TWC/SA-8300HD - Help an idiot out

[UncleMeat]

Hi, I've been searching through old threads and trying to find information that will help.  I've seen people hinting at the answers I think I need, but haven't gotten the full details.

Anyway, I just got a Westy 37" 1080p set.  I just picked up a SA 8300HD-dvr box from TWC (last week).  I'm trying to find the best picture settings and getting a tad discouraged...

Right now, I've got the box connected to the TV via HDMI.  I set the box to output 1080i only.  I also have the aspect ratio set to stretch SD broadcasts (since the picture quality doesn't look better either way IMO, I'd rather fill the screen).  I've got the TV set to "standard" for the screen fill, so the box is doing all the work.

Anyway, the HD channels look amazing.  The analogue channels (1-100) are unbearable.  I understand that SD broadcasts will not look great on a screen like this, but I expected better.  I tried researched as much as I could, but admit I rushed into things and took a lot of opinions.  The consensus I got from many was that SD broadcasts via HDMI should look similar to an upconverted DVD (I have a Toshiba upconverting dvd player, the picture looks fantastic via DVI).  Well, that is not true for the cable TV picture.  It is so unbelievably bad.  I cannot stand it!

Is there anything that can be done?  The picture is far worse than my 10 year old Wal-Mart special 19" SD tube.  I have read in the various versions of the 8300HD manual out there that there is an "HD Setup" process that is accessed by turning the box off and holding the Guide/Info buttons on the box.  That seems to be for a different software version than what we have around here.  I've seen the channel 611 menu, but that seems more info than settings.  Isn't there a way to set the box to upconvert vs. passthrough?  

Any suggestions are appreciated.  Err... other than switching to a dish.

[markd]

The consensus I got from many was that SD broadcasts via HDMI should look similar to an upconverted DVD

I'm not trying to be rude but I don't know where you got that sort of information.  That would not be the consensus around here and certainly not at a place like AVS.  You're really dealing with apples and oranges here.

Is there anything that can be done?  The picture is far worse than my 10 year old Wal-Mart special 19" SD tube.  I have read in the various versions of the 8300HD manual out there that there is an "HD Setup" process that is accessed by turning the box off and holding the Guide/Info buttons on the box.  That seems to be for a different software version than what we have around here.  I've seen the channel 611 menu, but that seems more info than settings.  Isn't there a way to set the box to upconvert vs. passthrough?  

Any suggestions are appreciated.  Err... other than switching to a dish.

Every channel is going to look different.  I don't have any 1080p displays and I have each of my 8300s set differently (720p to my panny and 1080i to my westy).  There isn't any setup process for the cable boxes other than changing settings that you have already been doing.  Have you done any calibrating of your TV with Avia or DVE?  That might help.  Honestly though, different TVs do different things with SD.  I happen to think my two sets do a pretty great job.  I've seen some pretty horrible stuff though on other TVs.

Some things you could try:

1. Calibrate your TV using home calibration DVD

2. Compare component cables (there shouldn't really be a difference but who knows)

3. Set your 8300 to pass all resolutions instead of fixing at 1080i (this will slow down channel changing but at least give you a feel for whether the 8300 or your TV does a better job at upconverting the SD signal)

4. Wait for more HD channels to show up

[dicktwi]

Like another user said, sd performance varies by channel and by different hdtv's.  My experience has been that Sony lcd hdtv's are one of the best at handling sd while Samsung dlp's are one of the worst so I bought a Sony because there's still a lot of sd to watch.  Even so, imho, the 8300 does a **** job with sd.  The only marginally watchable picture I can obtain using the 8300 is by setting it to output 480i and let my Sony tv do the conversion.  I would not call the result "unbearable", but definitely poor.  So the only way I can tolerate watching TWC's analog sd channels is to record it on my Panasonic dvd/vcr combo using a direct cable input.  The result is still not very good, but some channels are definitely, imho, watchable.  The best are SciFi 55, FX 35 and USA 34.  Family 17 isn't too bad, but CW 18 is so bad that I refuse to watch anything on it until TWC finally gets it on hd.
Hope this helps a little. http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/icons/icon7.gif
Smile

[Tom Snyder]

That is one of the main reasons I am a DirecTV subscriber. I have been with TWC twice and for awhile even had both just be able to compare them side by side.

With DirecTV, all the channels are digital... with TWC the channels below 100 are analog, even with digital cable. While the SD channels above 99 with TWC were comparable in PQ to DirecTV, the TWC analog channels were like watching tv through screen door, regardless of how I connected the box to my TV.

[UncleMeat]

That is one of the main reasons I am a DirecTV subscriber. I have been with TWC twice and for awhile even had both just be able to compare them side by side.

With DirecTV, all the channels are digital... with TWC the channels below 100 are analog, even with digital cable. While the SD channels above 99 with TWC were comparable in PQ to DirecTV, the TWC analog channels were like watching tv through screen door, regardless of how I connected the box to my TV.

That's why I've been thinking of a switch to a dish.  I just can't at my current apartment.  I'm moving in a few months and the new place allows it, as long as I can get a unit that faces the right direction.

Ah well...

[Mikey]

I think if you change the settings of your cable box to not stretch and fill the SD pictures, it will help the clarity of your SD channels.  

When you stretch those, you are basically magnifying the poor resolution and it only looks worse, imo.