Time Warner High-Def and Standard Broadcasting in San Antonio (rent, to buy) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Latinocowboy · 03-23-2007, 06:58 AM

I just got a 50" DLP TV and ain't too happy with the standard broadcasting. I have noticed that Time Warner does compress their signal quite a bit. Sometimes I get audio lag on my HD channels too as well as video "stutter".

Anyone else notice similar issues on their High-Def TV sets using Time Warner? Any Dish Network customers that care to chime in as well?

FWIW, I have a fairly good Samsung that does 720p and 1080i.

Hoot Owl · 03-23-2007, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latinocowboy

I just got a 50" DLP TV and ain't too happy with the standard broadcasting. I have noticed that Time Warner does compress their signal quite a bit. Sometimes I get audio lag on my HD channels too as well as video "stutter".

Anyone else notice similar issues on their High-Def TV sets using Time Warner? Any Dish Network customers that care to chime in as well?

FWIW, I have a fairly good Samsung that does 720p and 1080i.

Does your HD set have a built-in QAM tuner? If so, you CAN receive the local HD stations (WOAI, KENS, KSAT, KLRN, KABB) without a cable set-top-box. Few people know this and the cable company doesn't advertise it (Why would they? They can take more of your money if you rent their cable box!).

Anyway, if you have the QAM tuner, try plugging the cable straight in to your set. Then rescan your channels. This way you can determine if it's the converter box that's introducing the problems.

Good luck.

Hoot Owl · 03-23-2007, 07:35 AM

More info on QAM tuners at Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAM_tuner

winst0n · 03-23-2007, 08:26 AM

is it very rampant? try exchanging your cable box, maybe its the box...

i remember something like that happening to me before, like a whole show i recorded in dvr in hd channel without sound, but during commercials it had sound... weird... anyway TW just gave me a "new" box... after that i don't remember happening anymore... other than that, i'm quite satisfied with their HD channels in my 50" plasma hdtv

PrettyHateMachine · 03-23-2007, 09:22 AM

Don't mean to hijack, Latinocowboy. But which one is a better purchase. Plasma, DLP, or LCD?

CreekKnoll · 03-23-2007, 09:35 AM

Hmmmm...I use the HD reciever provided by Time Warner and really don't have any issues. Every now and then the picture will go blocky for a split second but i just think that's Time Warners signal.

THe DLPs have come way down in price, I think Sears has a 42" Toshiba for 899 now.
If I was to buy a new TV now, I would probably go with an LCD 1080p.

ShaneSA · 03-23-2007, 10:59 AM

I gave up cable and went to direcTV. It's cheaper, more channels, and the picture is great.
The only problem I had was during severe thunderstorm....I lost the satelite. I can only assume it was because the cluds in the storm were so high that it blocked the signal. I should not have had the TV or anything else electric on during that storm.
In any case, I've been very happy with satelite or 3 years.

Latinocowboy · 03-23-2007, 11:18 AM

HD is fine. Picture is razor sharp. It's the standard broadcasting that leaves something to be desired. My old 32" CRT tube TV had a crisper image on standard signals. I was wondering if TWSA's compression is what's deteriorating the signal because my cable box/DVR is fine.

I'll have to check if my set has the internal tuner.

Latinocowboy · 03-23-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrettyHateMachine

Don't mean to hijack, Latinocowboy. But which one is a better purchase. Plasma, DLP, or LCD?

They all have their pros and cons. It depends on what's important to you. I went with this particular Samsung because of price point and features. I figure that down the road when 1080p programming become more available, my current TV would be moved to the game room.

Latinocowboy · 03-23-2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

I gave up cable and went to direcTV. It's cheaper, more channels, and the picture is great.
The only problem I had was during severe thunderstorm....I lost the satelite. I can only assume it was because the cluds in the storm were so high that it blocked the signal. I should not have had the TV or anything else electric on during that storm.
In any case, I've been very happy with satelite or 3 years.

I was very interested in a dish, but I got a great deal on my phone/internet/cable package that I couldn't pass up.

I do wonder if other cable companies will pop up here in San Antonio. Perhaps then, will cable prices drop some.