HDTV problem.

LG 55 inch HDTV.

Slime/Warner digital cable/with/box.

On most channels, but especially “upper” channels I get a “digital” effect. Slow jerk, robot voice, ghost, etc… This happens about once a minute on the upper end channels, about every 5 minutes or so on the lower end.

What’s going on? Cable box, TV, connection wires? Something ain’t right!!!

Installed the TV recently.

Did not have this problem with same box and wires with 15 year old RCA 36 inch tube TV.

It’s not the TV or the wires from your cable box to the TV. So it’s your cable box, or the cable itself, or the service provider.

I agree with TriPolar, that’s a problem with the content provider’s tech, i.e. the cablebox. Digital artifacts like the ones you describe sound related to hardware/software signal compression, not cables.

You had to have added at least one HDMI cable (though I still doubt that’s the problem).

No, I didn’t.

I used the “screw in” coax cable, box to TV. Exactly like I used from the box to my old 36 inch tube TV.
I have some HDMI cable (that I bought today) that I may try tomorrow [today] morning. But before I drive myself nuts and sit on hold for a zillion years, I thought I’d post my problems here.

I would hook it up: wall - coax - cable box IN, then cable box OUT - HDMI cable - TV

I suspect the coaxial cable from your box to hdtv is the problem. It worked in the past because there was no need for digital HD on your old CRT. Now that you do have a HDTV you need a HDMI cable.
Also make sure the coax from the wall to the box is not damaged, they are pretty sensitive.

If by “upper channels” you mean the obscure stuff in like channel 500, then it’s probably just so heavily compressed it looks like crap. There’s only so much stuff they can cram down that wire, and they’re going to allocate the most bandwidth to what gets them the most money.

There are no words.

I’m slightly amazed that your new TV is even willing to display at all if you’re connecting via coax - I assume you’re telling it to tune to analog channel 3 or something like that? Absolutely replace with the HDMI cable before doing anything else.

My understanding is that unless you use an HDMI cable, you’re not going to get a true HDMI signal.

The upper channels are usually where they put the HD (and UHD?) channels so your coaxial cable are not capable of displaying Hi Definition.

Did you check the rabbit ears? :slight_smile:

No. HD HBO is on 603 and up.

The TV has a slot for the coax, so thats why I screwed it in.

Will try the HDMI cable later today.

Hey, don’t knock the rabbit ears! I have a set on my HDTV and get full 1080 uncompressed picture.

They use switched digital video. Bandwidth really isn’t much of an issue.

Try the HDMI; if it’s still happening, it’s either your box, or the signal levels coming in to your house (possibly bad drop, or issue with your provider).

Cable boxes will still downsample HD signals and put them out on coax and composite outputs, for people who still have 15 year old CRT sets. But it will look pretty bad, as you’ve seen.

But yes, absolutely positively use the HDMI cable and throw the coax away. Imagine it this way - you’ve just bought a new Ferrari to replace your horse drawn buggy, but instead of starting the Ferrari’s engine, you just hooked up the horses to it, and are wondering why it’s going so slowly.

yeah, I see the problem. if you’re using the box’s coax output, you’re making it do three things:

  1. letterbox it into 4:3 format
  2. downgrade it to analog NTSC format
  3. use it to modulate an RF carrier.

no wonder it looks like shit.

Installed the HDMI cable tonight.

:rolleyes: Sigh.

**
Jebus Frickin’ Kripes!!!**
:smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack:

Digital blurb skip problems vanished.

Sound quality [from set] improved immensely.

Picture quality improvement is indescribable!

Like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it!!!
:slight_smile: Thanks for the posts, folks!:slight_smile:

I use the TV remote menu and flick back and forth from the HDMI to the cable input.
The difference in the picture is UN-fucking-believable! :eek::smack:

Dude. Derp. :slight_smile:

If you think that a standard HDMI cable is great, you should upgrade to a Monster brand HDMI cable, much better and clearer signal, again like night and day, see and hear what you are missing.

Just kidding - basically and briefly, HDMI cables due to being digital either work or don’t