HDTV help with a bad picture?

Question

if a brand new HDTV has bad picture with a standard cable box will a HD cable box make the SD channels look better as well as the HD channels.

Answer 1

Jacacaca is wrong. There is an HD cable box. An HD cable box has HDMI or DVI outputs and component outputs as well as digital audio out and optical audio out. A regular cable box won't have these HD outputs. In order to get HD programming you have to switch the cable box to an HD box. The HD box doesn't really make SD channels look better but if there is a program that is not in HD on an HD channel, it will look better than that same program on the regular SD channel.

Answer 2

Normal TV broadcasts will look the same on a HD set as it would on a regular TV, so if you have a poor picture it will not improve it unless your original set was faulty.

Answer 3

The standard cable box is probably streaming basic analog channels.  So even though your TV can support up to 1080i (or whatever), you're probably only being streamed the material in 480i.

There is no such thing as an 'HD' cable box.  They can stream whatever they want through any of those boxes.  Check with your cable provider and see if they charge extra for HD channels (i'm sure they do).  That's how you'll get your HD picture.

Answer 4

Even with an HDTV, to get the HD programing you have to get a HD cable box.

Answer 5

You need to sign up for HD with your local cable company.  HD channels look way better and you will know when you are on an HD station.