SONY XBR55X810C Looks horrible when on cable .

[BMXTRIX]

Yeah still can’t believe they didn’t even research or check the quality of the spectrum app before forcing it on me to watch cable. They could easily had gotten direct tv(for cable )or a spectrum cable box for me .

If you're over 18, and not in school full time, be happy they are paying for anything for you at all. Start with that. Your parents own you nothing and you aren't likely to get sympathy on this at all, so I'd stop mentioning it.

As for video quality, I would definitely look at over-the-air solutions in your area, depending on how close/far you are from broadcasters, you may have some excellent options available to you. The setup may not be super easy, but it may be doable with used gear for not a ton of cash layout.

 

[Kingnoob]

If you're over 18, and not in school full time, be happy they are paying for anything for you at all. Start with that. Your parents own you nothing and you aren't likely to get sympathy on this at all, so I'd stop mentioning it.

As for video quality, I would definitely look at over-the-air solutions in your area, depending on how close/far you are from broadcasters, you may have some excellent options available to you. The setup may not be super easy, but it may be doable with used gear for not a ton of cash layout.

Yea I agree With you , except I can’t do a standing job so finding a job is far harder than an average unemployed person my age. Back injury and bad knees , now ankle problems.

I tried Netflix it is crystal clear on the roku at 720 or 1080 the issue is with spectrum. Just be be sure if wasn’t the tv or the roku itself I tried this and Blu-ray .

What’s the cheapest quality hd antenna you’d suggest not sure if I’d get sports games or not but it’s worth a shot.
I wanted to try a hardwire but that requires carrying the tv downstairs and hooking it up. I need a larger tv stand for that , which I haven’t gotten yet.

 

[Kingnoob]

I'm not too familiar with Roku, but you are confusing a Streaming Device with "Cable TV". Cable TV comes to your device on it's own dedicated network (coaxial, fiber optic, etc.) whereas a Roku Streaming Device use the internet.

If the Blu-rays looked fine then it's not the Sony TV. It's either the Roku, or the Spectrum App feeding it and /or your internet network. Of course if the HDMI Cable connecting the Roku is faulty then there's an outside chance it's the culprit. But if Netflix looked fine via the Roku (?) then it's back to the Spectrum App.

I'd try the Roku on another HDMI input on the Sony with your existing HDMI cable. I'd try to hard wired Cat cable if you are using WiFi (at least as a test) for the Roku. If that fails then I'd try the Roku on another TV with your existing HDMI cable. Maybe at a friends on a different WiFi network.

Good luck getting it sorted.

I got cable on roku ultra (spectrum app) to look far better but the real test is basketball which is what looked horrific last time I tried it on Wi-Fi. A hardwire might fix the blurry motion though I’ve only used Wi-Fi so far .
I want To clarify I’m Not using a cable box, but the roku as a box .
Battlebots looks pretty great , first test .

 

[-Jim-]

@Kingnoob The initial confusion on your thread:
SONY XBR55X810C Looks horrible when on cable .
is because the title is very misleading. Your TV is fine, and the issue is the Spectrum App on the Roku Ultra via a WiFi connection has almost unwatchable video. This isn't "cable" but rather TV signals from a Streaming Device.

Your latest post above "I got cable on roku ultra (spectrum app) to look far better but the real test is basketball which is what looked horrific last time I tried it on Wi-Fi" confuses me. Does it mean you got a TV program to look better due to a better Wi-Fi signal? Or something else?

The Roku Ultra does accommodate an ethernet connection (10/100 Mbps) which should suffice for your purposes. As you haven't pulled a LAN Cable from your router to the Roku, I suggest you do that; even if it only confirms you've got a poor network connection. Another solution (if you want to keep trying to get the Spectrum App) is to remove and then add back in the Spectrum App.

I am sympathetic to your plight, but unless you follow some of the guidance members have given you and report back on the results, there's nothing else we can do to assist.

 

[Kingnoob]

@Kingnoob The initial confusion on your thread:
SONY XBR55X810C Looks horrible when on cable .
is because the title is very misleading. Your TV is fine, and the issue is the Spectrum App on the Roku Ultra via a WiFi connection has almost unwatchable video. This isn't "cable" but rather TV signals from a Streaming Device.

Your latest post above "I got cable on roku ultra (spectrum app) to look far better but the real test is basketball which is what looked horrific last time I tried it on Wi-Fi" confuses me. Does it mean you got a TV program to look better due to a better Wi-Fi signal? Or something else?

The Roku Ultra does accommodate an ethernet connection (10/100 Mbps) which should suffice for your purposes. As you haven't pulled a LAN Cable from your router to the Roku, I suggest you do that; even if it only confirms you've got a poor network connection. Another solution (if you want to keep trying to get the Spectrum App) is to remove and then add back in the Spectrum App.

