HDMI worse than component???

[edwelly]

Hello all - First time poster - LOVE THIS SITE!!!
I have a Samsung 56" DLP, HLP5674W and a Motorola 6412 Phase 3 DVR box - I originally had it hooked up via components. I decided to try HDMI tonight. I removed the components and installed the HDMI. Everything went fine. TV picked up the singal and I had audio and video. HDTV looked fantastic, but SD was HORRIBLE. Much worse than components. While there was a little bit of difference w/ the HD channels, there was a LOT of difference in SD. So much so that I went back to the components.
Is this normal????
Thanks!!!

[57U]

It can be normal. Read the following FAQs.

- DVI/HDMI Information
- Poor SD PQ.

I would have expected the SD PQ of the Phase III 6412 to be "fine", but perhaps not with HDMI on your particular TV.

[edwelly]

57U - thank you very much for the help. I read the FAQs of those and several more. also, thanks for taking the time to make up those FAQs...

[JohnnyG]

If it's even an option, when using HDMI, did you have the 6412 set to output SD channels at SD resolution?

I ask because if the set-top is upconverting to and outputting 1080i, it's likely to have less "smarts" than when the TV does it, so the result is not as good.

(I apologise if this is what the FAQ says...I probably should have read it first!)

[57U]

Yeah, it's item 8 of the "poor SD PQ" FAQ which tries to cover all of the options/problems...

[Spottykat]

I have cable service thru hdmi as I have noted in another forum. I found the best solution is to use a HDTV scaler such as DVDO HD Scan +. They are pricey but they do the job very very well. But, in my case, the cable box does the upconverting for me...at least to 480p neways.