I'm sorry, but I really don't know who to ask.
I have a Sony TV and Blu-ray player. When I got the player I bought a cheapie HDMI cable from Amazon. That's all I have used for years. DVD's and newer movies on Blu-ray look crean and crisp. Older movies on Blu-ray have quite a bit of static (actual dots of static in faces and locations/not exactly grain). It's not on all movies, but it does pop up quite a bit. One newer movie actually came with a DVD and Blu-ray, and the DVD looked better!
Tonight, I hooked up the Blu-ray with the standard Red/White/Yellow cables, instead of the HDMI cable. That actually reduced the static on some of the movies.
Anyway, my questions are do older movies (black and white) generally not look good on Blu-ray? Would a more expensive HDMI cable not have the static look? Should I invest in say a Sony HDMI cable or stay with Red/White/ and Yellow? Do cheapie HDMI cables look static-y when they need replacing?
Most of what I read online is that grain is natural, but obviously what I am experiencing is some problem in my connection.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
When you say "static" can I assume you do not mean static electrical shocks. You talk about "grain" so clearly you are having picture issues?
What some people who buy high quality TVs and BluRay machines forget is that these machines will only reproduce the quality of the source input, so if yo are using a poorly produced DVD (BluRay or not) you will only see what is on the disk. In fact the higher quality resolution of the player and TV will amplify any flaws in the original source.
Some Blu-ray DVDs are quite poor, even modern ones. Others are superb. It is best to review the disk before buying. Old movies are produced on old technology and their reproduction onto new HD TVs will depend on how old and crabby the original was and how well the technicians have repaired it. Generally speaking it is unlikely that DVD production companies will spend significant amounts repairing old sources unless the DVD is a new release to DVD that will sell well.
One other thing, why spend hundreds or thousands on a TV and BluRay and skimp on the connectors? The connectors make it all hang together. All items should be proportionally priced I.e. there is no point in spending 2000 on a TV and 50 on the BluRay player, or 1.99 on the HDMI.
Hope that helps.
Originally posted by KewpieThis indicates that virtually all HDMI cables are the same! That's good news. Maybe, I should just try another one (same brand possibly) to make sure that my problem isn't damage to the actual cable. I won't go overboard buying one of those high priced ones now that I know.
You may be interested in this, particularly the fact that James Randi has put his comment on the article:
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/home-entertainment/1292371/expensive-hdmi-cables-make-no-difference-the-absolute-proof
Originally posted by VelnsThe following is an example of only HDMI cables:
When you say "static" can I assume you do not mean static electrical shocks. You talk about "grain" so clearly you are having picture issues?
What some people who buy high quality TVs and BluRay machines forget is that these machines will only reproduce the quality of the source input, so if yo are using a poorly produced DVD (BluRay or not) you will only s ...[text shortened]... spending 2000 on a TV and 50 on the BluRay player, or 1.99 on the HDMI.
Hope that helps.
I can put a DVD in the same player and get no static to the picture. It's when I put a Blu-ray in that I mostly get this. Perhaps, the Blu-rays aren't as nice a quality?
I bought a movie made last year. In the Blu-ray, the backgrounds look like they were broken into hundreds of little dots (what I call static). One of the actors face was broken into these dots too, in a closeup.
Now, when I pop in the DVD, the dots are less visible. Things just look like things, instead of a series of staticy dots. I use the same player on both.
Less quality (DVD) shows less flaws is what you are saying?
What is the point in Blu-ray if you get an inferior picture to the DVD?
Another example:
Tonight, I was watching the MGM Blu-ray of Hitchcock's Notorious. With the HDMI cable, the backgrounds had all these staticy dots again. I switched to the Red,White, And Yellow wires, and now the dots are less visible.
Have I lowered the quality to make it watchable?
Why can't I just get a clear watchable picture like that with the HDMI cable?
Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsJust get a really good quality HDMI cable
The following is an example of only HDMI cables:
I can put a DVD in the same player and get no static to the picture. It's when I put a Blu-ray in that I mostly get this. Perhaps, the Blu-rays aren't as nice a quality?
I bought a movie made last year. In the Blu-ray, the backgrounds look like they were broken into hundreds of little dots ...[text shortened]... watchable?
Why can't I just get a clear watchable picture like that with the HDMI cable?
Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsHave you tried a component video cable (Same connectors as Red/White/Yellow but has Green/Blue as well)?
I'm sorry, but I really don't know who to ask.
I have a Sony TV and Blu-ray player. When I got the player I bought a cheapie HDMI cable from Amazon. That's all I have used for years. DVD's and newer movies on Blu-ray look crean and crisp. Older movies on Blu-ray have quite a bit of static (actual dots of static in faces and locations/not e ing is some problem in my connection.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I am wondering if maybe there is a problem with the player up-converting old stuff to HDMI / hi-res format. For the old stuff, a cheap HDMI cable really should work. Can you borrow one from a friend to try? That would tell you if the cable is bad (I doubt it) or if it's a problem with the player.
