View Full Version : Hitachi 36UDX10SA
I recently bought the Hitachi 36" HDTV Monitor and have quite a few questions if anyone can answer them. The quality of the Dish Network signal is somewhat subpar. Kinda pixelly if you will. Especially watching sports. Anyone seen this?
Also - when watching DVDs with the progressive scan DVD player (component video out) it's not as 'perfect' as I'd expect. There are some "dots" on white images. (For example - on the Star Wars Episode 1 DVD at about the 30 minutes mark, and on the Godfather II DVD in the very beginning. Pachino's face has these 'dots'.) Anyone seen this?
Any info or help on settings would be appreciated.
Kevin
ps - MonsterCable...are they really better?
1. Have you had your HDTV properly set up, removing all the automatic settings and using AVIA or similar setup disk or an ISF technician? If not, you can't complain yet.
2. Monster Cables are "good" - are they worth the price - many don't think so. There are plenty of really good cables for 1/2 to 1/4 the money, especially if you've only got a short run like 3-6'. If you've got a 25' run you want to minimize losses and then a massive cable will help. The "gold ends" Radio Shack cables are acceptable (at about $20) and the "AR" cables are perhaps a little better, but twice as much - diminishing returns you know.
3. Don't use the cheapie $4 RCA cables.
4. Buy what you're comfortable with spending. Hook it up and if it looks good, don't look back.
removing all the automatic settings and using AVIA or similar setup disk or an ISF technician?
I had a tech from Hitachi come out to look at the TV. In general he said that's the way the TV is supposed to look. He talked about how he's always on service calls for ppl with new HDTVs that complain about the fuzziness (of the sat signal). He contended that the DVD looked 'fine'. I think that I'm more picky because I'm the one who spent the money on the TV. So - I think I'm on my own to tweak this.
What's AVIA?
As for the Monster Cable, I tried replacing my S-video cable with a Monster cable and noticed no difference to the standard signal (and took it back!). I was just trying to exclude cabling as the problem of the low quality picture.
...found the AVIA Info. Thanks! $50!
http://www.ovationsw.com/html/purchase_AVIA.html
DeepdiscountDVD has AVIA for $36, no shipping charge.
DVD Empire is usually a couple bucks more.
Sound and Vision Home Theater Tune-up DVD is almost as good for $16!
jhalbrooks
11-06-2002, 10:43 AM
I have not had the set calibrated properly, so I know I can't complain yet...I really like the TV anyway and calibration should help this - but I have noticed a bit of 'pixelation' - like effects with OTA NTSC TV (don't have dish) - and I also notice major MPEG-2 artifacts with this TV - much moreso than with RPTVs I have seen, but less than with Plasmas and LCD tvs (large ones).
One of the issues, I suspect, is that the TV is the one making the decisions when it comes to enlarging the 720 x 480 DVD image to ??? x 1080i - and it doesn't do all that great of a job.
Don't get me wrong - the pixelation and artifacts are not noticeable from 6 feet plus - but I want to be able to get real close to the TV sometimes and still see a clean image - and this TV doesn't really allow that...that said, HD signals look spectacular on this set! Better than RPs that I have seen (again, uncalibrated of course) at the least - and I did watch a Bug's Life on ABC in HDTV when it was on, and compared it at the time with the DVD I have of A Bug's Life - and the artifacts that existed in the DVD were not visible in the HD signal - thus, I have concluded that they are primarily an artifact of the enlargement the TV is doing as opposed to being standard MPEG-2 artifacts (actually the standard artifacts are just enlarged by the TV and so they stand out more).
Also, I have noticed that the artifacts do not stand out nearly as much if the contrast and brightness are reduced to reasonable levels - again, for up-close viewing - I have to turn them up slightly to sit further back - but since I mostly watch from the couch this is no problem :)
Overall I have been very please with the TV - just haven't shelled out the money to have it calibrated yet - kinda waiting for the new Video Essentials Digital to come out...
hope this gives some useful info - and let me know if you want to compare notes on the TV (calibration settings, etc.)!
Jeremy
JH, wecome to the forum.
A couple of quick comments.
