[Hargdad]

I am a little disappointed in the picture quality from Directv on my GWIII. Now don't get me wrong, the Hi def programming is great on D*, but the regular programming leaves a lot to be desired. Is this an issue with all LCDs? It seems that CRTs that I have seen have a much better picture for non-HD programming. Any ideas? Am I crazy?

 

[Slordak]

Garbage in, garbage out. The more exact a set is at reproducing a poor quality source, the worse it may look. This is why high quality RP LCDs and DLPs tend to give a poor SD experience, since they accurately reproduce the source, including all of its flaws. On satellite, many SD channels have relatively serious overcompression, which exacerbates the issue.


If you want more blurriness, you can always turn on "Mild" mode! Seriously, though, try hooking up the satellite receiver to the TV via composite and S-Video and see if this looks any better to you. In some cases, component and DVI can make standard definition programming look worse.

 

[Hargdad]

It is hooked up via the DVI cable only How can I hook it up using composite cable for SD and DVI for HD? Use different TV video inputs? I appreciate all of your help and suggestions! I am a newby as you can tell

 

[Slordak]

Yes, you can hook both cables up simultaneously and use one input of your TV for viewing SD content and a separate input of your TV for viewing HD content.


Again, this may not solve the problem completely for you, but it's definitely something you might want to try, since you may find that the composite or S-Video gives you just a bit more blending which can help with perceived quality.

 

[Big Mike]

I strongly recommend that you implement UMR's tweaks to your set. This is fairly easy and makes a big difference in PQ. Also, I suggest you watch SD in 4x3 mode. (No stretch) This should give you the picture you are looking for.


Good luck,

Mike