Poor image quality using tv tuner card n media portal (1 Viewer)

[simon_lkl]

hi guys

I am using the Hauppauge 1300 tv tuner card to connect from my cable box to my plasma tv.
But the image quality using media portal is loosy as compared to cable box connects directly to tv.

Is this expected? or what did I do wrongly or should improve?

From my cable box, I am using the coaxial cable to my tuner card, vga from tv tuner card to plasma tv.

please help.

 

[Callifo]

The antenna input is the lowest possible quality input you can use. Most cards only support that and composite/svideo input. Those inputs arent exactly known for good quality. Comparing the quality of a box connected via component (or higher) is obviously going to be better than the through the tv card.

 

[simon_lkl]

The antenna input is the lowest possible quality input you can use. Most cards only support that and composite/svideo input. Those inputs arent exactly known for good quality. Comparing the quality of a box connected via component (or higher) is obviously going to be better than the through the tv card.

So the lower quality is expected? Are all HTPC having this kind of quality? which component change can improve my situation?

 

[Callifo]

Well I havent seen any cards offering anything better than svideo in so that part you cant fix. I have seen a mention that PQwise the Hauppauge analogue cards are faily average. The newer ATI cards were supposed to be better (hearsay only, no personal experience).

For what little analogue recording I do I have no problem with my PVR150MCE (same analogue tuner thats present in your card). Watching it on my HD LCD, it doesnt seem that much worse than the box hooked up via component.

 

[simon_lkl]

Could the poor image quality be due to my graphics card? it is a 6600 geforce. having read the many posts here, i do believe this card is good enough.

another issue is i have to set my windows resolution to 1024x768 in order to get a full screen display in media portal. when i set the resolution to be higher than 1024, the picture will be in the center with 2 black bars at the side. for this case, the picture looks better.

i am guessing when the picture is shown in 1024, due to my plasma tv display resolution, the image will appear loosy. not sure i am correct on this.

really need some help from those who have used the same card and got good image quality, on the setup and configuration of the card so that i could convince myself to go ahead with my setting up of the HTPC