Hi Guys,

I finally bit the bullet and purchased a HDTV a few days ago and it looks great!

I purchased a Sony KDL-52W3000 (52" LCD) and a Sony Blu-ray player for 2,399$ at a local appliance store. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray player is on back order and I should get it next week....

I have Verizon FiOS, here in NY (Long Island) and have the Motorola QIP6200-2 (High Definition Box). I have not yet changed any setting on either the TV or the set-top box and was wondering what changes I should make?

I am currently seeing a slight delay and black screen for a few moments when changing from a high definition channel to a standard definition channel. Is this normal, and how can I fix this problem?

My TV/Box is currently displaying SD channels at full screen on my TV (no black bars) and some HD channels are being displayed with black bars but it looks better than the same info on the SD channel. Is this correct? I assume those programs I am seeing on the HD channels (with the black bars) are just not HD programs, correct????


Any help or inputs setting up my new HDTV would be great!


Thanks,
Rob

"I am currently seeing a slight delay and black screen for a few moments when changing from a high definition channel to a standard definition channel. Is this normal, and how can I fix this problem?"

You probably have the box set up to native mode which means it's passing the channel in it's native resolution to your TV and it's scaling as needed to match it's native resolution. The delay is the TV resyncing on different resolutions being sent to it. You can disable this mode and let the STB upscale everything to HD resolutions to speed up channel changes. Search on your model here to find steps on how to set it up.

"My TV/Box is currently displaying SD channels at full screen on my TV (no black bars) and some HD channels are being displayed with black bars but it looks better than the same info on the SD channel. Is this correct? I assume those programs I am seeing on the HD channels (with the black bars) are just not HD programs, correct????"

Black bars on the sides usually indicated unconverted SD programming, the bars are put there to maintain the original aspect ratio, black bars on the top and bottom designate a program being shown in it's original aspect ratio that may be wider then 16:9.

"I am currently seeing a slight delay and black screen for a few moments when changing from a high definition channel to a standard definition channel. Is this normal, and how can I fix this problem?"

You probably have the box set up to native mode which means it's passing the channel in it's native resolution to your TV and it's scaling as needed to match it's native resolution. The delay is the TV resyncing on different resolutions being sent to it. You can disable this mode and let the STB upscale everything to HD resolutions to speed up channel changes. Search on your model here to find steps on how to set it up.

"My TV/Box is currently displaying SD channels at full screen on my TV (no black bars) and some HD channels are being displayed with black bars but it looks better than the same info on the SD channel. Is this correct? I assume those programs I am seeing on the HD channels (with the black bars) are just not HD programs, correct????"

Black bars on the sides usually indicated unconverted SD programming, the bars are put there to maintain the original aspect ratio, black bars on the top and bottom designate a program being shown in it's original aspect ratio that may be wider then 16:9.

Actually, the Motorola doesn't pass through native mode signals (I wish it did). All signals are acted on by the DVR. The thing to do is to set the SD resolution in the box to 4:3 override to "OFF". This should take care of the delay.

Your SD channels are at full screen because they are being stretched, since this is a selection in the Motorola. I have mine set to not be stretched, since I like to see the signal as broadcast, but it really is a preference thing.

As to the HD black bars thing, you have two resolutions that are typical for HD broadcast: 1080i and 720p. Both have their proponents, and either is considered HD. The broadcast channels select one or the other as their basic HD resolution, so one channel may have 1080i (full screen) while the other has 720p (black bars). The reason for the bars is that 720p is not stretched as the 480 i SD signal is.

If you have a 1080p TV, you are not currently going to have broadcast 1080p HD, the only available are 720p (progressive) or 1080i (interlaced). The reason that the 720p is crisper than the SD signal is because it is real HD, just a smaller area of screen real estate; if it were larger, it would be 1080p.

Hope that helped.

Actually, the Motorola doesn't pass through native mode signals (I wish it did). All signals are acted on by the DVR. The thing to do is to set the SD resolution in the box to 4:3 override to "OFF". This should take care of the delay.

Your SD channels are at full screen because they are being stretched, since this is a selection in the Motorola. I have mine set to not be stretched, since I like to see the signal as broadcast, but it really is a preference thing.

As to the HD black bars thing, you have two resolutions that are typical for HD broadcast: 1080i and 720p. Both have their proponents, and either is considered HD. The broadcast channels select one or the other as their basic HD resolution, so one channel may have 1080i (full screen) while the other has 720p (black bars). The reason for the bars is that 720p is not stretched as the 480 i SD signal is.

If you have a 1080p TV, you are not currently going to have broadcast 1080p HD, the only available are 720p (progressive) or 1080i (interlaced). The reason that the 720p is crisper than the SD signal is because it is real HD, just a smaller area of screen real estate; if it were larger, it would be 1080p.

Hope that helped.


I wouldn't be so quick to label the ch lag a "problem"-more like a trade-off.

1. the lag is only present when switching between HD & SD chs.

2. with 4:3 Override off you'll likely see a degradation in SD picture quality. the Motorola boxes are known for doing a mediocre job of scaling SD signals.

with no native option you have 2 choices for HD output-720p or 1080i.
I would choose whatever best matchs your Sony

To turn 4:3 override off [to eliminate delays in switching between SD and HD channels], press power to turn the box off, then select, then menu.