Help Needed – refresh/resolution settings?

[Midnighthtpc]

Hi Everyone,

I need some help. My HTPC picture was great with my old TV and with my newer one, its not. Perhaps I notice it more as the new one is larger?

When watching from a distance the picture is ok, but when moving closer to the TV, the edges of objects seem pixelated. Watching hockey close to the TV is terrible!

Here is the equipment

TV: Panasonic TC-P55GT30
STB: Motorola DSR 505

OS: Windows Vista Ultimate
CPU: Intel Q6600 quadcore
6GB of RAM
Capture: Haupagge HVR1600
Video: ATI 5700 series (512mb or 1Gb, I forget)

It must be my settings. BluRays look amazing. Are there any good walkthroughs for this? I can post my resolution and refresh settings if that helps!

Thanks in advance!
John

[oliverredfox]

You’re probably not set at native resolution.  You want to be at 1080p or 1920×1080 (should have an option for one or the other in the video settings).  And refresh would be at 60.

 

And there may be a setting on your TV too, for 1:1 pixel mapping (different sets have different names for this).

 

And just to ask the obvious, are you watching HD channels (because SD channels will look more noticibly bad on larger screens)?

[Midnighthtpc]

I tried this, but no luck.

The HVR1600 accepts SVideo from the STB….. Would this cause the issue, as the signal into the HTPC is weak?

[oliverredfox]

Svideo means you’re getting a 480i signal which is 704×480 interlaced vs the 1920×1080 progressive you TV can display.  So a huge drop in resolution.  If you ran the cable line right into your HTPC and watched an HD QAM encoded channel, it would look like your blu-rays.

[oliverredfox]

With how cheap cable card devices are for HTPCs, it might be a good time pick one up and cut out the STB entirely =)

[Midnighthtpc]

Problem is that the HVR1600 does not have anything really high end…

HVR http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr1600.html
STB http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/store/download/spec_sheets/dsr505_specsheet.pdf

Would u suggest buying a capture card that accepts video in higher than the 1600 I own? Any recommendations?

[oliverredfox]

There are few cable card devices that rock.  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815345006 is one example.  You can trade in your cable box with your provider and get a cable card from them.  It’ll probably run you a few dollars less per month than the box did fee wise.  And it’ll give you all your line-up right on your PC.  Plus you’ll be able to record 3 or more shows at onces (depending on which model capture device you buy).  The Ceton model is really popular too.

edit: link to Ceton http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815706001

[Midnighthtpc]

Thanks! I will have a look and see if something works with Shaw Satellite. 🙂

[Midnighthtpc]

Looks like cable card is not support the same way in Canada

[oliverredfox]

Looks like Shaw might not provide cablecards.  https://community.shaw.ca/thread/4799  Apparently Canada doesn’t use them unlike down in the USA according to the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD  That’s a bummer.

[Midnighthtpc]

Ya! Anyway to tell if a STB is outputting and encrypted signal? I would hate to buy this Colossus and have the signal encrypted. Would be going from STB (DVI) to HTPC (HDMI)

[oliverredfox]

I’m sure there’s a better way than this to check, but if you’ve got a PC monitor with DVI or HDMI in that doesn’t have HDCP you can check off it.

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