[Degull]

I recently bought a 37" lcd with component and HDMI inputs and I was wondering how I can increase my picture quality coming from the satellite receiver. I only have and need one DP508 and I love the PVR features (can't live without it actually). Trying to figure out what receiver I should be looking at upgrading to or if there was a way of changing my DP508's SD signal to component or HDMI (wishfull thinking). Thanks.

 

[scooper]

A DP508 only has composite or S-Video outputs (well - also the RF, but you definately don't want that one...)

 

[Degull]

anyone?

 

[Steve Mehs]

You can't. Even if there was some sort of cable adaptor out there, it wouldn't matter, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.

I had a few devices in the past where I needed to convert composite video to Svideo due to not having the correct input on the device or for switching reasons, no improvement in picture quality over composite from composite -> Svideo. And with standard def content there shouldn’t be a big difference. I hooked up a DirecTV Samsung S75 receiver for my neighbor, that is one of the very few SD satellite receivers out there with component out, I honestly could not tell the difference between Svideo and component.

 

[Degull]

So basically I will not gain any picture quality by upgrading my reciever unless I buy a HD ready reciever and watching a program broadcasted in HD?

 

[ratoren]

I have a 508 connected to my plasma HDTV (1)via SVideo through my receiver and upconverted into component and (2)direct through composite (for my wife). Digital picture quality of sattelite is excellent via both connections. You may receive minimal improvement with a new HDTV receiver, but the difference on a 37-in TV will not be noticeable unless you are sitting with 3-ft of the receiver.

I am pretty sure that everyone here that paid the big-bucks for the new 622 receiver is going to argue with this, but any real research that you do on the internet will support the excellent picture quality on a 42-in and smaller screen regardless of HD or SD.

The major reasons that an HD receiver is needed is when on cable (as most of the stations are in analog) or on a 50-in or larger HDTV, when you can actually see the lines from 5-ft away. Don't bother with a new receiver with sattelite - it won't make a major (or even minor) improvement!!!

 

[Steve Mehs]

The reason you need an HD receiver (or an SD box for that matter) on cable is to decode the QAM signal of the digital channels, if you have a digital cable ready TV, you can use a cable card, or hook an incoming cable line to the back of the TV and see if you get any unencrypted content. So really you don't actually need a cable box, if you have a DCR TV. But you lose the 2 way features like On Demand, the EPG and no integrated DVR. What are these lines five feet away your talking about? And on decent cable systems most of the channels are digital not analog, for systems not doing ADS yet typically it's 70-75 out of 200-225 channels are in analog. That's not most, hell that's not even half. My system in 100% digital, picture quality is better then DirecTV. Haven't had Dish on my HDTV, but the banquet hall where my company Christmas party was held last Saturday had a Similar TV to mine in the bar, and had Dish. The noticeable compression was unreal on the Sabres game, looks good on MSG on cable.