HELP! - HDTV with Analog Cable

One of our old analog TVs died. We replaced it with a Dynex 19" LCD HDTV whose picture looked great in Best Buy. We bought this TV because the price was right ($239), not because we have any interest in paying for Digital or HD cable. We figured that the quality of the picture from our analog cable on the new HDTV would be the same as with our analog TVs. But picture quality on the HDTV is horrible, much worse than our analog TV pictures. Why is that? Is there a way to fix it without paying for digital? Should I take it back and buy an analog TV, assuming I can find one?
I've looked all over the web and can't find any info on this problem. The salesman I talked to at Best Buy was no help at all. (He told me my picture would get better come Feb. 17th when over the air broadcasts go digital, so I think he knows even less than I do!)
Please enlighten me if you can. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -

...

by givemeaname Aug 31, 2008 2:13PM PDT

calibration?????

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6603_7-5109683-3.html?tag=mncol;txt#TVcalibration

or

get a brand tv (I Have NEVER heard of Dynex) that will have a better PQ, you can get a new 32" sony or samsung for about $800 now days

& how is it hooked up?????

for any upscaling dvd player it MUST be hooked up via HDMI

- Collapse -

also this

by givemeaname Aug 31, 2008 2:14PM PDT

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9996461-1.html?tag=rtcol;relblogs

- Collapse -

HDTV with Analog Cable

by Zodess-225086530542504159 Sep 1, 2008 7:45AM PDT

Hi, thanks for your help.

Dynex is the Best Buy store brand. The checker at Best Buy said they just take another brand and slap the best buy lable on it. Though we don't usually get them, we bought the 4 year extended warrenty for $35 just in case.

This TV is going in the kitchen, so it won't be hooked up to any players. It's just got the cable tv cable going into it. It's a long run of cable, so my husband just put an amp on the line, and it has helped, but it's still not what you'd expect.

I did calibrate the TV according to the CNET instructions, but they are different from the ones you linked me to. I'll give yours a try, as they look more detailed.

Thanks!

- Collapse -

How much extra is digital?

by ahtoi Aug 31, 2008 7:26PM PDT

$5 or $10 per month? only you can tell if it's worth it or not. Or maybe the box is free; talk to the cable company. The drawback of the digital box is that..one box per tv (no more splitter.

- Collapse -

Cost of Digital

by Zodess-225086530542504159 Sep 1, 2008 8:13AM PDT

To rent the set-top box for Standard/Enhanced Digital Cable is $5/mo, and the HD box is $10/mo. For the next thirty years! No thanks.

I don't understand why I need a set-top box. The cable company's web site says HD is free, and our TV has a built-in HD tuner. Unless you have to pay the $7/mo. for the DTV service to get the HD for free. But then it's not really free, is it?

The cable company was closed today, so I'll call them tomorrow. I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks.

- Collapse -

Bottom Line on HDTV and Cable

by Zodess-225086530542504159 Sep 2, 2008 3:06AM PDT

I talked to our cable company (Thames Valley Cable) and the bottom line was HD Service is included with SD (Standard Digitial) Service ($7/mo), but you have to rent a more expensive box ($12/mo vs. $5/mo.) That makes it $12/mo for SD and $19/mo for HD.

The SD service includes 50+ additional channels. (Who has time to watch all these channels?!)

The HD service includes HD versions of some of the channels we already get, plus just a few more HD channels. (By the way, the box is also a DVR, which we don't need since we already have TiVo with a "lifetime of the TiVo" subscription. The cable company doesn't rent a cheaper HD box without a DVR.)

I wouldn't mind paying the $7/mo for the service. I DO mind renting a piece of equipment for years which it seems to me I should be able to go out and buy. The cable company tells me you can't buy them, and I haven't been able to find them to buy anywhere, including online. Anyone know where you can buy them? Or how much they cost?

We've decided to keep the HDTV, since the amp in the line has made it bearable from a distance of more than 5 feet. Besides, anything else would probably cost just as much, we figure. And someday we'll probaby be getting an HD DVD player.

Thanks to all for your help.

- Collapse -

Any chance of getting over-the air tv channels?

by ahtoi Sep 2, 2008 1:04PM PDT

Maybe you should go that route if the stations are close enough to you. Once you paid for the antenna, it will be free for life.

- Collapse -

Did you

by samkh Sep 1, 2008 12:33AM PDT

see a HD picture on it while you were at BB? Ask them that question. It's dishonest of them not to tell you that SD content will look horrible more or less on a HDTV, no matter which brand or price.

If you can find a SDTV, which I doubt, buy it right away. If the SDTV is analog only, get a analog/digital converter to cope with DTV change.

- Collapse -

HD picture

by Zodess-225086530542504159 Sep 1, 2008 8:20AM PDT

I'm sure it was. It looked very clear and rich. They should have to put up a sign that says "It won't look this good at home!" for technically naive people like me.

Thank you. I'll let you know what we end up doing.

- Collapse -

You can find 32" SD TVs on craig's list for a song

by Pepe7 Sep 2, 2008 3:10AM PDT

If the PQ annoys you that much, than you might consider picking up a used 32" standard defintion television which will outshine your bargain Best Buy HDTV. YMMV.

-Pedro

HELP! - HDTV with Analog Cable

CNET Forums

Other Forums

Forum Info