How can I improve the quality of the picture on my LCD TV?

Question: How can I improve the quality of the picture on my LCD TV?

Question: "How can I improve the quality of the picture on my Sharp 20” LCD TV? I just got it at Costco for a bedroom TV and I LOVE the size, color, DVD viewing and weight but I do not love the picture from cable. I saw it at Best Buy for $599, Circuit City for $439 and bought it at Costco for $399. I’ve had Sharp TV’s in the past and loved them. Would a “monster cable” help (and what is a monster cable)?"

Answer: Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do to improve the picture on your Sharp. You can buy Monster cables but the improvement over the basic red-green-blue component cables is arguable for the average viewer. I would suggest that Monster cables are for the home theater enthusiast that doesn't mind dropping $60+ on AV cables.

Monster cables are high end cables that have a cleaner pass through for the video and audio signal. They basically allow the signal to go from the source to the monitor in its intended resolution - regular cables will degrade the signal a little and give the image and audio a little noise. Again, the impact of a Monstar cable would not solve your problem. It wouldn't hurt, though.

There are various devices on the market that promise to improve the picture. But, the improvement is digitally and I don't think that would be the best solution for you because some of these devices cost about as much as your television.

I will let you know why the Sharp is not good with your cable. It is the same reason most HDTVs don't excel with cable, but no one tells the consumer about it. Except me :-)

It's the technology. The manufacturers build this stuff to be excellent on the high end but the fall out of the high end is that sometimes the way most people watch their TV (on the low end) is overshadowed by these remarkable HD images. This is more true with the sales and marketing side of the business. Yes, your TV looks good with a DVD or HD image but how often do you watch that type of programming?

What I mean by all of this is that these televisions are built to show a picture in great detail but when a lower resolution (480i or analog) is displayed the blemishes are magnified because the TV is made to show the better images. With old analog tube televisions you wouldn't notice this as much because the TVs weren't as detailed.

I will compare this to a blade iron in golf versus a cavity back. A good hit on a blade iron will be much more precise with better spin than an equal hit on a cavity back. However, anything off center on a blade will not respond with the same distance and control as a cavity back. That is by design as blade irons are for the more skilled player.

Now, I will say that digital tube TVs have great pictures for the most part with cable. However, not many people want a TV that weighs 100 lbs.