I am sympathetic to your plight, but unless you follow some of the guidance members have given you and report back on the results, there's nothing else we can do to assist.

yeah your right it’s technically cable being streamed, I said no box . The tv does lack sharpness but my bad if it sounds like I’m blaming the tv ..

I wish I could rename the title I would , I’ve followed all the advice all I got l left it to buy a hardwire and try that . I got battlebots and a few other shows to look good on it . The source is 720p and the buffering on Wi-Fi puts it at 720i sometimes that’s why it loooks so bad occasionally . Goes from looking good to blurry .
I’m taking your Advice currently looking for Ethernet cables on Amazon. Cat 6 vs cat 8?
include this in your proof the tv itself doesn’t suck , despite lacking shaprness.
“I tried Netflix it is crystal clear on the roku at 720 or 1080 the issue is with spectrum. Just be be sure if wasn’t the tv or the roku itself I tried this and Blu-ray .”
forgot to add this to my post

 

[-Jim-]

yeah your right it’s technically cable being streamed, I said no box . The tv does lack sharpness but my bad if it sounds like I’m blaming the tv ..

I wish I could rename the title I would , I’ve followed all the advice all I got l left it to buy a hardwire and try that . I got battlebots and a few other shows to look good on it . The source is 720p and the buffering on Wi-Fi puts it at 720i sometimes that’s why it loooks so bad occasionally . Goes from looking good to blurry .
I’m taking your Advice currently looking for Ethernet cables on Amazon. Cat 6 vs cat 8?
include this in your proof the tv itself doesn’t suck , despite lacking shaprness.
“I tried Netflix it is crystal clear on the roku at 720 or 1080 the issue is with spectrum. Just be be sure if wasn’t the tv or the roku itself I tried this and Blu-ray .”
forgot to add this to my post

You may not get the improvement you want using a LAN Cable, so I don't want you to spend a lot of money doing so. Initially you are only wanting to test to see if the WiFi connection is wanting. Do you have another TV nearer the Router that you could try just for testing the Roku/Spectrum with a LAN Cable you already have? You could even use a Computer Monitor (with an HDMI input) for testing purposes.

"CAT6 is the sixth generation of Ethernet cabling used in business and home networks and the current “typical” cabling standard used in modern office buildings. CAT6 is backward compatible with CAT5e and CAT5 standards that came before it. These cables support Ethernet data rates of up to 1 gigabit per second. CAT6 cables can also accommodate 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections for a limited distance of about 55 meters.

Category 8 is the official successor to Cat6A cabling. It is officially recognized by the IEEE and EIA and parts and pieces are standardized across manufacturers. The primary benefit of Cat8 cabling is faster throughput over short distances: 40 Gbps up to 78’ and 25 Gbps up to 100’. From 100’ to 328’, Cat8 provides the same 10Gbps throughput as Cat6A cabling.

CAT5e cable can transmit 100 Mbps Ethernet at a distance of 100 meters."

I don't know how many feet (or meters) your Sony TV is away from the Router (?) but I really doubt it is over 100 meters or ~300 Feet!

So you should be able to use Cat5e as the maximum output of the Roku is 100 Mbps. Of course if you get a deal on CAT6 / CAT8, it'll future proof you for other applications a bit.

I've forgotten where you live (?) but you should be able to find LAN cables pretty cheap at Monoprice if you are in the USA. ($10 / 50 feet or $20 for 100 feet with terminations already on each end. I typically terminate my own cables.) You may be able to get something even cheaper on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

Good luck with the testing.

 

[Kingnoob]

You may not get the improvement you want using a LAN Cable, so I don't want you to spend a lot of money doing so. Initially you are only wanting to test to see if the WiFi connection is wanting. Do you have another TV nearer the Router that you could try just for testing the Roku/Spectrum with a LAN Cable you already have? You could even use a Computer Monitor (with an HDMI input) for testing purposes.

"CAT6 is the sixth generation of Ethernet cabling used in business and home networks and the current “typical” cabling standard used in modern office buildings. CAT6 is backward compatible with CAT5e and CAT5 standards that came before it. These cables support Ethernet data rates of up to 1 gigabit per second. CAT6 cables can also accommodate 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections for a limited distance of about 55 meters.

Category 8 is the official successor to Cat6A cabling. It is officially recognized by the IEEE and EIA and parts and pieces are standardized across manufacturers. The primary benefit of Cat8 cabling is faster throughput over short distances: 40 Gbps up to 78’ and 25 Gbps up to 100’. From 100’ to 328’, Cat8 provides the same 10Gbps throughput as Cat6A cabling.

