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HD; Educate me, I am a fast learner
This thread has 15 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Sunday November 6, 2005 at 12:10
tjlmbklr
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Ok I have learned quite a bit in the last few months regarding HD. I currently Have TiVo, basic that is and a Sony Wega. I love the DVR features, but am not convinced I need the TiVo Features. I want to upgrade to a HD receiver(direcTV). Is there a better option then the new over priced HD TiVo box. I like having the "Live TV" feature and being able to jump back a forth between two recorded shows. I dont' like having to have phone line connected. I did away with my land line years ago, luckily I have a duplex and my tenant let me tap into his phone line. Is there away around this.

Second question; I will being trying to get it right the first time, so I intend to go with the highest quality Video cable to support HD signal. So the question is, HDMI, is this Audio and Video, and if so I would assume it supports Dolby digital. Reason I ask is I will be running the HDMI directly to the Tv and I do not want to use it's speakers. I of course run surround sound through my Denon(to late am currently stuck with the model I bought, cannot run HDMI through it). Right now I run fiber optic and RCA for sound to support digital a analogy broadcasts. Will I be able to still run HDMI for video, and Fiber optic/RCA for sound through the receiver.

And third; [Link: bluejeanscable.com] are these good quality, better buy for the money then 'Monsters' best? I am open for options in the cable catagory.
I love technology! I just need to figure out how to use it. Keeping up with it's growing rate is hard enough!
Post 2 made on Sunday November 6, 2005 at 12:42
roddymcg
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Try to keep your questions in one forum, its just get 2 confusing. And if the question gets answered in one forum it might not in another and not help someone out who want to follow this and learn.

This question was obviously posted in the Home Theater forum as well.
When good enough is not good enough.
OP | Post 3 made on Sunday November 6, 2005 at 12:47
tjlmbklr
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Just making sure the topic is out there. I am just not sure which is a better section to answer the question. Some may read only from the forums they are interested in.
I love technology! I just need to figure out how to use it. Keeping up with it's growing rate is hard enough!
Post 4 made on Sunday November 6, 2005 at 18:12
roddymcg
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Just seen one to many threads that parallel each other with so much great, but different information.

At the very least, tell us you have the thread in 2 locations.
When good enough is not good enough.
OP | Post 5 made on Sunday November 6, 2005 at 20:44
tjlmbklr
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At the very least, tell us you have the thread
in 2 locations.

I guess I can comply with that.
I love technology! I just need to figure out how to use it. Keeping up with it's growing rate is hard enough!
OP | Post 6 made on Monday November 7, 2005 at 14:45
tjlmbklr
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Ok no help here yet, but I'll keep trying. I believe I'll get by from what I have learned from this and other forums. Next question I have is can I use same RF cables and satellite, I think no is the answer, at least for dish that is, but want a second opinion. So lets say I need a new dish can I purchase it and mount it myself(assuming I can use the same mounts). Then if I find a cheap place to purchase the HD TiVo receiver can I set this up on my own. Will I need a certified DirecTV installer to do some sort of admin. stuff for set up.......!

This message was edited by tjlmbklr on 11/07/05 14:55 ET.
I love technology! I just need to figure out how to use it. Keeping up with it's growing rate is hard enough!
Post 7 made on Monday November 7, 2005 at 19:38
roddymcg
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As long as the RF cable is RG6, and I would recommend it being quad 4 (4 shields) you will be fine. Usually RG 59 is fine , but if you can get or already have the RG6 there, then use it. I know Direct for instance does free installs that include the dish, just pay real close attention to the installs. They work by the job, so they will blow right through it, and some of the ones I have met I not the most knowelegible (sp).

You don't need an account to activate the box with Direct, nor I believe Dish. Less sure about Dish though.

If this is a new install run extra cables, we run at least 7, plus ground from dish location to distro.
When good enough is not good enough.
OP | Post 8 made on Monday November 7, 2005 at 23:15
tjlmbklr
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If this is a new install run extra cables, we
run at least 7, plus ground from dish location
to distro.

