[lord dubious]

Hi All
I just watched "Madagascar" on TV.  My TV is a good standard definition CRT, not the lastest flat screen type.  At the same time, I played the same movie through a better-than-average Pioneer DVD player.  I spent an hour swapping from the TV to the DVD, carefully reviewing every scene and noticed (to my utter disbelief) that the TV broadcast was better.  The blacks were blacker,  the whites were whiter and the colours, contrast and details were all better.  I would have thought that a decent DVD player, plugged directly into a TV, would give the better results.  I was wrong.  Is there someone who might be able to offer a good explanation.
Thanks

[PhilNYC]

Maybe Pioneer assumed that most people would connect their DVD player to TV via component video (or at least S-Video) and didn't put too much work into the composite-out?

[rydenfan]

Well it depends on what resolution the broadcast was at?? TV can broadcast at 720P or 1080i and standard DVD is typically 480P. I would fully expect the TV broadcast to be superior in that comparison. Blu-Ray to TV broadcast would be a different story.

[GHM]

rydenfan beat me too it.

Other than that, maybe it is a interconnect thing in your case?..not sure. Hopefully you are using S video or RGB from your DVD player.

[PhilNYC]

Well it depends on what resolution the broadcast was at?? TV can broadcast at 720P or 1080i and standard DVD is typically 480P. I would fully expect the TV broadcast to be superior in that comparison. Blu-Ray to TV broadcast would be a different story.

Wouldn't he need a high-def tuner to receive a 720P or 1080i broadcast?

[GHM]

Well it depends on what resolution the broadcast was at?? TV can broadcast at 720P or 1080i and standard DVD is typically 480P. I would fully expect the TV broadcast to be superior in that comparison. Blu-Ray to TV broadcast would be a different story.

Wouldn't he need a high-def tuner to receive a 720P or 1080i broadcast?

Yup..without it..just regular old analog.

[lord dubious]

Thanks for the replies.
I have no device connected to the TV to receive high definition broadcasts, but I am using those crappy component video interconnects you get with the DVD player.  Maybe the interconnects are part of the problem.  I could try some better interconnects, but past experience tells me this will only help a little.  I just expected more of the DVD player.

[randytsuch]

What about the settings?

What if, by chance the TV's brightness/contrast/all that other crap settings just happened to favor the broadcast signal.

I am by no means an expert, but if you really wanted to do this right, shouldn't you calibrate each source, and then evaluate each one at it's best?

BTW, is this an analog, or digital broadcast?

I noticed when I hooked up a digital tuner at my parents, that it looks MUCH better then the old analog broadcasts.

Randy

[lord dubious]

BTW, is this an analog, or digital broadcast?

I have no digital tuner, so it would be analog (I think).
I was wondering what the TV stations use to play movies.  If they use a high end DVD player, what do they cost and where would you get one?
P.S. I played with the TV settings, which helped, but did not change the quality of the little details.

[Woodsea]

I can give you an answer if I had the TV make and model, same with the DVD player.  Buying a 'high end' DVD player will not give you the picture you crave, you are going to have to buck up and get a 720p or greater set from a reliable make to get the picture you want.
Your Tube is not hi def, your computer monitor would be much better to watch off of your dvd player.  Analog picture is less than optimal.
I just got my HD-DVD player, and the picture is better than my upscaling Oppo.  The sound is far and away better than DVD.
Back to your ? though, I would hazard to guess that your connections are not optimal.  Unless you have a top grade tube tv, the settings will have little to do with the picture. 

[ctviggen]

When I had my Pioneer Elite RPTV, I had no trouble discerning TV from DVD, and DVD was much better.  My TV was high definition (1080i), though, and TV was upscaled to 480p, although DVD was too.  I think the settings make a huge difference on a TV.  If you have Avia or another setup DVD, try doing this and setting your DVD input's settings, then compare.