The Official High-Definition TV thread

[O]

Ok, before I didn't get HD and now I do, and all bars are gone, and it looks pretty damned amazing. Now I see what the fuss is all about.

Only problem is, now all the non-HD channels have a grey bar vertically, where the black bars used to be. Seriously. I've just got to mess around with the settings, and I think I've got a decent handle on it now.

Thanks for the help, everybody. Multiple cold ones on me.

Cox does the gray vertical bars on SD channels, it will prevent burn in on your TV.
If you want to expand the picture go to the settings button on your Cox remote, just remember to put it back to normal for the best HD experience.

 

[Kolo]

Cox does the gray vertical bars on SD channels, it will prevent burn in on your TV.
If you want to expand the picture go to the settings button on your Cox remote, just remember to put it back to normal for the best HD experience.

Last question, O. SD channels used to have black vertical bars until I fixed the HD. Any idea how I switch grey back to black?

 

[O]

Last question, O. SD channels used to have black vertical bars until I fixed the HD. Any idea how I switch grey back to black?

On your Cox remote push settings twice, scroll to.
Set: TV Borders choose Dark.

Is Sony Wega a DLP TV?
The reason I ask is; If you watch a lot of SD channels you run the ridk of burning in a 4x3 image without the gray bars. Either use the gray bars or expand your picture, which you can also find under settings.
Enjoy.

 

[Kolo]

On your Cox remote push settings twice, scroll to.
Set: TV Borders choose Dark.

Is Sony Wega a DLP TV?
The reason I ask is; If you watch a lot of SD channels you run the ridk of burning in a 4x3 image without the gray bars. Either use the gray bars or expand your picture, which you can also find under settings.
Enjoy.

Got it.

 

[Chaz]

Got it.

Sweet.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Got it.

I have a SOny Grand Wega, and it's a rear projection LCD...which have no burnout issues....

Wonder if you're is an LCD or not?

Mike

 

[Kolo]

I have a SOny Grand Wega, and it's a rear projection LCD...which have no burnout issues....

Wonder if you're is an LCD or not?

Mike

It is an LCD, an A20 model.

And now that I've got about 15 HD channels via Cox, I suppose I should find out whether I can get more through a dish, or whether Cox integrates HD as quickly as stations broadcast in HD. We're not terribly regular tv watchers (other than me watching Coyotes and Suns and NFL/NCAA football), so it's not too big a deal, but I'm pretty amazed at how good it looks, and if there's more HD out there than Cox is providing, I might be interested in switching.

EDIT--and I got the Grand Wega after reading your posts here, and then doing my own research/pricing/hanging out at Best Buy.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

It is an LCD, an A20 model.

And now that I've got about 15 HD channels via Cox, I suppose I should find out whether I can get more through a dish, or whether Cox integrates HD as quickly as stations broadcast in HD. We're not terribly regular tv watchers (other than me watching Coyotes and Suns and NFL/NCAA football), so it's not too big a deal, but I'm pretty amazed at how good it looks, and if there's more HD out there than Cox is providing, I might be interested in switching.

EDIT--and I got the Grand Wega after reading your posts here, and then doing my own research/pricing/hanging out at Best Buy.

No, there are no more HD channels for the most part...in fact, you get TNT HD now, which DTV doesn't.

If you went the DTV route, you'd also need an antenna on your roof or attic to pick up local HD channels. Cox has them over their cable line, DTV doesn't broadcast them yet.

DTV broadcasts a better signal...not as compressed at Cox, and your over the air local channels via Antenna are even better...uncompressed, raw signals.

I have DTV and love it...

Mike

 

[AZ Shocker]

Haven't replied in this thread for a while so just wanted offer a couple things.
Chandler Mike if you remember a couple weeks ago I swithed back to DTV from Cox (only with Cox for 2 days). I have to say that the COX HD channels were more clear than the DTV HD channels. I have no idea why, but DTV said that it should improve even more when they make the switch to something called a m-peg4 from the current m-peg2. Have you ever heard of this, and does that mean we'll all have to switch receivers and Tivo units AGAIN?

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Haven't replied in this thread for a while so just wanted offer a couple things.
Chandler Mike if you remember a couple weeks ago I swithed back to DTV from Cox (only with Cox for 2 days). I have to say that the COX HD channels were more clear than the DTV HD channels. I have no idea why, but DTV said that it should improve even more when they make the switch to something called a m-peg4 from the current m-peg2. Have you ever heard of this, and does that mean we'll all have to switch receivers and Tivo units AGAIN?

I am surprised you think that...most people I know think that Cox looks worse, as you do infact get a lower quality picture.

What channels are you talking about? Do you have an over the air antenna for locals?

MPEG 4 will be out next year, and they are supposed to replace everyone's receivers FREE of charge when they make the switch.

