Hitachi 65S700 Picture Quality Problems [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

PDA

View Full Version : Hitachi 65S700 Picture Quality Problems



chuckwagon53511
05-10-2004, 06:16 PM
Please don't hesitate to reply, I'm extremely frustrated. Questions are numbered for ease of answering. Thanks for any help

I recently purchased a Hitachi 65s700. I brought it home and I'm not happy with the picture quality I'm getting from Time Warner Cable. My picture looks real grainy. Kind of like little boxes. It's not horrible but it's far from the quality I expected. I'm not sure what the cause is behind it. When playing DVD's the picture is near perfect. I'd like to up grade my DVD player, but what I have works for now. (Samsung about $80) (0) I'd like to know if anyone else has experienced this problem with cable tv or if I purchased a TV that is of low quality? I was under the impression that Hitachi was one of the best brands available. (1) If someone thinks otherwise please voice your opinion. But please make it an opinion on quality not personal preference. I really want the best I can get for a somewhat reasonable price. (2) If satellite helps with the picture quality please let me know!!!! Please voice opinions on wether to go with Dish Network or Direct TV!
Satellite seems like my only other option before I take the TV back.

I researched my purchase for a couple of days and thought I was getting the best I could afford in a RPTV. . I'm under the impression that satellite will help but I don't want to sign up for a years worth of service only to find out that I have to take my tv back to the store.

I'm also interested in how much of a benefit buying a HDTV with a built in tuner was. I'm starting to think that it was a waste of money. (3) I'm under the impression that you would still have to buy/rent Time Warner, Dish Network, Direct TV or whoever's receiver in order to pick up the channels in HD. Is this true? (4) I"m assuming you can still buy a HD antenna to hook onto your house to receive whatever local channels are broadcast in HDTV, but is this the only benefit of a built in tuner? (5) I'm just curious what the benefit of having an integrated HDTV is? (6) I'd like to know if I can subscribe to satellite and use my built in tuner instead of their boxes? (probably not) I'm not aware that my tuner is Dish Network or Direct TV compatable. Direct TV wants $299-$999 for a HDTV Box.(Can't get Dish Network where I live) (7) I thought purchasing a tv with the HD tuner built in would allow me to get HDTV channels over satellite without their receiver? (8) This is off the HD subject but would I still get the regular programming from satellite without their receiver using my built in tuner? (once again I'm assuming not)

Now, I'm assuming you have to pay for channels in HDTV from the satellite provider. OK, that's fine, let's say I only get the basic receiver that isn't HDTV. (9) Will the tuner that is built into my TV pick up the HDTV channels anyway as long as I subscribe to the HDTV programming for the additional money? Or do I still have to buy the receiver from the satellite company? The local satellite company wasn't much help. (10) Can anyone recommend a quality site that could help?


ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED. My foot is broke and in a cast for another month, it was hard enough getting a 300+ pound tv in the house to begin with. I really don't want to take it back to the store, but I will if I have to. (no, not by myself!!!!)

Thanks again.......

mtrycraft
05-10-2004, 07:36 PM
Just a couple of points:

Broadcast TV has a rather low resolution compared to DVD or HDTV, especially on a huge screen.
Getting a HDTV and watching standard broadcast tv will not change these facts and the picture will be the same.
You may need to recheck the cable connections and cable ends to make sure the center wire doesn't have its original plastick covering still on it. If it worked fine witht he old TV, then that is not the issue.
An option from cable to use another video such as Svideo?

N. Abstentia
05-10-2004, 07:38 PM
Wait, you're expecting good picture quality from cable TV??? Won't happen.

Yes, the tuner is useless if you're going to get HD DirecTV, you'll need their tuner.

You can't get HD channels without the HD tuner.

Upgrade to a progressive scan DVD player and life will get much better!

Sounds like your TV is fine to me. If you don't like it send it to me :)

karl k
05-10-2004, 08:00 PM
"(1) If someone thinks otherwise please voice your opinion. But please make it an opinion on quality not personal preference. I really want the best I can get for a somewhat reasonable price."

No, it's most likely not the TV. Hitachi is as good as the next as far as this problem goes.

"(2) If satellite helps with the picture quality please let me know!!!! Please voice opinions on wether to go with Dish Network or Direct TV!
Satellite seems like my only other option before I take the TV back."