Where should the grounds be. I see a srew on the slpitter(if that is what it is called) but no ground wire. Is this what that is for.
I love technology! I just need to figure out how to use it. Keeping up with it's growing rate is hard enough!
Post 9 made on Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 00:14
Ernie Bornn-Gilman
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On 11/07/05 19:38 ET, roddymcg said...
As long as the RF cable is RG6, and I would
recommend
it being quad 4 (4 shields) you will be fine.

Perfect answer except quad is better than dual (one foil plus one shield) at eliminating interference. You will RARELY have interference in the 950 -145o mHz region, so it isn't necessary to use quad. Once in a conversation with a guy from Belden, he agreed with my assertion that there is one sole reason that I, an installer, should always use RG-6. It is so my client can't be stolen by some other guy who comes in, curls his lip at the wire, and says "I guess he didn't know enough to give you the GOOD stuff." The client won't know better and that installer might even believe it. But it isn't necessary.

Usually RG 59 is fine , but if you can get or
already have the RG6 there, then use it.

All cables have loss. Distance increases this loss. RG-59 has higher loss per hundred feet, especially at satellite frequencies, than RG-6. If you have RG-59 in place and it works, great. I even had to work with a whole house wired by camera guys with RG-59, and it worked on runs as long as 60 feet. RG-6 is better, but if 59 works, then RG-6 won't improve things.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 10 made on Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 01:15
Daniel Tonks
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Had an interesting experiment about a week ago with two identical lengths of cabling from the cable TV trunk line on the street to my house, maybe about 80-100 feet in length. One was high-grade RG6QS, the other was RG11 (the next puppy up from RG6).

The signal strength coming out by my house was 1db higher on RG11 vs RG6 on the low television frequencies, but it was a whole 4db higher on the upper frequencies (where digital cable resides). I assume the gap would increase even more were we talking about satellite frequencies.

I shudder to think what the loss would be using an RG59 line...
Post 11 made on Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 01:29
roddymcg
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I have never put RG 59 in, I haved used it when the only option would be to start tearing things apart. Unless the picture just did not look good, I would try not to put the client through such an expense.

I have only bought or used the RG6 Q4 for new installs. The price has never come up as an option with clients as of yet. Maybe if it did, it would be time to find a new client, you know, since we make so much money on cable:)

Interesting experiment Daniel, was it anything that was noticable in the picture quaility?? Do you have a signal meter, or was it the cable companies, if you do, what do you have.
Some day I need to get one of those things, just not so high on my priority list.
When good enough is not good enough.
Post 12 made on Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 01:47
Daniel Tonks
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It was the cable company's meter. One of those big fancy things with the screen. :-)

I did notice an improvement in analog TV quality afterwards, however that was mostly due to several other changes that were made to increase signal strength (without an amp).
OP | Post 13 made on Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 08:38
tjlmbklr
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Now you guys got me thinking. I Know it was DirecTV themselves that did the install. I am not sure of the quality of the cable used. It does run from the back of the house to the upper level where I live, a total of about 60-70 ft. And i am currently running SD, not HD(am looking to soon upgrade) and am very didapointed with picture, sometimes pixelated especially on cartoons.
I love technology! I just need to figure out how to use it. Keeping up with it's growing rate is hard enough!
Post 14 made on Tuesday November 8, 2005 at 18:01
Daniel Tonks
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With a digital signal it either works or it doesn't... so poor picture quality that ISN'T the result of a dropout is most likely either an encoding problem on their end (heck, I still see that all the time on ANALOG cable - as the problem is somewhere upstream when the station's still digital), or just a side effect of the over compression all satellite companies use. Cartoons in particular don't take well to MPEG overcompression.
Post 15 made on Thursday November 10, 2005 at 10:40
Spiky
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DirecTV almost certainly put in RG-6.

If you are seeing real pixellation, check your signal meter in the receiver. If it is fluctuating too much, you probably have a dish-aiming problem. Or trees in the way. I seldom see any pixellation, even with a 90" screen. A bit of macro-blocking on some of the worst channels, that is the most common compression artifact.
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