"Upgraded" from VIP722 to two VIP612... now unsatisfying HD

[vash1090]

It is more than likely that your picture quality issues are directly related to your satellite dish and not your receivers. Dish alignment and multi-feed issues are the main reason I opt for individual dishes for each satellite and use a Dp-34 or similar switch. If you are not satisfied with the current quality then have a tech come out to realign the dish, verify the feed, and make sure the dish is grounded. Be sure that the new dish is not being masked, and consider replacing your outside RG-6 with quad shield RG-6. At issue is the fact that the receivers can sync on a less than optimum signal. Any multi-satellite dish not only has less gain but issues related to skew.

As to a signal level of 55, that is a bit low. If you are in the mainland you should definitely request realignment, consider dish relocation, or a higher gain dish. The solution to your quality issues I believe is a good tech with a quality meter.

Wix

He doesn't mention which satellite has 55 signal. If it is the 129, that is high end signal and you don't know what you're talking about. If it's the 119 or 110, then it all depends on what region he's in. Also, not everybody wants a three-dish system with the added cost of a DPP44

 

[vash1090]

I'm on EA and prefer it to WA. This is just conjecture but I wonder if some TV sets don't do as well w/ certain receivers/DVR's?

*The 612 is just like that all the time*

 

[nickf829]

I'm down in Massanutten with a EA install just south of you, and it sounds as if you were switched from a WA (western arc) to the Eastern Arc, I have been on an EA for 2 years and not really impressed with the PQ, did they give you a reason for the switch?

How do I tell which arc it is on? It looks as though its pointing SE. Before I had one pointing SE and one pointing almost NE. I'm on the W side of the Massanutten ridge right at the base and my house is facing downhill, maybe the position of the house, with a westward facing dish wasn't possible due to the incline/tree's behind us?

How do I tell which model dish I have? I looked at the dish and the only identifying feature is a big "Turbo HD" on the dish, and the head has 3 round pieces on it. One of the 3 round pieces is totally seperate from the other 2, which are grouped together. If that makes sense?

 

[KAB]

How do I tell which arc it is on? It looks as though its pointing SE.

You're in the Eastern arc with a 1000.4 Dish.

 

[Haysoos]

Total shot in the dark as I don't know, but could the compression on EA affect the PQ compared to the compression from the WA? I've never been able to compare the two. I've only installed in a WA market, but maybe someone could shed some light.

Also, do not listen to this Wix guy. Signal strengths vary by region and transponder. In my locale a 55 reading is more than adequate for 99% of the transponders. More importantly, the problem you are describing is not in anyway related to your signal strength. If you were describing a picture that is pixellating with audio drop outs then your sig strengths could be a factor. That does not appear to be the case, so do not try and get a tech out to peak your dish as that will not solve your problem.

As someone else has suggested, try component instead of HDMI. Also as the first responder pointed out, make sure in the HDTV menu(press menu-6-8) that it's set to 1080i and 16x9. If you're running your video through an A/V receiver, try bypassing it.

 

[Tampa8]

I see no difference at all between the 722 and 612. I can not address any possible difference between EA and WA as I only had SD on the WA before going HD and going to the EA.
There is not one bit of difference in PQ based on signal strength other than a thresehold of being too low causing freezing or no signal. Once you are above that, more signal strengh might allow for less rain fade, but not change PQ. I am not aware of the differences if any of compression from the EA to WA.

As mentioned be sure the HD output is set for 720P or 1080I (very very little difference in PQ between the two - some find 1080I is ever so slightly sharper, while some find 720P to be ever so slightly smoother/glass like) Also be sure the output on that same screen is set to wide screen. My first 612 came set to 420P. Depending on the TV, make sure it is set to receive a 1080I signal. (My TV now will accept what ever it is being fed, my older one had to be set)

One last thing, I have learned that the HDMI cable can make a difference. Not based on cost by the way. As a last resort to a problem I was having I replaced the HDMI cable, and poof - picture looked great. Also as suggested you can try the component output and see what that looks like.

PS - I just re read your post. I would try a new/different HDMI cable first... and also try a differnt HDMI input on the TV if you have another one.

 

[branchbouncer]

You're in the Eastern arc with a 1000.4 Dish.

As KAB said you have a 1000.4 and on an EA 61.5, 72, 77

 

[Brisak]

I install in Tampa every day and I see no difference between east or west 612 or 722 all looks the same to me.

I think it has more to do with the tv you view it on.I prefer the new samsung led

 

[Wix]

Total shot in the dark as I don't know, but could the compression on EA affect the PQ compared to the compression from the WA? I've never been able to compare the two. I've only installed in a WA market, but maybe someone could shed some light.

Also, do not listen to this Wix guy. Signal strengths vary by region and transponder. In my locale a 55 reading is more than adequate for 99% of the transponders. More importantly, the problem you are describing is not in anyway related to your signal strength. If you were describing a picture that is pixellating with audio drop outs then your sig strengths could be a factor. That does not appear to be the case, so do not try and get a tech out to peak your dish as that will not solve your problem.

