Hi guys, I'm not sure if this has been posted before but I'm running short on time so I'm not going to be searching.

I'm new to HDTV and today I bought my very first one. It's the Sony 32HS500. I know that analog cable wasn't going to look very good on an HDTV but I'm having some problems other than that. My TIVO connects through an S-Video and on my 32 Toshiba analog, the main menu (not live TV) is crisp and very clear. But on my new Sony HDTV after numerous adjustments still looks strange (almost like a ghosting effect except not). It's a little blurry. When I turn my sharpness up it looks a lot better but it still seems strange when compared to my Toshiba. Is this normal on HDTVs? DVDs seem perfectly fine and crisp but I also notice some very very minor jaggies (that weren't on my Toshiba) around moving edges when I play full screen movies and video games (especially around the guns in HALO). I have a progressive scan DVD player and in that mode on anamorphic DVDs the picture seems fine.
I just want to know if I did something wrong or if something is wrong with my TV. Is this the way HDTV is supposed to be if the signals being accepted aren't in high def? I'm so confused and need help.

I went through the same thing when I upgraded - you need to get a calibration DVD, like Video Essentials or Avia, and set the contrast and brightness to much lower levels. It will look better then.

Just how bad does cable look I may be getting a HDTV this weekend. Is it unbearable to watch? and Would getting Direct or some other Sat. system help it much?

I just bought a high definition set a few weeks ago and I really don't think cable is all that bad. Some channels don't look that great but others look pretty good - nothing is so bad that it's "unwatchable".

Just got mine today (51" Sony) and I'm a little unimpressed. I immediately noticed how "hot" the image was at viewing level (meaning when seated). Still, cable is very, very grainy.

I haven't tinkered with DVD's too much yet, but what I have watched is subpar. I'm thinking it's time to buy a progressive scan player.

Hey guys, Mammal was pretty much right. If you adjust your TV with AVIA and leave it on a while to let the picture settle, the picture quality will start to look better. I've had my TV about two weeks now and the cable picture looks pretty darn good now after I got used to it, and after days and days of tweaking. The other thing that bugged me when I first got the TV was DVD picture quality. After returning about four DVD prog. scan players to Best Buy (each one had a problem I couldn't live with - Chroma bug, slow reads, remote control, etc..) I finally settled on the Panasonic RP62. Picture quality is amazing but I'm still a little confused on when the player is actually playing in prog. as opposed to interlaced.

I agree, Shilex. My picture quality improved within a few days. The HD cable box made a difference, even on the non-hd channels.

Thanks,
Travis

Any sony set comes by default sharpness WAY WAY UP!!
you need to level out..

Great HDTV info can be found at www.bannedagain.com

Cable shouldn't look any worse on your 4:3 Direct View HDTV than a non-HDTV. Now, when you "stretch" analog cable on a 16:9 Rear Projection set, that's when it starts looking worse.

I use Wide Zoom to avoid getting any burns and it looks pretty good IMO.