[CZSteve]

Hello and a question:
We're on DTV and still using a crt tv (hey, at least it's a widescreen )

My parents have a Samsung DLP w/ Time Warner Cable.
The HD is INCREDDIBLE, but the SD picture is horrible - especially in the lower numbered channels - grainy & fuzzy.

I understand that CRT's will generally be better than DLP's w/ a SD pic.
However, just curious if he changes to DTV will he have a better picture on SD than w/ TW?
How's the selection of HD compare? DTV vs TW?

I'm under the impression that TW compresses their signal thus causing the problem.
I'd hate to suggest they change to DTV and not see an improvement.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[whsbuss]

Hello and a question:
We're on DTV and still using a crt tv (hey, at least it's a widescreen )

My parents have a Samsung DLP w/ Time Warner Cable.
The HD is INCREDDIBLE, but the SD picture is horrible - especially in the lower numbered channels - grainy & fuzzy.

I understand that CRT's will generally be better than DLP's w/ a SD pic.
However, just curious if he changes to DTV will he have a better picture on SD than w/ TW?
How's the selection of HD compare? DTV vs TW?

I'm under the impression that TW compresses their signal thus causing the problem.
I'd hate to suggest they change to DTV and not see an improvement.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Steve

Hi Steve,

Wish I could say SD is better on D* but I can't. I have a Samsung DLP and some SD on D* is lousy. Some of my neighbors who have Comcast cable complain about the noisy picture. One thing that D* has over cable (analog) is a cleaner picture. But depending on the broadcast, SD on a DLP/projection system is not that good.

 

[buist]

Hi Steve,

Wish I could say SD is better on D* but I can't. I have a Samsung DLP and some SD on D* is lousy. Some of my neighbors who have Comcast cable complain about the noisy picture. One thing that D* has over cable (analog) is a cleaner picture. But depending on the broadcast, SD on a DLP/projection system is not that good.

I replaced my Hitachi CRT rear projector with a Samsung DLP RP (1080p). The picture on the Samsung DLP is much better for SD programming than my CRT was. For HD, the difference isn't as much (although still improved).. So they may be limitations caused by the TV..

Tim

 

[slh66]

I just switched back to direct tv from cable and I have to say the sd channels are alot better on my dlp now than before that was one of my major gripes with mediacom is that the lower channels look like crap. and the few hd channels looked good. now everything is really good the wife is happy no more grainy greys anatomy.

 

[idlehands]

If you're going to be surfing purely SD, then go for an ED plasma. They're the closest you can get to a tube tv. DLP, LCD, anything with native HD resolution, SD will look very bad.

 

[CZSteve]

If you're going to be surfing purely SD, then go for an ED plasma. They're the closest you can get to a tube tv. DLP, LCD, anything with native HD resolution, SD will look very bad.

That's the basic information I've picked-up.
I've also been told that plasma provides the best picture in SD for a HD set - closest to a CRT.
I'm still on a CRT (glass tube) - I'm @ the 'research' stage right for our next purchase; I can drive my wife a bit crazy researching something.

Right now I'm trying to assist my folks.
They already have the 50" DLP hooked up to cable - I love how the picture is in HD, but SD in the lower channels would drive my crazy if I had to endure watching that picture.
The picture in SD in the higher numbered channels are quite a bit better.

I know it's hard to answer, but I'm wondering if DTV would provide better consistency (low to high) for the SD channels.
I'd hate to encourage that he switch and not gain anything.

Thanks for playing.

 

[heaphus]

I replaced my Hitachi CRT rear projector with a Samsung DLP RP (1080p). The picture on the Samsung DLP is much better for SD programming than my CRT was. For HD, the difference isn't as much (although still improved).. So they may be limitations caused by the TV..

Tim

Wow, my experience has been the complete opposite. SD on my Hitachi CRT RPTV is much better than it is on my parents Sammy DLP although, that's not saying much.:nono2: I've always assumed that it was because the Sammy is upconverting to the native resolution, whereas my Hitachi is displaying it at 480p.

 

[whsbuss]

That's the basic information I've picked-up.
I've also been told that plasma provides the best picture in SD for a HD set - closest to a CRT.
I'm still on a CRT (glass tube) - I'm @ the 'research' stage right for our next purchase; I can drive my wife a bit crazy researching something.

Right now I'm trying to assist my folks.
They already have the 50" DLP hooked up to cable - I love how the picture is in HD, but SD in the lower channels would drive my crazy if I had to endure watching that picture.
The picture in SD in the higher numbered channels are quite a bit better.

I know it's hard to answer, but I'm wondering if DTV would provide better consistency (low to high) for the SD channels.
I'd hate to encourage that he switch and not gain anything.

Thanks for playing.

Do your parents have digital cable? Sounds like they are still getting analog on the lower cable channels.

 

[machavez00]

Until the switch over happens, almost all cable channels 1-125 are analog. Some systems may have digital channels in that range but for the most part they are analog. I had D* before getting my DLP so I do not have a reference point to compare SD vs HD. As far as my other SD set, the SD PQ is far superior to cable (ie no ghosting on vhf locals).

