Blu-Ray doesn't look as good as Digital Antenna Signal

[pcrossley]

I recently bought a Samsung BD-P1400 and am a little disappointed by the quality. At first I thought that the problem was that I am not yet using HDMI (I would need a 40' cable...kind of expensive). I'm using component cables for display on my Philips hdtv. It accepts up to 1080i with a 720 native resolution. Here's the part where I start to scratch my head: I recently hooked up a $35 RCA interior antenna to get my local channels in HD (I don't have satellite). The local HD channels (Fox, NBC, CBS) are far superior in picture to the blu-ray, and this signal is only from a coax from the tv to my attic!?! I have checked the output resolution of the blu-ray also. The first time I turned it on, it had downgraded the signal to 480p since it didn't find a 1080p receiver. I corrected the output and have tried 1080i and 720p, and neither provide as good a picture as my antenna source. I have tried new blu-ray discs such as "Live Free and Die Hard," as well as "Planet Earth." None of them hold a candle to the picture I get on the regular programming on my digital channels. I'm very confused and very disappointed. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.