Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rick_R 
AustinBear,
I use component output from the 622 to the HDTV. However I believe the other poster is incorrect. The 622 will convert all channels to your selected HD format, 720p or 1080i. In my case the 622 converts all channels to 1080i and sends them over the component cables to my HDTV.
With my previous 6000 Dish HD STB it did the same thing but I found that I got a better SD picture by using S video from the 6000 to my HDTV. Even the composite video was better. I have not done a comparison of the S video or composite video of the 622 with the 1080i component yet. What I did notice was that when I looked at SD channels with the 622 they were dramatically better than before with my 6000.
If you are not getting very good SD channels it might be because you are outputting in 720p or it might be that you are using HDMI. I do know that there have been reports of problems with HDMI on the 622. You might try component cables to your HDTV, or if your HDTV will take 1080i try that, or do both.
Rick R
I never said the 622 will not convert SD content to HD resolutions (720p, 1080i). In fact i said that IT WOULD CONVERT SD signals to these resolutions, and that is probably his problem. SD is MEANT TO BE VIEWED in 480i, and when you tell it to output all content in an HD format (720p or 1080i), it will convert all content, including SD, to the specified resolution. Many set top boxes do a horrible job of converting SD programs (meant to be viewed in 480i) to high definition resolutions (either 720p or 1080i). Since he was using ONLY HDMI, and HDMI is not capable of transmitting 480i signals, the box was converting SD 480i signals to 720p (and probably not donig a very decent job of this) so that it could be sent over the HDMI connection. Not only is the incorrect resolution for SD a problem, but because SD is transmitted and shot in 4x3, it will probably show up on the TV as 4x3 if it is being sent in an HD resolution. This is because most STB's (now i don't know if the 622 does this or not) pass the video through at the original apsect ratio (HD is natively 16x9 and SD is natively 4x3). Because SD is MEANT to be viewed in 480i, HDTV's have the capability to "stretch" 480i content to 16x9 so that it will fill the screen. Most HDTV's, however, ARE NOT capable of stretching video that is received in HD resolutions (720p or 1080i) to 16x9, the thinking behind this being that all HD programs are already shot and transmitted in 16x9 widescreen, so their native aspect ratio should fill the screen. If the SD programming is being delivered to the TV in HD resolutions however, the TV thinks it is displaying HD, and thus will display in native aspect ratio (for SD being 4x3) and will disable the stretch feature.