1. If you haven't done so already, check out our FAQ section (6th one down on the home page), especially the one on "what to do to my new HDTV".
2. I know it sounds counter-intuititve, but try connecting your DVD player via composite or S-Video (interlaced) and see if this improves the signal. Hitachi have good upconversion from 480i. Also, there have been reports of some "incompatibilities" between some DVD players and some TVs, especially if the player is progressive scan.
3. Make sure you're watching in "movie" mode - this enables the automatic 2:3 pulldown for movies..
jhalbrooks
11-08-2002, 09:56 AM
Thanks for the tips and the welcome!
(1) I have looked in the FAQs section - very nice compilation of material!
(2) I am currently watching DVDs via the S-Video hookup because I run a Samsung T151 to the only set of component ins on the Hitachi 36" - and the only difference I can easily determine (without a calibration disc of course) is that the S-Video has different coloring than the component video - but I think you're right that the Hitachi does a nice job of up-converting the the 480i to 480p because I can tell very little difference between the 2 input types
(3) I will generally switch to Movie mode when watching DVDs as I lower my contrast for this setting - but I didn't know about the pulldown so thanks for the info on this!
Again, I really like this TV a lot - I can just tell that it'll really be fantastic (including for close-up viewing) with HD movies - no artifacting from enlargement then!
Speaking of the 1 component input on this TV...
I've seen S-Video multiport switchboxes that allow several (5-6?) S-video inputs and you can switch to which one you want to use. Is there such a box for Component inputs or would this cause too much loss on the other side? I currently have a progressive scan DVD player hooked into the only comp input, but when I get the HD box, I'll be doing a lot of cable switching in order to watch DVDs.
kc
Type "component video" switch (including the quotation marks) into your favourite search engine. You'll find a number of switches available - typically around $200.
If you're looking for a less expensive solution, use the composite video switch (yellow, red, white) that Radio Shack sells for about $20-$30 or so. Don't mix up the colours and it should work fine. Minimize cable runs to minimize losses and use "good" cables. If it doesn't work, take it back (you kept the packaging and receipt, right).
We've had lots of reports that this works perfectly. As a matter of fact there was some argument recently on another forum as to whether this would work, well, guess what, people did a side-by-side test with two HD signals, one straight to the TV and one through the composite switch - no difference. The composite switch should work just fine and save you a lot of money.
Here's a link to the Canadian RS site --> 2 way switch (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&product=1508249&category=Video+Accessories+Miscellaneous&catalog=RadioShack)
Here's a link to the US RS site --> 4 way switch (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F002%5F002%5F001%5F000&product%5Fid=15%2D1978)
There's even one with --> Remote control (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F002%5F002%5F001%5F000&product%5Fid=15%2D1987) for a little more money... Edit: This remote control one may not work well with component cables for HD service...
Here's an option without a switch. You could try connecting the DVD player via S-Video and see if you actually "lose" anything. Some TV's show just as good a picture as from component, even though it's not PS. Yeah, I know it's heresy, but it's true in some instances, depending on the TV and DVD player - you could even test it now, by connecting an S-video cable and doing an A-B test. Depending on the TV, you may even be able to do a side-by-side comparison using the TV's POP mode...one input being component video, the other input being S-video.
MrGibbage
01-01-2003, 05:19 PM
I just tried one of the composite video switches from Radio Shack and it didn't work for me. It's their model number 15-1987, 6 way remote control A/V selector, for $100. I'll be taking it back. I've been searching the web for a component switch that also does toslink. Not having much success.
mongoose
01-01-2003, 10:44 PM
i turned off all the auto settings on my 57UWX. i was really unhappy with the picture quality of my tv. after turning off auto settings, turning contrast down to 45, brightness to 45, sharpness to 40, etc. i have a GREAT pic on digital cable with s-video hooked up. i also have component cables for the 2HBO and 2SHOWTIMES that are offered. i have too say that even the non HD channels look highdef. i'm guilty of buying 1 monster cable, the rest are AR. monster is overrated and over priced. here in my town in Texas, Radio Shack Gold cables are just as expensive or more expensive than AR cables. before anything, try turning off all auto settings.
