HELP - Purchased new HCS and TV and picture quality is poor

[Leigh22]

Hi,

I have just purchased a Sony KDL40W2000 and a Sony DAVDZ630 home cinema system. This is also connected to SKY+. I have ordered a QED Qunex HDMI-SR cable to run from the TV to the DVD player. I have a scart lead running from the TV to the SKY+ box as well as a coaxial cable and a scart running from the TV to the DVD player. This has got everythin working correctly.
My problem is the picture quality on the TV. There is an outline around objects when the TV is on and the background seems out of focus. I have looked on the forum at other posts about TV settings and these have not helped. The picture quality against how it is in the shops is poor. I have changed one of the scarts to a QED one and I have a QED qunex HDMI-P lead running from the DVD player to the TV (which I have borrowed) but I haven't seen much difference. Someone suggested that if the scart leads are crossed they could cause interference with one another (changing this hasn't helped) and that scart leads are the worst ones to use. I know nothing about this so wouldn't know what to change them to. I have considered getting SKY HD but feel that the TV picture should be better than it is without it and I am very frustrated at the picture quality (or lack of it) after spending the money that I have.
Can anyone help with what type of cables I should be using to connect everything up?

Many Thanks

 

[Badger0-0]

Welcome to the forums

I suspect you're looking at the screen really close up.
If this is your first big screen, it's normally a shock, as the size shows up every fault.
How does it look at your normal viewing distance?

You have a decent telly, so it should be ok and I doubt the cables are the problem.

 

[Gregory]

Also, you don't say what source you are looking at when the picture is poor. If it's the tuner in the television then cables are irrelevant. If its the DVD or SKY+ then they might be relevant. Sounds like you have tried a digital cable between the dvd and the telly, and so I presume that this also shows the issue? If so, then you could well be that you are now seeing the limits of DVD level sources - as Badger notes these big screens are pretty unforgiving - they show the deficiencies that were always there, but invisible. If so, viewing from further back will help, as would HD-DVD or blu-ray (which really does give the 'wow' factor back)

Greg

 

[Leigh22]

The TV picture is a problem when viewing through the Sky+ box. The TV is not directly plugged into an outside aerial it only runs through Sky. The picture quality on DVDs is very good and there is no problem there it is only when I watch TV through Sky.
Sitting further back doesn't make a great deal of difference. The problem is when there is writing on the screen surrounding it is a little 'fuzzy' which can happen with people as well. This is the first time I've had an LCD TV so maybe this is normal but as stated the shop TVs always seemed to be much better quality. I went into the shops the other day and the difference was dramatic.
Does Sky HD make a lot of difference as I am toying with that idea?
Are the scart leads the best way of connecting it all up and it so can anyone recommend any? Having ordered the QED Qunex HDMI lead I may stick with them for scarts.

 

[Badger0-0]

Moving to HD would almost certainly improve things.

Without wanting to get into the argument about LCD (I'm a plasma fan), I suspect you're seeing the faults of LCD via SD.

Your telly is outstanding with HD (well the KDL40W2000 is, I'm not sure of the difference) so I'd take that route, myself.