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T h e a t e r i n g !If your tv is HDTV and has the reciever built in you dont need a set top box. Just hook up a HDTV antenna, rabbit ears to recieve channels broadcast in HD.You need at least component cables (red, green ,blue, red, white) to get an HD pic. Some tvs will work with a built in tuner but for most to guarantee an HD pic you need the HD converter box.Welcome to the real world. SDTV signals on an HDTV set do look bad. That's just the way it is. HDTV sets cannot improve or clear up an SDTV signal. IF you want clear standard channels get a standard tv set.You could also purchase a HD-DVD recorder with TV-tuner and up-conversion capability (about $100). Toshiba makes some good ones. Connect with a HDMI cable not RCA or S video.You need a good quality signals for your HDTV which only provided by Direct to Home dish, cable connection or anteena will not be of much help. High defination picture can only be received from high quality of signal for clarityTry a component video cable. This is the one with red, blue and green connectors.hdtv is great but im telling you right now that broadcasting and cable companies need to step it up a notch, because it is their channels that we depend on to watch our programs in HDtv, you can have the greatest tv, but without good digital signals, or good hd cable channels then your tv is worthless. I mean your hdtv will work great with a hd dvd og Ice Age 2: The meltdown, but with TNT on tv prolly will suck.Digital signals such as from a DVD or digital cable should be at least OK if your TV is not bad. If you can't get an OK picture with a DVD you have a problem with either your HDTV or the connection to it. If you don't have a DVD player then buy one (with progressive scan). Regular analog TV signals may always look choppy on your HDTV.My set-up is exactly like that. HD tv's do that to SD signals. There are some HD converters out there, but they're pricey ($1000+). The only way to make this work is to get HD channels, or a HD movie player such as a PS3 or a HD-DVD player.I have the same situation and am a Direct TV subscriber.
Your current dish and receiver cannot process HD signals, and have to be upgraded. It's an extra $10/month, and is far from bug free. However, it makes a huge difference in the picture.
Regular channels will still be subpar, but you can play with the native resolution on the TV, upgrade your cables (component video or HDMI) to help the picture.
The new DirectTV Plus HD DVR is a pile of crap. Most people suffer some form of pixelated picture, and audio cutouts.
Go to Direct TV's website, look in and the consumer forums. Lots of people discuss the solutions they put in play, including use of HD antennas.
The bad news is, no service has it right yet, and Direct TV is adding 150 HD channels (supposedly) in 2007. They are working on it, and seem willing to offer some concessions if you have problems.No, take it back. get yourself a Toshiba rear projection HDTV. I have the 62 inch. All the standard chanells are lovely and the ones that we have in high def through Comcast Cable, is amazing. So hurry and have them get this TV usually have within 30 days! You can also get the service person from Direct TV back out but if your old tv was looking fine, then it is the TV, that is why I didn't get a plasma or a LCD. Yucky standard picture and too expensive for all that hype when it is a lousy picture and plasma burn and gas leakage and bologny. Plus a better picture and a bigger one too for less money! Also only a few stations come in high def, so forget that blurred vision while watching Tv. Good LuckYou got a lot of wrong answers!
s-video is crap
component is better, but still crap!
hdmi / dvi is the way to go!
I have 3 hd tvs, all connected to directv hd receivers (1 hd dvr & 2 hd boxes)
all connected with component and hdmi! the hdmi is best and the most true!
clear and crisp even on the digitized analog stations!You should start with buying the HD package from DirecTV...Obviously, the HD channels will look nice, but the BOX they'll give you in the upgrade will have better OUTPUT jacks to run to the TV set...The "COMPONENT" cables make your standard channels look better than "S-VIDEO".
Also, you can turn the BRIGHTNESS or CONTRAST or SHARPNESS down on your set to improve the picture quality...A lot of HDTVs have different video settings in the MENU that help the picture quality of non-HD channels...But you'll have to read the manual...(sigh)
One other factor is how you're viewing your standard channels...Your TV is "wide-screen" and the standard channels are "square"...If your "ZOOMING" those channels (chopping off the top and bottom) to make them fit on your TV, you're making the picture look EVEN worse.
You should try just watching those STANDARD channels on your HDTV with those annoying "BARS" on each side of your picture...It's aggravating, but it will improve your picture quality...When you blow up (enlarge) any digital image the picture quality will always suffer.