New Plasma! Help with settings!

[zerolimit]

I just got this baby @ costo! and I LOVE IT!! only thing is that its only showing at 480i. I have a Sat Box (FTA) and it has the component cables (Red,Blue,Green ect..) but it still shows 480i. Is there anyway to show it at 720p? Also everyone tells me that I have to calibrate my tv in order to get the best picture quality and I have no idea how to do that? Would greatly apreciate the help!

[MrKuro]

which tv?

and which fta box?

[+StevoFC MVC]

I'm assuming the box is set to output 480i. you would have to change the settings for that. most likely has nothing to do with the tv.

As for calibrating, I don't have that tv so i can't help. try looking on avsforum. they have a lot of threads on specific tv types.

[shockz]

To sum it up... calibrations cut down on power consumption, make your picture look more natural, and help with the lifespan of the tv.

Its something I get on any tv I own. Would highly recommend doing it.

[I am Reid]

I hope you didnt buy one of those EDTV's

[Sparky101]

I very much doubt the FTA box is an HD one so it won't output at 720p. Are you in the UK or US? If you're in the UK I'd have expected it to output at 576i (PAL) but if you're in the US then 480i (NTSC) is correct.

[Roger H. Veteran]

yeah check the settings in the BOX. The system by default outputs to the lowest resolution since it's over component. Incase you connected a TV to it that doesn't support 480p (they are still out there ;) ) it would still work. If it didn't well you wouldn't see anything to be able to change it :)

Now that said, just go in the menu and look for display settings/component out or something and change it to what your TV can handle. If it was over HDMI then the Box would figure it out but here you have to do it manually. Most TVs will take whatever resolution you give it (even 1080) and bring it back to down to 720p if that's what it supports. It's a plasma so unless it's a nicer one it might be 720p instead of 1080p :) If you have 1080p then lucky you :)

[Tiger.Girl]

You can use a THX movie and use the optimizer on the DVD, hire an ISF calibrator to come out, or buy a DVD like Avia or Digital Video Essentials. I would recommend going to AVS Forum and doing your homework.

[zerolimit]

WOW! quick reply! its a Visio P50 its a Captiveworks 800PVR how would i change the settings? I am in the US Cali. No I bought a HDTV output 720p Max if i am not mistaken. The calibration is simple? Or complicated? anyone here done it themselfs?

[notuptome2004]

WOW! quick reply! its a Visio P50 its a Captiveworks 800PVR how would i change the settings? I am in the US Cali. No I bought a HDTV output 720p Max if i am not mistaken. The calibration is simple? Or complicated? anyone here done it themselfs?

the issue is that that unit is not an HD unit it is only an SD so it will only output 480i/p so you need to contact your service ya get Tv through and tell them ya want an HD unit. personally i would just get Dish HD it prolly be better if you are able to get Dishnetwork in your town

[MrKuro]

the most your Captiveworks 800PVR will output is 16x9 480p over component, if you want HD you should look into the highend SonicView 8000 HD or Viewsat 9000 HD (they can decode dish HD with a 8PSK Sub module)

also here is the avsforum thread for your tv set : http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....mp;#post7163924

can i ask of all the plasmas costco sells, why did you pick this model? (frankly, its a little old, and not so good)

Edited February 4, 2008 by WolfDV

[zerolimit]

the price $1,000.00 for a 50inch. If i could find a 50 inch at bestbuy or anywere else for that amount or $1300.00 for a better TV ill return this one if you guys have any suggestion. I dont want to buy online I want to pick up so i looked but nothing out there that was in my bugget!

[MrKuro]

the price $1,000.00 for a 50inch. If i could find a 50 inch at bestbuy or anywere else for that amount or $1300.00 for a better TV ill return this one if you guys have any suggestion. I dont want to buy online I want to pick up so i looked but nothing out there that was in my bugget!

i see your a quantity > quality kind of person .. you won't find a decent 50'' set for that price, unless maybe if you go dlp

personally I'd pick a smaller higher quality plasma/lcd set vs a larger low-end tv of the same price.

there are good sets for around 1000-1500 range, but they would be around 42'' or so.. if you are fine with that size, I'm sure we could recommend a few

[zerolimit]

I actually like this Tv would of course try to find someone to calibrate it for me or go to bestbuy and buy the cd! gona go today and see what I can do! Thanks WolfDv and everyone for your help! Going to call DishNetwork to see how much a HD Receiver would cost!

[RAID 0]

I actually like this Tv would of course try to find someone to calibrate it for me or go to bestbuy and buy the cd! gona go today and see what I can do! Thanks WolfDv and everyone for your help! Going to call DishNetwork to see how much a HD Receiver would cost!

You might want to switch to DirecTV. They have more HD channels and better service. No, I don't work for them.

[ShaneSparky_YYZ]

Vizio are cheap but have good quality I heard, they get great reviews.

Don't let the big corporate names get to you, some are better than others tho.

Enjoy your 50" tv :)

[zerolimit]

thanks! I will hopefully they have decent channels

[zerolimit]

Old Setup

Old Setup

=)

[notuptome2004]

You might want to switch to DirecTV. They have more HD channels and better service. No, I don't work for them.

i would beg to differ DishHd offers the same amount of HD TV channels if not more plus they are adding another 100 channels this year and like i said in another forum i had issues for 2 years with direct Tv and i read many forums of users havening same issues, now you may not have but well we did and Direct screwed us on service and quality so we switched to Dish so i recommend to the forum topic poster to try out Dish it is really good

[I am Reid]

Also, i know for a fact that Direct TV's HD channels are only 1440x1080, not the true 1920x1080 like it should be, dish may do the same but im not sure.

also, i hope you enjoy having to look UP at your tv.

[zerolimit]

Its actually in the perfect spot! I look directly at it. My wife wanted it higher for some reason! but its perfect!

and i've bought all my cables of craigslist so its super cheap! instead of $50.00 @ walmart or bestbuy

[notuptome2004]

Also, i know for a fact that Direct TV's HD channels are only 1440x1080, not the true 1920x1080 like it should be, dish may do the same but im not sure.

also, i hope you enjoy having to look UP at your tv.

DishHD is in 1080 1920x1080 and in 720P both so DishHD would be better

[I am Reid]

DishHD is in 1080 1920x1080 and in 720P both so DishHD would be better

Yes, but it gets upscaled to that, the native signal is only 1440x1080 though.

[notuptome2004]

Yes, but it gets upscaled to that, the native signal is only 1440x1080 though.

did not know that but still DishHD compared to DirectHD is a good differance i just went to a friends house who has DishHD and dang the picture was awesome evan since he only has a 720P plazma same friend d had just ditched Direct after 2 years and have only tried direct Hd for 2 weeks and said some of the HD channels were fuzzy and quality was bad and just so ya know he is a Computer/audio video Technion

[zerolimit]

I just got a DVD player that supports 1080p now my question is if I play a divx file to up convert to 720p it looks really nice. Is that true 720p? Also I put the DVD on the player and it looks awsome!!! sound is even better! everything is going through HDMI I got the player at BestBuy its a Phillips. Would you guys recomend me returning this for a PS3? or is this good enough?