CAT5e cable can transmit 100 Mbps Ethernet at a distance of 100 meters."

I don't know how many feet (or meters) your Sony TV is away from the Router (?) but I really doubt it is over 100 meters or ~300 Feet!

So you should be able to use Cat5e as the maximum output of the Roku is 100 Mbps. Of course if you get a deal on CAT6 / CAT8, it'll future proof you for other applications a bit.

I've forgotten where you live (?) but you should be able to find LAN cables pretty cheap at Monoprice if you are in the USA. ($10 / 50 feet or $20 for 100 feet with terminations already on each end. I typically terminate my own cables.) You may be able to get something even cheaper on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

Good luck with the testing.

Yeah I moved the tv beside the router on other side of the wall. It’s about 15-20 feet away I tried a 7 foot cable it wasn’t even close to long enough. Wi-Fi working better so close to router I’m buying a cable off Amazon prime for free shipping.
ethernet cables 25 ft I’m searching for on Amazon prime available shipping.
They might have mono price also if it’s best, and mediabrige .
When tv isn’t that sharp it’s trying to upconvert the weak signal? It does a good job of upconverting 720 to fit a 4k screen.
Again thanks for the help!

 

[j_garcia]

What level of cable do you pay for? If it is SD, then doesn't matter what your TV or other internet is. I had to upgrade my box to get the HD I was paying for. They told me it was my fault and then realized they gave me the wrong box - upgrade fixed that and they gave me HBO free to make up for it.

I get ~600 Mbps over wifi6

 

[-Jim-]

@Kingnoob You stated: "When tv isn’t that sharp it’s trying to upconvert the weak signal? "

As far as I can tell (according to terrible manuals that Sony has - similar to the awful one I got with my latest Samsung TV) Sony has upconverting on by default all the time unless it detects a 4K signal at the inputs. So with a lousy signal, it may be making it worse with upscaling.

 

[highfigh]

Yeah still can’t believe they didn’t even research or check the quality of the spectrum app before forcing it on me to watch cable. They could easily had gotten direct tv(for cable )or a spectrum cable box for me .

How is the TV connected to the network? I don't have time to search for this, but if it's not wired, do that. Read the tag line in my posts about wired vs wireless.

Is this your box for the other TV(s)? If it is and you use a remote, press the settings , look for the menu button and click on Settings. You should see some boxes with Audio, Remote, Cable receiver (or something similar). You can check signal strength if you look around, or you can contact Spectrum and they can tell you if it's acceptable.

Before calling Spectrum, make sure that any cables are being used, or are terminated with a shorting cap- it can make a difference because the signal can reflect on the cable and if you live in am apartment or near other homes, everybody's bad terminations will affect everyone else's video quality.

If the app looks that bad, I would suspect WiFi quality.

 

[Kingnoob]

@Kingnoob You stated: "When tv isn’t that sharp it’s trying to upconvert the weak signal? "

As far as I can tell (according to terrible manuals that Sony has - similar to the awful one I got with my latest Samsung TV) Sony has upconverting on by default all the time unless it detects a 4K signal at the inputs. So with a lousy signal, it may be making it worse with upscaling.

Yeah it’s weird an old nfl 2001 Tom Brady vs st Luis rams looks better mostly than the nba games do . So I think it’s the cable company skimping on their spectrum app , the box is clearer but not perfect we have it in the other room. Parents wanted to save $10-30 a month , when I get a job I’m buying a dvr of whatever the best cable is. Either direct tv or dish ?
I don’t plan on using spectrum app forever . The only benefit is it has free nfl network unlike any cable box plan .

How is the TV connected to the network? I don't have time to search for this, but if it's not wired, do that. Read the tag line in my posts about wired vs wireless.

Is this your box for the other TV(s)? If it is and you use a remote, press the settings , look for the menu button and click on Settings. You should see some boxes with Audio, Remote, Cable receiver (or something similar). You can check signal strength if you look around, or you can contact Spectrum and they can tell you if it's acceptable.

View attachment 59977

Before calling Spectrum, make sure that any cables are being used, or are terminated with a shorting cap- it can make a difference because the signal can reflect on the cable and if you live in am apartment or near other homes, everybody's bad terminations will affect everyone else's video quality.

If the app looks that bad, I would suspect WiFi quality.

I’m buying this cable is it sufficient?
Monoprice 109826 Flexboot Cat6 Ethernet Patch Cable - Network Internet Cord - RJ45, Stranded, 550Mhz, UTP, Pure Bare Copper Wire, 24AWG, 25ft, White https://a.co/d/e9rLif3

 

[-Jim-]

It'll be fine.

