Problems with HD cable signal

[nickfil]

I just got a cable box again after being without one for 8ish months. Plugged it all in and even thought the signal is being put out at 1080i according to my set, the image looks like it is going through a photoshop filter.

Now- the first cable box i had put a great picture on my tv. Crystal clear. The same tv is not having any trouble displaying any kind of signal from my PC or 360, or any other game console. So I'm pretty sure it isn't the set.

I am plugged in via component cable. I figured maybe that output on the box is going, so i looked for an HDMI plug that my old box had, and couldn't find one. Apparently this box is older than the one comcast gave me before.

What I'm thinking is that maybe i just got a bad box? Comcast has tried to reset the signal twice now, and to no avail. They are also kinda jerking me around about trading a box with me.

I have absolutely no experience with troubleshooting something like this. My knowledge of cable tv is low. heh. Any thoughts?

Attached is a picture of what my screen looks like. All these weird lines show up all over the place. I've never seen anything like it.

[Hobie-wan]

Is that happening to everything you're watching on cable? It looks a bit like edge enhancement on some crappy source material.

[Niode]

Try a different set of cables, any kind of phono connector will work for a component connection, so as long as you have the component phono outputs on the back of the box you could use any male phone to phono cables will work. If that doesn't fix the problem you should be stern with comcast and make sure they replace your box for one that is at least equivalent to the one you had before. You say that this new box doesn't have a HDMI output therefore it isn't an equivalent replacement. Under UK law you are entitled to a like for like replacement if an item breaks when under warranty. I don't know how that stands in your country though, but if you don't get what you want from the customer service representative then ask to speak to a manager. If you still don't get anywhere threaten to leave (regardless of what your contract state is) Again, this how it works in the UK, if a company refuses to replace the item like for like under warranty then they are defaulting on your contract, don't forget a contract goes two ways, if you aren't satisfied with the service you have every right to be able to cancel the contract and walk away if they aren't fulfilling their end of the bargain. I can guarantee as soon as you mention the magic words, "I want to cancel my contract" they will pretty much do anything for you.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

It looks like your box is upscaling a standard def. image to 1080i, check to see if by going higher or lower on your channels you hit a true HD version of the same network.

[nickfil]

ok ok- cut me a little slack here guys. I know which channels are HD and which are SD. Most of them have HD in the name for gods sake! The photo is an extremely close to the tv shot of some HD ondemand. When i said i don't know anything about cable i was thinking more along the lines of navigating av equipment and knowing what a degraded coaxial cable signal looks like.

I tried a different set of cables but no dice. Same result. I thought it might be the cables too.

If i could find some kind of feature to turn off edge enhancement i would, but every time i go into any of the setup features for the box it is all superficial stuff like changing the colors and position of the menu. I honestly think this particular box was made to be idiot proof. Perhaps there is some kind of hidden menu that unlocks with xyz keystroke, but i don't know how to get to it.

Pretty sure now that it is just an old box on it's last legs. It is good though to confirm that i actually did everything i could and i do have a legit problem. Comcast was talking to me like i was a child and just didn't understand what a picture on my tv was. After talking to comcast 3 times in 2 days they finally agreed to send someone out so we'll see what he says tomorrow morning.