Need Video Quality Help

[trekdude]

I need some help with my new Pioneer vsx-919 receiver. After getting the receiver about one month ago I have noticed the video quality of the comcast HD is better when the cable box is connected directly to the TV. The HD picture looks slightly less clear when connected via HDMI through the receiver.

At first I thought it was just me, but my wife said something about decreased video quality over the weekend. I never mentioned my concern to her before.

The VSX-919 does not upconvert, but I'm sending a HD signal so don't need it.

I'm using bluejean hdmi cables for all connections.

The TV input settings are the same for receiving video directly from the cable box or through the pioneer receiver.

I expected the video quality to be the same regardless of whether the video is going through the receiver.

By the way, my Sony TV only has stereo outputs. I though about outputting the Comcast audio from the TV to the receiver, but guess that won't wonk.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Buying a more expensive receiver isn't really an option in my situation.

All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by trekdude

I need some help with my new Pioneer vsx-919 receiver. After getting the receiver about one month ago I have noticed the video quality of the comcast HD is better when the cable box is connected directly to the TV. The HD picture looks slightly less clear when connected via HDMI through the receiver.

At first I thought it was just me, but my wife said something about decreased video quality over the weekend. I never mentioned my concern to her before.

The VSX-919 does not upconvert, but I'm sending a HD signal so don't need it.

I'm using bluejean hdmi cables for all connections.

The TV input settings are the same for receiving video directly from the cable box or through the pioneer receiver.

I expected the video quality to be the same regardless of whether the video is going through the receiver.

By the way, my Sony TV only has stereo outputs. I though about outputting the Comcast audio from the TV to the receiver, but guess that won't wonk.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Buying a more expensive receiver isn't really an option in my situation.

All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

depending on the setup capabilities you could go HDMI/component cable from Comcast output to TV input for Video, and then run Analog cables from Comcast to Pio receiver for audio.

I don't have Comcast so I don't know exactly how their receivers work or what inputs/outputs they have on the back of their units, so I don't know for sure if this would work or not, but it is the only I can think you can get the PQ you want and still run the Audio through the receiver.

[trekdude]

That is a very good idea. I going to check my comcast box tonight to see if that is possible.
Thanks.

I wish I understood why the video quality seemed to decrease when it was routed through the receiver.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by trekdude

That is a very good idea. I going to check my comcast box tonight to see if that is possible.
Thanks.

I wish I understood why the video quality seemed to decrease when it was routed through the receiver.

That could possibly be a default setting in your receiver causing this or possibly you changed something from a default setting when you first set it up a month ago. You just never know....

[aramis109]

I run audio from my TV to my receiver for the Wii- I don't want it to do the 1080i/1080p double-upconvert so I run it directly to the set and the connected cables aren't long enough to run back down. I then run an optical cable down to the receiver.

Point being, you CAN output the sound from one source, to the TV and back to the receiver if you want. I also used to do the same thing when I didn't have a cable box.

[trekdude]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I do have a question - and don't laugh at this one - what is an optical cable? Will it give me 5.1 audio to the receiver?

I'm still learning.

Thanks.

[Rob J in WNY]

Originally Posted by trekdude

Thanks for the suggestion.

I do have a question - and don't laugh at this one - what is an optical cable? Will it give me 5.1 audio to the receiver?

I'm still learning.

Thanks.

An optical audio cable (sometimes refered to as a "TOSlink" cable) is a fiber-optic cable with small, proprietary connectors on each end. Instead of copper wire, it transmits a digital signal using light through optical fiber. It can only be used on equipment which has the ability to use an optical connection (cannot be adapted to plug into any standard RCA/analog audio output). It's a very reliable means to transfer audio, and is not prone to interference from nearby electronics/wires, but you must handle the cable carefully - it cannot be stressed, sharply bent or kinked because doing so can irreversibly damage the fiber optic strands inside. Here's a pic:



Optical will carry 5.1 discrete channels of audio, and was (and still is) a commonly used standard. However, it is good only up to 5.1 channel standard Dolby Digital and standard DTS digital audio streams. Advanced multichannel lossless audio and multichannel PCM are not supported via optical, because they require digital bandwidth typically far in excess to standard Dolby Digital and standard DTS streams do. But, that's a moot point since multichannel audio for cable/satellite TV is standard Dolby Digital 5.1, maximum.

You should have no problems using optical back from your TV to your receiver, however, depending on your TV model, you may not get 5.1 channel audio out of the TV via optical out. Some TVs downconvert multichannel audio to 2-channel audio on the optical out. You'll have to check to see if that is your case. If you are going analog 2-channel audio in to your TV (via stereo RCA wires), then you will definitely only get 2-channel output on the optical out, if at all.

Good luck!

[jonesyg27]

I have Comcast too, and my receiver has no HDMI. I just run an HDMI cable from the cable box to the TV (you could also use component video) then an optical cable to one of my receiver's optical audio inputs. Do the same if you want to bypass the receiver for video. Go into your box's menu and make sure Dolby Digital audio is selected, and you are set.

[trekdude]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to try them and hope one works.

Any idea if the decrease in video quality is a sign of a problem with HDMI cables or the receiver?

I thought it was just me until my wife - who never notices video quality - said something about the video looking less clear when the surround sound was one. That confirmed my suspicisions.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by aramis109

I run audio from my TV to my receiver for the Wii- I don't want it to do the 1080i/1080p double-upconvert so I run it directly to the set and the connected cables aren't long enough to run back down. I then run an optical cable down to the receiver.

Point being, you CAN output the sound from one source, to the TV and back to the receiver if you want. I also used to do the same thing when I didn't have a cable box.

I suppose for BD movies having lossless AQ that works fine for those using PS3s like yours to decode dts:HD MA and DD TruHD lossless audio to PCM. However, in my case my receiver has to do it since my player cannot. Sending the dts:HD MA and DD TruHD to the TV will mean getting only the lossy core from optical or coaxial digit outputs sent to my receiver.

My Yamaha AVR like other Yamaha AVRs clips the digital video signal on the blackest blacks and whitest whites. I don't like that and doing it your way is an option to overcome that through bypassing the AVR altogether. But I don't like loosing lossless audio either. AQ wins in this case.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by rwojtalewicz

I suppose for BD movies having lossless AQ that works fine for those using PS3s like yours to decode dts:HD MA and DD TruHD lossless audio to PCM. However, in my case my receiver has to do it since my player cannot. Sending the dts:HD MA and DD TruHD to the TV will mean getting only the lossy core from optical or coaxial digit outputs sent to my receiver.

My Yamaha AVR like other Yamaha AVRs clips the digital video signal on the blackest blacks and whitest whites. I don't like that and doing it your way is an option to overcome that through bypassing the AVR altogether. But I don't like loosing lossless audio either. AQ wins in this case.

I don't run my BD/PS3 audio like that. I only did it for normal cable when I didn't have a cable box (which I now do and run via HDMI), and I do it for the Wii (which doesn't even have true DD 5.1 support anyway!).

[trekdude]

I think my problem is solved. I ended up connecting the cable box to the receiver by HDMI for audio. For video and regular TV audio I connected the cable box directly to the TV.

When using the receiver this gave me better picture qualify and the video and audio appear to match.

Now I just need to keep my 18-month-old turning the blu-ray player and receiver on and off.

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions.