Ok, so i've been given a gift of a Technika 32" LED TV.

I've set it up and i'm not getting on with it.

I see shadows on some things and movement (football for example) just hurts my eyes. I'm sure their is also a little bit of fuzz on the screen, although text is very clear.

I have SKY, so what settings would be best for a 32" TV and would obtaining a better scart lead make any difference?

I have a fairly old style setup - with SKY, DVD, VCR, TV - this system has worked for years, but I cannot record with the TV off! It just comes out blank!

Many thanks.

PS - it may just be my eyes!

EDIT: I know it's a cheap TV, but the picture hurts my eyes more than my old smaller TV - maybe I just need to get used to it?

A different SCART lead would make no difference, the only setting on the Sky box which could improve things is to ensure it's set to RGB and and not Composite.

Thanks - already set to RGB.

Think I may have to accept it's just not a very good TV (and then work out what HDMI, etc is going to do for me)

Thanks.

There will be a menu with the usual contrast, brightness, sharpness, whatever settings, just alter them to your personal preference. You have been given the set so there is no guarantee anything is set correctly. Try resetting things to default if possible before you start. If you give the model number someone on this forum may be able to help you further. Saying it's a Technika isn't much help.

HDMI wil give you HD, assuming you have a Sky HD box?.

Yep, done all of that. It's the shadows that are causing the issues - not sure if it's because my SKY reception is about 75% or if i've the wrong bits in the wrong holes, or too many bits - i.e the VCR is an issue.

It's a TECHNIKA 32-56 LCD TV 32'' LCD TV HD-READY WITH BUILT-IN FREEVIEW (sorry for caps, I C&P'd)


Yes, just not attached to this TV - this is a standard box.

I thought HD Ready could not be upgraded to Full HD?

Sorry, i'm not overly technical. I'll read up some more, but it confuses me.

HDMI on sky will be beneficial as you'll get the fta HD channels, if you subscribe to HD you'll get all those that correspond to your subscription. You should notice a difference between SD and HD even on this particular TV.

Doubt you'll notice much difference between HDMI and RGB scart on DVD but always worth a look.

Not a lot you can do with the VCR......

Thanks.

I'll look into HDMI on this TV then and see what happens.

If I took the VCR out of the equasion, is it possible I may get a better picture by omitting it purely by having one less thing to go through? (Before I get on my hands and knees and go through all the wires.

Cheers.

On the country if your scart lead does not have individually screened conductors getting one that has could reduce crosstalk from the analogue side of the TV. In the past this would have been shadows from an analogue channel, nowadays it would appear as the fuzz you describe.

The only way to tell if your scart lead has individually screened conductors is to open up one of the plugs. The same applies to any new one you buy. Don't trust the sellers word.

The scart lead is a cheapo one - may even be a Tesco one.

I can get a signal through 'Analogue' or 'Scart'. Scart will also mean I can use my DVD Recorder at the same time.

If your equipment is connected individually and you are using good quality scart leads I doubt removing the VCR will have any affect.

If you are piggy backing boxes and using video pass through with poor quality scarts then connecting them directly or using a switchbox with better quality leafs should improve matters.

I doubt the 'quality' scart leads to be honest.

I really think they were cheapies from years ago.

Could be worth upgrading the cables, something like this....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Profigold-...p2054897.l4275

Could be a good shout - worth a try. I guess Profigold are good or you would not recommend.

What are these like? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ross-SCG1-RS.../dp/B005VD9D0O

I only ask as they sell them at my daughters workplace (not Amazon) and as she lives at home, she can use her staff discount - It's £3.99 there but not sure on discount.

Profigold are a reputable company....

The scart you linked too looks OK too, both should give an interference free signal so you can then adjust the TV's picture settings to suit.

Thank you. I'll decide what to do in the morning.

Just a couple more questions.....honest...sorry to be a pain.

My main TV is linked up to SKYHD+ - that is fine.

This TV is linked up to a standard Sky box - if I managed to get hold of a normal SkyHD box, is this one coaxial lead like a Sky standard box? (I missed the progression from standard to HD and went straight to Sky+HD from Standard for the main TV)

And any HDMI will do, or should I stick to profigold or Ross?

Thanks, and again, sorry for the many questions.

Sky HD has two LNB inputs but you can run it on a single cable, downside is you won't be able to record and watch different channel/programme at the same time.

HDMI cables carry data so one from a pound shop will do the same job as one costing £50, just check the termination is OK and doesn't fall apart when you pick it up.

Thanks.

Record/watch another is not an issue. We have the main TV for that.

Excellent, i'll get a cheap one tomorrow and go from there.

Thanks for all of your help, it is most appreciated.

It's a bit hard to tell the quality of this lead by the picture - this picture may only be a stock photo anyway although it does have good reviews.

The main thing to look out for with SCART is that the cable is fully wired and screened. If the cable is fairly chunky then it's probably ok regardless of price. If it's thin and flimsy then it probably isn't. Don't worry about gold plated connectors, after all I doubt you have gold connectors on your TV/VCR anyway.

I'll give it a go I think as I can get a discount.

Just been looking around and I get this 'ghosting' thing, so i'd imagine my scart leads are hopeless.

The Ross Scart Lead is PVC screened and seems to be chunky so will give it a go.

Thanks.

Even more so, one of the greatest improvements on better TV's is the scaler, so feeding HD to a cheap set makes a spectacular difference.

I used a cheap nasty Vestel/Bush set (one of the stupid 16:10 ones) as a test set for a while, including use as a PC monitor - it looked great on HD, and on VGA from a PC.

If you are piggy backing it is possible that your VCR doesn't pass RGB. Connect your Sky box directly to the TV to check before going any further.

You can eliminate the TV by looking at a Freeview picture instead of Sky, take it to a friends house who has an aerial.

Will give it a go later. At least HDMI so I can upscale - will try a DVD. HD Box will have to wait.


Will take the VCR out of the equasion later too.

I can get Freeview on this TV, so will tune that in (if I can be assured I can then have SKY override it after!)

Oh and turning on this morning, I was welcomed by people having red glittery movement on their faces and on some background items too. Turned it off and on again and it was fine....

It's not a case of Freeview or Sky. You receive Freeview through the digital terrestrial tuner in the TV. You receive Sky through the Sky box connected to the TV. One doesn't override the other - you choose Freeview by selecting the digital tuner as source, you choose Sky by selecting the AV input (be it scart, HDMI or even analogue RF) as source. One doesn't exclude the other.

Ah right, thanks.

Tuning now - although looking at the screen, I swear I did this last night and it didn't find freeview.

We'll see...