Post by bsoplinger on May 13, 2004 16:20:34 GMT -5
I got a new 8000HD box with the intent of using it with a standard tv (SDTV) after downloading the pdfs of the instructions which show how to set up the unit for a regular tv. I'm having troubles with reception and when I called TW about it they told me I was doing something that was unsupported. So I guess I'll have to ask questions here, since TW won't talk to me.
Question 1: Some channels, INHD2 is the worst, break up and pixelate badly. Sometimes INHD2 only shows a black screen, no audio or video. Sometimes I can fix it by turning the box off and back on again. Sometimes changing to another channel and then back will fix it. Should I have to be doing this at all? Shouldn't things 'just work?'
Question 1a: I see references to an upcoming (perhaps in June now) software update that will enable the VCR outputs (and the s-video also I assume) when the unit is set to receive in HD. They currently work (after all, otherwise I wouldn't see anything at all) when the unit it set up for SDTV. Will this fix my problem I'm seeing in 1 above or is setting it to be a 480i output unrelated to the idea of having VCR outputs?
Question 2: If this truly is an 'unsupported' way of doing things, when will it be supported? Or is TW saying I can never view a HD broadcast unless I have a HDTV? For now, can I even ask for a service call assuming 1 and 1a above indicate a problem with my cable and/or the box?
Observation: When its working, the picture is much nicer than the analog standard broadcast. Even if the show isn't a HD content show. But this leads to question 3 ...
Question 3: Since I'm set up for 4:3 SDTV, HD broadcasts are obviously not going to fit. I can use the picture size quick setting to choose between a letterboxed or zoomed presentation (the vertically stretched setting makes no sense to me in this case). If its a non-HD content, I have to use zoom to see the picture without a windowbox. This seems very odd to me. I've got the unit set to 4:3 480i, so why wouldn't it be smart enough to just send out a 480i picture as received instead of a windowboxed version? I can change this by going to the same settings and choosing zoom, but then HD content is cropped left and right. Is this the way things are supposed to work? What happens if I get an inexpensive HDTV that's 4:3 and not 16:9? Will the same thing happen?
Question 1: Some channels, INHD2 is the worst, break up and pixelate badly. Sometimes INHD2 only shows a black screen, no audio or video. Sometimes I can fix it by turning the box off and back on again. Sometimes changing to another channel and then back will fix it. Should I have to be doing this at all? Shouldn't things 'just work?'
Question 1a: I see references to an upcoming (perhaps in June now) software update that will enable the VCR outputs (and the s-video also I assume) when the unit is set to receive in HD. They currently work (after all, otherwise I wouldn't see anything at all) when the unit it set up for SDTV. Will this fix my problem I'm seeing in 1 above or is setting it to be a 480i output unrelated to the idea of having VCR outputs?
Question 2: If this truly is an 'unsupported' way of doing things, when will it be supported? Or is TW saying I can never view a HD broadcast unless I have a HDTV? For now, can I even ask for a service call assuming 1 and 1a above indicate a problem with my cable and/or the box?
Observation: When its working, the picture is much nicer than the analog standard broadcast. Even if the show isn't a HD content show. But this leads to question 3 ...
Question 3: Since I'm set up for 4:3 SDTV, HD broadcasts are obviously not going to fit. I can use the picture size quick setting to choose between a letterboxed or zoomed presentation (the vertically stretched setting makes no sense to me in this case). If its a non-HD content, I have to use zoom to see the picture without a windowbox. This seems very odd to me. I've got the unit set to 4:3 480i, so why wouldn't it be smart enough to just send out a 480i picture as received instead of a windowboxed version? I can change this by going to the same settings and choosing zoom, but then HD content is cropped left and right. Is this the way things are supposed to work? What happens if I get an inexpensive HDTV that's 4:3 and not 16:9? Will the same thing happen?