on a 720 - 1080p tv, does an HD box do any better than a normal cable box on non HD channels?
don’t know if it transfers to cable but on the DirecTV side of things the picture is slightly improved (read not significant) on SD program content but the menu and guides are much more clear as they are actually displayed in proper HD even if the program content is not.
doesn’t time warner have free HD anyway?
Unless the best interface your current box has is composite video, no.
SD is 480i…
If you took a picture with a camera at 480x480, then blew it up to 720x720 or 1080x1080, do you think it would look good? (the rez are just ex.)
Also if whatever is upscaling has a shitty processor, it will look like crap.
I force my TV on 720p, but I watch zero SD content.
As was said above, there really won’t be much difference. If you use the HD box to Upscale, you will get a better looking menu and guide. If you use a standard box, it won’t be any better.
That said, with the Upscaling feature on the HD box turned ON you may actually worsen your image. This completely depends on your TV and how good it is at deinterlacing a standard signal. Pioneer Kuro series plasmas are phenomenal at doing this, but a Philips TV would look like trash. Turn off Upscaling on the HD box, and set the box to send out the native resolution. Use your eyes to decide what looks best.
I’ll probabaly trade in my regular box for an hd box if its free. Thanks!
When I got my 42" 1080p TV I had a regular box and it SUCKED!
Non HD channels get sent to the TV as whatever format you set it up as and just letterboxed on the sides so it fits your TV better.