[steveinaz]

FWIW, After a couple weeks of tweaking, I finally have a very good SDTV picture on my 50" DLP. I run Cox digital cable, via the S-Video connection from the STB on my HL-S5086W, for reference.


What I have discovered is that contrast and color need to be backed waaaayy down to get the most out of SD programming. I found this across the board on 3 TV's in my house when I looked at the relation of the DVE calibrated DVD setting vs the settings I ended up with for television.


Just an FYI, you can get an outstanding SDTV picture with some patience/experimentation. I did find the S-Video out performed far better (especially with picture detail) than RF out from the STB---I know, it should be a no-brainer.


Try dropping contrast and color way down, and go from there.

 

[walford]

You will get even better PQ from your digital STB to your HLS unit if you use component or DVI/HDMI then you are getting with S-Video. You will also get the "HD" channels in HD resolution instead of in downscaled SD 480i S-video standard resolution even when the program you are watching is being filmed with a "SD" camera since the nertworks use upscaling video processors costing many thousands of $ as compared to the inecpensive upscaling chip being used in your TV to get from your 480i S-Video input to your TV'sd native resolution.

 

[steveinaz]

We don't HDTV available yet, unfortunately---later this year according to Cox. My current STB doesn't have Component, HDMI/DVI outputs, but the "new" box will.

 

[walford]

A neighbor of mine had one of the old COX digital boxes without component or DVI and she jusr called up and asked for a newer model and they gave her one for no cost. The reason for this is that I believe that they now have to provide you a box with the ability to archieve a program from and only the newer boxes that they have been receiving the last 2-3 years have this capability.

 

[steveinaz]

Thanks, I'll look into that...