Does cable or box cause "shadowing"?

[pdtricn]

Just got a new Samsung LED TV and noticed there is a "shadow" or ghost when watching cable programming with Scientifc Atlanta 8300. It isn't terribly noticeable, but is there all the time, especially noticed when there is a dark object with a sharp edge next to a light background, the shadow is to the right of the dark object. TV station logos demonstrate this very well. This isn't noticed on the air with antenna reception or with DVD's, so it must not be the TV.  I replaced my older Sony HDTV (CRT) and didn't notice it on that, but when I reconnected it yes it was there but not as noticeable as the screen size was smaller. I am wondering either this is normal for cable and I am too picky, or some other reason. The picture quality is suberb otherwise.

[ArgMeMatey]

Interesting.  I don't have an answer but I am wondering if your set is edge lit or has local dimming.

[Bebop]

Does the problem happens with HD or SD source?

[pdtricn]

This occurs with any output from the cable box (DVR), whether is standard or high def-live or recorded. It is a little less when directly connected to the DVR instead of going through receiver (I use to switch source from DVD or TV) It does not occur on air reception or DVD playback. I just had Time Warner come out and the tech was a little uncertain but then he changed a setting on the output of DVR box to just 1080i, it looked like it had multiple settings and his theory that was causing the shadow. It looked like hardly any shadow when he changed it but then after he left I looked at it and there is some shadow still, less than it was and I am wondering if that is just a baseline phenomenon from cable signals from a DVR. It's funny how your perception can change because when he was there I swear it was essentially non-exististent and when I went back it was definitely there also as to setting on DVR I really couldn't see how more than 1 output could have been chosen but maybe it was set that way in error. Anyway, I am really satisfied at this point, I don't want to drive myself nuts with this but there is still a barely perceptable shadow. I guess I'll have to live with it, it is slightly less also when I use one component cord (Monster) over another brand, and I am still anxious to try the HDMI to see if that is better.  I'll have to see if any one else in area has this on their HD picture, as it really isn't noticeable except with certain things, such as icons of channels, etc. so it isn't perceptable with the majority of the image. Thanks!

[TPK]

What you are describing sounds a little bit like analog interference...  Component cabling is still analog...  If you got the HDMI to work I bet it would go away...

Perhaps you have a noisy environment (power lines running parallel to the cables, florescent light bulbs, other video signals coming from other sources running on cables that are parellel to the cables you are using, etc....)...  Try to reduce the noise by turning everything else off, and making sure that your component cables aren't near or running alongside other cables (especially power cables)....  The cable boxes themselves can be somewhat noisy too... Try using shorter component cables and make sure they arent bunched up or looping in circles around itself or other cables...  What you are trying to acomplish is to not have the component cables be an "antenna" to pick up stray EM interference from things that can produce stray EM emissions...  

Also, piping the signal through a reciever doesnt help much either (again, receivers can be a source of EM emissions, and who knows what kind of shielding they put in place inside those things to prevent interference)..

Again, if you went to digital, the ghosting will probably go away....   If not then the problem isn't analog interference, but its something else...