New computer

[Vinny]

I would try what badval said first. Some of this new technology has me baffeled since I don't play around with it. I was in BJ's last night and wandered to the HDTV LCD section and all the 16:9 HDTV's had an elongated picture which I personally don't like, it looks like they streched the picture to fit the TV - not natural looking IMO. My TV in the family room is about 10 YO and the buttons in the front are going along with the remote and I would like to replace it with a HDTV but if the picture is distorted, I don't think so!

As far as a booster, the ones that are supposed to work great are the plug into the wall type. I think there are some out there that rely on electronic component principles to boost the signal. You want to get one that will electrically boost the signal ... I think they say about 10 DB or so.

[sledjunkie]

If you're having signal/reception problems from your cable TV connection I recommend you try this...

Where the coax comes into your house (from street) go into a 2 way splitter. Then out from the two way splitter, have one of the connections go to your HDTV set (or set which requires the best signal with the least db loss.. Then from the other connection on the 2 way, go to another splitter (like a 3 way, or 4 way (whatever you need)) for your other sets.

Make sure you pick up some good splitters. Check out radio shack.

As someone else said, use RG6 cable only, and re-crimp all the cable connectors (including wall plate connectors inside and out) with high quality connectors.

A cable booster may help, but most of the time they do not.

[Bonibelle]

Thanks guys, my cable actually splits first through this booster that the cable company installed. I am pretty far from the line (and the last connection on this loop or whatever it is called). I have difficulty with some stations on another TV. I guess the problem is that my sister just bought a wide screen LCD Tv and her picture is so much better for live TV. I will mess with the settings and see what happens. I am also going to check the cable again.
Badval, about the connections, would it be a better choice to switch to the DVI cable? I guess I don't understand why they give you a choice and there doesn't seem to be any documentation for why.
No matter, I love this screen for working and surfing AND watching DVD's. It's weird, we have a 32 inch TV in our sunroom but it appears to be lost as the room is relatively large... (24X24 with a vaulted ceiling). Watching this screen in my much smaller computer/sewing room (about 15X13)has a much more comfortable feel and that was what I was trying to achieve using my computer as another TV... :-/
I'll keep you all posted.

[badval]

I would try what badval said first. Some of this new technology has me baffeled since I don't play around with it. I was in BJ's last night and wandered to the HDTV LCD section and all the 16:9 HDTV's had an elongated picture which I personally don't like, it looks like they streched the picture to fit the TV - not natural looking IMO. My TV in the family room is about 10 YO and the buttons in the front are going along with the remote and I would like to replace it with a HDTV but if the picture is distorted, I don't think so!

As far as a booster, the ones that are supposed to work great are the plug into the wall type. I think there are some out there that rely on electronic component principles to boost the signal. You want to get one that will electrically boost the signal ... I think they say about 10 DB or so.

You're going to have to live with the "squashed" look or else have your TV put black/gray bars down each side to keep the 4:3 ratio.  Filling a 16:9 frame with a 4:3 doesn't work w/o some sort of compromise.  Nature of the beast.  That's not a reason to stay away from HDTV though.  Any good one is going to have several options to work around the problem & finding the one you like best is the key.  At least you can watch HDTV (on the few channels out there now anyway) and that is a great improvement in pic quality.

Before trying any type booster or rewiring jacks, I'd have the cable guy come out & test at the outlets.  He can quickly measure & give a go/no-go call on signal quality at each jack.

[badval]

Thanks guys, my cable actually splits first through this booster that the cable company installed. I am pretty far from the line (and the last connection on this loop or whatever it is called). I have difficulty with some stations on another TV. I guess the problem is that my sister just bought a wide screen LCD Tv and her picture is so much better for live TV. I will mess with the settings and see what happens. I am also going to check the cable again.
Badval, about the connections, would it be a better choice to switch to the DVI cable? I guess I don't understand why they give you a choice and there doesn't seem to be any documentation for why.
No matter, I love this screen for working and surfing AND watching DVD's. It's weird, we have a 32 inch TV in our sunroom but it appears to be lost as the room is relatively large... (24X24 with a vaulted ceiling). Watching this screen in my much smaller computer/sewing room (about 15X13)has a much more comfortable feel and that was what I was trying to achieve using my computer as another TV... :-/
I'll keep you all posted.

The reason you have a choice is because both the video card and the monitor (TV) were made to work with either type of device at the other end.  Each component has it's own flexibility built-in.  You could use an older analog or CRT monitor with your computer w/o having to use an adapter - just plug it in.  Same for the monitor - you can use it with an older VGA or a newer DVI video card.

You want to use DVI.

[Bonibelle]

I just called Dell, and I have to say I am impressed. Because I have the XPS, I get some kind of special service. Anyway, I called and the technician was able to access my computer via the internet make changes and overall the picture quality has greatly improved...and he was able to fix my rear speakers (I just didn't want to spend the time figuring out why they didn't work). So the picture is much better but my football team isn't...I'm gonna delete this game before hubby gets home from work

[svspa]

badval,

Killer machine man.

Since I work for AMD I would have liked to have seen an Athlon64 and ATI vid card in that puppy but it's all good

I agree with you on the MSI products, I have used a bunch of their motherboards and vid cards.

Kudos to newegg too, I buy a a lot of stuff from them. My last build was an MSI barebones (Mega180) that I am using for my Media Center PC. I picked up the OEM version of Win MCE from newegg and installed it on the Mega180 and it works like a charm.

Steve