FSC and HD TV

Wondering if anyone else has this problem or has some suggestions that would help. We got a Toshiba HD LCD TV (37") and FSC looks horrible on it. Not nearly as good as our old CRT TV. Other stations from a normal (non HD) feed look the same as our old smaller TV so FSC seems to be particularly bad. Has anyone heard this before or have any ideas to help?

 

I've read about this... consensus reply: if possible get an upgrade cable box and use the HDMI link between the cable box and tv.

Set the cable box to upconvert the images to 480P. Or you MIGHT try to see what it looks like in 780p upconvert at cable box {will result in smaller image, black border all around, of course.}

If you already subscribe to HD tier, simply do the latter.

Also do search on your program/cable provider forums.

And at AVSForums

 

thanks fog. I read this and have exactly the same problem. But with DirecTV, not sure how to upconvert throught the DirecTV receiver. I do run the direcTV through my Dennon Receiver and then to TV with the HTMI cable. thanks for the link. I'll have to check that out.

 

Thanks fog, you're always so helpful. I'll give it a go. Anyone else had this problem only with FSC or a select group of channels?

 

I presume FSC is a digital channel on your system (it is on my cable). Therefore, it is a compressed image. The cable companies can and do vary the compression of a channel depending on how popular they are. The fact that a sport channel needs good quality to see the movement does not lend itself to be compressed like they do. If your TV is a LCD version, then these do not do movement as good as plasma either (they're getting better though).

 

Here's an old but related thread
http://archive2.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-679483.html

I should have mentioned that the actual games are ALREADY converted once {from PAL, the scan system used in UK} as they are received from blighty. That's why some of the games look bad even as seen on standard TV.. (though nowhere NEAR as bad as they were 25 years ago.)

The critique you need to consider is how the US studio image looks. And try to check it out on an MISL game or something. We already know the FSC feed uses an outdated compression scheme as you can hear the DTMF cue signals on the audio band.

 

Thanks RedCoat, that's interesting. I do have digital, it's not worth paying for HD until my provider has more HD channels. It's also good to know that I'm probably not imagining that FSC is worse than all of the other channels. The other sport channels arent bad but FSC is slightly washed out and blurry. I'm researching it starting with Petty's advice and hopefully will have it greatly improved by the next FSC Fulham game.

 

I was beginning to think it was just me but I have Comcast for FSC and the picture can be grainy hopefully soon all TV will be in HD