Hey guys. I just hooked up a new HD-D2 to a new Sony 40S3000 (1366by768) through hdmi. I only had one hd dvd to try and it was Last Samurai. The movie started to play and right away I saw lots of noise, especially in the background. The pq was not what I expected from hd dvd. So I was wondering if it was normal (b.c. it was one of the first releases) and if I could expect more from newer releases?

I felt the last samurai looked good on my setup.

No, being one of the first films to HD media, it looked very clean.

hmmm, strange. That upsets me now. I don't think I messed up my connections or anything else as with hdmi cable it's pretty much straight forward. Don't know why then...

It wasn't shot in digital much of movies you will watch will have a different look. I know exactly what you were thinking. Check out http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=705387 it will help you pick some good looking movies.

Good luck.

POIV3, might be you settings on the Sony 40s3000. Contrast or sharpness set to high?

POIV3, might be you settings on the Sony 40s3000. Contrast or sharpness set to high?

actually I still have them all on default. I don't know if default settings are too bad?

I saw Last Samerai in HD with an HD-A1 back when the players first came out and thought it didn't look much better than my SDDVD of the same movie. So I decided to wait on HD until about a month ago and got myself an HD-XA2 and HD movies other than Last Samerai and it was so so much better. I was not impressed with the Last Samerai HDDVD at all.

I thought Last Sam. looked great, not a whole lot of noise at all. I'm on an HD-A1...

What resolution is the player set at 720p or 1080i? Try the other setting. Sometimes if a disc does not look "right" on my display I try the other and bingo.

I thought Last Sam. looked great, not a whole lot of noise at all. I'm on an HD-A1...

It was early firmware back then and I had the player for one night only. I think there was some contrast crush back then I remember reading. It did look better than the SDDVD but in a lot of scenes it looked the same. The SDDVD was a very good disc.

What resolution is the player set at 720p or 1080i? Try the other setting. Sometimes if a disc does not look "right" on my display I try the other and bingo.
tried both 1080i and 720p. About the same

actually I still have them all on default. I don't know if default settings are too bad?

that's most of your problem. Default out-of-the-box the set is in Vivid mode with most of the "picture enhancements" like video noise reduction turned on.

Switch it to "custom" mode, turn contrast down to maybe 80, sharpness to about 30 or 40, and back color down to the mid to high 40s, use Warm 1 for color temp and turn off any edge enhancement or detail enhancement features in the advanced picture menu. You might try using the THX Optimizer on one of your standard DVDs for starters but should invest in a copy of HD Digital Video Essentials to do a more thorough calibration of your set.

Last Samurai was shot on film, not video, which will have a different look than what you see on Discovery HD, this is normal, looks excellent on a properly adjusted set.

that's most of your problem. Default out-of-the-box the set is in Vivid mode with most of the "picture enhancements" like video noise reduction turned on.

Switch it to "custom" mode, turn contrast down to maybe 80, sharpness to about 30 or 40, and back color down to the mid to high 40s, use Warm 1 for color temp and turn off any edge enhancement or detail enhancement features in the advanced picture menu. You might try using the THX Optimizer on one of your standard DVDs for starters but should invest in a copy of HD Digital Video Essentials to do a more thorough calibration of your set.

Last Samurai was shot on film, not video, which will have a different look than what you see on Discovery HD, this is normal, looks excellent on a properly adjusted set.

thanks, will try to play with the settings. HD DVE is on its way. Hope that will help...