Improve HD Picture Quality? HOW???? Please Help!

[dpwilgreen]

My TV is sony KV-34HS420 and i have comcast HD TV with the DCT5100 Motorola cable box. My HD Picture is a little "fuzzy" and "grainy" and was wondering what, if anything i can do to get the sharpest picture possible. I've noticed a small decrease in picture quality since i've owned the TV for 4 months now.

Also, my when watching non HD programs on my 16:9 HD set, the picture quality is very poor and fuzzy. I was told that's just the way it is becasue the box can't handle both the analog/digital signals together. I didn't buy what the comcast cable guy told me.

I'm hoping theres a way to get a clearer picture on both HD and regular non-HD programs. Who's gonna come to my rescue. I appreciate any help. Thanks.

[elicross]

The first thing I did was split the cable signal and sent one coaxial cable to my cable box and the other cable directly to the "cable-in" on the HDTV set (I have Comcast in the SF Bay area). My TV doesn't pick up the digital channels, but it reads the analog channels better than my Motorola 6200.

Next thing is to request that Comcast replace your 5100 with a 6200 since the 6200 has a faster processor. I don't know if that will solve your HD problems or not, but it can't hurt. If they need a reason, you can say that you're requesting it because you want the firewire output on the 6200. An FCC mandate says that the cable company must give you a firewire enabled cable box if you request it.

Finally, the thing I did (but is pretty expensive) is to get a video scaler. DVDO makes a nice one, and I've seen others on the market.

Best of luck.

[dpwilgreen]

Is the TV gonna be able to recognize what channel I'm watching and what coaxial cable to use. I mean if I'm watching a HD Program, will it know this and give the the digital signal? Same for regular programs with analog signals?

[raidbuck]

TVs have multiple inputs that can tell from the signal itself whether it is 480i, 480p, 720p (although yours may not accept that signal) or 1080i.

Your user's manual will tell you which inputs can accept the HD signal.

Rich N.

[yoloyd]

Did you do all the basic stuff? i.e. convergence, turn down sharpness, adjust the box for 720p or 1080i whatever your TV wil do.
Does it look the same with DVD's? If not check cables. My cable box (SA8000HD) has a page deep in the menuthat can show me signal strength coming to it, but I would'nt know how to get to yours.
Last thing is to call out a tech. because if it does it on every input and you tried all you can the TV could be screwed.
Good luck

[mfabien]

Is the TV gonna be able to recognize what channel I'm watching and what coaxial cable to use. I mean if I'm watching a HD Program, will it know this and give the the digital signal? Same for regular programs with analog signals?

For the analog signal, you would switch to the "Antenna" input and your TV remote to access analog channels.

As for your poor HD and SD picture quality, you have yet to say if you use a Component cable connection or not in both cases and what picture format you are using. For HD, the Component cable quality is of great importance and for SD, you must change the picture format to 480i or 480p.