Hi, I am new to the whole HDTV world and an trying to figure out how many HDMI cables i need. My receiver accepts and transmit HDMI so there's a port for that there. I also have an upconverter dvd player that I need to hook up. So do I need to run an hdmi cord from the dvd player to the receiver then my receiver to my HDTV? I want to make sure i've got all my highest possible resolutions and audio capabilities transmitted where possible. What needs to go through the receiver? Or does the receiver just go direct to the TV and the DVD player direct to TV also? THere are two HDMI ports on the tv. Any help would be very appreciated here! Thank you in advance!
Since you don't tell the brand and model number of your receiver, I'll assume it does audio over HDMI, as well as video. You need to run everything to the receiver first, then out from the receiver to the tv. So, you'll need one HDMI for dvd player. Do you have digital cable or satellite box? If so, you may need one for it. You need one HDMI cable for each piece you want to hookup to the receiver, then one from the receiver to the tv. If dvd player is all you have, you'll need two cables. If you have dvd player and cable box, you'll need three. Etc... You may or may not need to assign the inputs you use, to what youplug into them. Set the dvd player's audio output to "Bitstream", in the setup menus. If you have a cable or sat box, go into the settings, and set audio output to Dolby Digital.
I have a quick question regarding color in our new HDTV. The color and clarity sucks right now since we don't have the hi def hooked up yet from the cable co. Will the overall color improve as well as the clarity once that's hooked up? Has anyone noticed a difference in color quality once the hi def has been hooked up? Hoping so. Watching DVD's is better than tv stations but the clarity is still not the best since I currently just have a single video cable going from the DVD player to the TV. I need to get my HDMI cables. Hoping all will clear up once all HDMIs are hooked up as they should be. Thanks!
Look on a Disney or Pixar dvd, in the extras, and find the "THX Optimizer". You can calibrate your tv, up to a point, with it. That should help. Usually, when you first take the tv out of the box and set it up, the brightness and contrast settings are too high. Turn them down some. Too bright will cause the tv to have a shorter life, in the long run. There are discs, like "Video Essentials HD", that will help calibrate the tv better than the Disney disc. It will also help calibrate your speakers in your surround system, along with SPL meter (unless your receiver has the auto calibration feature). Of course, there's always the option of getting an ISF professional calibration done on the tv. That will make the tv look the absolute best it can look. But, you're looking at about $400 to have it done. Everyone that's had it done, says it's worth every penny. Just don't let Best Buy do it.............. Good luck!
Thanks for that info! I will check out the disney dvd.So are you talkin ANY disney dvd? And there is no way I am paying a pro to calibrate this thing. The tv will go back to the store before that happens. I was just down at my neighbors and he pulled his right out of the box and everything is fine. I don't know...DVDs look pretty good now but tv really sucks! Granted I don't have any hi def hooked up to it yet. Just straight cable going into it currently. So I hope when the hi def is pumping into it it will make a huge difference. Anyone notice that?
Of course HD channels will make a big difference! Some brands of tvs are better than others, at displaying SD channels. Sony and Samsung are considered to be the best with SD channels. My 61" Samsung does very good with SD channels. Straight out of the box, without calibrating, will shorten the life of the tv. They usually come from the factory in Vivid mode. That's in case the store sets it up for demo purposes. With all the lights in stores, the vivid mode makes the tvs look good. If I had the money, I wouldn't hesitate to have my tv professionally calibrated. I watch a lot of tv everyday. I guess it's just a matter of how good you want your tv to look...........
