Newbie - 722 degrades SD channels

[dbwallace]

Just replaced two DVR 501s with a VIP722. Did it to get HD on set 1, and continue to get SD on set 2 (even though both are HD sets).

On both sets, non HD programming from the 722 is of notably lower quality - resolution/sharpness - than we got from either of the 501s.

HD quality is great on set 1, but we are really disappointed at the loss of quality on SD programming.

Any idea why, or what we can do?

dbwallace

"...the beatings will continue until morale improves"

 

[RickDee]

Just replaced two DVR 501s with a VIP722. Did it to get HD on set 1, and continue to get SD on set 2 (even though both are HD sets).

On both sets, non HD programming from the 722 is of notably lower quality - resolution/sharpness - than we got from either of the 501s.

HD quality is great on set 1, but we are really disappointed at the loss of quality on SD programming.

Any idea why, or what we can do?

dbwallace

"...the beatings will continue until morale improves"

The output for TV2 is only in SD. If you want HD on the TV attached to TV2, then add a 612 and hook it up to the TV1 output.

 

[dbwallace]

Thanks RickDee, I understand that I will need a different approach to get HD in the bedroom, but my concern is that SD reception on both sets is significantly poorer than we got before when we had two 501s, one to each set.

So HD is great in the living room, but now SD sucks on both sets. Sorry if I wasn't clear on my first post.

 

[garys]

It's the way the HD tv handles the input. HD down rezzed to sd through coax is not good enough input on an HD tv. You can try running HDMI to one set and component to the other, but both sets would be viewing the same program/channel.

 

[nothing0]

i've noticed the same problem. i have a 722. the standard def channels are poor on tv1 or tv2. friends with cable or direct tv have much better sd picture quality. i didn't know if it was dish, the 722, or somehow my setup. no one has been able to help me either.

 

[dbwallace]

Thanks. I think I'll try running a Component cable to set 2, both to get HD to it, and in hopes that might improve the SD quality as well

 

[BuddyBoy]

No one has explained why his SD is so much worse with the 722 on TV1 compared to the 501. One difference is that the upconversion is done in the STB rather than the TV now. I don't think that's responsible for the difference in PQ though, the 722 isn't so bad at upconversion that the TV would be noticeably better. As an experiment, you could try outputting 480i on TV1 to force the TV to upconvert, like it was before with the 501.

I think the more likely explanation is that now that you can get HD, you're noticing the SD picture quality is that much worse. It probably isn't any different from the 501.

 

[Pepper]

The 722 has S-Video and RCA (yellow) video outputs also. Try using one of those when viewing SD and see if that helps.

 

[jerryez]

The SD picture on my 722 and 211 are hands down better than the SD was on my 301. The 722 and 211 both up convert the SD picture and it is a good picture. But I use the 722 in single tv mode.

 

[Awohar]

adjust tv settings too, sharpness probably too high and makes sharp edges where sharp edges shouldnt bee

 

[TheKrell]

The SD picture on my 722 and 211 are hands down better than the SD was on my 301.

My 301 puts out a distinctly fuzzy picture compared to my 311, my 501, or my 625. The latter 3 do a darn good job of SD output, even when plugged into an HDTV. This is particularly evident on locally-generated static video, such as the guide or the text info overlay.

I wish the same could be said of my HDTV's scalers! Dish SD video on an HDTV is only so-so. I never noticed this before on an SD CRT, but on my HDTVs (which are all bigger than my biggest CRT), rapid motion causes fairly big pixels to appear. Looks like I'm losing resolution and (without measurement) it looks to be much lower than Dish SD video, which is 544 X 480.

 

[wetz73]

Are you comparing the images on the same televisions or were the TV's upgraded along with the receivers? I had a 522 and upgraded to a 722 and didn't notice a change in TV2's SD quality when it was hooked to the same 19" SD TV, but when I went to a 32" LCD, it looked like crap. SD on an HDTV will always look much worse than it does on an SD TV, especially if you spread the image over a larger area.

 

[dbwallace]

Problem Solved

For reasons I have no way to discern, the reception problem on SD broadcasts solved itself, on both tvs.

I can only assume there was a degradation associated with upgrading our service to HD that affected the SD signal, as well.

Several hours after I posted - same day as the upgrade - we both noticed that the SD signal appreared as it used to with the 501s.

Been fine since.

I must say that with the excellent SD reception, the reception on HD channels is not a huge improvement - noticable, but not earth shattering as is BluRay on my sons HD set.

Thanks for the good feedback and suggestions.

 

[wetz73]

I must say that with the excellent SD reception, the reception on HD channels is not a huge improvement - noticable, but not earth shattering as is BluRay on my sons HD set.

Then there is something wrong with the HD reception!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Put on a show in actual HD (not stretched) and flip over to it on the SD channel. If you still do not notice a big difference, then either something is wrong or your eye is not that discerning. If the latter is the case, don't waste your money on HD. My guess is you were watching something stretched from SD on an HD channel because yours is the description most people give with that.

 

[rthomp03]

Make sure your HD output is 720p or 1080i and not 480i. Menu 6-8 TV Type.

 

[DishSubLA]

adjust tv settings too, sharpness probably too high and makes sharp edges where sharp edges shouldnt bee

That's the answer. A TV adjusted for the best HD PQ will NOT be good adjustments for an SD picture. The HD PQ allows for greater brightness and contrast and color saturtion, etc. SD Flaws (comprssion) abound with such HD settings. An SD channels need to be set with the least contrast possible and just enough brightness, and this will affect the color saturation as well and it too needs to be set to a different level than with the HD channel. Any more than that and you will begin to see compression artifacts.

I have my TV preset adjustments set so that one is for HD and when I watch an SD channel, I press the button and my TV switches to the SD settings, and it SD looks so much better, like it did when I had the SD DVR's.

Now, if the content is SD on an HD channel, then the HD settings on the TV will work just fine, but NOT if it is tuned to an SD channel.