 

[ClubSteeler]

Until the switch over happens, almost all cable channels 1-125 are analog. Some systems may have digital channels in that range but for the most part they are analog. I had D* before getting my DLP so I do not have a reference point to compare SD vs HD. As far as my other SD set, the SD PQ is far superior to cable (ie no ghosting on vhf locals).

All of my cable channels are digital, even channels 1-100. The STB is smart enough to choose the digital simulcast over the analog broadcast on the digital boxes.

For year smy cable SD (and HD) has been WORLDS better than D*. Our HD is still way better, but our SD is deteriorating rapidly. It's still not quite as bad as D*, but it's getting close.

You can "fake" it a little. Turn your picture sharpness way down, and make any other adjustments to "soften" the picture. Then have a "vivid" setting to program for HD channels that you can switch to.

 

[BattleScott]

That's the basic information I've picked-up.
I've also been told that plasma provides the best picture in SD for a HD set - closest to a CRT.
I'm still on a CRT (glass tube) - I'm @ the 'research' stage right for our next purchase; I can drive my wife a bit crazy researching something.

Right now I'm trying to assist my folks.
They already have the 50" DLP hooked up to cable - I love how the picture is in HD, but SD in the lower channels would drive my crazy if I had to endure watching that picture.
The picture in SD in the higher numbered channels are quite a bit better.

I know it's hard to answer, but I'm wondering if DTV would provide better consistency (low to high) for the SD channels.
I'd hate to encourage that he switch and not gain anything.

Thanks for playing.

It really depends on which channel it is. The national channels in SD are generally much better on D* than the analog cable provides, but more and more people, myself included, are seeing gradual reductions in the SD picture quality. Presumably due to their current bandwidth constraints.
If they can get their local affiliates OTA, then that's good because the SD locals from D* are just plain crap.

 

[machavez00]

All of my cable channels are digital, even channels 1-100. The STB is smart enough to choose the digital simulcast over the analog broadcast on the digital boxes.

For year smy cable SD (and HD) has been WORLDS better than D*. Our HD is still way better, but our SD is deteriorating rapidly. It's still not quite as bad as D*, but it's getting close.

You can "fake" it a little. Turn your picture sharpness way down, and make any other adjustments to "soften" the picture. Then have a "vivid" setting to program for HD channels that you can switch to.

what is your cableco?

 

[Steve Mehs]

All of my cable channels are digital, even channels 1-100. The STB is smart enough to choose the digital simulcast over the analog broadcast on the digital boxes.

Same here. Many systems are doing digital simulcast. We didn't go digital all at once, it was a process where every Monday 3-4 channels were converted over. And I agree, my cable picture is better then DirecTV as well on the SD channels.

To the OP, give it a little time and your parents division should be doing ADS sometime in 2007.

 

[ClubSteeler]

Same here. Many systems are doing digital simulcast. We didn't go digital all at once, it was a process where every Monday 3-4 channels were converted over. And I agree, my cable picture is better then DirecTV as well on the SD channels.

To the OP, give it a little time and your parents division should be doing ADS sometime in 2007.

Yeah we MOSTLY all digital all at once. Then over the next few weeks they slowly turned on the rest of them. We have exactly 5 analog only channels, mostly public access, PBS, stuff like that. Every other channel under 100 is simulcast digitally. Every channel over 100 is digital only.

It's nice because I get 100% digital channels, but I also can avoid paying STB rental fees in the bedrooms. Over all, this allows my cable bill to be almost exactly equal to a DirecTV bill with 3 receivers.

To answer a previous question, my cable company is Bright House Networks Central Florida.

Up untel about 6 months ago, their SD was so nice, I didn't even have a HD box. I just used the antenna when I watched sports in HD. Well I have a HD box now because SD picture quality has gone downhill a little, especially on the lesser watched channels. ESPN channels are still pretty nice though, so that's good.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Only analog channels I have are locals and community access. Locals don't really matter since I get them in HD. I had an episode of The Shield on my DVR from when FX was analog only and one the day after it went digital. There is no comparison.

 

[dtv757]

i have a question and i may not be in the right message board, but why is a new company like verizon fios using analog for there local channels. cant they digitalise the signal just like D* or E* does???

 

[whsbuss]

i have a question and i may not be in the right message board, but why is a new company like verizon fios using analog for there local channels. cant they digitalise the signal just like D* or E* does???

They could. But the local community channels are injected in the serving CO and has no digital encoding capabilities. The hub CO sends all other content digitally.

 

[CZSteve]

Still wondering if DTV is worth the change for my folks.

They live ~ 30 miles from our house and I was considering bringing their DLP over here to plug into our DTV to see how the SD pic is compared to what they have w/ TWC.

Their DLP is 2-3 years old - any thing to watch out for when moving should we decide to try this?
I'm assuming the bulb is near the end of it's life anyway - will moving the tv increase the chance of blowing the bulb?