Picture quality - SD channels on HDTV

archie hunter · 01-01-2010, 15:48

I have the following set up:

Sony KDL37W5500 connected to V+ via HDMI and connected to Sony DZ260 HT via HDMI. The home theatre is also connected to V+ via optical cable.
I've set the V+ settings correctly (HDMI, 1080I etc)

HD channel picture quality is excellent. However for SD channels, especially 'studio bound' programmes (BBC News etc) the picture is not as good as when viewed on my previous SD tv. Things look slightly grainy. I obviously didn't expect SD to be as good as HD but I expected it to be at least as good as on SD tv. I've tried various picture settings on my HDTV but still not as good as I thought. Am I expecting too much ? Can anything else be done?

SnoopZ · 01-01-2010, 15:54

I'm guessing your last TV was a CRT TV?

You need to get used to the LCD and it is important to change the default settings and also not sit too close. I think my SD picture setting looks awesome on most channels from several feet away but if i go upto the screen it's not so great.

On my Sony KDL40W4500 my settings are as follows:

Backlight 4/10
Contrast 78
Brightness 50
Colour 43
Sharpness 4

archie hunter · 01-01-2010, 16:02

Thanks for that. I'll try those settings. Or viewing position is around 1.5 to 2m away from the screen so could be a tad close. I must admit, the screen size is taking some getting used to - our previous CRT was only 28".

SnoopZ · 01-01-2010, 16:07

I would say you're sitting far to close to your TV so that is probably the problem.

telecom69 · 02-01-2010, 02:49

try changing the settings from 1080 to 720 in the settings menu,sometimes it can make a difference,you can always change it back again, but I agree I think you are just a bit too near the tv for best viewing position ...

Dukefever · 02-01-2010, 18:19

I would recommend being at least 9ft away from your tv as its a 37". I have the same TV and I am perfectly happy with the SD picture. Problem is if you keep messing with the settings you will never be happy. I would try and stick to the relevant scene settings if do find the picture is not to your standard.

Its a great TV though.

Duke

moroboshi · 02-01-2010, 21:46

Bottom line - LCDs are very unforgiving on poor quality source content, and SD broadcast video is transmitted at brutally low bit-rates. (about 1/8 that of a DVD or less) You're simply seeing the picture the way it really is, whereas your old CRT hid the ugliness behind blur.

Plasmas do a better job of covering up the flaws of SD, but there's only so much you can do with such a low quality source.

archie hunter · 03-01-2010, 17:41

Sitting a bit further away is certainly better. I've also noticed that the picture quality watching football on ITV is a lot worse than the quality on Sky. Is this down to the comparitive bit-rates ?

nialli · 03-01-2010, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by archie hunter

Sitting a bit further away is certainly better. I've also noticed that the picture quality watching football on ITV is a lot worse than the quality on Sky. Is this down to the comparitive bit-rates ?

The ITV1 bitrate on Virgin is actually higher than that on satellite, so that's odd if you're seeing it as being bad. I'm currently watching the West Ham v Arsenal game and the PQ is very good, but I was less impressed with the earlier picture from Old Trafford.

How does it compare with the Freeview version of ITV1? I know quite a few Sky folk who choose to watch ITV1 on Freeview as the Sky version is particularly bad, but I've not heard of anyone who thought ITV1 was better on Sky.

caveman · 03-01-2010, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by nialli

The ITV1 bitrate on Virgin is actually higher than that on satellite, so that's odd if you're seeing it as being bad. I'm currently watching the West Ham v Arsenal game and the PQ is very good, but I was less impressed with the earlier picture from Old Trafford.

How does it compare with the Freeview version of ITV1? I know quite a few Sky folk who choose to watch ITV1 on Freeview as the Sky version is particularly bad, but I've not heard of anyone who thought ITV1 was better on Sky.

The PQ of the Man U game was really pony. I was watching it on my impecable Loewe CRT. It looked like motion blur. I don't know why it was so bad, I did post the Q earlier.

archie hunter · 03-01-2010, 19:58

TBH the PQ on Freeview is marginally inferior to VM. I agree that the ManU game PQ was not as good as the West Ham game PQ. I also watched some of the cricket this morning and that looked OK .