Satellite MAY help in the aspect that the sat signal is inherantly "digital" in nature. If you don't already have "digital" cable, ask for it and see if that helps. otherwise, sat signal I believe has better resolution than standard cable.(I know it use to a couple yrs back)

"(3) I'm under the impression that you would still have to buy/rent Time Warner, Dish Network, Direct TV or whoever's receiver in order to pick up the channels in HD. Is this true? (4) I"m assuming you can still buy a HD antenna to hook onto your house to receive whatever local channels are broadcast in HDTV, but is this the only benefit of a built in tuner? (5) I'm just curious what the benefit of having an integrated HDTV is?"

If you want to receive any HD content that is not "over the air", yes. Your built in tuner will do the over the air stuff(local channels) but unless it is designed for sat/cable signal decode, you will need a seperate box. The built in tuners are for getting people started in HD or for those who don't intend to upgrade to more programming. Your regular "OTA" antenna will do nicely for HD. Keep in mind, the same rules apply as before, the better and taller the antenna, the better the receiption. Also ask programming providers if local HD is receiveble through their system. Direct TV does offer local channels, but not in HD. Don't know about cable.

"(6) I'd like to know if I can subscribe to satellite and use my built in tuner instead of their boxes? (probably not) I'm not aware that my tuner is Dish Network or Direct TV compatable. Direct TV wants $299-$999 for a HDTV Box.(Can't get Dish Network where I live)"

If you aquire an HD Direct TV sat tuner, it will do everything for you including processing local signals w/o switching to another tune as before. My experience is with Direct TV and a Samsung "360" receiver. I still have to some degree the same prob you have and it varies depending on which program I'm watching. Some are better than others and leads me to believe the severity of the prob is related to the programs original recording quality and how it is converted to "digital" for transmitting. If your set doesn't say anywhere(it should in the manual) it is compatible with sat receiption, then it's not.

"(9) Will the tuner that is built into my TV pick up the HDTV channels anyway as long as I subscribe to the HDTV programming for the additional money? Or do I still have to buy the receiver from the satellite company?"

No. Sorry man, The only thing your tuner is good for is local HD(maybe/probably) and local analog. It does although allow you the ability to view two HD channels at once. Might be good for sports like football where you can watch two HD games(one on sat/cable and one local) with the PIP option. Not a total loss eh?

A foot note...

These assessments are based on my limited knowledge of your cable and it's operation. You may be able to upgrade your cable and may be able to receive it through your tuner. You would have to ask your cable provider for the info. For info on Sat programming, go to Direct TV site or Dish site and look in FAQ. Also try Hitachi site in FAQ for your model.

depressed
05-10-2004, 10:25 PM
From what I understood, the reason for the poor picture is your cable signal quality, not bad TV performance, as you stated that the picture is "near perfect" when you play DVD's.
Lot of people ar unsatisfied with the cable reception. As you are very unsatisfied with the signal quality, I'm led to believe that there is something that can be done about the signal quality on your end. Maybe check for interference from other devices in your home and check the cables/wires for possible signal loss/intereference. Couple of questions:

1. How is the signal quality of your neighbours that are connected to the same node?
2. What was the reception like on your old TV?
3. If you have a multi-room setup, what is the picture like on the TV's in your other rooms?

Your TV is a good, upper class set. The menu's on this kind of TV's have become very big and extensive. It might be possible that you can slightly improve the image quality by working through the TV's menu. I still think that your cable reception should be better then what you describe it to be. Therefor, I think that you should inspect cables and look for signal interference. If the picture quality on your previous TV was much better, figure out what has or might have changed when you got the new TV. Maybe a call to the cable provider would be a good idea. Have them send a tech to check it out.

I'm glad that you have the option to return the TV regardless how this works out, and hopefully your signal quality will improve. On a side note, did you think about other options, like a projector? If the issues with your reception get fixed, you might want think about it. Once you are able to run again, run to a local high-end video store and take a close look at them. Big retailers don't want you to see projectors in action, and if you do get to see them in action, you'll find out why. Throw out the heavyweight champion if your TV room has a controlable lighting.
Get well soon!

Peter_SD
05-11-2004, 09:57 AM
You might want to talk to your cable company about switching to HD that way you can run componet or DVi out to tv and get some HD programs.

wasch_24
05-11-2004, 10:56 AM
Cable TV is the worst thing out there that you can watch on a HDTV. If you want to see a good picture go to antennaweb.org and input your address. It will tell you the digital stations available in your area, how far away they are, and what direction they are in. That way you will know what type of antenna to buy. Once you get an antenna and see HD over the air (OTA) and even SD OTA in digital form you will never want to watch cable again. As far as satellite goes check out Voom. Through the end of the month there is $0 down, no commitment (no contract), you don't have to buy the box, and the best part of it all is that they install the dish and an antenna for free. If you don't like the service with it's twenty some HD channels then you just call and cancel.