I'm new to this site (just signed up today) and I was looking for some help with my HDTV setup. I just purchased a Samsung 32 in LCD widescreen (LN-R328W). I have the comcast guy coming out today with the HD box (hopefully the DVR box b/c I specified a box w/ DVI when I called) I'm just a little confused as to what I should do to make my HD experience the best it can be? What should my settings be set to? (i.e. 4:3 override, output resolution, ect..)
fx
Unregistered guest
Posted on
16:9 setting set output to 720p (you might try both 1080i and 720p and see which looks better to your own eyes).
4:3 setting doesn't matter much since your display will upconvert the input to it's native resolution so you might as well use 480i therby allowing you to zoom 4:3 programming if you desire.
Ask any more questions you like after you know what model and brand of DVR you get from Comcast.
Thanks for the connections information. I just have a few more questions (and I hope I don't sound to dumb when I ask them). I assume that when I change the input on the tv for the HDMI setting that I will be watching all the channels (including the HD ones) through the HDMI connection instead of watching the channels through the coax cable. Is this true? I plan on connecting the box to the tv via a DVI to HDMI cable. I have also been reading some horror stories about the DVI cable making the SD channels look worse. I hope this isn't the case since I purchased the cable already. Can anyone shed some light on the subject?
The Phoenix
Unregistered guest
Posted on
fx, my old friend. Glad to see you still on the case.
I just hooked up my comcast dvr with dual tuner, after taking back my second cable card. everything looks great. i used the component video because i would have to have gotten a dvi to hdmi cable and stil run rca audio cables. (comcast supplied a nice 5 plug all in one cable but it is 12' lg, i need 3'. very happy with all but 2 stations . 213 and 214 "pixilate" while the other 300 are fine. i have a guy coming tuesday. any ideas why only 2 channels would do this? i assume it is the tuner since every other station is perfect.
Chris if your using one of the adaptor cords that has female DVI and male HDMI, you will still need to connect your audio. The only way you can get DIGITAL audio and video through one cable is HDMI. I would be surprised to find out your box converter does not have an HDMI if it is new, but who knows...
And I suppose there should be some clarification onto your input hook-ups. With your Coax going into your cable box, and DVI out, then yes, you will be watching all your channels through DVI, BUT ea channel only broadcasts what it broadcasts. HDMI's do not "upconvert" or alter the signal in anyway (for our purposes), so it does not makes SD look "worse". What makes SD look worse is your big ol' HD TV. SO your "Digital Cable" channels will look Normal/better, your HD channels will look superb. Now, fear not! First off, YES, HD TVs bring out the interlaced lines (jaggies) all too clearly, BUT at 32in, this should not cause you too much blindness! Your DVDs and HD/ED TV will look better than anything you have had to date, and that should make all the difference in the world! Besides, most channels can be found in digital now anyway, and for satellite I believe all of them are (by definition).
I have gotten everything hooked up and might I say the HD channels look amazing. I mean I knew that HD made a significant difference in picture quality and whatnot, but I guess I needed to see it in person to be totally amazed and man does it look beautiful. I can't even compare the regular channels to it (there is no comparison). No matter what I do to the original channels (alter the picture, color, tint, sharpness, etc...), they will never compare to the HD channels. I realize that my sound is analog, but I plan to get surround sound with an optical sound hookup. Then I will run the sound from the box to the surround sound.
Your DVDs and HD/ED TV will look better than anything you have had to date, and that should make all the difference in the world! Besides, most channels can be found in digital now anyway, and for satellite I believe all of them are (by definition).