My freeview HD, not HD!?

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Serious

23 posts

Geek

#103235 1-Jun-2012 20:17

Like all good digital citizens, we had a new UHF areal installed last year and recently bought a new Panasonic 42" LCD TV. However, although not unwatchable, the Freeview HD progammes are not the crisp clean HD we were expecting.

It's hard to explain for a non-tech like me, but text appears jaggy around the edges, graphics are ghosty and people are blotchy.

I've downloaded some HD trailers off Youtube and they look perfect so I can only think it's the signal. The guy who installed the UHF aerial at the end of last year suggested I check the signal quality - and it's strong at 8-10.

I'm stumped. Does anyone have any suggestions/angles I should try?

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35 posts

Geek

#634381 1-Jun-2012 20:23

Not all programs are broadcast in HD.

Serious

23 posts

Geek

#634387 1-Jun-2012 20:32

Sure ... but its happening on the progamming marked as HD.

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#634390 1-Jun-2012 20:36

You sure you are watching programs from the digital tuner? Sounds like you are still using the analogue signal. Ensure your TV tunes in only the digital channels it can receive, usually an option in the set up.

Either that or you may need a signal booster.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

injuised

256 posts

Ultimate Geek

#634401 1-Jun-2012 20:57

may be your panel isnt Full HD, might be your on analog, maybe your TV is faulty

Serious

23 posts

Geek

#634403 1-Jun-2012 21:01

No it's not analog, it is digital just not as good a quality as I'd expect. Maybe my expectations are too high!

Spyware

3761 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#634420 1-Jun-2012 21:39

I don't think Panansonic make 42" LCDs - LCD sizes are 40, 46, 50. More likely a plasma if 42. What resolution??, the 1024x768 models can look bad. Post the model number.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#634422 1-Jun-2012 21:48

Serious: No it's not analog, it is digital just not as good a quality as I'd expect. Maybe my expectations are too high!

With a digital TV picture, you have either got a signal , or no signal, There isn't really any inbetween signal like there is with analogue, where you get static. It could be a faulty screen, or you could be too close to the screen. You can see JPG compression on some HD programs, as they are compressed, but you usually only see that if you are too close. Also you haven't got a satellite freeview tuner hooked up to it have you, becuase that can look very compressed and fuzzy on a big screen.

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bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#634469 2-Jun-2012 00:09

Panasonic are now making 42" LCDs.

Turn overscan off and that will increase picture quality.

http://hd.engadget.com/2010/05/27/hd-101-overscan-and-why-all-tvs-do-it/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kitbRQ2bMg

Modifying graphical settings away from the defaults might help. I don't know what Panasonic's LCD defaults are like but if sharpness, noise reduction and motion interpolation are too aggressive it would cause what you've experienced.

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#634505 2-Jun-2012 08:44

Turn off all "enhancements" eg: resolution enhancer, live colour, dynamic picture mode

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#634506 2-Jun-2012 08:52

mattwnz:
Serious: No it's not analog, it is digital just not as good a quality as I'd expect. Maybe my expectations are too high!

With a digital TV picture, you have either got a signal , or no signal, There isn't really any inbetween

+1
If you have only watched analogue and then change to digital there should be a massive (and noticeable) improvement, even with SD programs. Maybe not so massive if you always had a strong signal giving a clear picture with no ghosting.
If you have jagged text and ghosting then you are either still watching analogue, sitting far too close, or your set is faulty. The only in-between due to weak signal is pixellation and video freeze/audio loss.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#634507 2-Jun-2012 08:56

P.S. If Blu Ray and DVD look OK then you probably have a faulty tuner.
Suggest you compare by looking at off air signals on another identical set in the store you bought from.
Tell them your problems and if necessary ask for a replacement.

Serious

23 posts

Geek

#634512 2-Jun-2012 09:18

bfginger: Panasonic are now making 42" LCDs.

Turn overscan off and that will increase picture quality.

http://hd.engadget.com/2010/05/27/hd-101-overscan-and-why-all-tvs-do-it/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kitbRQ2bMg

Modifying graphical settings away from the defaults might help. I don't know what Panasonic's LCD defaults are like but if sharpness, noise reduction and motion interpolation are too aggressive it would cause what you've experienced.

Thanks for these suggestions. I'll try a your suggestions and see what happens.

Otherwise, it might be back to Noel Leemings to disucss a faulty tuner.

Thanks for your advice guys.

fatjulio

90 posts

Master Geek

#634539 2-Jun-2012 10:16

I think it might be because it's a Panasonic. They haven't been able to deinterlace properly, and will only show the individual fields of the 1080i rather than the whole frame. I've seen this on a friend's Panasonic plasma, the built in freeview was jagged, but he got sky hd and it all looked good. The reviews have said they fail at 2-2 pulldown deinterlacing (PAL), which is totally useless.

webwat

2036 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#635067 3-Jun-2012 15:56

bfginger: Panasonic are now making 42" LCDs.

Turn overscan off and that will increase picture quality.

http://hd.engadget.com/2010/05/27/hd-101-overscan-and-why-all-tvs-do-it/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kitbRQ2bMg

Modifying graphical settings away from the defaults might help. I don't know what Panasonic's LCD defaults are like but if sharpness, noise reduction and motion interpolation are too aggressive it would cause what you've experienced.

I don't even have full HD and need the noise reduction at max due to dodgy signal. Nice clear picture.

Jagged text edges sound like the sharpness is way to high, and there should be no ghosting. Do the ghosts look more like halos along edges of high contrast? Thats also caused by too much sharpness. Change it to normal sharpness and see if the edges look smoother.

Bad signal will cause obvious pixellation just before it cuts out completely. Digital signals cant be displayed at all if theres too many errors, and it will give you an actual "signal loss" message when it cuts out.

Time to find a new industry!

da5id

550 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#647172 27-Jun-2012 18:47

My folks bought a Panasonic 42" LED TV (TH-L42E5) today as well, and I am noticing the same thing. If I go closer to the screen to check it out, I notice jaggys around words etc.

Is there a difference between Freeview and Freeview HD? Is there any such thing apart from Freeview HD any more? How can you tell?
eg, does the One News watermark at the top of the screen still say One News | HD?
Our TV just says One News.

It's all a bit confusing.

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