I recently switched to CenturyTel and now have DVR with access to several HD channels. Since I’ve been watching them, I notice that they have a tendency to skip a bit. I looked at how they installed the box to my tv, and they used component video. I’m wondering if I buy an HDMI cable, will that fix the problem? Obviously HDMI cables are capable of transferring more data at the same time, but I’m curious if its a CenturyTel problem or a cable problem. Appreciate your thoughts.
When you say that the video “skip[s] a bit”, what do you mean? Does the picture kind of “freeze” for a split second and then “catch up”? Our HD DVR (DirectTV) is connected to our TV via HDMI, but our Xbox is connected via component - I’ve never noticed any kind of skipping problem with my gaming.
My guess is that it’s probably the signal itself that’s being problematic. When we had HD cable, there were several channels that seemed to suffer all the time - jumping around a lot, picture going in and out, etc. - but that was a problem with the signal that our cable company was transmitting. (Other HD channels would behave just fine.)
Are you noticing this on all HD channels, or only certain ones?
Sounds like your cable provider. Do you have a copper coax coming in from the street? Those tend to be barely capable of carrying the HD signals without loss. There’s also the type of cable box, and your particular cable box. You can go around and clean and reseat all the connectors along the way, and that might help. Your cable company might offer an amplifier that would help. The HDMI cable wouldn’t hurt, but I hear a lot of debate about the value of the expensive ones. When you say skipping, I’m assuming a brief freeze in the picture, and then it picks up afterwards. That’s a sign that the cable box is repeating the last complete frame because the transmission is interrupted, or sufficiently degraded. We’re waiting for FIOS to get to our neigborhood just so we can get rid of COX. I don’t care if they’re not any better, I’m just tired of giving COX money for lousy service. At least someone else should get a turn at ripping me off.
HDMI vs Component does not sound like your problem. As noted, it is far more likely that your coaxial cable is at fault, with a poor connector or low signal being the most frequent problem.
HDMI cables should not be expensive, they are really no different than computer video cables. The only time ‘special’ cables might be worth it are for longer lengths - 15 feet or more. Places like Monoprice have good prices.
I have HDMI cables with Comcast (or whatever they call themselves this week) and I still get skips.
Yeah, please define “skip”.
But it’s not the cable. HDMI won’t help.
Any skips would have to originate with the DVR or service provider. The only difference between component and HDMI is that the later can handle 1080p while component only handles 1080i - which is fine since there are no providers I am aware of who can provide a 1080p signal. I think that over the air broadcasts might but I would have to check.
I have Directv and get minor skips on very rare occasions due to reception issues. So if you are getting these frequently, call your provider for a service call and have someone check your line.
It is their fault, probably their compression they are using, HDTV through cable or sat is not the same as from a Blu-ray. Just because you have 1080 lines on your TV does not mean its “quality” I could show you some of the first film footage ever on 1080 lines if you wanted to. They are probably using a bad compression. You can usually tell easily with explosions and large areas of black.