Computers & Electronics

Bought a new receiver. Did my TV picture improve?

  • Last Updated:
  • Dec 6th, 2013 6:12 am
Tags:
None
Sr. Member
Feb 6, 2008
821 posts
260 upvotes

Bought a new receiver. Did my TV picture improve?

Finally got a receiver with HDMI. Set it all up, and I think my picture is better. Previously, I ran audio through a receiver but HDMI direct to my TV from a HTPC.

Am I crazy, or is it possible for a receiver to have this effect? Haven't changed any TV settings. Same hdmi input being used.

TV: LG PK550 50" plasma
New receiver: Yamaha V673
11 replies
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Mar 20, 2009
8862 posts
2693 upvotes
Vancouver
It should be the exact same digital stream being passed through the receiver, so no change. But maybe you connected to a different input on the TV, one that happens to have different picture settings for things like contrast or sharpness?
Deal Guru
User avatar
Oct 24, 2012
11641 posts
2620 upvotes
Montreal
JamesA1 wrote: It should be the exact same digital stream being passed through the receiver, so no change. But maybe you connected to a different input on the TV, one that happens to have different picture settings for things like contrast or sharpness?
Could also be that the TV was doing the upscaling beforehand, and now the receiver is doing it (And is doing a better job than the TV).
That would also mean that his HTPC isn't configured to send video in the proper resolution.


Anyway, the OP can figure it out himself if there is indeed a difference, it's not like he can plug his HTPC back into the TV (directly) and see if he still notices a difference.
Sr. Member
Feb 6, 2008
821 posts
260 upvotes
Thanks, guys. I think I may have messed with some settings in the setup process.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Oct 24, 2012
11641 posts
2620 upvotes
Montreal
bwr827 wrote: Thanks, guys. I think I may have messed with some settings in the setup process.
Tell us what they were, because you made it BETTER :p
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2003
8993 posts
1532 upvotes
some receivers will upconvert the image. This doesn't necessarily mean the image is better though. Maybe it looks better to you, but i'm sure artifacts and other problems arise from it.

just like market research shows, TV's at the store level, usually push the color red since people seem to think images look better.
Deal Addict
Nov 16, 2008
3286 posts
1276 upvotes
maybe others know more than me but when we upgraded our mpeg 2 Bell receiver to mpeg 4 I noticed an immediate improvement of picture using HDMI/Component
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 7, 2006
7523 posts
460 upvotes
Toronto
I have fed good 1080i source to receiver to upconvert to 1080p and the picture quality is worse in my case with middle of the road receiver Yamaha RXV667.

I buy the theory that it is on a different HDMI and some difference is noted....hope it wasn't a default setting is the better one :)
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29541 posts
20458 upvotes
My theory on upconverting is to let the TV do it instead of any receiver. The TV is designed exclusively to process video. If it displays the input full screen, then it had to have upconverted a signal with lower resolution.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2003
8993 posts
1532 upvotes
will888 wrote: My theory on upconverting is to let the TV do it instead of any receiver. The TV is designed exclusively to process video. If it displays the input full screen, then it had to have upconverted a signal with lower resolution.
There's really no right and wrong way to do this. The problem with allowing the tv to handle up conversion is that most tv's have the cheapest quality chips. If the receiver has better video processor why not let it handle the up?

Try it both ways, and keep the one you like better.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jan 6, 2002
6834 posts
7575 upvotes
Toronto
will888 wrote: My theory on upconverting is to let the TV do it instead of any receiver. The TV is designed exclusively to process video. If it displays the input full screen, then it had to have upconverted a signal with lower resolution.
In my experience and research (granted from over a year ago), I have found that *if* a receiver does upscaling, it tends to do it better than most TVs.

ie, since all TVs have to support upscaling, lots of manufacturers just put in whatever gets the job done minimally without designing or spending what's needed to include a decent upscaling engine.

Whereas receiver manufacturers include this as a feature knowing that a discriminating buyer who wants this feature will likely evaluate it on its merits, so better upscaling engines do sell better.

I have found the best video quality on my rig to be Component Video (1080i/720p) from the source, so my Onkyo receiver, upscaled to 1080p HDMI and fed to the TV, or 1080p passthrough from source through receiver to TV.
Si Tacuisses, Philosophus Mansisses

Top