The Official Mid-A A/V Thread
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 16,703
Likes: 74
From: High Knob Mountain
What do you guys know about cable boxes?
I hooked up my comcast box via a DVI-HDMI cable to the plasma. The picture was fantastic.
Last week my cable box was acting up, frozen menu, then snow image. I reset it a few times then decided to go to comcast for another.
The 2nd box (exact same model 6200)has lost some image clarity with the same settings?? it looks like Component cable vs the DVI-HDMI image.
I guess it's just a bad box, it's a refurb as they all are.
I hooked up my comcast box via a DVI-HDMI cable to the plasma. The picture was fantastic.
Last week my cable box was acting up, frozen menu, then snow image. I reset it a few times then decided to go to comcast for another.
The 2nd box (exact same model 6200)has lost some image clarity with the same settings?? it looks like Component cable vs the DVI-HDMI image.
I guess it's just a bad box, it's a refurb as they all are.
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,472
Likes: 0
From: Potomac Falls, VA
I know enough to tell you that they suck 
Maybe try for another one? Does the 2nd box not have DVI/HDMI? That could be a cause for the problem. There shouldn't be a big difference between component and HDMI but sometimes the boxes use different processors to handle the different outputs and they are not always the same quality.
Maybe try for another one? Does the 2nd box not have DVI/HDMI? That could be a cause for the problem. There shouldn't be a big difference between component and HDMI but sometimes the boxes use different processors to handle the different outputs and they are not always the same quality.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 16,703
Likes: 74
From: High Knob Mountain
Both boxes are the same with a DVI out or component out.
Both were hooked up with a DVI to HDMI cable to the TV.
When I first got the TV a few weeks back, I didnt have the DVI cable, so used the component cables first, going to the DVI cable made a noticeable difference.
I will just go get another box, Comcast does not have HDMI box w/o DVR yet as far as I know.
Both were hooked up with a DVI to HDMI cable to the TV.
When I first got the TV a few weeks back, I didnt have the DVI cable, so used the component cables first, going to the DVI cable made a noticeable difference.
I will just go get another box, Comcast does not have HDMI box w/o DVR yet as far as I know.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 53,292
Likes: 789
From: Owings Mills, MD
Originally Posted by gfacter,Oct 13 2008, 09:39 AM
What do you guys know about cable boxes?
I hooked up my comcast box via a DVI-HDMI cable to the plasma. The picture was fantastic.
Last week my cable box was acting up, frozen menu, then snow image. I reset it a few times then decided to go to comcast for another.
The 2nd box (exact same model 6200)has lost some image clarity with the same settings?? it looks like Component cable vs the DVI-HDMI image.
I guess it's just a bad box, it's a refurb as they all are.
I hooked up my comcast box via a DVI-HDMI cable to the plasma. The picture was fantastic.
Last week my cable box was acting up, frozen menu, then snow image. I reset it a few times then decided to go to comcast for another.
The 2nd box (exact same model 6200)has lost some image clarity with the same settings?? it looks like Component cable vs the DVI-HDMI image.
I guess it's just a bad box, it's a refurb as they all are.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 16,703
Likes: 74
From: High Knob Mountain
Originally Posted by TepEvan,Oct 13 2008, 10:57 AM
Did you change the settings on the box? I believe you press the menu button on the unit with the unit turned off. Scan the earlier pages of this thread, I believe I explain it.
yes of course.
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,472
Likes: 0
From: Potomac Falls, VA
Originally Posted by gfacter,Oct 13 2008, 10:10 AM
Both boxes are the same with a DVI out or component out.
Both were hooked up with a DVI to HDMI cable to the TV.
When I first got the TV a few weeks back, I didnt have the DVI cable, so used the component cables first, going to the DVI cable made a noticeable difference.
I will just go get another box, Comcast does not have HDMI box w/o DVR yet as far as I know.
Both were hooked up with a DVI to HDMI cable to the TV.
When I first got the TV a few weeks back, I didnt have the DVI cable, so used the component cables first, going to the DVI cable made a noticeable difference.
I will just go get another box, Comcast does not have HDMI box w/o DVR yet as far as I know.
Well, one thing I do know about those crappy Motorola boxes is that they are "stuck" in one resolution. They up convert or down convert everything to the resolution you specify. So you should check to see if the box is set to 480i, 720p, or 1080i. Ideally you would set this to the native resolution of your TV (for 1080p sets, use 1080i).
The better boxes out there automatically switch the resolution to the native resolution of the channel which is generally preferred.
Here is something I found real quick with a google search:
Q: This is an incredibly easy question.... how do I change the STB resolution from 1080 to 720? I just recently got Fios and while playing around with the settings changed the output from 720 to 1080. The problem is that I my TV apparently doesn't support 1080 (about a 3-4 year old Samsung DLP) and now I can't see anything on the screen to set it back. Can anyone tell me the steps to change my resolution output back to 720?
Thank you!!!
A: Sure. Without going into the guide, you can do it via the STB's firmware. Do the following:
- Turn on your TV and STB
- Turn off your STB
- Hit select on the front panel of your STB
- Hit menu on the front panel of your STB
You'll get to the firmware menu allowing you to set, among other things, HD resolution.
Thank you!!!
A: Sure. Without going into the guide, you can do it via the STB's firmware. Do the following:
- Turn on your TV and STB
- Turn off your STB
- Hit select on the front panel of your STB
- Hit menu on the front panel of your STB
You'll get to the firmware menu allowing you to set, among other things, HD resolution.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
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From: Columbia, MD
Originally Posted by e3opian,Oct 13 2008, 04:05 PM
And I'm sure they just threw your busted box back into the hopper for some other sap to bang his head off the wall...
