Hi folks,
I recently bought an LG 50PC5D plasma TV from FS. This is my first HDTV and I don't have a digital box yet (It's coming in the mail). So I hooked my normal analogue cable into it. What I've noticed is that the regular channel TV picture looks grainy as compared to my tube TV. I've tried different modes the TV has where it leaves either the picture native in 3:2 or it zooms it and tries to fit in the 16:9 by zooming in the picture, the picture in any setting looks grainy. Given the fact that I am a newbie in the HDTV world, is this normal? I thought the TV would automatically upconvert the signal and do a better job. Would this improve when I connect my digital box watching normal (ie 480 resolution) TV statations, not just HD, or should I buy a more expensive brand such as Panasonic or Pioneer instead? BTW, the picture looks amazing when I hook up either my regular DVD or my upconverting DVD. Thanks for your inputs.

totalbalance:

Welcome to the Digital Home Forums.

Please read the following FAQ with lots of useful information for newcomers to the Forum:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741

Included in the FAQ above, you will see a link titled: Why is the Picture Quality on my HDTV not what I expected, especially for SD signals?

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=18580

Hi folks, I want to thank the moderator for the advise via the links and I managed to calibrate the analogue signal to a level of acceptability. However, I finally got my digital box last night (waited 2 weeks from Rogers due to overflow of orders from boxing day TV sales) and the difference is pretty amazing. First the HDTV is so clear that I don't think I can ever go back to analogue. The LG's colour is definitely great. I think the Panasonic and Samsung's colour as I recall is still better. But for about $600 difference, I think the LG provides great pic/value equation. Second, I've seen an noticeable improvement to all my SD channels too. What I notice is that the LG handles motion really well.

Again, thank you moderator. I am a HDTV guy now and I don't think I can ever go back.

Hope you got a PVR because once you're a PVR guy, you can never go back!

I don't know how many threads like this I've read, and every time I'm full of admiration and gratitude for the excellent service provided by this site and the mods (and memebers) thereof. Hugh, Cyclism, 57 and everyone else... thanks.

Just thought for once I'd post and let you know.

Perry.

Oh, and p.s.: I absolutely agree with Hugh about the PVR.

Sniff. Thank you. I'm glad to have been able to help; although really 57 deserves all the credit as he was the one who actually wrote the FAQs. I just pointed you to them.

It's times like this that remind me why I became a moderator in the first place, apart from the fabulous pay. ;)