Mitsubishi WD-62525 issues

[tkporcel]

Hi All,

I just purchased a Mitsubishi WD-62525. I am having some problems with sound and picture. On some channels I get a static noise, this maybe due to a crappy power strip I am going to investigate this further. My main issues is the bad picture in cable. I have basic cable and not a box or anything fancy. It comes right out from the wall. When I first got the set I plugged in the line directly from the wall, this led to a poor picture.

Last night I got a new RCA dvd player and hooked the cable into it and used the HDMI line to the tv. So now it is cable to dvd player and HDMI to tv. The picture improved slightly but it is still pretty poor. Is this the best I am going to get with a basic cable set up? Should I use another connection other than the HDMI? When I play DVD's the picture is perfect so I don't think it is the TV but I am not sure. Can someone help me out with this?

-Thanks
-Travis

[Pez]

Basic cable will not look that great on a big screen TV. First, the imgaine is blown up to a much larger size than what was intended. Secondly, the image is being stretched to fit the screen. Its probably not what you wanted to hear but until cable goes all digital us big screen tv owners have to deal with poor picture quality on the majority of the channels. However I wouldnt expect this to impact the sound at all so maybe there is something else going on. But if DVD'd look ok maybe the cable is what it is.

If you are able to receive HD over the air does that look good? If not maybe its time to get HD cable.

[aud19]

Pretty much what Pez said. Generally compressed, low resolution, noisy analog cable just doesn't generally look good blown up on a big screen.

I have a couple analog channels (Discovery for example) that look "decent" guessing due to quality source (originally recorded in HD) and I assume minimal compression etc but in general analog looks pretty poopy and the bad channels look REALLY BAD.

[tkporcel]

unfortuneltly where I live all I can get is basic without a box. I just moved into this complex and found out after I bought the tv. Is there anything else I can try? Also would a better poer strip even help that buzzing noise?

[aud19]

Yeah the buzzing noise sounds like something else. Could be ground loop or a really bad cable or service from your provider as well. Is it only on some channels?

[Pez]

Honestly, try routing the cable through a VCR. Sounds odd but when I had a Mits 48" CRT RPTV the picture looked better and sounded better through the VCR. Distance from the TV will also be a major factor.

A better power strip is worth a try. Get one the allows to route the cable wire through it (in from wall to surge protector then out to TV, DVD, or whatever). This elimnated a buzz I had.

When you say you only get basic without box do you mean the cable is controlled by the complex? Is a satellite dish possible? There are some laws that deal with apartments and allowing tenants to put up a dish so it is doable is some situations. Otherwise if you can get digital HD cable but just dont have a box you owe it to your TV to do so.

IMO, non-CRT big screens are the worst at plain old basic cable. And a screen that size only compounds the short-comings of basic cable. When a friend of mine got a 50" DLP TV when they first came out I couldnt believe how bad the picture looked with basic cable. They have gotten progresively better as I own a DLP TV now and think cable looks very acceptable. But its nothing like watching the HD channels.

[tkporcel]

I did route the cable to the vcr/dvd player. From the DVD to the Tv I am using the HDMI cable. Is this a good Idea? I can use one of the other connectios like RCA. Would svideo work better?

[Pez]

what cables are you using? were they supplied with the equipment? If so thats one place to start since stock cables are pretty poor. Quality cables can be had for excellent prices at partsexpress.com. I would try the s-video, composite and component connections and see how they look.

Is your vcr a vcr/dvd combo? This is important because if not it wont work, you need a vcr as it has a tuner in it. Just going through a dedicated DVD passes the signal. If you dont have a vcr I wouldnt bother running the cable through the DVD player.

Its also possible the signal coming into your place is poor to begin with. If the complex you live in controls tha cable system it could split it so many ways causing signal loss. As a last resort see how cable looks on a small tv (NOT HD), less than 27 inches. If it looks normal then the cable signal is fine. If it still looks like crap its time to complain. Do you have pay for cable or is it included in the rent?

[aud19]

I did route the cable to the vcr/dvd player. From the DVD to the Tv I am using the HDMI cable. Is this a good Idea? I can use one of the other connectios like RCA. Would svideo work better?

HDMI or component cables are exactly what you want to use. Composite or S-vid will give you lower picture quality.

[Alaric]

Sounds like tkporcel may be using the "cable-ready" feature on the TV instead of paying for a cable box. I actually had problems with a surge protector/power conditioner routing my cable through it. Seems the critter filtered out high frequency "noise"-some of which was picture and audio signal!
I've found , whenever possible , route your video signal directly to your display from source , and audio directly to receiver from source. Kind of hard with cable from the wall to the TV , but I got a HUGE improvement with it. The $8-$10 bucks a month for a cable box that allows this is worth it , if you can swing it.

[Pez]

Sounds like tkporcel may be using the "cable-ready" feature on the TV instead of paying for a cable box. I actually had problems with a surge protector/power conditioner routing my cable through it. Seems the critter filtered out high frequency "noise"-some of which was picture and audio signal!
I've found , whenever possible , route your video signal directly to your display from source , and audio directly to receiver from source. Kind of hard with cable from the wall to the TV , but I got a HUGE improvement with it. The $8-$10 bucks a month for a cable box that allows this is worth it , if you can swing it.

Interesting - I had pretty much the opposite effect. And if I dont route cable through my surge protector I get a pretty bad hum in the speakers. It kills me how varied cable tv signal strentgh can be.