Severely disappointed in new HDDVR's PQ

[Ranchdip]

I had Direct TV replace my existing HD Receiver with a HDTivo and I have to say that the pic quality is very disappointing. OTA images are not near as clear and it seems like the fine edges of the images have been smoothed over or blurred.

This is very frustrating to me because we don't have a choice of which HDTivo we get. They are using the cheapest possible converters and components to make these things. They MUST be further compressing the HD signal for the storage medium on the Tivos.

Is this an example of what we have to look forward to? Now I'm going to have to pay for another receiver connection so I can view live HDTV in order to have the best pic quality.

This is very disappointing.

Kyle

 

[Jimbo]

I had Direct TV replace my existing HD Receiver with a HDTivo and I have to say that the pic quality is very disappointing. OTA images are not near as clear and it seems like the fine edges of the images have been smoothed over or blurred.

This is very frustrating to me because we don't have a choice of which HDTivo we get. They are using the cheapest possible converters and components to make these things. They MUST be further compressing the HD signal for the storage medium on the Tivos.

Is this an example of what we have to look forward to? Now I'm going to have to pay for another receiver connection so I can view live HDTV in order to have the best pic quality.

This is very disappointing.

Kyle

Keep in mind that you are using OLD equipment (if your talking about the HR-10-250)
I suspect the new equipment will have the most current technology in it. the newest receiver the H-20 has an outstanding OTA tuner in it from most reports.

I have yet to see anyone complain about the picture quality with this unit, do you have it hooked up using the best possible connections.

Jimbo

 

[f300v10]

The HR10-250 does NOT re-compress the video signal before it is stored on the disk. The PQ on my HR10-250, which is now 18 months old, is very good. My new H20 may be slightly better, but not much.

Are you using the HDMI connection, or component? Do you have a 720P, 1080i or 1080Pset? Make sure you are using the 'best' output resolution for your set.

 

[Sean Mota]

I had Direct TV replace my existing HD Receiver with a HDTivo and I have to say that the pic quality is very disappointing. OTA images are not near as clear and it seems like the fine edges of the images have been smoothed over or blurred.

This is very frustrating to me because we don't have a choice of which HDTivo we get. They are using the cheapest possible converters and components to make these things. They MUST be further compressing the HD signal for the storage medium on the Tivos.

Is this an example of what we have to look forward to? Now I'm going to have to pay for another receiver connection so I can view live HDTV in order to have the best pic quality.

This is very disappointing.

Kyle

You are opening pandora's box if you are talking negative about the HD DirecTivo DVR. The problem you are seeing stems from two parts. The HD DirecTivo (despite lots of claim to be a great OTA receiver) is not such a great OTA receiver. I have compared the PQ via OTA with four other receivers that I have -- Dish 942, 622, 211, 6000 and the Voom HD receiver. All had better colors and as you describe they do not blurr the picture. The Satellite HD channels such as HDnet, HDnet movies, TNT HD, Showtime HD, HBO HD, Universal HD and to certain extend ESPN HD and ESPN2HD, problem stem from the HD LITE issue that has been plagued DirecTv for three years already. There is no way around the HD Lite problem you either conform to it or go some other place.

 

[Ranchdip]

It's good to know there isn't any extra compression going on with the HDTivos.

I'm using HDMI to my Samsung 61" DLP. I have the output set to 1080i or 720p depending on the native resolution of the broadcast. I have tweeked my TV to have the best resolution and PQ possible. I am kind of an audio/video nut so I tweek everything (use highest quality cables etc.).

 

[Ranchdip]

I'm now going to have to hook up my old receiver along side my Tivo. If I had only checked here first I probably wouldn't have purchased the HDTivo. To me the OTA difference is huge. The other HD channels like HDNet are slightly improved with the my original standalone receiver.

This is probably old news to you guys. I guess I was shocked when I hooked it up and decided to see if others had the same feeling about it.

It seems we're all in this boat together. Maybe we can scream loud enough to DTV to make some sort of difference. I doubt it though.

 

[srjewettlaw]

I have the found the picture quality both my HR10-250's to be excellent. But the OTA tuner is weak. Can't get the NBC affiliate on the 250 but when I go directly through the tuner on my plasma-I get a signal. The signal strength on all of the channels is much lower on the HR10-250 than directly through the tuner on the TV.

 

[upnorth]

You are opening pandora's box if you are talking negative about the HD DirecTivo DVR. The problem you are seeing stems from two parts. The HD DirecTivo (despite lots of claim to be a great OTA receiver) is not such a great OTA receiver. I have compared the PQ via OTA with four other receivers that I have -- Dish 942, 622, 211, 6000 and the Voom HD receiver. All had better colors and as you describe they do not blurr the picture. The Satellite HD channels such as HDnet, HDnet movies, TNT HD, Showtime HD, HBO HD, Universal HD and to certain extend ESPN HD and ESPN2HD, problem stem from the HD LITE issue that has been plagued DirecTv for three years already. There is no way around the HD Lite problem you either conform to it or go some other place.

So you are telling us that E* does not have HDLITE most of us know better than that as far as 29 HD channels that means nothing. Just look at there content NFL network what they have in HD is old converted material that will change this fall also HGTV nothing but repeats. Why waste the bandwith I can wait for better quaility channels OH! when is E* bringing the HD rsn's on?.
It is really a matter of choice each system has there Advantages and disadvantages my advantages are with D* right now if that changes so may I.