Strange background effect on cable tv...

azureblue_2

Good morning folks!
I have been using Virgin cable for a month now and have noticed my 5 year old Samsung produces a strange effect, like moire silk pattern, in the background, like on walls furnishings etc. Is this normal? Is this my tv needing to be replaced or is it just what cable does? Also I get a little pixelation from time to time, nothing like the break up I had with freeview but I was surprised to get any - odd?
When I switch back to freeview there is none of the strange effect, it's just on the cable reception.
All comments gratefully accepted.
Thanks.

custardy

what cable connects the cable box to the TV?
is the freeview tuner built into the TV?

spike7451

How is your VM box connected to the TV?
RF lead,HDMI or SCART?
It sounds like your Cable box is set for RGB output to me,I have Sky & the is a noticable difference between pictures from the Sky box on RF & Scart (AV)when it's set to RGB.
Check the cable fittings from the Isolator (white box on the wall near the TV) are tight with no kinks in it.

Spike (ex NTL/VM Engineer)

azureblue_2

ooh thanks for replying peeps. Connection is an HDMI cable, no kinks anywhere, Ray Davies absent! Freeview tuner built into tv too. Afraid I didn't understand about the RGB bit..?

spike7451

azureblue wrote: »

ooh thanks for replying peeps. Connection is an HDMI cable, no kinks anywhere, Ray Davies absent! Freeview tuner built into tv too. Afraid I didn't understand about the RGB bit..?

Your TV is either set to RGB or PAL which are just the way your TV pictures are sent to the TV from the source.Don't think it's used on HD tho.
As HD has more pixels than normal SD (freeview) it may just be the way it's being interpreted by you.I certainly notice the difference & the picture does look more glossy & sharp to me compared to SD.

azureblue_2

Thanks Spike, that's great. So perhaps I need to look in the sales for an up to date tv?