TV until you get the new Aquos TV, so there is no need to wait to start playing with your new toys.

BTW: :welcome_s to the forum.

[paulman182]

Connect your H20 up via S-video to your standard TV while you wait for the Aquos.

You'll get the HD channels you don't get now and they will look great compared to SD.

[Chip Moody]

Thanks for the advice guys. I forgot that it would squeeze a 16x9 image into the 4x3 S-video format. :( That's okay - I'll just make sure to do a zoom/expand/whatever on the TV when I go to watch stuff on Tivo that was recorded off the new box.

As for hooking it up before I get the Aquos, as long as my H20-Tivo control cable gets here on time, I just might do that... (The box it's replacing has my main Tivo connected to it if you haven't figured that out yet) :)

- Chip