Toshiba 1080p

[Bigdog]

I just purchased a 42h167 toshiba lcd tv and while the hd channels look great the standard channels and even digital look absolutely horrible. Ive tried all the picture sizes and picture settings but it still comes in like im streaming off the internet almost. Am i missing some settings or something or is it just all anolog and digital stations look like crap on lcd sets?

Really sucks that all stores seem to have no standard feeds into them to see what all the lcd's look like in stanard format.

[HDJK]

That's why Sharp were selling PAL Optimal sets in Europe (with just SD resolution). So pretty much, yes, SD broadcast for the most part looks pretty weak on HD sets, especially LCDs.

[aygie]

Found these setting on AVS

Notes:
My viewing distance was 8.5 feet from the TV for most watching.

My initial picture settings:
Contrast: 75
Backlight: 80 during day, down to around 40 during evening
Dynalight: On (usually)
Brightness: 64
Sharpness: 2
Temperature: Warm (big difference!)
MPEG NR: Low
Cable NR: Auto

Might help.

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by Aygie

Found these setting on AVS

Notes:
My viewing distance was 8.5 feet from the TV for most watching.

My initial picture settings:
Contrast: 75
Backlight: 80 during day, down to around 40 during evening
Dynalight: On (usually)
Brightness: 64
Sharpness: 2
Temperature: Warm (big difference!)
MPEG NR: Low
Cable NR: Auto

Might help.

Thanks for the setup info, ill give this a try when i get home later tonight. I was aware of the drop in quality with LCD sets but Ive seen standard def on a samsung LCD 720p 32" set and don't remember it being so blocky looking especially in the dark areas of the screen, blacks show extremely pixelated. Also on some channels and certain picture sizes i get a bar across the top and sometimes on the bottom that is distorted, like a 1/8" line that will go away with certain screen formats. I love the hd channels but I'm not sure if i will be able to live with the standard and digital feeds looking ten times worse then my ten year old big screen did.

[ReduxInflux]

honestly...i have a 1080p Sony 60" XBR2. same goes with this tv. i think its fair to say that standard def sucks across the board on all hdtvs. after a while of feeling just as let down as you, i don't mind it anymore. but you know...pretty soon every respectable station will be aboard the hd wagon (especially with the 2009 broadcast legislation that will require all stations to broadcast digitally) and it will be a non-issue. we just have to be patient. sd is on the way out...

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by ReduxInflux

honestly...i have a 1080p Sony 60" XBR2. same goes with this tv. i think its fair to say that standard def sucks across the board on all hdtvs. after a while of feeling just as let down as you, i don't mind it anymore. but you know...pretty soon every respectable station will be aboard the hd wagon (especially with the 2009 broadcast legislation that will require all stations to broadcast digitally) and it will be a non-issue. we just have to be patient. sd is on the way out...

But even the digital stations above channel 200 show pretty much the same way, blocky and just absolutley no sharpness to the picture along with colors that bleed. If it is not a high deff signal which are the 800 and up channels it is basicly unwatchable for the most part.

Not trying to sound like a whiner but i was expecting a little better i guess after spending 1,500 on a new set which im basicly limited to the hd channels which there are about 20. All the digital and anolog stations look like im watching on my computer streaming off the net is the best way to explain how the picture looks non hd.

[Iceman_II]

The set isn't making the SD channels look bad, the HD Channels are making the SD channels look bad.

Its all Psychological, before HD, you accepted SD broadcasts as the norm. HD has reset the expectation, so now, SD doesn't look so good.

When I got my HD set, it took about a year to get HD channels.... and for that year the SD channels looked fine, but amazingly, as soon as I got HD from DirecTV, the SD channels all started to look like garbage

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by Iceman_II

The set isn't making the SD channels look bad, the HD Channels are making the SD channels look bad.

Its all Psychological, before HD, you accepted SD broadcasts as the norm. HD has reset the expectation, so now, SD doesn't look so good.

When I got my HD set, it took about a year to get HD channels.... and for that year the SD channels looked fine, but amazingly, as soon as I got HD from DirecTV, the SD channels all started to look like garbage

Yeah from what i have been seeing my problems seem like the norm. It does make me feel better but without question my old big screen had a much better image on the sd and dig channels. I have only had hd channels since last night so im mainly comparing how my old tv looked vs. this new one. This set has about 60% of the picture quality my old big screen had when veiwing sd and dig stations.

[gvortex7]

This link belows shows the Philips 42PFL7432D which is a 42" 1080p lcd tv:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1169512521206


I bought it for my parents about a month and a half ago, and I must say that standard def pictures look pretty darn good on it. Of course everyone has a subjective opinion as to what looks good, but after tweaking the image for about 30-40 minutes, I think I got it to look as good as I've seen on any hi-def flat panel tv.

It's really worth looking into. I don't know why Philips has such a bum rap here in the U.S., but I firmly believe that they're up there in terms of quality and innovation with the rest of the big boys (Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, etc).

[blu_world]

hello bigdog,got the same tv has you and i enjoy it for gaming and movies,i dont even watch SD tv on it

i know what you mean about blocky picture and stuff (washed out) picture

maybe because your using it Cable and not a single yellow video wire?...i dont even know because i havent tried that,but HDtv should look good

the specs are really good for this LCD tv,i bet there will be some awards for end of the year and reviews...i love my toshiba.

360 is extra clear and clean,ps3's motorstorm allows you to see every single detail

check ur settings while on a hdmi cable,my "colormaster" setting was off for some reason and had to check it on

[WickyWoo]

It's really worth looking into. I don't know why Philips has such a bum rap here in the U.S., but I firmly believe that they're up there in terms of quality and innovation with the rest of the big boys (Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, etc).

Because a lot of the stuff they've shipped here has been medicore at best. Either they do a lot better job in Europe, or you guys are just used to lower standards

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Because a lot of the stuff they've shipped here has been medicore at best. Either they do a lot better job in Europe, or you guys are just used to lower standards

Who is "you guys"?

[gvortex7]

By the way, don't confuse Magnavox with Philips. Magnavox is the crappy brand, not Philips.

Unfortunately, Philips did make the huge mistake of acquiring that said brand over 30 years ago, and their reputation has been suffering for it on this side of the pond ever since.