As someone else has suggested, try component instead of HDMI. Also as the first responder pointed out, make sure in the HDTV menu(press menu-6-8) that it's set to 1080i and 16x9. If you're running your video through an A/V receiver, try bypassing it.

OOhhh I agree please don't listen to me. You gave a good report on your problems and invited a response from those of us here and I gave you my recommendations. While I have only been installing and servicing DBS systems since my first job at AlphaStar I may be a bit old fashioned. Certainly no harm intended. I will refrain from any further advice in these forums and yield the page to those more worthy.

Aloha
Wix

 

[JEFFinINDY]

if it's possible with your configuration, try a component connection for your video (you can leave the HDMI in place for the audio, or switch to an optical audio cable). When I had a 622 and 722, the component connection definitely gave a richer, more saturated/vivid picture than the HDMI connection did. I never found the HDMI to be a bad picture, but it was clearly a flatter, more muted image compared to component.

Maybe this will get you closer to your ideal picture.

 

[gpflepsen]

Let me play devil's advocate here... If signal strength has no bearing whatsoever on picture quality (softness), to the point of calling Wix something akin to "buffoon" or some other less than favorable portrayal, how can the suggestion that a different HDMI cable being a solution to the soft picture be looked at as valid?

 

[yosemitesam]

Are you really Hi-Def Jeff under a different name? Signal strength above threshold will do nothing but reduce chances of rain fade. I have larger individual dishes for just that reason, but PQ does not go up with increased signal level.

Absolute correct information above, digital picture either is enough or pix-elation/no picture.
Don't bother with that quad coax as it will never make any difference to your picture.good coax is 100% shielded
you don't need 110% shielding as there is no such thing. 1 dish 2 dishes or 3 again makes no difference
in the P Q. Of the better brands out there we find Sony's esp. 40" models to have the poorest resolotion

 

[grb]

Perhaps your personal memory is the culprit. It is very difficult to compare PQ unless you have side by side comparisons. If you were able to compare your PQ on side by side tv's using a 722 and a 612, you may be able to determine if the PQ is better using one or the other of the receivers. If one was clearly better than the other, it could be either the receiver or the tv. Switching the receivers for the tv's should help decide if it is the receiver or the tv that has the PQ problem. I believe it is one of the two. As posted by others earlier, the dishes and/or signal strength have nothing to do with the problem. And if you can't find any difference in PQ, your memory (like most of us) is unreliable. Just my $.02 worth...

 

[nickf829]

I would love to blame the TV, but I still have the old TV and notice the decrease in PQ on that as well.

It seems the receiver or the dish itself would be all that was left to blame. I'm starting to lean away from blaming the 612 only because it sounds as though people are happy with their 612's even compared to the 722's, so the odds of me having 2 bad 612's is very low. I'm thinking the only thing left is to blame the install, the dish, or the wiring.

Or senility, that could be it too, But I don't think thats the case, I'm only 26.

Or senility, that could be it too, But I don't think..... just kidding

 

[whatchel1]

I would love to blame the TV, but I still have the old TV and notice the decrease in PQ on that as well.

It seems the receiver or the dish itself would be all that was left to blame. I'm starting to lean away from blaming the 612 only because it sounds as though people are happy with their 612's even compared to the 722's, so the odds of me having 2 bad 612's is very low. I'm thinking the only thing left is to blame the install, the dish, or the wiring.

Or senility, that could be it too, But I don't think thats the case, I'm only 26.

Or senility, that could be it too, But I don't think..... just kidding

NOT THE DISH. In this thread it has been stated over & over the signal strength you getting precludes that. So there is some other problem. Personal taste or bad connection from DVR to TV or some other reason but the signal strength IS NOT & I repeat IS NOT the problem. And Wix it makes no difference how long you have worked with sats. The information you supplied is out of date. The SS of 55 is more than enough.

 

[pabeader]

try 720p 1080i can sometimes look blurry

 

[47HO]

When you moved the old TV, could the picture settings have been lost? It would reset to defaults. The factory defaults (on the old and the new) are less than optimal, and you could notice the difference.

 

[sgt940]

For those with a 722 and a 612, do you have only one dish outside(the oblong one)? Also with that setup, do you have the capBility to watch something recorded on the 722 from the 612? I don't like having something on DVD in the LR but not in the BR

I have a 722 and 2-612's all three have great HD picture quality and I also have a 1000.4 dish. I also have a great outside antenna and yes the over the air quaility for locals is definetly better than the local Dish re-broadcasts, at least in Dallas. If you have the ability to hook up an outside antenna to the 612's you could quickly see if it is a Dish compression issue.

 

[nickf829]

Well Dish is coming out next Monday, I'll let you know the diagnosis. I am not convinced it is both TV's(and yes, I tweaked all the settings to maximize the picture on both TV's), or both 612's. I'll let you know what Dish says. I'm also getting a bit more pixelation and noise now, so I'm going to have them try to adjust the Sat a bit better.

 

[grb]

Good luck! But as you know, adjusting the Dish may reduce the pixelation events, but wil not affect the overall PQ. What do you mean by noise -- do you have interference in your picture? If so, I would strongly suspect connections.