hello i ordered a new samsung Flat panel lcd hdtv and was just wondering about what hookups i should be using to get the best PQ. i have a comcast dvr cable box. I know HDMI is the best connection for watching digital channels and high definition channels. What about standard definition analog channels, would i get better quality on SD using HDMI connections or using another connection. And if so, what connection is the best for this?
i am sure you can get a better picture, just because the signal is better. i noticed a small difference when i switched to component cables from the standard composite type
Its impossible to view standard def channels with an all digital connection like HDMI! Meaning that the analog channels and standard def channels are the samthing except one is digital and one is analog. With that said the standard def channels will look better because there is no ghosting or snow in the picture. Ced
you mean standard digital definition channels???? And do you mean i cant watch anyting analog with hdmi???
Yes. and Yes, its an all digital connection. The standard def channels with your Comcast service arn't analog if they are being [bold]modulated[/bold] with a cable box (a.k.a Qam tuner). Add in HDMI and now there is no loss in the quality of your standard def channels as well as the HDTV option. Basic cable (without a box) works the same way. If you have a clear-Qam tuner (external or built-in) then you will be able to tap into the unscrambled DTV/HDTV channels. Ced
Do you mean the cable box converts analog sources to digital???? When i go into the menu screen with my cable box and check some lower channels, some of them say analog???? What dos a QAM tuner do? What connection would be a loss in quality? How does one getanalog chanels then, if you cant with a cable box or tuner?
Actually you may have analog channels with your service still. Time Warner is the one that has an all digital transmittion system with analog support for basic cable. I didn't say you can't get analog cahnnels with a cable box, that is ezactly how its been done untill DTV. I'm saying that if the cable box has an HDMI or DVI output then the signal coming from the cable box is digital not analog. You can either transmit the info digitally to begin with or you can digitize the analog info at the "box" (like a PVR/DVR). Any connection that isn't 100% digital. Meaning eveerything except HDMI and DVI-D. Yes it can go both ways. For example, when your watching a digtital channel via Composite or S-Video, or Component (which are analog connections) the cable box has to modulate digital-to-analog. When you watching an analog channel via HDMI or DVI-D then the cable box has to modulate from analog-to-digital. Qam tuner... http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/248819 Ced
@mikej3131: If you are getting a Comcast DVR cable box then you will probably be getting a Motorola DCT6412 Phase III. You have a choice of either a component or DVI connection to your Samsung LCD. AFAIK this cable box does not have HDMI - mine doesn't. I suggest trying both and stick with whatever looks better for you. I prefer component for both HD and regular channels but you may find the DVI works better for you. IMO the best thing with this cable box is the firewire port. I can record high-def programming to my pc thru the the firewire port. Since my pc is hooked up by DVI to my Samsung DLP my PC is like a secondary DVR.
The newer Phase III boxes do have HDMI. This would be the connection I would use for your Samsung LCD.
Just wondering if the RF was either one or the other. So i geuss your saying whatever the source is(analog or digital), thats what comes through the RF connector? and its not just one type of signal(analog or digital) like HDMI or component? Ok how about this. What if the source coming in the comcast cable dvr box is analog. Would it be better to use component cables so the cable box doesnt have to convert this signal, but the tv does (since the tv will probly be a better converter from analog to digital). And plus i dont think tv's can accept 480i over HDMI so that means the box would have to scale the 480i signal to pass it to the tv and i heard the comcast boxes were bad scalers And what happens to all signals when they get saved onto my comcast dvr? do analog sources stay analog?
- If the source is analog then it doesn't matter what you use (Component or HDMI). - HDMI can handel 480i but alot of tvs won't except a 480i sig via HDMI. - The signal gets digitized then stored to the hard drive as one's and zero's. Note:[bold]It is impossible to store information on a hard-drive in analog form![/bold] Which brings me to my point. Why would Comcast make it that hard for themselves. If I was a cable provider, I would transmit the signals digitally to your house so that all of those analog-to-digital conversions don't occure (especially with the DVR boxes). Its what Time Warner does. Ced
why wouldnt it matter? the tv and the box cant both be the same quality when converting analog to digital right? I think all channels under 100 on comcast are ANALOG SD channels so i geuss i can test with both component and hdmi when i get my tv
Thats exactly why it matters. For everyone with the service to get the same experience the system needs to be all digital. It would surprise me if the largest Cable provider in the US didn't have an all digital, digital cable, service like its competitor Time Warner. Time Warner was the same way before switching to an all digital, digital cable, service. I would ask a Comcast Rep. what the status of their digital/HD service is. Ced
well i just found out that on my 46" lcd that i should not use hdmi. It looked horrible. i thought something was wrong wtih my tv at first when i had it connected via HDMI and turned on the standard digital/analog channels. It looked hideous, like it was chopped up and very blocky and lines going through the picture. I hooked a svideo cable in after and got a very nice smooth picture for the standard chanels. Sound is very good with HDMI though EDIT: i ggeuss i should mention that i had to upconvert the 480i standard signals to 480p with my comcast motorola box because my set doesnt accept 480i via hdmi and maybe the box isnt a good scaler. For whateve reason, the SD analog and digital channels look horrible with hdmi
I just purchase a Polaroid LCD Widescreen TV. When connecting my DVR cable box using the HDMI input and regular video (sigle yellow cable) I receive a full widesreen picture only when I select the regular video input. When I select the HDMI input I do not receive a full widescreen picture. I cannot figure out why. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated?
i'm a little confused, i don't understand why at anytime for any reason why hdmi wouldn't look better than componet or s-video connections. even if the signal coming in wasn't as upscale as the hdmi can handle it should still come in smoother than s-video or componet cables right? atleast that is what i'm under the impression of.
