TV and Home Theater

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Did you recently purchase a new HDTV, Blu-ray player or other HD device?  Not experiencing the same kind of picture quality you saw at your local Best Buy® store?  If so, then there are a couple things you may want to consider:

1)     Your picture quality is limited by your signal source.  This means that even if you own an HDTV, standard definition cable and over-the-air broadcasts will only ever deliver standard definition images.  To take full advantage of everything your HDTV has to offer, you’ll want to upgrade to HD cable or satellite service.

2)     Your picture quality is limited by the type of cable you use.  Different cable types support different maximum resolutions and not every TV accepts every type of cable.

Coaxial/RF

Coaxial cables are the most basic type of video connection.  They carry standard resolution signals and are primarily intended to bring signals into your home from an outside source (cable, satellite or antenna).

Composite

Composite cables are another type of basic video connection.  These cables are typically colored yellow and can display video up to 480i.

S-Video

Like composite video cables, S-Video can support a maximum resolution of 480i.  They’re often reported to provide a better picture than composite cables, but they still aren’t capable of delivering a high definition experience.

Component

Component video cables are your first option for delivering high definition signals up to 1080p.  Unfortunately, not all HDTVs are able to accept 1080p signals through their component inputs.  They’re typically color-coded green, blue and red and are compatible with a wide range of devices, including many Blu-ray players and video game consoles.

HDMI

Your second option for high definition signals, HDMI cables can carry multichannel audio and are the only type of cable that’s capable of delivering 3D content.  They can also help you minimize the clutter behind your home theater system since they do not need a separate, dedicated audio cable.

Still not sure what's causing your picture quality issues?  Remember that you can always give us a call at 1-800-GEEK-SQUAD (1-800-433-5776) for additional assistance.