DirecTV standard channels picture not clear

[MathWiz579]

Hey all,

Just got my 51" Sony HDTV (WS510) today. Currently have it hooked up via S-video to my RCA box (the slightly older one with no dolby digital). Right away I have noticed that the picture on basically all channels is not sharp (is "artifacts" the word I need here?). For all HDTV owners who actually view regular DirecTV channels, is there any way for the picture quality to go up here? When I get an HDTV box will the DVI connection also increase the quality of the standard channels?

I don't mind the lack of crisp-ness, but the fiance sees it as a problem, namely she didn't want us to spend $1500 on a TV and not have the vast majority of stations not be crisp.

Any help or suggestions would be very appreciated.

Thanks!

[tazman]

You may not find that the picture quality that your getting with the standard Direct TV box is going to be any better than what you would get with an OTA digital box, probably not even as good.  All the standard channels you receive are most likely 720x480.   The signals you receive with Direct TV are second generation, in that DTV pulls them off of the various satellites, decodes them, then re-encodes them and compresses the begeezeees out of them to fit into the band width slots for their satelite before beeming them up and sending them down to you and others.  Normally the stardard 720x480 signals will probably look only slightly better on an HD set versus a standard big screen set.  I would suggest looking into getting the HD service from DTV or DISH and get the lattest box with the YPP or DVI connections that will help somewhat with the standard channels.  Anything sent through a S-Video connection is 720x480 interlaced and not progressive.  Your set in turn converts that signal and upscales it to it's native format what ever that may be.  Getting a receiver that can out put that signal through a YPP or DVI connection can output the signal as progressive to your set, if it is truly progressive to begin with.  I hope this helps a little.  Maybe others who have had more experience with this will step in and voice their comments as well, good luck.

[tazman]

Just another side note here.  If you haven't had a HD set or a big screen set before and you are used to viewing TV on a smaller set, lets say 27 to 36 inch.  You have to realize that the picture quality of the same signal will not get better as you stretch it out onto a bigger screen.  What is going to happen is that you will see more of the imperfections in that signal that you did not see on the smaller set as it is projected onto a bigger and bigger screen.

[gparris]

It seems as though you are looking for more of the better picture right now rather than the better sound that HDTV offers. So be it.

When you bought your HDTV you needed to at very least go out and purchase that Pioneer progressive scan DVD player I suggested in another post or maybe a Sony progressive scan player (any one!), right away. Then your fiance would immediately notice the benefits of a digital set like you bought. Do not wait any longer expecting miracles in picture quality by feeding the same programming  to your new HDTV monitor that you gave your smaller TV, tazman is right on target!;)

You buy a HDTV to experience at very least, HDTV and Directv offers several in its package so get off the bench and upgrade since you are so enchanted with their service offerings vs. TWC.

If this is a problem for you and you cannot get your $99 deal for an HD STB with Directv including the new triple LNB for HD installed, (and I don't see why not, call customer retention) then get that DVD progressive player today, not tomorrow, hook it up and put on your fiance's favourite DVD and play it for her.
That at very least will show her why people buy HDTVs:D

The next post I want to read from you is that you did one of the above, so quit complaining.

Thank you very much!:rolleyes:

[tazman]

gparris is also right in suggesting a progressive DVD player if you do not have on already.  The difference from going from S-video to YPP component progressive, is like going from composite to S-video.  It's still not HD, but it's a world of difference.
  Why Direct TV... is your choice.  As far as I know they offer no local channels in HD.  if you want ABC, NBC,CBS, PBS and hopefully by the time the Packers start, FOX HD then you need to consider TWC or an OTA set top box and possibly an out door antenna depending on your location.  Personaly I can't wait untill they ratify a standard for HD-DVD's.  Hopefully we will see that in the next year to year and a half.

[MathWiz579]

tazman,

Yep, I got the Denon 910 and its absolutely wonderful having a nice progressive scan player hooked up to my TV.

I'm just a satelite fan, and for satelite at least right now DirecTV is the way to go. I hope to get DirecTV's $99 deal where you get an OTA antenna, set top box, new dish, and installation. Even if I don't get the deal, getting these things for $399 isn't bad.

Hopefully Fox will get their act together and get things done before Packers season.

I have just had bad experiences with cable companies in the past and when the decision came last summer whether to go with cable or satelite, satelite was the better option, and I plan on sticking with it.

[borghe]

DirecTV and TWC both look like crap on a big screen.. it's just the way of things... and the bigger the screen the bigger crap it looks like..

the answer is of course HD.. call directv and get an HD box for $99.. they should even be willing to throw in an OTA rooftop antenna. HD will bring the quality you've been hoping for to your TV.

Remembers back in 1998 when he first got DirecTV and how amazingly good it looked... Letterboxed PPV was actually comparable to laserdisc

Ok back now.. anyway, it's just the state of things... eventually as bandwidth ramps up and more stations go HD we will get back to high quality pictures (which over time will start to look like "crap" also ).. until then you will just have to deal with beautiful HD and ugly SD.. unless you wanted to go back to a 32" screen or smaller where everything looks beautiful.. and small..

[MathWiz579]

borghe,

My picture quality has improved quite a bit by doing a few tweaks to the TV (softer picture... much better). I'm in the process of finding more tweaks to make it even better. SD at least doesn't look like garbage anymore... all channels are watchable without getting annoyed with it at all.

It's weird that my composite connection actually looks better than an S-video connection.

[Timgb]

When I bought my 48" mits  the picture quality on sd channels was terrible in digital mode. When I changed it to non digital or ant mode the quality has been quite good.  Actually channels up to 100 look blurry compared to the non digital mode.

[borghe]

mathwiz - last summer I brought CraigM here on a calibration tour (arguably the best Mitsubishi calibrator in the country). He went through the whole ~12 hour calibration on my set... it literally can't look any better than it does...

as for composite looking better than S.. well, this is entirely believable... on a big screen composite will generally look better than s-video on most low quality sources (playstation 1 and N64 for example).the combing that occurs basically "muddies" the picture, but at the same time can hide certain artifacts.

anyway, like I said earlier, I am just ranting.. you have to understand that I am not necessarily trying to be a snob now, but I do remember getting directv back in '98 and being blown away by the picture quality. Not only me but my wife also.. we couldn't believe we were getting DVD quality video for our television signals.. after years of cable it was like a shock to the system... now DirecTV is on par with cable, fighting the channel war, and those of us who switched to DirecTV have lost a lot of the advantages we once had..

so not a snob so much as bitter that I no longer have what I once did.

[Matt Heebner]

Locals is what killed Directv's  almost "legendary" picture quality. Having to provide that, squeezing as much bandwidth out of the transponders as possible.....

Man, they sure did have a pretty picture back then....


Matt

[Todd Wiedemann]

Man, they sure did have a pretty picture back then....

I had occasion to call D* this past weekend. The customer service person actually said "Wow, you've been a customer for a long time !

Yep. 1994. $1000 for 2 receivers and a single LNB dish.

You're right, Matt, almost "legendary" picture is not an understatement.

[Matt Heebner]

WOW...about two years before me ! And I thought I was sorta a early adopter because a good friend of mine was a Directv dealer, and I got a great deal on equipment. I will never forget the first time I had Sunday ticket.....me and a bunch of my friends watching football ALL DAY LONG. I thought my wife was gonna go berserk.
 

Matt