Watching analog on HDTV????? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Cancienne]

How is everyone watching everyday DirecTV on a HDTV? I can't seem to adjust to it from watching my Sony 32" analog Wega. For the most part objects, people and text are pixilated. No real clean edges. This varies from channel to channel. Some are acceptable, others or not as good. None of them are terrible, perse, but noticable.
I originally purchased the Sony 46" KPWT500 from CC. With an SVid connection I ran the Sound and Vision tune up disc. DVDs...quite simple really...gorgeous! Regular everyday DirecTV...not so good. I was sitting approx. 9 feet away so I don't think I was too close either.
Not being fully satisfied with the 46" I decided to return it and replace it with the Sony 34" KV-34HS510. Again with an SVid connection I ran the S&V disc. DVDs...awesome! I figured this being a smaller, direct-view TV it would have a nicer picture for an analog signal. I was mistaken. While some channels are better than before there are still the occasions where I notice pixilations.

My question is does everyone accept this or do you even experience the same thing? If you do, have you trained your eyes to accept this?

Should I try out a line doubler? Will that even help?

Any thoughts???

 

[Jack Briggs]

Signals from the DBS and cable providers vary. And the individual channels vary in quality. One of the issues with ATSC-capable displays is that standard NTSC broadcast signals can, in some cases, look worse than on an NTSC-only display.

You're pretty much at the mercy of your DBS provider here. The Sony's built-in line doubler ("Digital Reality Creation") is pretty good in itself.

Are you considering an ATSC tuner for high-def programming over the air, or might you be considering an HD receiver/package from DirecTV?

 

[Chris Cancienne]

Are you considering an ATSC tuner for high-def programming over the air, or might you be considering an HD receiver/package from DirecTV?

I am considering the DirecTV HD package, but given there are so few channels/programs in HD at the moment, personally I can't see spending the $600 or so for those few channels.

I guess I will keep the 34" as a trial for a week or so and then decide it its something I can deal with until everything is in HD.

 

[dan fritzen]

Chris I have the 34XBR800, which is also a sony 34" 16:9, I personally hated Direct Tv until I switched the DRC palette to mode 3, for some reason I think this really helps. Also make sure you turn off the SVM and turn down sharpness ( I am assuiming you already did this though). I think you can also use the Pro video mode which should circumvent the SVM too.

 

[Chris Cancienne]

I am at a loss here everyone. After trying everything out there from various forums I still cannot get the pixialtions to a "watchable/likeable" level. The 34" is going back today and I guess I am SOL as far as HDTVs go until everything is actually in HD.

Funny things is, with all of the reviews I have read about HDTVs not one of them had much to say about analog sources, good or bad really. Have I just had bad luck with this, am I being to critical or is there someone else out there that feels that there analog set looks far better using analog sources.

As i said before the TVs I have tried have really shined on DVDs and obviously do on HD sources as well.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Have you even tried looking at DVDs on this thing? You're about to return an excellent display simply because of the picture you get from standard DBS, which will probably look grungy no matter what you look at it on.

Keep it, and feed it a good prog-scan signal from almost any decent DVD player. Look into OTA high-def programming. My goodness, taking back a superb monitor such as this because of issues for which the DBS provider is culpable.

Sorry, but I don't get this.

 

[DarrellP]

That's why I still have a 27" Analog set sitting at the front of my HT right below my projector screen. I watch all Dish material on this set. I only fire up the pj if I want to watch a DVD or some HD.

You might consider the new Phillips 34" widescreen. From the reviews in the new Sound & Vision and other mags, the scaler in this new set makes sat & other analog sources look almost HD.

 

[dan fritzen]

I am at a loss here everyone. After trying everything out there from various forums I still cannot get the pixialtions to a "watchable/likeable" level. The 34" is going back today and I guess I am SOL as far as HDTVs go until everything is actually in HD.

Chris, most HD sets suck at analog sources, because the source is the problem not the set.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

The picture cannot possibly be worse than watching it on an analog display of similar size. Jack is right. You should never evaluate a superior technology by feeding it older inferior technology. It's like having a Pentium 4 computer with the latest graphics card and saying it's inferior because Doom circa 1994 is not in hidef video with hyper-realistic graphics.

 

[Chris Cancienne]

The picture cannot possibly be worse than watching it on an analog display of similar size.

It is...considerably too, but as I stated before not terrible. On my current analog Sony 32" Wega I don't see pixilations anywhere.

 

[anthony_b]

DirecTV has pixelization no matter what TV you have. I owne the Sony 32 wega and on certain channels the compression is more noticeable than others. I've just learned to live with it.

 

[Scott Peters]

According to one of the higher end stores near me, the Pioneer Elite RPTVs have very good analog capabilities, good HD, and also a good 4:3 stretching algorithm.