Mike

 

[O]

Cox has come a lomg way IMHO. A few years ago after I left Direct I had Cox and it was horrible. I then went to Dish and then to Voom, which I loved.
After Voom went out of business I went back to Cox HD to see how the mpeg 4 situation plays out.
I've been pleasently surprised by COX HD. I did have some issues with a bad signal in the beginning but that has ben resolved to my satisfaction. Right now I get the most HD channels available, I do not include the Direct Voom channels, that's a whole other thread. I did not have to buy one piece of equipment and included is an HD DVR.
My cable bill is actually cheaper then any satellite bill I have ever had and I always subscribe to everything.
As far as compression goes, everyone compresses their signal. Yes, Cox channels 1 through 99 are analog but they are beginning to move those around and frankly there are very few channels I watch in that range. The channels I do watch that are SD are not that much different then satellite, they all suck.
Don't get me wrong I'm not pimping Cox but for my money they have the best HD package and DVR deal going right now, and no committment.
I very well may change in the future when mpeg 4 is fully implemented but right now I'm not going to pay more for less.

 

[AZ Shocker]

I am surprised you think that...most people I know think that Cox looks worse, as you do infact get a lower quality picture.

What channels are you talking about? Do you have an over the air antenna for locals?

MPEG 4 will be out next year, and they are supposed to replace everyone's receivers FREE of charge when they make the switch.

Mike

Thanks for the reply. The HD channels are still real good picture wise, but the COX HD channels were just awesome. Watching COX HD it looked as though people on my screen were in my living room. I don't get the same feeling with DTV HD. My wife noticed this also. Interesting...I wonder if its because when the DTV guy set it up, the best signal he could get was 85%. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very good picture, just not quite as good as the COX HD. What would make the mpeg 4 upgrade better? I wonder what exactly that does for the picture. Thanks!

 

[Chaz]

MPEG 4 is the next generation video compression technology.

It should make for a better picture using the same amount of bandwidth.


I don't think Cox compresses thier HD channels as much as DTV does. The OTA channels may be better with a DTV setup because they are direct off the antenna with little compression of the picture.

 

[abomb]

The channels I do watch that are SD are not that much different then satellite, they all suck.

This is so true. D-Dogg and I sit around and joke how we "can't watch any channel that isnt HD". I guess technology continues to spoil us all.

A-Bomb

 

[Kolo]

Mike or Chaz or O (or anybody, really), I've noticed with my new Wega that occasionally when I'm in HD I get a distinct popping through my speakers every few seconds. It's happened maybe three times in the few weeks I've had the tv. It never happens when I'm not in HD, and the popping increases in volume as the tv volume increases (I'm running it through a receiver, so the tv speakers aren't on.

Any clue what's going on? We bought it w/ a credit card and are about to pay the thing off, but now won't do so until we figure it out. I haven't contacted Cox or Sony about the problem.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Mike or Chaz or O (or anybody, really), I've noticed with my new Wega that occasionally when I'm in HD I get a distinct popping through my speakers every few seconds. It's happened maybe three times in the few weeks I've had the tv. It never happens when I'm not in HD, and the popping increases in volume as the tv volume increases (I'm running it through a receiver, so the tv speakers aren't on.

Any clue what's going on? We bought it w/ a credit card and are about to pay the thing off, but now won't do so until we figure it out. I haven't contacted Cox or Sony about the problem.

Thanks.

Your TV speakers, or your home theatre?

Mike

 

[Kolo]

Your TV speakers, or your home theatre?

Mike

Home theater pops, and I remember now the tv speakers did also when I was trying to figure out what was going on, and switched back to the Wega speakers. I'd imagine it's either coming from the tv or from Cox, because my home theatre system has never done it. The speakers will pop, I'll change to SD and then back to HD, and sometimes no more popping. It's popped maybe 5% of the time I've been in HD, and the popping is loud enough to where I don't use HD if it does.

 

[O]

Is it a partibular channel? Is it only when you are in a 5.1 situation?
I would guess it is in the settings of your receiver.
Some systems will pop when you have to much delay in your speakers. I would play with the delay and volume of all your speakers.
Only a guess on my part.

 

[Chaz]

KNXV channel 15 does this to me.

Other channels are ok but ABC seems to have this sound problem.

 

[O]

KNXV channel 15 does this to me.

Other channels are ok but ABC seems to have this sound problem.

Channel 15 has been known to have issues.

 

[abomb]

Channel 15 has been known to have issues.

Ditto. I recall we thought something was wrong with D-Dogg's new tele.

A-Bomb

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Tonight is the ONE night that i wish I had Cox cable, since they have TNT in HD now...and the Suns play their home opener on TNT.

But I would never switch to them, ever

Mike

 

[Chaz]

Tonight is the ONE night that i wish I had Cox cable, since they have TNT in HD now...and the Suns play their home opener on TNT.

But I would never switch to them, ever

Mike

Yea, the game looks great too.

 

[O]

Yea, the game looks great too.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Yea, the game looks great too.

Mike