Series 2, Comcast Digital Cable Box, and Picture Quality

[cletus_boy]

Hopefully I'm not repeating other posts too much :)

I have been disappointed with the picture quality of digital cable recordings (and viewing) with my Series 2 Tivo. The cable out of the wall is split. One coax goes to a digital cable box, which leads directly to the TV via a coax.

The other coax off the splitter goes to a different digital cable box and then to the Tivo via coax cable.

The Picture quality is substantially degraded by the Tivo. On the direct feed from cable box to TV, the picture looks great. From the Tivo, it looks smeared out somewhat, with bright colors bleeding into the picture. I use the "Best" quality setting on the Tivo.

I read on another forum here that you can have Tivo record the straight digital feed, without an analog step. How?

What am I missing with my setup. I thought the digital cable would solve the picture degradation problems I had in the past, because digital info can be stored on a hard drive... Now, I am leery of buying a Tivo HD, because of possible picture degradation.

Hope I gave enough information! Thanks!

[classicsat]

You can directly digitally record cable by getting one of the HD TiVos.

However, you can improve picture quality some with your existing hardware, by using S-video and stereo audio from the cable box to the TiVo, and A/V to the TV, if you can. The signal going in to and out of the TiVo will still be SD analog though.

[cletus_boy]

Thanks. I don't think the cable box has S-Video :down:
Will the yellow RCA plug for video help? By A/V to the TV, do you mean S-Video and the RCA plugs for L and R audio channels?

So, digital cable does not come to the house as a digital signal? That seems like deceptive advertising to me! Or maybe I'm just totally confused...

Anyway, thanks for posting.


You can directly digitally record cable by getting one of the HD TiVos.

However, you can improve picture quality some with your existing hardware, by using S-video and stereo audio from the cable box to the TiVo, and A/V to the TV, if you can. The signal going in to and out of the TiVo will still be SD analog though.

[RonDawg]

Thanks. I don't think the cable box has S-Video :down: Will the yellow RCA plug for video help?

It's a rarity for a digital cable box to not have s-video, but it is a possibility. In that case, use composite (the one with the yellow RCA jack). RF (coax) should only be used as a last resort, because it gives the poorest picture quality of all your interconnect options.

For the standard def TiVo's, s-video gives the best picture quality, composite/yellow jack the next best, and RF the poorest.

So, digital cable does not come to the house as a digital signal? That seems like deceptive advertising to me! Or maybe I'm just totally confused...


Digital cable comes to the house as a digital signal, often combined with an analog signal as well.

What classicsat is saying is that your particular TiVo won't be able to tune the digital channels by itself, thus the need for the external tuner box. The Series 3/model 648, the TiVoHD, and the new TiVoHD XL can tune digital OTA and cable channels without the need for a box, but pretty much require CableCard(s) to use with a digital cable system.

[cletus_boy]

Okay, I think I'm starting to understand ;)

Another question then. If I buy a Series 3 or HD TiVo, should the picture I get through the TiVo be exactly the same, in terms of quality and sharpness, as the picture I get from the cable box to the TV? (Assuming all connections have good cables)

Thanks!

[classicsat]

For the digital channels, it will be better, since the HD models directly record the digital signal, rather than convert it to analog, then back to digital, as you are doing now. For analog channels, it will be similar, but slightly better, since they have a better video decoder. It might be even more metter with an HD connection to an HD set.