Digital Cable Fuzzy on TV after it was used as PC Monitor

[ar_farmgirl]

I used my 19 inch Emerson HDTV as a computer monitor for a year, then wanted to use it just as a TV again. When I hooked it back up to the digital cable, all the channels were grainy.

I have searched and searched online for a solution but haven't found anything. I have tested it on other jacks. All my other house TVs' pictures are great.

Also, I tested my other TV that is being used as a PC monitor and it did the exact same thing. When I put it back to the computer/HDMI the picture is fine. Any suggestions? Is using the TVs as HDMI Monitors damaging the TVs?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Most likely it's simply that your computer is using the full monitor resolution in HD while your cable service tier or box may not be. If the display looks fine on a PC connection it's not damaged. Try using the TV or cable box menu options to adjust the incoming signal to the correct signal quality.

 

[ar_farmgirl]

That is probably the case. However, I have tried to adjust every setting under my setup menu. Its a very simplistic TV and there is nothing other than the usual brightness/ color / contrast/ sharpness/ etc settings to adjust. They haven't helped much. There seems to be no resolution or hdmi vs. hdtv settings. Engineering failure I think. I have let the TV run for an hour or so now and some of the stations seem to be slightly better while the lower (local) channels are still really bad. Maybe they will adjust with time. If that doesn't work I will try buying a cheap dvd player or something to run the signal through and see if the signal is better through a peripheral. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Darkbreeze]

The cable box itself should have the resolution and HD settings. If there are no available HD settings on your box then it's simply because you don't have HD service and cannot adjust the signal to HD resolutions or refresh rates without the corresponding HD receiver box. The computer doesn't have those restrictions and can display at any refresh rate or resolution supported by the monitor, tv or the GPU output of your computer.

I'd almost guarantee that nothing has changed in regard to running the tv for a while, or any amount of time, has changed nothing about the display you're seeing. It's more likely that your eyes have simply adjusted to the lower quality being displayed after being used to seeing it that way on the computer.

Using a DVD or Blu-ray player capable of HD output will of course be different. Since the TV is capable of being displayed at HD resolutions and if you have or get a disc player also capable of it, it should look as good when playing disks as it did when connected to the computer. The cable signal you're receiving though, if not an HD signal, cannot.

 

[bishopi5]

I agree, if you have been used to running at like 1080p for last year, and that cable box isn't running it at 1080p, You will see a massive downgrade in visual quality (being used to perfect 1080p from the computer)