Blu-ray versus HD Cable TV

[tqmilymi]

I've watched a ton of HD movies on Verizon FIOS and the image quality of the movies look fantastic on my TVs. In a number of cases, I've decided to purchase or purchased a movie on Blu-Ray after seeing it on cable. Examples include Bridge to Terabithia, Mission Impossible III, Shooter, Stranger Than Fiction, and Wild Hogs. After watching these on Blu-Ray, I'm just as impressed. Any comments on the image quality of HD movies on (any) cable versus Blu-Ray? Or, is cable HD just a poor man's substitute for Blu-Ray?

[AliceT]

Cable HD wont be as good as a BD ( or at least it shouldnt) but its not bad by any means.

[u_nick]

Most stuff will come through cable lines slightly compressed, because of bandwidth issues. Some look better than others, and some can get away with less compression of course.

I've seen some good, and some bad. And I can definitelys ay the more Blu-ray's I get, the more I notice the compression artifacts when they air on cable.

but yeah, decent enough image quality to 'test' a potential purchase.

[The Don]

Fios is quite impressive for being a broadcast service or whatever it is...

but nothing compares to Blu-ray right now...

[JasonR]

I think HD cable can look good, except for the cropping and macroblocking.

[JunkBoy]

Sporting events are 2nd to none on HD! Can't wait for tomorrow to watch all day NFL in HD! Movie wise, as beautiful as it can look on cable it still doesn't compare to BD...especially when it comes to AQ.

[SVTRacer]

What suffers more than anything on cable compared to Blu-ray is the audio. (unless it's a Warner release )

[atomik kinder]

My HD cable can be terrible at times. Action sequences on movies on HBO turn to giant pixilated mosaics. Although, it could be that I have too many connections. I have 7 TVs and 2 computers plus my PS3 connected. I do have a signal booster, but it doesn't always help. It is nowhere near the quality of Blu-ray.

[theprophecy247]

fios is the best u can get but not as good as blu

[ak808]

Don't have fios here but we do have HD channels. Thing is to me that blu-ray offers a lot more then a nice picture. So yes HD cable does/can look good but it definitly isn't a blu experience.

[SlmShdy1]

Comcast has horrible HD. I've heard great things about Fios. It's just that cable has so much compression and it causes all kinds of pixelation. It's looks awful when watching a fast action scene.

[nerdboyrockstar]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

My HD cable can be terrible at times. Action sequences on movies on HBO turn to giant pixilated mosaics. Although, it could be that I have too many connections. I have 7 TVs and 2 computers plus my PS3 connected. I do have a signal booster, but it doesn't always help. It is nowhere near the quality of Blu-ray.

I notice the same pixelation during fast-paced sequences.

[arush5268d]

HD cable does look good - but it lacks quality and depth and all too often the intense compression and low frame rate are very visible. Currently there's no way for anything to come close to Blu-ray.

[Daredevil666]

I was just recently in japan -- all Cable airing are 1080i (720p is a thing of the past) and there's no macroblocking ever. Someone should get their act right in the rest of the world

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by nerdboyrockstar

I notice the same pixelation during fast-paced sequences.

FYI, this is your term. "macroblocking"

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by dvdvision

I was just recently in japan -- all Cable airing are 1080i (720p is a thing of the past) and there's no macroblocking ever. Someone should get their act right in the rest of the world

Stations here in the states choose 720p because of the deinterlacing. 1080i video with static scenes has more vertical resolution than 720p video, while the resolution in moving scenes is lower because of field doubling. That is why I would say someone like ESPN uses 720p anyway....

[Deadset]

Originally Posted by JasonR

FYI, this is your term. "macroblocking"

I get that probably 3-4 times at a minimum during watching HD cable.....

[tqmilymi]

Originally Posted by Deads3t

I get that probably 3-4 times at a minimum during watching HD cable.....

I don't see any macroblocking on either of my two TVs (40" 1080i Panasonic CRT and 46" Samsung 1080p LCD) when watching HD, but the macroblocking does show up a lot during SD feeds on the LCD.

[UltimateFighter]

I've been a blu-ray over cable advocate for years. However, I just switched from comcast to fios and the difference is seriously night and day. I've always hated comcast but now I hate them more. They've been ruining my hd experience for years. Fios tv is nothing short of amazing and the closest thing I've ever seen to blu-ray. The audio is impressive as well. It may not be HD codecs but my speakers certainly come alive.

[Variable]

best movie I've seen on fios so far has been Zodiac on Showtime. and even still I have some small problems with it that make me really impatient for the blue. the colors jump, but they don't quite pop