I just got back from Sears and discovered that all their panels are fed with a single white coax (quad) cable into the coax in. Why is it that everyone recommends component or digital input when these look so good with a single coax cable????? Am I missing something. Thanks

I think most retail stores are using an OTA HD feed specific to the store. Its letting the HDTV tuner on the TV decode the signal, rather than a Set Top Box.

It must be an HD signal that the internal decoder is processing. Believe me when I say over Christmas I walked into my Aunt's house and witnessed horror like I'd never imagined. The "cable guy" had everything (vcr, dvd, cable box) all being fed into the Panny LCD by a coax cable (to the HD tuner!). I couldn't stand to watch a single minute on it. Fixed it up for them and they were AMAZED at what the picture should have looked like the whole time they had it (several months). I could make some derogatory comments about cable guys in general, but I'm sure there are a few out there who are the exception to the oft-spoken "rule".

Yep. The feed is off a HDD usually with pre-recorded media and the TV's are doing the decoding.

Actually, we get a generic DVD which is send to all stores with blank spaces to fill certain spots with the stores ad's and other previews and whatnot are shared amongst most B&M stores. Most of our stores used to use DishHD and we used component across the board, but the coax system is much easier, more efficient and is possible now that all TV's in the stores have digital tuners. Yes, it is the equivalent of OTA HD, similar compression and all.

The BB stores mostly are using Sencore's though. And the updates are downloaded and not on a disk. :)

I know the BB near me works on the exact same set up we have in Sears, and I'm pretty sure the CC near me as well however I rather dislike the people in that store. The only downside to this set up is in that it makes it more complicated to demonstrate proper hook up of other devices. Goes to show though, the cables play a role, but nothing huge, we have bare copper cables going into some of the TV's without a cap on the end, still looks the same as using an overpriced shielded coaxial cable.

I dunno then. lol

I always get the "how do I hook this up" questions. Even from people that don't buy from me. lol