Picture quality

[bill94]

I have Fios, I've had my TivoHD hooked up to my 37" Vizio for about a year now. I just replaced the Vizio with a 37" LG. Better then the Vizio in all tech specs but the picture looks like digital goo most of the time. I don't get it!?!?! Is there a way to fix this? :confused:

[ThAbtO]

It depends on how the T-HD is connected to the TV. hdmi is the best connection, then component, S-Video/Video/Audio.

[bkdtv]

Are you hooked up via HDMI? Is the TiVo set to output fixed 720p, fixed 1080i, or native?

If so, perhaps your new LG isn't as good as you thought. "Specs" are only a small part of the equation when it comes to picture quality.

If by chance your TVs are listed in this document (http://hdguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/2008-resolution-tests-125-hdtvs.pdf), you can compare their static and motion resolution performance. That said, even this tells you nothing about contrast / black levels or the accuracy of the color decoder.

[bill94]

It's set to fixed 720p, fixed 1080i. I have it hooked up with an hdmi cable. The
contrast ratio of the LG is 50,000:1 the Vizio is 1000:1. From your chart;

"LG 37LG50 37" LCD 1080p/60Hz Pass Fail 1000 320 Full"

It has nothing for the Vizio I have.

[aaronwt]

The TV needs to be calibrated properly to show it's best picture. Every TV is different and by going to a different brand there would be more of a difference. Check out AVS and maybe there is a thread about your model where you can get a starting point for the settings that will improve your picture.

[wmcbrine]

Please define "digital goo".

[bkdtv]

It's set to fixed 720p, fixed 1080i. I have it hooked up with an hdmi cable. The
contrast ratio of the LG is 50,000:1 the Vizio is 1000:1. From your chart;

"LG 37LG50 37" LCD 1080p/60Hz Pass Fail 1000 320 Full"

It has nothing for the Vizio I have.Not a particularly good result.

That means your LG shows up to 1000p (not 1080p) resolution on static images and 320p resolution on moving images, with the test material used by Gary Merson of Hdguru.com.

Contrast ratios on most products are ridiculously inflated for marketing purposes. A manufacturer can claim 50,000:1 or 1000:1 depending on what test material they used. Some manufacturers are more honest in what they report than others. That's why it's important to read actual reviews and user comments on contrast and black levels.

As noted above, you'll also need to calibrate your TV. On a minority of TVs "look great" out of the box.