Problem with my Polaroid HDTV Monitor

[Eric Grafenberg]

I recently had to replace my 12 year old Sanyo CRT TV (seem to be the standard life span for a TV.) I bought a Polaroid FLM-3201 32" HD Monitor. To take advantage of the HD I swapped my Comcast box for a Motorola DCT6412 HDTV DVR. Beacause I've seen conflicting info reguarding component hook up and DVI-D I opted for both to toggle between the two for comparison. So here's the deal. Through the DVI-D connection (which by the way is done via a HDMI to DVI-D cable because the TV has a DVI-D in and the Motorola has a HDMI out) the HD channels look great but the standard channels don't...they are pixilated and there is a line at the top of the screen of black and white blips that is about 3 scanlines wide. (digital interferance?)

When viewing through the componant hook up I have the same problem with out the black and white blippy line. And it doesn't look quite as good as the DVI connection.

Lastly, I am running my DVD player through the second component hook up on the TV and it look great.

Any suggetion as to why the standard channels look crappy? How 'bout the digital interferance (if that is what it is).

thanks in advance.

[raven13mb]

Hey Eric,

I too purchased the FLM-3201. Let me tell ya... fantastic TV set for the money. Let me see if I can help. If you're experiencing a problem with your picture in standard def through the motorolla box, but not through the same hook up connected to your DVD player, something's wrong with the motorolla box. From experience, standard def/digital signals will always look bad when viewed through a HD box. I have comcast and let me tell ya, HD is breathtaking on this set. I have a 55" Sony WEGA and plenty of HD computer monitors and there's nothing wrong with HD. However, when watching non-HD channels through the HD box, they actually look worse on the Sony (or any other HD TV for that matter) vs. the cable being hooked up directly to the TV (basic cable). Standard or digital channels look much better that way. So, my solution was to run a normal cable hook up to the HD sets cable hook up and when I want to watch HD, I use the box. When I want to watch SD, I turn the box off and rely on the basic cable. As for those lines and what not, it just occured to me that it could be the cables you're using too. Are you using the same cables with your DVD player that you used on the motorolla? If so, it's definitely the box. If you're using different cables, try the cables from your DVD player on the motorolla. That could be it. As for the SD picture quality, it's a fact of life. Don't worry, it's not your TV.

Now a question for you: Did you ever use basic cable on your set? IE... did you ever hook the cable right up to the TV set and surf the channels? If so, did you notice a random sound drop-out problem? I change my channels in basic cable and every other one tends to lose sound for a split second as soon as you flip over. Have you noticed that? Anyway you could test that out if not? I'm not sure if that's normal or not and am struggling to decide whether or not to take it back for another one fearing it will just do the same thing. Maybe you could help me out there

Let me know!

Matt

[Eric Grafenberg]

I ended up trading the polaroid for a samsung. Right off I had the same problem with the samsung. After some filter tweaking everything looks good. To answer your question...yes I tried coax in direct from the wall and it looked crappy too (on the polaroid and the samsung). I suppose with a little more time I might have figured out the polaroid but my window of oportunity to return it was closing. The samsung was nearly 3 time as much $ but I'm happy with it. Glad your worked out. Thanks for the advice.

e

[Ioman]

How close are you sitting to the television? Also is it wide-screen? I assume it is.

This is typical of most LCD's and even plasma's because a regular non-HD signal is being stretched to fit and is at a lower resolution. We have a CRT TV downstairs and a $6000 Hitachi plasma in the media room. I really only use the plasma for HD broadcasts and movies and the CRT TV for regular programming.

Kind of makes you wish the FCC would hurry up and force everything into HD broadcasts eh?