Easy Questions from a Newbie (1 Viewer)

[AndrewAL]

I recently purchased the Sony KE-42TS2 Plasma TV...and I have a few questions.

1. The image is pixilated from even 6 or so feet away, moreso when it's in widescreen mode, which is predictable. I am using the cables that came with the TV and it is a regular program, not HD. Why is it somewhat pixilated?
2. What kind of cables should I get to optimize the performance at a fairly resonable price?
3. Does having Digital Cable make the image better than normal cable?
4. It says it has a: "Built-In NTSC TV Tuner," what does this mean?
5. "Input Signals: 480i, 480p, 1080i, 720p, Computer RGB." I think I understand, to a point, what the numbers mean, but my question is, why wouldn't you want to use the highest number of lines possible? Also, I've gone through the menus and cannot find any way to change this...probably a dumb question but oh well.
6. Finally, the menus do not let me switch the picture (contrast, color, hue, brightness, etc.) unless its on a mode other than standard (such as Living Room). Why is this? Should I watch in a mode other than standard?

I really really appreciate all of your help. Thanks.

 

[nick_rh]

Are you sure it's pixellated? I could definitely imagine the image from regular cable being snowy and/or grainy because the higher resolution of the TV is magnifying all the defects in the picture. DVD, satellite, digital cable, and HDTV are digital sources and are subject to pixellation. Regular cable TV shouldn't be pixellated because it's analog. But like I said, it might be grainy or snowy, and that could look like pixellation.

 

[AndrewAL]

maybe it's not pixilated...maybe grainy would be a better word to describe it. i'm not entirely sure i understand the difference. if it is in fact grainy, can i fix this or minimize it?

 

[Stephen Tu]

1.The image is pixilated from even 6 or so feet away, moreso when it's in widescreen mode, which is predictable. I am using the cables that came with the TV and it is a regular program, not HD. Why is it somewhat pixilated?

What's your program source? Analog cable?

2. What kind of cables should I get to optimize the performance at a fairly resonable price?
What type of connection to use depends on what your source is.

3. Does having Digital Cable make the image better than normal cable?
The picture can be better on the digital channels, much better when HD cable is offered, with HD versions of your local channels. But for the analog channels you receive now, quality remains the same, since they are just the same ones you get now.

4. It says it has a: "Built-In NTSC TV Tuner," what does this mean?
You can tune into standard analog OTA broadcasts just by plugging in an antenna, or tune basic analog cable by plugging in a cable. It means it's a "plasma TV" rather than a "plasma monitor". The monitors would require an outside box like a VCR/PVR/cable box/sat box to watch TV.

5. "Input Signals: 480i, 480p, 1080i, 720p, Computer RGB." I think I understand, to a point, what the numbers mean, but my question is, why wouldn't you want to use the highest number of lines possible?
Your plasma has a certain native pixel structure, usu something x 480 if it's an ED model, 1280x768 for HD. Anything you feed into it will eventually be converted to this, so going with a higher number of lines won't necessarily be benficial. Usually you want to minimize the number of conversions & make sure the device with the best deinterlacer / scaler is doing the work. Often differences will be minimal though.

6. Finally, the menus do not let me switch the picture (contrast, color, hue, brightness, etc.) unless its on a mode other than standard (such as Living Room). Why is this? Should I watch in a mode other than standard?
Just a quirk of your TV I guess. I'd watch in a mode that I could adjust.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Welcome to the forum Andrew. You might like to read the Prmer for Home Theater Newcomers
, which has a lot of good information.

480i is standard TV and DVDs (non-progressive). 480p is what Fox telecasts on their digital channel and the signal from progressive scan DVD players. 720p and 1080i are two HD telecast standards. Your TV will accept all of these signals, so you only need to make sure that the connections from your cable box, antenna (if you have one) and DVD player are properly connected. The set will convert everything to 720p, regardless of which signal is input.

I have no idea how the settings on you set work, so I can’t help with #6.

Looks like Stephen answered your questions while I was typing.

 

[AndrewAL]

my program source would be digital cable right?

 

[AndrewAL]

thanks a lot lew.

 

[AndrewAL]

sorry for the 3 posts, when i could have used one...but i just remembered another question: how significant of a difference will a quality cable like monster make?

thanks

 

[nick_rh]

Turning down the brightness and sharpness might help a little, but the only way to really fix the graininess is to get rid of cable. Digital satellite (DirecTV and the like) has a much better picture than any type of cable (except HD cable, of course). On my 47" HDTV, DirecTV still looks very good; there's no confusing it with DVD or HD, but it's perfectly watchable.

 

[AndrewAL]

another question: if i decide to watch in normal mode (with black bars on the side) do i run of the risk of burn-in? thanks

 

[cabreau]

From what I've read in the past two days, the TV should automatically upconvert the 480i (interlaced) video to a better looking 480p (progressive). The problem is probably what some of them suggested. Since the TV has the capability to display much more than 480 lines, it displays the errors in the video because it has a higher resolution than the signal does. Watch a DVD on a computer running at 1600X1200, then watch the DVD on your TV. It will look better on the TV. The TV can't display the blemishes in the video, while the computer can. The TV will also look softer, since it sharpens the picture.

 

[AndrewAL]

anyone know about black bars burning in?

thanks