Getting the Best Picture from Your Set-Top Box

You bought a large, sharp TV, yet live channels look dull, soft or stretched. In most cases the TV is fine — the problem is how the set-top box is connected and configured. These checks take ten minutes and often transform the picture.

Use HDMI, not AV cables

Old red-white-yellow AV cables carry only standard-definition video. If your set-top box is still connected this way, switch to an HDMI cable. It carries full HD video and digital audio over a single cable and lets the TV and box talk to each other.

Match the output resolution to your TV

Open the set-top box settings and choose an output resolution that matches your TV — usually 1080p for full HD TVs. Some boxes default to 720p or "auto" settings that pick a lower resolution. If your box supports it, enable automatic frame-rate matching too.

Fix the aspect ratio

If faces look too wide or the picture has black bars on all sides, set the box's aspect ratio to 16:9 and the TV's picture size to "fit" or "just scan". This shows the full picture without stretching or cropping.

Choose a natural picture mode

TVs often ship in a "vivid" or "dynamic" mode designed to look bright in a showroom. At home, this oversaturates colours and exaggerates sharpness. Switch to "standard", "movie" or "cinema" mode and reduce artificial sharpness for a more natural image.

Watch the HD version of your favourite channels

An SD channel stretched across a 55-inch screen will never look crisp, no matter how you tune the TV. Subscribing to HD versions of the two or three channels you watch most makes the biggest visible difference.

Keep software updated

Set-top boxes receive updates that improve performance, add features and fix bugs. Leave the box on standby overnight rather than switching it off at the wall so that updates can install.

Check the connection

For IPTV, connect the box to your router with an Ethernet cable rather than Wi-Fi where possible. A stable connection means fewer glitches and quicker channel changes.

The bottom line

HDMI, the right resolution, the correct aspect ratio and a natural picture mode make an obvious difference. Add HD channels for your favourites and your live TV will finally match the quality of your streaming apps.

Learn more about DTH & IPTV Television from UbiFi, or talk to our team.