Picture distortion on all channels in 1080i?

[SoupMama]

Hi
I've got the Voom installer coming out tomorrow to reposition the OTA, and I need to get some info on another problem in case I need the installer to work on that too.
I've noticed some distortion on my picture, and I'm wondering if it is the TV, the Voom signal, or the STB. The picture distortion appears as horizontal "bulging" of the image within the first upper inch of the screen. Then it goes straight for most of the rest of the image downwards, except the bottom 1/3 has a slight taper inwards. I don't have a pic, but let me draw it
___________
(.................)
|...............|
|...............|
|...............|
\_________/

It is VERY obvious when sidebars are being displayed (such as on OTA channels), but if you are looking for it, you can see it on full-screen programming, such as HDNews and even non-HD programming.

It is also VERY obvious in 1080i mode, hardly there in 480p, and unnoticeable in 480i (my TV does not display 720p).

I currently have the STB set on 1080i display. The TV is a Samsung TXM3098WHF 16:9 30" Tantus DynaFlat.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[DarrellP]

I'd be inclined to think it's your display since you have a direct view tube display, almost all glass tubes have some distortion. Get a setup disc and check out some test patterns.

With my projector I have no distortion at all.

 

[Ilya]

SoupMama,
Does this depend on what is shown on the screen?
Most CRT-based TV sets have a distortion similar to what you describe, but it usually depends on what is shown on the screen. The brighter the line, the wider it gets
If that's what you are seeing, you might be able to reduce this distortion somewhat by adjusting the brightness and contrast down.

Look at different channels. If the distortion is always in the same place regardless of what is shown on the screen, then this must be a different problem. Could be a defect either in your TV or in the STB.

 

[SoupMama]

Ilya, the defect appears to be on every channel. I can not detect any variation between them. DarrellP's got a point, tho - since I don't have any 1080i X-box games and my DVD player doesn't do 1080i, the only thing that can help me determine if its the TV or Voom would be a setup disk.