SA 8300 HD Tips & Tricks -- SARA - Page 284

Well, the 8300 is at least 6 years old now, so I would imagine the chipset in your newer TV would do a better job. However, it's debatable that you will be able to see the difference even if it technically does do a better job.

You should see no difference with 480i vs 480p (unless you incorrectly select 480i widescreen).

That depends on what is wrong, so you can't always rely on a simple Reboot fixing a problem. To be honest, I'm not really sure how you know what it's doing, I sure can't tell. The only thing I can see is when it downloads the IPG data again. All I know is there is a difference between a Reboot and a Hard Reboot, I've seen problems fixed by one and not the other. Plus, I believe he already tried a Reboot and it didn't help hold the settings. I never waste time with a Reboot. The few times I've had to reboot, I just did a Hard Reboot to get it over with.

Not at all, I forgot all about that Component cable stuff too until you mentioned it. It's been a pretty long time though since anyone ran across that same problem. Looking back, I probably should have also included a problem/solution section in the First Post, but there's only so much time.

Sometimes that's just the way it is. Ask anyone who hooked up an eSATA drive back in the early days. Reboot once didn't work, reboot 3-4 times and things work. Sometiems just breaking the HDMI handshake completely does the trick. Go figure! That's one reason why cableco's generally don't support HDMI, just too many variables.

Doesn't really matter what I think, it's what things look like to you and how much you are willing to objectively evaluate everything. I have an older CRT-based display, so I don't believe there is a noticeable difference in PQ for me. Other folks with newer TVs probably see a difference, but I don't know if that is because of different settings on the HDMI input, etc. Technically, I suppose, it's all 1's and 0's, so there shouldn't be a difference, but different chipsets process things differently, so it is what it is.

My main concern with HDMI is the other problems there seem to be with it. I don't know if the standard is "loose" and everyone follows it within specs but with slight differences or what. All I know is that most folks having problems are using HDMI. Many of them are trying to use an AVR as an HDMI switcher to minimize cables. There is nothing wrong with that until they encounter problems and then want to blame the cableco,the easy target, instead of trying to understand what is going on. Sometimes the cableco is at fault, but most times the fault is in one of the other devices. For example, many TVs apparently don't cut all signal to the HDMI port when the TV is turned off. This messes up the HDCP handshake and prevents those folks from listening to the cable music channels with the TV off. Of course, they blame the cableco when the problem is the TV. Switch to Component and the problem goes away because there is no HDCP handshake for Component.

Also, so many channels and cableco's have lowered their bitrate these days that I don't think chasing that last ounce of PQ is very productive. Cable boxes tend to come with Component and Audio cables, so why not use them? Why spend more money on an HDMI cable unless there is a pressing need?

The bottom line is that I always recommend folks test things. If you like the HDMI PQ better, then by all means use it. If it causes you other problems, then revert to Component until such time as the problems have been fixed. I just don't think any of this is worth the complaining some folks do. I suppose that's easy for me to say since it doesn't affect me.

Check the First Post.

Pages 1 & 5 contain the signal data usually discussed here.