 

[Kingnoob]

It'll be fine.

yeah that’s the cable I picked .
Good the tv looks better sitting 9-10 feet back when it was 5-7 feet away I could see all the bad pixels of the upconvert. I had to crank the setting up near max and resolution at 100, brightness 45 it’s a very dim tv . My 1080p tv was twice as bright lol..
I think it’s possible to get it reasonable with no cable box just tinkering with picture settings. I can’t find any quality calibration guides for my tv and rtings.com one sucked.
120hz handles motion way better then my 1080p tv that’s only 60hz.

Some stuff will look washed out inevitably, can’t fix that . Tv trying it’s best to make 720i/p look 4k .
My dad has a 1080p Samsung 3D tv around the flagship price range of $3500 or so 10 years old not exactly a fair fight to compare the two TVs mine loses even with 4k disc content . His tv is slowly going bad getting thin lines forming in the screen…

 

[Kingnoob]

It'll be fine.

I found this cable looking for tools , I may end up using the brand new cable instead once I get it but I’m going to give this cable a shot until it arrives.
I wanted to try my TVs Netflix app to see what looks better roku or Bravia . So I may hardwire the tv also at same time.

 

[-Jim-]

Assuming the cable is long enough and the connectors are intact, it should work just fine.

 

[Kingnoob]

Assuming the cable is long enough and the connectors are intact, it should work just fine.

yes it reaches probably 20-30 footer. Had to say if the monoprice is better or worse ? Should I just try both ???
So weird I swore I looked everywhere but this cable eluded me , I can always have a back up cable or extra incase I hardwire two devices. I want to see which streams Netflix faster tv or roku ultra . It might end up a tie though on hardwire . If I ever get a ps5/4 it could be useful.

 

[-Jim-]

The Roku speed is only 100 Mbps maximum so either cable should be able to handle that easily. What's the make / model of the Router & it's speed?

 

[Kingnoob]

The Roku speed is only 100 Mbps maximum so either cable should be able to handle that easily. What's the make / model of the Router & it's speed?

spectrum wifi 6 router

https://d15yx0mnc9teae.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/WiFi-6-Guide-1-7-21.pdf

So it’s irrelevant which cable I choose to use ? Just keep new one as backup or save old one as backup ? Monoprice could be better or the same?

 

[highfigh]

I don’t plan on using spectrum app forever . The only benefit is it has free nfl network unlike any cable box plan .

I’m buying this cable is it sufficient?
Monoprice 109826 Flexboot Cat6 Ethernet Patch Cable - Network Internet Cord - RJ45, Stranded, 550Mhz, UTP, Pure Bare Copper Wire, 24AWG, 25ft, White https://a.co/d/e9rLif3

You don't need to use their router- I switched to the WiFi 6 that you showed but it only has three ethernet ports and there's almost nothing that can be changed in the router, other than the network ID and password- if you want to use any smart devices, it's a pain in the butt because the 5GHz band can't be turned off for setup.

I bought a LinkSys AC-1900 router and it does everything I need (all of the above, as well as easy changes/reboot using the app)- it not only does more/works better, it saves me $7/month and this will pay for itself in less than a year. This one also has a USB port, which is another thing I wanted.

It requires more than a simple phone call to activate this router, but LinkSys does have tech support and they can walk you through it.

Less expensive models will be as good if you don't need everything the AC1900 does and has.

 

[-Jim-]

You don't need to use their router- I switched to the WiFi 6 that you showed but it only has three ethernet ports and there's almost nothing that can be changed in the router, other than the network ID and password- if you want to use any smart devices, it's a pain in the butt because the 5GHz band can't be turned off for setup.

I bought a LinkSys AC-1900 router and it does everything I need (all of the above, as well as easy changes/reboot using the app)- it not only does more/works better, it saves me $7/month and this will pay for itself in less than a year. This one also has a USB port, which is another thing I wanted.

It requires more than a simple phone call to activate this router, but LinkSys does have tech support and they can walk you through it.

Less expensive models will be as good if you don't need everything the AC1900 does and has.

I was surprised to see a Spectrum Router, but maybe it came packaged with the App somehow. Is there another Router in the House, or does this one connect to a modem of some type? Perhaps you could connect directly to where the Spectrum Router goes and eliminate it - in case it's contributing to the issue. (I hope you are not renting it.) Please advise the background here.

If I was to buy a new Router I'd go for something that fits the Wi-Fi 6 spec (AX) rather than Wi-Fi 5 (AC), just to keep up with current tech like the latest cell phones and all. If I wanted to save $ I'd look for a Wi-Fi 5 (AC) on a steep discount, or maybe even in the used market (Thrift Stores have lots of them around here).

@Kingnoob The Spectrum Router has Three GigE LAN ports and either LAN cable will work fine for now on such a short run.