Was just wondering...If you have an hd ready tv or a built in hd tv, and you are just watching say basic cable, not the high def quality, but just your regular old basic cable channel...will the picture quality be the same then as if it was coming out of a sd tv or will it still look better due to the output being through a high def (capable) display?
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Hd tv ?
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madhoosier357
Limp Gawd
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Standard definition looks horible on most HDTVs, in my opinion. Its kind of like using 800x600 on a 1280x1024 resolution LCD.
I concur. I have a 60" LcOS, that's an LCD/DLP hybrid, and I think standard cable looks like ass. I also had a 62" RCA Rear Projection and the same thing. The movie channels (HBO, etc) look just ok, and normal cable is horrible. Pixilated at best. It's all worth while though when your watching real HD broadcasts 
FlashGordon
Weaksauce
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I watch on a HD LCD tv and wouldn't say all sd channels are bad. The picture quality seems to vary from channel to channel. HD tvs can be unforgiving on some channels. For me Fox, ABC, and HGTV look very good, but CBS and Spike Tv look fair. Should mention I do not use a cable box, waiting on new provider before getting HD, so my cable goes directly into my TV
FlashGordon said:
I get FOX, ABC, and HGTV in HD from Adelphia. The HD counterparts are actually a completely different channel though, all though the programming is identical. I'm wondering if the "very good looking" FOX, ABC, and HGTV are the actual HD coutnerparts. I assume your using an OTA antenna currently?
FlashGordon
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DonMega2k said:
Actually I have a weird setup. I live in a condo complex that has their own cable provider. This "provider" actually resells Dish Network. Since i don't subscribe to any premium channels for now, I dont have a box. Its a new complex, so all the units are wired for cable.
I think the fact I don't have a box is the key. Since the signal goes directly to my TV, my TV converts the signal to its native format, which should be progressive scan for an lcd. Generally TVs do a better job that the cable boxes when it comes to conversions. Some cable boxes allow a pass through to bypass the cable box conversion. The less conversion the better.
FlashGordon said:
Yeah, my cable box has a built in scaler as well. I don't particuarly think it does a great job though. Picture looks pretty much the same in 420i, 420p, 720p (LCoS Native Resolution), and 1080i when it's SD. All though I've never tried running the signal directly from wall plate to TV, I think you may be right. LCDs are generally 720P so I suspect that's what you TV is scaling the signal too. I may try a direct connection out when I get home just to see what happens.
Edit: I also generally run true HD broadcasts in 720p mode. As you said, It's best to have the least amount of processing possible with video and it's even better to run your set in it's native resoltion most of the time.
masher said:That's a reasonably decent scaler then
haha quite right. That's more or less my point. All your doing with the scaling is degrading image quality. I suspect a higher end scaler would degrade the signal to a lesser extent though. I'm definately no expert on HD though. I know all the basic shite and then some, but no expert.. Audio is another story
Well, a good scaler can improve picture quality...but thats through deinterlacing, not upscaling, so you could argue that the "scaler" portion isn't doing anything at all. A 480i image properly converted to 480p will definitely look better. Going to 720p or 1080p all a good scaler can do is give it a slightly more "filmlike" appearance on larger (60"+)displays. On a smaller display, though, its my opinion it just can't really improve any more.DonMega2k said:
HopePoisoned
Limp Gawd
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it was something like 55% of people with HDTVs were not watching HD programming but thought they were watching HD haha
but yeah I'd say regular cable doesn't look too great on HDTV, but HD does
hahabut yeah I'd say regular cable doesn't look too great on HDTV, but HD does
A 1080i signal looks great on a properly deinterlaced 1080p set...assuming color and black levels/detail are all up to par. I don't think we'll see much 1080p60 content for quite a while though. I don't even expect many games will support it for the PS3. HD-DVD/BR will be 1080p24 at best for quite some time to come.
HopePoisoned said:it was something like 55% of people with HDTVs were not watching HD programming but thought they were watching HD
but yeah I'd say regular cable doesn't look too great on HDTV, but HD does
Yeah, I saw that report too. I don't think a lot of people realize that you have to go into your boxes setup and configure everything. I know my HD cable box came preset to 480i on all outputs, including DVI and component. I'm sure most cable installers are not going to take the time to explain this to people either unless specifically asked. I'm willing to bet many were only using coax or composite as well, which we all know only support 480i. Ah well, glad I take time to research my $5000 home electronic purchases to make sure I'm getting the most from them
logo29a said:
I haven't yet seen a 1080p in person, but I am looking forward to that day
Speaking of black levels though, that's the one complaint I have about my LCoS. Black levels are horrible. Brihtness as you can imagine is supurb though. Either way, I'm thinking about getting rid of it and picking up one of the JVC D-ILA sets. Basically a much more advanced LCoS technology with much tighter black levels, all though admittingly still not perfect. I agree in that I doubt we will see much 1080p content anytime soon. 1080i is barely catching on at this point as being anywhere near mainstream. Espcially in video games. I mean the average person still doesn't even have an HD set for movies and broadcast, I'm sure they are not concerned wih video game playback resolution at that point. We can dream though. 1080i HDTV broadcasts blow me away every time I watch. IMO HDTV is to Color TVs as Color TVs were to B&W TVs.
DonMega2k said:I haven't yet seen a 1080p in person, but I am looking forward to that day
I agree in that I doubt we will see much 1080p content anytime soon. 1080i is barely catching on at this point as being anywhere near mainstream. Espcially in video games. I mean the average person still doesn't even have an HD set for movies and broadcast, I'm sure they are not concerned wih video game playback resolution at that point. We can dream though. 1080i HDTV broadcasts blow me away every time I watch. IMO HDTV is to Color TVs as Color TVs were to B&W TVs.
1080i is the primary hd broacast signal. However, you rarely get the full horizontal resolution.
Have you seen the Sony SXRD LCOS sets? They've got very good black levels and excellent shadow detail. If you can stand much lower brightness levels a properly calibrated CRT RPTV is still king in overal PQ.
I havn't seen an SXRD in person yet either, all though I hear good things from the folks at AVS. As far as CRT RPTVs, don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a DiamondMax - can even get them at close to wholesale. However, I use the thing for gaming as much as I do movies so I prefer the non-burnin features of the LCD sets. I also love the weight of my LCoS, so light and easy to move and it's on a swivel stand lol. I dunno, I'll honestly probably go front projection next year or shortly thereafter. I don't have the time or energy to set a room up for that, and then calabarate everything right now.
masher said:
What do you think of the processing? I haven't got to tweek one in a store yet. Some reviewers rave about excellent motion based deinterlacing while others complain about the very same thing. I believe that the sets come out of the box set to a simple bob-weave and that the reviewers complaining about this may have failed to change the processing settings.