Question regarding SA 8300HD PQ

[onegeek]

I just purchased my first HD set, and BHN brought out the 8300HD about 3 weeks ago.

They installed it using the component outs. The video looked great the day it was installed (of course) but over time i noticed a little bit of what I guess you would call "noise".

So, I bought an HDMI cable, t much much beter. Except for one thing, when viewing any standard digital channel, I have a thin bar of static at the top of the screen. This does not happen on HD channels, or the couple of analogs that they havent started simulcasting in digital.

Not a big deal, just very annoying. I called customer service, and was kind of ticked when the rep said "Sir, if you can see the channels, then it's not a problem. it's just entertainment"

Went back to the component outs for now.

Any suggestions????

 

[Khandurian]

First thing I would do is open the book for your TV. Go to the page that shows the support video modes. Once you have that information in front of you, pick up the remote for the dvr, go into the settings, and search and find the output modes for the dvr. Select the ones that your tv can handle.

After you have done that, watch a channel that has the static on top. Hit the # button. This will change the output mode of the dvr. If it doesnt go away after you have hit the # button and changed the differnt modes, and it does it on all modes then you need a service call.

Call back, tell the CSR that you want a service call. Tell the CSR to make sure that the tech brings another 8300SD with him.

Good Luck!

 

[casper04]

yea... i've seen that before, it happens alot when using an HDMI. Go in to the settings on the box and check the output formats. Make sure 480i is not on, I usually use 1080i and thats it.

 

[onegeek]

Thanks for the help guys, according to my TV manual it supports all the formats, so thats not the issue.

I went into the display config on the box and double checked all the formats. I turned off both 480i and 480i widescreen as suggested. Didnt help.

If I only use 1080, then that gets rid of it, the only problem i have with that is it wont stretch to fill my whole screen.

I called BHN, and after 45 minutes and several transfers, I was able to find out that apperently it's a know issue with the digital compression. So, they suggest I use the component out until they fix the issue.


I wonder how many people are experincing this?

 

[Khandurian]

Ok, recently we threw away a bunch of HDMI cables. Well, not really threw away, but sent back for credit. Does your HDMI cables have ferrite blocks on them?

I don't have a picture for you to reference, but if you look at the cable, on each end, you should see like a roundish buldge just before the connector. If not, that maybe your problem.

Try a differnt HDMI cable that has the blocks on them. Good Luck.

 

[onegeek]

Ok, recently we threw away a bunch of HDMI cables. Well, not really threw away, but sent back for credit. Does your HDMI cables have ferrite blocks on them?

I don't have a picture for you to reference, but if you look at the cable, on each end, you should see like a roundish buldge just before the connector. If not, that maybe your problem.

Try a differnt HDMI cable that has the blocks on them. Good Luck.

yes, this cable does have a ferrite block on it.

I think I'll try swapping the box out the local office . If that dosn't work, I'll just stay with the component out.

Thanks agin, Appreciate the help!

 

[jcarrera]

Just a general comment....
HDMI cables vary greatly in quality, and cost is not a good indicator of quality. You can do some web research on this topic.

 

[Khandurian]

Just a general comment....
HDMI cables vary greatly in quality, and cost is not a good indicator of quality. You can do some web research on this topic.

jcarrera makes a very good point. HDMI cables vary in quality as well as price. Did you get the monster cable w/gold plating?

Switching out the box is also a good move as well. That way if the new does the same thing, we may have eliminated the problem down to the HDMI cable.

It may have gotten over stressed during shipping to the store. Keep us informed, let us know!

 

[iceturkee]

i got mine from monoprice.....both reasonably priced and both high quality.

 

[casper04]

First of all, I don't think that's true...HDMI is a digital connection just like our digital cable... if u got a positive signal and your getting a picture that's as good of a picture that your going to get... doesn't matter if it's gold, silver, Monster, or some $30 cable... In my opinion Monster is just a big scam on most of their products

Second I can honestly say that I ran a test for myself... I used a Monster HDMI on my TV, watched it every day for 3 months. After 3 months I switched to component... I honestly didn't see a difference. Now that will vary on TV type and size. I have a Polaroid 32", If u have 42"+ U might possibly see a tiny difference, trust me I've tested this over and over with my customers and 90% don't see a difference.

And last but not least... I told u to take it off 480i because we've been having alot of issues come up in that format. (atleast in my system)

And.... you will have to stretch picture on HD channels if it's not broadcast in HD, just hit the # button a couple times. There's almost no way around that. If u need to stretch on digital channels go into ur settings and set it to- 16:9 Stretch

 

[salia]

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here because i have a similar issue. Mine though is a very thin gray line that is on the right side only of the picture. Could it be the same thing?

 

[casper04]

yea, i've seen it before on component and HDMI,

Very common on the HDMI...
there's really no way around that if all your using is the 1080i

unless someone knows a way?

when you stretch picture it goes away right?

 

[Isomorphic]

I see the line, too.

This is just me guessing here, but I think the line is some kind of out-of-band data (something like Closed Captioning) that is sent "outside" the picture area in the blanking interval. Or at least, that'd be what the old NTSC equivalent would be. I say this because the line sparkles in such a regular way that it really looks like data frames.

I don't think you should ever see the line, but most HDTVs have a way of switching from "dot-for-dot" or "1:1" mode on HDMI to an overscanned mode. The overscanned mode should hide the line.

 

[Trevorm7]

I've seen the line when watching analog channels on my pc, because the standard is meant for tvs that over-scan you will see things that you shouldn't.

Don't replace your box, don't replace your cable, don't pass go and don't collect 200$