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I have a HD television but I do not have HD signal going into it. The picture is still really good though. If we decided to go DH in our satellite programming would I need to get different cables? Also would a HD DVD still be HD in a regular DVD player?

Missourisnowflakes wrote:I have a HD television but I do not have HD signal going into it. The picture is still really good though. If we decided to go HD in our satellite programming would I need to get different cables? Also would a HD DVD still be HD in a regular DVD player?

It's dependent on how your TV connects to the satelite box. What cable are you using for that at the moment?

And no an HD-DVD would not produce HD in a regular DVD player. I'm guessing you're talking about those HD-DVD's that have both formats on a single disc right?

Depending on the model of your TV and the Satellite tuner, there are two ways you can connect the two devices to receive the HD signals through the TV.

1.) Component Video Cables (Red, Blue, Green.) This is known as Analog, but can support video signals from 480i (SDTV) up through 1080p (True HD). Most likely, your TV will only do 1080i as the maximum resolution.

2.) HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) This is digital and it handles both Audio and Video through a single cable. This will handle all formats running from 480p (EDTV Enhanced Definition. Better than SD, not quite as good as HD.) all the way through to 1080p. (Again, depending on the set, most likely your TV can only go as high 1080i)

Make sure your Satellite receiver has either one of those capabilities and you'll be able to receive the High Definition signal and content through your TV.

If you want HD froma DVD signal (which also uses HDMI) you'll need an upconvert DVD player, or a Blu-Ray Player. (I won't recommend HD-DVD because it's no longer going to be made or supported.)

A standard definition DVD player will only play standard discs. It cannot play Blu-Ray or HD-DVD discs as they are physically different than a standard DVD disc.

Also, Upconvert DVD players cannot play HD or Blu-Ray discs. They only play standard definition discs. (The player and the tv upconvert the signal together, makes it look HD.)

If you've got any questions, PM me. I'll try and walk you through it.

TheMuffin wrote:

Missourisnowflakes wrote:I have a HD television but I do not have HD signal going into it. The picture is still really good though. If we decided to go HD in our satellite programming would I need to get different cables? Also would a HD DVD still be HD in a regular DVD player?

It's dependent on how your TV connects to the satelite box. What cable are you using for that at the moment?

And no an HD-DVD would not produce HD in a regular DVD player. I'm guessing you're talking about those HD-DVD's that have both formats on a single disc right?

They can put both formats on one DVD? We did not have an HD television before so I never even bothered looking at the HD DVD's before.

We have not upgraded our cables at all so we are using the ones the satellite installer brought with him when we got they system a couple of years ago.

Autobot032 wrote:Depending on the model of your TV and the Satellite tuner, there are two ways you can connect the two devices to receive the HD signals through the TV.

1.) Component Video Cables (Red, Blue, Green.) This is known as Analog, but can support video signals from 480i (SDTV) up through 1080p (True HD). Most likely, your TV will only do 1080i as the maximum resolution.

2.) HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) This is digital and it handles both Audio and Video through a single cable. This will handle all formats running from 480p (EDTV Enhanced Definition. Better than SD, not quite as good as HD.) all the way through to 1080p. (Again, depending on the set, most likely your TV can only go as high 1080i)

Make sure your Satellite receiver has either one of those capabilities and you'll be able to receive the High Definition signal and content through your TV.

If you want HD froma DVD signal (which also uses HDMI) you'll need an upconvert DVD player, or a Blu-Ray Player. (I won't recommend HD-DVD because it's no longer going to be made or supported.)

A standard definition DVD player will only play standard discs. It cannot play Blu-Ray or HD-DVD discs as they are physically different than a standard DVD disc.

Also, Upconvert DVD players cannot play HD or Blu-Ray discs. They only play standard definition discs. (The player and the tv upconvert the signal together, makes it look HD.)

If you've got any questions, PM me. I'll try and walk you through it.

A Blu-Ray player will not play a regular DVD? I wonder if that will change now that HD is getting discontinued.
I am not entirely sure what the resolution is on the TV. The picture looked the same as all of the other TV's there. I do notice that the picture is not as clear as it was in the store. I am assuming that the store used an HD signal.

You misunderstood a little bit. You CAN play DVD's in a Blu-Ray player. You however cannot go backwards and play a Blu-Ray Disc in a regular DVD-Player.

And as Autobot said, you'll need either component cables (red, green and blue) or an HDMI cable (looks like a big USB cable) to see video in HD. Of course you'll have to see what your TV supports when it comes to connections as not all HDTV's have an HDMI port. Stupid I know. But newer ones all have at least one.

And yeah, the HDTV's in the store are running on an HD signal, hence the picture clarity. Keep also in mind that you have to adjust the settings on the TV to get the correct picture quality. Just taking it out of the box and going with the default settings is a foolish idea.

If you can get the model number, I can get some good settings for you to use. Would also answer some questions for me.

TheMuffin wrote:You misunderstood a little bit. You CAN play DVD's in a Blu-Ray player. You however cannot go backwards and play a Blu-Ray Disc in a regular DVD-Player

Oh good I can deal with that.

TheMuffin wrote:And as Autobot said, you'll need either component cables (red, green and blue) or an HDMI cable (looks like a big USB cable) to see video in HD. Of course you'll have to see what your TV supports when it comes to connections as not all HDTV's have an HDMI port. Stupid I know. But newer ones all have at least one.

I think ours has 3 HDMI ports. It has 3 I need to go through to get back to the regular television

TheMuffin wrote: Keep also in mind that you have to adjust the settings on the TV to get the correct picture quality. Just taking it out of the box and going with the default settings is a foolish idea.

If you can get the model number, I can get some good settings for you to use. Would also answer some questions for me.

Yeah we just took it out of the box and hung it on the wall

Where is the serial number? Sure I will answer some questions you have answered a ton of mine

Just take a look on the front of the manual. Should be in big bold letters. I meant model number, not serial number. So call that a flub on my part.

DP50747

Missourisnowflakes wrote:DP50747

Sanyo 50" plasma? Nice.

Okay here's what I was able to find out...

1.) It does handle High Def signals though both Component and HDMI.
2.) Here's the instruction manual in case you might be missing something important: http://www.sanyotv.com/DP50747%20(ESF)%200257A-.pdf

One of the easiest things you can do to set the colors, contrast, etc... is use a DVD with the THX Optimizer.

Star Wars
Disney films

Any of those discs will have the Optimizer. You can use it by hand, step by step to get the picture just right. Generally you can use the same settings for any signal that comes through it.

Good luck.

Theres an optimizer on THX movies?!

Huh. I just use Digital Video Essentials.

TheMuffin wrote:Theres an optimizer on THX movies?!

Huh. I just use Digital Video Essentials.

Yup they're included in the setup portion of the disc. (Subtitles/Audio menu) Click on the THX logo and it'll take you to the Optimizer.

Autobot032 wrote:

One of the easiest things you can do to set the colors, contrast, etc... is use a DVD with the THX Optimizer.

Star Wars
Disney films

Any of those discs will have the Optimizer. You can use it by hand, step by step to get the picture just right. Generally you can use the same settings for any signal that comes through it.

Good luck.

Thanks I will do that