DSR-410 picture quality

[jaray]

I have my new DSR-410 up and running, and I have to say I am not impressed with the picture quality. I've been reading many posts of the descent PQ from C-Band and to be honest was looking forward to getting it up and running.
I would have to say it is nowhere near even the standard def programming on my BellTV.
Now I realize that all the 410 has is composite video, but is this limitation to be expected? Is there anything to gain when I purchase my new LNBF?
I notice the colors are not as vivid and the blacks seem blotchy or almost pixely.

Also, every spec sheet I see for the DSR-410 lists them as having a digital audio out of some sort and all mine has is stereo outputs. Maybe this one is an older version as it is labeled as a General Instrument.

thoughts??

 

[GreatFTA]

Sounds like you are not absolutely aimed on that dish. When I got my 4DTV 922 receiver, I programmed the limits and satellites. Then I called Skyvision to subscribe to some channels I had that problem with the pixels and quality. Skyvision told me to check my dish alignments. After swapping dishes and redoing the aligning, I have no problems. Excellent picture! My quality readings went from 35 - 45 to about 80 - 87.
It might be your LNBF. What are you using?
Or it may be the cables from your 410 to your TV. Does the 410 have S-Video?
I use the yellow (video), red and white (audio) cable from my 922 to my TV with great results.
Look like the 410 should have the yellow and red and white outputs on the back.
Or it should have the composite outputs (red, blue, and green for video). The S-Video gives better picture quality than the regular yellow/red/white cable. The red/blue/green composite cable give great video, too. Make sure to use the red and white audio outputs if using the S-Video or composite outputs.
Hope this help.

 

[tvropro]

I don't know... HITS on W5 looks pretty good on my 922. Not HBO master quality but better than any SD pizza. In fact it rivals Starchoice (Shaw) on my 405. I use both S and composite out on both receivers.

The 410 I put in for a client had digital audio out (coaxial) and composite video.

Bell may use artificial edge enhancement to give you the illusion of a better picture like dish does, but it really isn't.

 

[jaray]

I'm not seeing picture breakup or anything to suggest a problem with something, its just not as sharp a picture. I think even our digital cable around here is better.
I'm thinking its just the limitation of component video, unless everyone tells me they see nothing wrong with theirs.
Maybe I'll hook my Bell back up and use composite video as well and the same cord too to compare.

 

[jaray]

Forgot to add signals, seeing strengths around 60 on the tune in signal screen and signal quality on ch 204 of 66 and ebno of between 6.1 and 6.3

 

[tvropro]

My W5 HITS channels look fine. If your seeing a sharper picture on your bell system it's like I said before bell like dishnet use edge enhancement to give you a sharper look to think it's better. It will also enhance mosquito noise and macroblocking. Digital for the most part has a soft look.

If you look here you can see some of my W5 tv pictures in smart stretch upconverted to 1080P on my Sharp AQUOS. May help you make a judgment call.

TvroPro's Photo Gallery

What type of tv are you using?

 

[GreatFTA]

I'm not seeing picture breakup or anything to suggest a problem with something, its just not as sharp a picture. I think even our digital cable around here is better.
I'm thinking its just the limitation of component video, unless everyone tells me they see nothing wrong with theirs.
Maybe I'll hook my Bell back up and use composite video as well and the same cord too to compare.

Have you tried another TV, to see if there are any differences? I think TVROPRO is on to something.

 

[jaray]

Well well... I just connected my composite video directly to my TV instead of through my home theatre receiver, and now I'm impressed! So this means my Yamaha receiver isn't processing the composite video source correctly. To be honest, I'm surprised descent home theater receivers these days even have composite video connections still. So now I'll have to go hunting through the settings in the receiver to figure out why.
This is what I was expecting, now I'll be phone the pizza joint and canceling my services.

BTW, I'm watching on a 46" Panasonic Viera Plasma. So the last thing will be having to check with Skyvision and see if I can swap this 410 for one with a digital audio (that I can't live without).

thanks everyone for getting me thinking harder about this one, this is awesome!
To add some humor, almost every time a bigger plane goes over my house landing at the airport, I lose pic for a millisecond (the signal light flicks very quickly too)
I sure didn't think the planes would be in the LoS...can RF noise from a plane overhead quite close cause issues that might be perceived as a signal block?

 

[tvropro]

I live near an airport and yes planes going through the signal path can cause breakup. Glad to hear you solved the issue with the picture. I have a Yamaha receiver but never use it for switching video. I use 2 passive video switches and the one inside my tv.

HITS on W5 can look pretty good.

 

[Anole]

just to clarify:

Look like the 410 should have the yellow and red and white outputs on the back.

That's Composite.

Or it should have the composite outputs (red, blue, and green for video).

That's Component.

The S-Video gives better picture quality than the regular yellow/red/white cable.

Yep, absolutely - :up

worst: composite, yellow RCA cable (well, a channel 3 modulator would be even worse) -
good: S-video, 4-pin cable.
better: Component, three coax cables with red/blue/green RCA connectors.
best: HDMI, which is the only one carrying digital audio down the same cable as the video.

VGA or DVI connectors may or may not supply excellent quality, but there are other variables to consider.