No Difference Between HD and SD Programming Quality

Question

have a question about my Panasonic HDTV. We bought one several months ago and have hooked it up. And while we can get HD programs, the HD really doesn't look as clear and sharp as I expected. In fact, it doesnt look all too much different from the standard definition. I see a huge difference when I look at HDTVs on display in stores, the picture looks so much more clear than the HD my TV is having broadcast. My neighbors HD programming looks far better than mine, and its bothering me. When I go to the TV video output setting, it is set on TV, and that is the only one I'm picking up Telivison programming on. However, there are two choices that say HDMI 1, and HDMI 2, but they don't pick up cable signals, and just show a black screen. In order to get the picture in actual HD quality, should the telivision programming be shown in through the HDMI 1 or 2 TV video settings? If so, how can I get it to be shown through those settings? Because as of now, there isn't much difference seen between HD and non-HD programming, could this be the reason? Because the HDMI isn't properly set up?

Answer 1

You have told us the jacks on the TV, but not how the HD box is connected to the TV.

Do you have an HDMI cable running between the box and the TV?

If so - use the TV remote to see HDMI 1 (or whatever jack you are hooked upto).

Then use the Cable box remote to find the System Setup - Video option.

I suspect you are set to output 480. Change this to 1080.  Then go look at a HD channel. You should be shocked at how good it looks.

EDIT:

"I looked at the back, and all three of the Component video inputs, the Red Green and Blue ones, are empty."

"Niether of those jacks are occupied."

Thats your problem. You are not using any connection that can carry HD video.

Go to www.bluejeanscables.com and order a HDMI cable long enough to reach from your cable box and your TV.  It will show up in 1- 2 days.

Then hook up the HDMI cable between the TV and the box. Then tune the TV to "HDMI1".  

Then call the cable company tech support and ask them how to get to the setup menu to enable 720 or 1080 output.

You are NOT alone in not having things setup properly. Below is a link from EnGadget about this same issue.

Answer 2

If you have an HD receiver then it should have an HDMI output port and that would connect to one of your HDMI inputs.  You need the HDMI cable.  You need to use the tv's remote to change the inputs on the tv to the port you attached the receiver to.  Are you sure you have HD cable and paid for the upgrade - it costs more and takes a different receiver - standard digital is not HD.

Answer 3

Right. One of those jacks (the hdmi 1) should have an hdmi cable going to the same square-like connection on the back of the cable box. If you don't have a cable, purchase one (they're cheaper and better online at monoprice.com). If you have the cable, connect it to the back of the cable box and tv set. You should choose 1080i (there is no 1080p setting).

UPDATED

Do you have cable, satellite, or antenna? Assuming cable or sat, you need an HD box. You can rent them from your cable provider. HDMI is the best way to connect from the HD box to the tv but you can also use component video inputs (red, green, and blue rca jacks). It sounds like your only seeing 480p signals at the moment.

Ok, the hdmi from your cable box goes to the hdmi 1 input behind the tv. The tv input then needs to be set to hdmi1. You also need to set the cable box up. To get to the box menu, turn the tv on and the cable box off (you may need to plug the tv directly into the wall outlet instead of the back of the cable box to do this). Push the menu button on the front of the box (not on the remote). A screen will come up and you then use the up, down, right and left buttons to choose the resolution (match your tv, either 720p or 1080i), the output needs to be changed to hdmi and the aspect ratio should be 16:9 or widescreen. When your done, hit the menu button then turn the cable box on. Set the tv input to hdmi1. Go to an hd station and it should look great.

If the screen is black when you change the tv input to hdmi1 then the hdmi cable is either not hooked up to the hdmi1 input or the cable box is not set to output through the hdmi output. Check that the hdmi cable is running from the back of the cable box to hdmi1 and that the tv input is set to hdmi1. To do that, use the TV remote (not the cable box remote) and hit Input then scroll down to hdmi1. You have to do the menu setup that I described above first.

I have the 52" version of your tv and the same cable box (through Comcast) so I'm sure you don't have a compliance problem.

Answer 4

HD can only be received on an HDMI or Component connection. If your HD cable box has an HDMI output, you should run an HDMI cable betwen that and either HDMI-1 or HDMI-2. Then set the TV input to one of the HDMIs.

If that doesn't work, then you may have an HDMI (or HDCP) incompatibility between your cable box and the TV. HDMI can be a mess right now, with multiple versions around.

A component connection (the red, green, blue connectors) should have no such problems. So you may want to try component. The only problem I've heard about component is that some pay-per-view or video on demand providers may make their content inaccessible over a component analog connection (to thwart copying). HDMI/HDCP has some built-in contetnt protection features.