Samsung A686 Picture Problem

[cmc10]

Hi all

I'm new to the forum. I got my Samsung A686 today and I'm really impressed with it over my old Toshiba 32 CRT.

I'm having a bit of a problem with the picture. When watching a channel through the digital TV tuner the picture is outstanding. When I switch to sky to watch the same channel it is noticeable more grainy.

Anyone any thoughts on why this would be the case? Could it be a poor quality scart lead running from my sky+ box?

Also anyone know the code to programme the sky+ remote control? or any other good set up tips?

Thanks is advance!



cmc

 

[Nijius Maximus]

Mate, I'm having EXACTLY the same problem! I got my TV delivered on Thursday and have been adjusting the picture settings, almost compulsively, to get a good picture from Sky. Yet the same channels from the built in digital tuner look great! I've tried various settings on these forums as well as my own endless tweaks but to no avail.

It's annoying cos everything else, PC, HD DVD's, Xbox 360 (can't notice any input lag on Halo 3) and even DVD's (through the 360) look excellent. Hell, I'd even go as far as saying that the analogue tuner produces channels that look better than some of the channels being broadcast on Sky. Check out Chart Show TV on channel 365 - it always looks awful, there's so much blockiness to the image that it feels like I'm watching a YouTube video!

I've heard that many channels on Sky don't get that much bandwidth hence the bad quality. It's frustating being able to get the settings just right for a programme such as Lost on Sky 1, which almost looks like it's in HD at times, and then having to switch over to another channel and fearing the worst...

I don't know what to do, most of the channels I watch are on Sky and I'm already using a good quality, gold plated Scart cable. Wish I still had my Virgin box so I could compare. Maybe I should've just bought a 720p plasma TV?

In terms of setup tips I'd say adjusting the equaliser in the sound settings makes a massive difference. Moving bar 2 (first bar after the balance bar) up to about 75% and bar 3 to 60% gives a surprisingly good amount of bass. And of course turn on the SRS XT option.

Cheers.

P.S. Did you get the 40" version like myself?

 

[Deleted member 293381]

Hi Guys

It's the same old story. You have purchased a quality TV that delivers an excellent picture. The problem is that quality will highlight the failings in other equipment.

Sky is going through a period of change as it brings on-line more HD stuff. Trouble is SD channel bandwidth gets reduced as a result.

Alan

 

[cmc10]

Yes got the 40 inch. Excellent piece of kit.

Sounds like it's sky that's the problems. It's so frustrating as the digital TV picture is sooooo much crisper.

I thought it was the scarts but doesn't sounds like it. I take it we just need to live with this.

cmc

 

[YellowSphere]

Make sure Sky is set to RGB.

Also, try reducing the sharpness control, as you turn this up from 0, it looks to artificially sharpen the edges in the image, in our current poor quality digital broadcasts, those edges are just pixellation and compression artifacts, so turn it down!

Do that and Sky should look a little more agreeable, though it will vary channel by channel, and BBC and ITV definitely look their best on freeview.

 

[cerebros]

Yes got the 40 inch. Excellent piece of kit.

Sounds like it's sky that's the problems. It's so frustrating as the digital TV picture is sooooo much crisper.

I thought it was the scarts but doesn't sounds like it. I take it we just need to live with this.

cmc

I think you're just getting hit by the effects of low-bandwidth broadcasts on Sky being shown up more by the fact that your viewable screen diagonal has gone up about 10".

This is why I'm sort of dreading my upgrade to a 40" a bit later this year from my current 28" - at my normal viewing distance now (about 7') I can often spot artefacts on lower bitrate broadcasts, so god knows how much I'll notice on 40" (although I should be able to increase viewing distance by about 2' by switching the viewing position and furniture around)

 

[Nijius Maximus]

Sky is going through a period of change as it brings on-line more HD stuff. Trouble is SD channel bandwidth gets reduced as a result.

That's interesting, so SD channels are going to get worse and worse as more HD channels are added? Is Virgin affected in the same way or does cable have a much higher bandwidth?

Yes got the 40 inch. Excellent piece of kit.

Sounds like it's sky that's the problems. It's so frustrating as the digital TV picture is sooooo much crisper.