With VCRs you could rent one and try it with your setup to verify the rest of your setup. I don't know if there are places that rent Blue Ray players.
Originally posted by SwissGambitI used the component on my DVD/VCR combo before I got the Blu-ray (as a gift). It worked fine, but the Blu-ray only has Red,White,Yellow, and maybe Orange. I remember it being a few slots short.
Have you tried a component video cable (Same connectors as Red/White/Yellow but has Green/Blue as well)?
I am wondering if maybe there is a problem with the player up-converting old stuff to HDMI / hi-res format. For the old stuff, a cheap HDMI cable really should work. Can you borrow one from a friend to try? That would tell you if the cable is bad ( ...[text shortened]... to verify the rest of your setup. I don't know if there are places that rent Blue Ray players.
I'll order a new HDMI cable and return it if necessary. I don't know anyone else around here with a Blu-ray, so I can't test anything.
The HDMI cable (or connection) is apparently not cleaning up the picture on movies filmed with a pre-digital (pre Blu-ray) format. Do you think a better quality player would solve this?
I'm not sure my VCR has a HDMI port for me to test it either.
They say the difference is in quality is only slight between HDMI and R/W/Yellow. Maybe I should just keep it like this. I'll try one more (new) HDMI cable and then decide.
I have a relatively cheap Toshiba Blu-Ray player and a Vizio wide-screen HD TV connected with a regular HDMI cable (I think it came with the player). Before this, I had a regular non-HD TV and a regular DVD player connected with something called an S-cable. I don't know if you're just seeing more than I am and are therefore more (hyper-) critical of what you're viewing, but I find my current set up is way better than my old set up. I watch new Blu-Ray discs and regular DVDs I had from before, along with some new Blu-Ray discs of older movies made before Blu-Ray. I find them all to be excellent, with a marked difference between what I see now versus what I saw on my old TV, but that is merely the difference between HD and regular TV. I see no "static" on the screen at all, I wonder if maybe somehow you are seeing more than I am and are just being somehow hyper-critical of what you do see. The picture is very sharp and clear, I see nothing like what you are describing.
Do you get any HD programming from your cable or dish provider (if you have one)? How does it look? Are you getting this "static" when watching HD TV?
Originally posted by SuzianneMy TV is 46 inches/LCD , so maybe it is magnifying the flaws a bit. Is yours a big screen?
I have a relatively cheap Toshiba Blu-Ray player and a Vizio wide-screen HD TV connected with a regular HDMI cable (I think it came with the player). Before this, I had a regular non-HD TV and a regular DVD player connected with something called an S-cable. I don't know if you're just seeing more than I am and are therefore more (hyper-) critical of what (if you have one)? How does it look? Are you getting this "static" when watching HD TV?
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BRAVIA-KDL46BX450-46-Inch-1080p/dp/B006U1VG5Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375894995&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+bravia+46
Blu-ray -
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S185-Blu-Ray-Disc-Player/dp/B005NEZDUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375895131&sr=8-1&keywords=sony+blu+ray+s185
Cable -
http://www.amazon.com/DVI-Gear-HDMI-Cable-feet/dp/B0002L5R78/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1375895246&sr=8-4&keywords=hdmi+cable
Different hookups look better on the same TV, which is odd.
I don't get Directv in my bedroom (where the TV is). I did at one time and I used the older hookup method (the rounded wire that you screw in by hand at both ends). The picture didn't look like these HDMI Blu-rays do. I've never seen anything like them.
I am a bit critical, I admit. When some Blu-rays (Criterion/etc) cost over $30 each, I really expect a pristine print all the time.
Is my player too cheap? Is there something wrong with the HDMI on my tv?
Maybe I should also mention that I have not connected my Blu-ray to the internet for upgrades, ever. What exactly do the upgrades improve?
Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromficsIt might be the player. You should probably download all the updates for it just to be sure that's not the issue. Also, check the on-screen menus on both TV and player for any settings involving down-sampling or similar.
I used the component on my DVD/VCR combo before I got the Blu-ray (as a gift). It worked fine, but the Blu-ray only has Red,White,Yellow, and maybe Orange. I remember it being a few slots short.
I'll order a new HDMI cable and return it if necessary. I don't know anyone else around here with a Blu-ray, so I can't test anything.
The H ...[text shortened]... Maybe I should just keep it like this. I'll try one more (new) HDMI cable and then decide.
You could also do a google search on your player's model number for this issue, like "SonyXXXX picture quality old movies". Sometimes you will see that other people have had the problem and what they did to fix it.
Originally posted by SwissGambitThanks!
It might be the player. You should probably download all the updates for it just to be sure that's not the issue. Also, check the on-screen menus on both TV and player for any settings involving down-sampling or similar.
You could also do a google search on your player's model number for this issue, like "SonyXXXX picture quality old movies". Sometimes you will see that other people have had the problem and what they did to fix it.
I'll do some more research and also plug in the ethernet cable and see what happens.