HR10-250 video quality

[jethro1138]

Hi there,

So I just got my HR10-250 hooked up, replacing my old R10. It's hooked up through component, whereas the R10 was hooked up though S-Video.

But for some reason the picture quality... seems... much... lower... on the HR10. A lot less... vibrant. And a lot flatter. And much less sharp, almost as if things are a bit out of focus.

Has anyone here gone from an R10 to an HR10 and seen something like that? Or is there an issue with the HR10s? I searched this forum but didn't find anything specific.

[litzdog911]

What brand/model TV do you have? What output resolution is your HR10 set for?

[videojanitor]

But for some reason the picture quality... seems... much... lower... on the HR10. A lot less... vibrant. And a lot flatter. And much less sharp, almost as if things are a bit out of focus.

That is not normal. The HR10 produces what I would call a "standard" high definition picture. That is, it is pretty much showing you exactly what the source looks like.

In addition to what litzdog911 asked, what channels are you watching? What channels were you watching on your R10 that look worse on the HR10?

[jethro1138]

In addition to what litzdog911 asked, what channels are you watching? What channels were you watching on your R10 that look worse on the HR10?

Nevermind channels. Even the TiVo menu screens are all blurry. Not a lot, just a bit.

My TV is a... Samsung, I don't remember the model number of the top of my head. 30" Widescreen HD CRT. It can do 1080i and the HR10 is set to that, though 480i/p look the same (my TV can't do 720p).

I'm thinking maybe it's the dinky cables that came with the receiver... I'll try some decent ones later today.

[videojanitor]

I don't think I would be too concerned about the quality of the menus -- those are not HD, but rather upconverted from a lower resolution (notice they are also stretched). I would also doubt that the cables are the problem, but it wouldn't hurt to try different ones.

Regarding your TV, have you ever seen an HD signal on it from another source? I can recall seeing some Samsung CRT sets that had picture tubes that were definitely not capable of displaying HD resolution -- if you can go right up to the screen and see obvious stripes (running top to bottom), then you might have one of those.

[jethro1138]

I don't think I would be too concerned about the quality of the menus

It's not just the menus. I meant it's them, too.

I don't have HD content yet - the dish that can do that comes in on the 26th. It's EVERY video coming out of the HR10 - every channel, tivo menus, everything. Same programming that was going out of the R10 through SVIDEO to my AV Receiver and then component to the TV, except the HR10 is going component to the receiver.

I've got a computer running MythTV (for music) hooked up the same way - component to the AV Receiver, resolution set to 1080i, and it is smooth and crisp and bright and sharp. I've tried playing video through it and that, too, is fabulous looking, even upconverted from whatever NTSC resolution is.


Here's a better way to explain this, I think. When I'm watching anything on the HR10, it's like there's dusty gauze on the screen.

[videojanitor]

Hmmm, well sorry to say that I'm not sure what the issue could be. It's possible your HR10 has a problem, so I wouldn't rule that out. Whatever the cause, this is definitely not normal.

[litzdog911]

Or it could be a problem with your TV's component video inputs. Can you try HDMI (if your TV supports that)?

[jethro1138]

Or it could be a problem with your TV's component video inputs. Can you try HDMI (if your TV supports that)?

Nah, I don't have HDMI. And I have two other things connected to the component input on the TV via the AV Receiver... I'll try switching inputs just to see if that helps.

[phox_mulder]

I originally had my HR10 using HDMI, looked great.

Got the S3 and decided to put that on the HDMI, move the HR10 over to component.

I have so many pieces of equipment that use component and/or Optical Digital Audio that I got myself a component/toslink switcher.
I noticed when I switched the HR10 over to component, going throught this switcher, than everything looked muted, much like what you're noticing.

I bypassed the switch and went directly to the TV and it improved greatly, can't tell a difference between HDMI and Component.

TV has 2 Component inputs and 1 HDMI,
so I can have my HR10, S3 and DVD player all hooked up at the same time.

I am now just using the switcher to switch the Digital Audio from my HR10-250, S3 and DVD player.

Long story short, try bypassing your receiver and going right to the TV.


phox

[jethro1138]

Long story short, try bypassing your receiver and going right to the TV.

Oh, I figured it out - it /was/ the crap cables the thing came with.

My only issue now is that the 30-second-skip is a bit jitterry. But I can live with that!

[videojanitor]

Wow, those must have been some really BAD cables! Anyway, glad you got it going ...

[TyroneShoes]

It's not just the menus. I meant it's them, too.

I don't have HD content yet - the dish that can do that comes in on the 26th...
You buried the lead. If you are comparing SD on a R10 to HD on a HR10-250, you obviously should have a whale of a sharper picture. If you are comparing SD on a R10 to SD on a HR10-250, just the fact that it's now on a big-screen TV will be enough to make it seem worse, although a properly working and cabled HR10-250 should not look worse even in SD than a R10, on the same display.