I thought it was the scarts but doesn't sounds like it. I take it we just need to live with this.

It is an excellent piece of kit: looks amazing as a piece of furniture as well, love the glossy black. Seems that you're right though, either sit further away or live with the problem.

Also, try reducing the sharpness control, as you turn this up from 0, it looks to artificially sharpen the edges in the image, in our current poor quality digital broadcasts, those edges are just pixellation and compression artifacts, so turn it down!

Thanks mate, I'll try that.

I think you're just getting hit by the effects of low-bandwidth broadcasts on Sky being shown up more by the fact that your viewable screen diagonal has gone up about 10".

This is why I'm sort of dreading my upgrade to a 40" a bit later this year from my current 28" - at my normal viewing distance now (about 7') I can often spot artefacts on lower bitrate broadcasts, so god knows how much I'll notice on 40" (although I should be able to increase viewing distance by about 2' by switching the viewing position and furniture around)

I upgraded from a 28" widescreen CRT as well. I could already see that certain Sky channels weren't the best on the CRT and now they look truly awful. Sitting a good distance away makes a massive difference though. But I've already got the TV as far back as it can go and half the people in the lounge just aren't gonna get as good a picture as everyone else!

Cheers.

P.S. What surprised me the most is how bad Fox News looks. It's owned by Murdoch so surely he'd make sure his own channels were broadcast at the highest quality. Or maybe it's because it's an American channel?

 

[cmc10]

Make sure Sky is set to RGB.

Also, try reducing the sharpness control, as you turn this up from 0, it looks to artificially sharpen the edges in the image, in our current poor quality digital broadcasts, those edges are just pixellation and compression artifacts, so turn it down!

Do that and Sky should look a little more agreeable, though it will vary channel by channel, and BBC and ITV definitely look their best on freeview.

Thanks mate. I'll give that a go.

 

[robert_1]

Hi all

I'm new to the forum. I got my Samsung A686 today and I'm really impressed with it over my old Toshiba 32 CRT.

I'm having a bit of a problem with the picture. When watching a channel through the digital TV tuner the picture is outstanding. When I switch to sky to watch the same channel it is noticeable more grainy.

Anyone any thoughts on why this would be the case? Could it be a poor quality scart lead running from my sky+ box?

Also anyone know the code to programme the sky+ remote control? or any other good set up tips?

Thanks is advance!



cmc

It's because it's a samsung, enough said.

 

[ukmikk]

It's because it's a samsung, enough said.

Hey look! A moron!

 

[Deleted member 293381]

Hey look! A moron!

Don't bite - he will only rattle his cage even more.

 

[Pip271272]

Hi Folks
I too have just taken delivery of my 40" 686.
I'm so frustrated trying to get a good quality watchable picture on it tho...

I'm running Sky + through it at the moment through a Scart Lead
I've read just about every page regarding Picture settings etc...
I've tried Alan CD's along with numerous others I have found on here and on hdtv.co.uk which seems to be the benchmark/starting point, but all appears to be too dark a picture and or it looks dull...
I know it is all a matter of taste and was certainly glad to have found the info, on here to at least try it out.

I also have a wii that I'm running through it, through the side panel inputs..and standard DVD Player through a scart.

Does anyone else have any definitive lists of settings that I could try to see if I can get it sorted. If I don't sort something soon I'm gonna go mental!! or send the tv back....

As you can probably tell - I'm no expert on this subject so
Any help will be gratefully rec'd

 

[cerebros]

There's no such thing as definitive settings as it's highly unlikely you'll get a screen exactly like someone else's due to sample variance.

It's best to get a setup disc and use that to calibrate your screen

 

[Pip271272]

Thanks for that.
Where could I get a set-up disc??

I've had another play with the settings again after looking through all the pages on here and its getting better..
Well it's reduced the urge to put my foot through it anyway!

I'll post my current settings up when I get chance later..
Thanks again

 

[cerebros]

Thanks for that.
Where could I get a set-up disc??

Well there's probably a few DVD's in your collection that'll have something like THX Optimiser on them already which is a good place to start.

In terms of dedicated set-up discs I use the DVE Essentials disc, although there may be newer and better disc out there.

From looking at the settings from the review on the HDTV Test website you may need slightly different settings for HD and SD material