DLP Color Issues

[jerseyuniverse]

I just got the HLN437W DLP and I am having a huge issue w/ picture color. The set is hooked up to a DirecTV HD dish and receiver. When watching HDNEt or HBO's HD channel the color is crisp, clear, fleshotones are pretty accurate, contarct is good... But when I watch a sporting event or even certain movies, the picture is blurry and there is a lot of color feedback around people.

I have tried manually changing the color, brightness and sharpness settings but when I get it close on one channel, another channel looks horrible. I can't seem to find a happy medium.

I don't think that it is the signal itself because as I said earlier, the HD cahnnels look great. Additionally, I have a panasonic progressive scan DVD player hooked up that, prior to me messing with the settings, looked really good. Those images now blow.

The question that I have is besides the settings that I can change in the setup mode, (color, sharpness, brightness, contrast), is there anytyhing else that I can try in order to get a quality picture on regular broadcast, HD and DVD.

Thanks in advance for any advice that you may have -

Stuck in the swamps of Jersey (with a bad television picture)

[keith1229]

just a guess...
when watching non HD sources, don't use the component video outputs. iwhen outputting non HD or digital signals with the STB set to HD, the pic usually looks HORRID. hook up an s-video or yellow composite video wire and see how it looks through those wires (with the STB set to 480i). see if that helps. good luck.

[jerseyuniverse]

keith1229 - Thanks - Ill try that tonight! I hope it works.

[jerseyuniverse]

Follow up -

I did what Kieth suggested and the picture quality of regualr broadcast television improved dramatically -

Thanks!

[keith1229]

i was finally right about something! and everyone tells me i am ALWAYS wrong. NOT ANY MORE!

[keving]

I never would have imagined that would have any effect on SD. Currently, I watch SD on a PVR which has no component, so I'm already sorted, but if I were using comp., I never would have thought to try that.

[RISK]

This might sound dumd but what is STB and how do you set it to 480i?

thanks

[57U]

Set Top Box. There's usually a menu item or a switch on the back. Some STBs don't allow you to switch (SA3100HD for example).

Which STB are you talking about and one of our experts on that box can assist.

The S-Video and composite video connections are automatically 480i, the only "switchable" connection on some boxes is the component video connection.

Some boxes also allow you to "downconvert" HD signals.

You may wish to check out the FAQ section - see the post on "acronyms" as well as any other posts of interest.

[RISK]

I have the Scientific Atlantic Explorer 3100 HD box. I rent it from Comcast. Ijust bought a Samsung 30inch widescreen HDTV from Sear for $850. I'm blown away by the picture on the HD programs but as for watching regular nonHD programs the picture is not that great. I almost want to say that the picture is a little worse than my regular tv.

Thanks

[57U]

Make sure that you use the composite or s-video connection for viewing the SD channels on the SA3100HD. There is a known issue with the SD signal quality through the component video outs on the 3100HD.

You will need to switch inputs on your TV, but the PQ will be a lot better.

See the FAQ post on "Cables & Connections." This is explained in more detail there. There's also a link on how to connect your STB near the end of the FAQ.

[Skyboss]

After using the S-Video, I thought I'd never go back to a composite feed. I found the separator on the set is much better than the one on the box. The SIR-T160 is definately designed for the HDTV view, and no tthe SDTV viewer. They spent all teh money on the HD aspects and likely saved a few bucks ont eh analog.