Is it better to run YuV cables from a foxtel digital box to a Pioneer Plasma or is a S-Video cable superior?

Question

I have just had a pioneer plasma (with built in HD tuner) installed and the AV guy used YuV cables to connect the Foxtel box to the TV. I've noticed the Foxtel resolution / picture quality (note we have cable - not satellite) is not what I'd expect from an SD broadcast on a high resolution plasma. ALSO notably the aspect is different from say, HD free to air. for example when I switch between channel 9 free to air and ch 9 foxtel I notice the ch 9 logo is noticably more toward the centre of the screen on foxtel - almost like its on Zoom setting or something. I've played around with all the settings on both the foxtel and the plasma itself - all different combinations - with no success. My next move was to try and run an S-Video cable from the foxtel box to the TV - would this typically assist in both the Aspect and the resolution/picture quality? Any other suggestions???! Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You will make things worse using s-video. Only the component cables (Y,Pr,Pb) carry HDTV. It appears that the cable TV signal is not HD and is in the old 4:3 format, while the over-the-air broadcast may be real HD in the 16:9 format. Contact your cable company an explain that you are not receiving the proper HD signals.

NOTE: On re-read, I see that you are getting SD from the cable; in that case, if it is analog cable, the picture quality on your HD plasma will look worse than on a poorer TV. The high resolution display reveals all the defects in the analog picture. I do not know if you can get digital cable service, but if you can, you will get a much better picture even in SD. That is also the reason the aspect ratio is different: your SD cable picture will always be 4:3 (unless it's letterboxed with bars at top and bottom). Your TV may have a zoom mode which will let the 4:3 picture fill the full screen; this involves some cropping and distortion of the picture, but the result can be quite pleasing. Check your TV user manual.