If you are looking at how to change Charter box to 1080p, this guide will give you an idea so you can take your viewing experience to the next level.
Cables boxes can display pictures at different resolutions. However, they may not be set with the best one for your TV.
The default for most HD cable boxes is 720p. There is definitely room to turn it up to 1080p.
Changing the resolution for your Charter cable box to 1080p is easy. The first thing you have to do is check if your TV is compatible and can playback Full HD. You also want to check your cables to see if they can transmit 1080p signals to your TV. Finally, you will have to go into the settings of your box and change it.
Why Change Your Resolution to 1080p?
Changing your resolution to Full HD or 1080p will allow you to change the way you enjoy your favorite movies and programs.
You will be able to see more detail with crisper images giving your pictures a totally different experience.
1. Clearer Picture
The main reason you want to change your viewing resolution to 1080p is clearer pictures.
If the resolution on your box is set to 720p or lower and there is a mismatch with your TV. The pixels will be much larger, and you will see that as blurry.
2. Offers More Detail
Full HD or 1080p resolution will offer you a lot more detail than lower ones.
You will be able to see individual strands of hair much more clearly since the images are crisper.
Offering more detail allows you to see your favorite content in a much different light. You will be able to pick up on things you might have missed.
3. Use Modern Aspect Ratio
New shows and films use the 16:9 aspect ratio. Setting the resolution of your box to 1080p will allow you to enjoy video content the way they are meant to be.
Stretching can occur on other resolutions, which translates to a bad viewing experience.
Steps on How to Change Charter Box to 1080p
The steps on how to change resolution on Charter cable box are simple.
You will need to perform a few just to make sure that you can change it without experiencing any issues. Anyone can do it as long as you follow the described steps.
Step #1: Make Sure Your Charter Box Can Broadcast in 1080p
You need to look out for two things when it comes to the resolution of your Charter or Spectrum cable box.
There’s 1080p and 1080i. Although these are considered HD, one is better than the other.
You want your cable box to support 1080p and not 1080i. This is the first thing you have to look at before going into the settings and changing your resolution settings.
Most boxes support 1080p, but if you have older models, you want to take a look since it may only show 1080i.
Here’s how to make sure your cable box can broadcast in 1080p resolution:
- On the underside of your cable box, look for the model number.
- Search for the model number on the internet.
- Check if it supports 1080p.
- If it does, you will be able to change the resolution.
Step #2: Make Sure Your TV Can Display 1080p Resolution
Another factor for you to watch your favorite programs in 1080p is your TV.
You want to make sure that your cable box and TV support 1080p. There is no use if there will be a mismatch since it’s the one with the lowest resolution that will be displayed.
Once you make sure that your Charter box can broadcast in 1080p, it’s now time to look at your TV.
Most modern smart TVs should support Full HD, so you should be good if you bought one in the past couple of years. Otherwise, it’s still a great idea to check it.
- Know your TV’s model number.
- Search for it on the internet.
- Look for the specifications and make sure it says 1080p or Full HD.
- If your TV supports 1080p, you can change the resolution.
Note: Be wary of the HD and Full HD tag since 720p is high-definition. However, you do want one that says Full HD, which translates to 1080p.
Step #3: Make Sure Your HDMI Cables Support 1080p
Now that you are sure that your cable box and TV supports 1080p, you want to check one more piece of equipment. HDMI cables have different types.
Different ones support other types of signals, and you want to make sure that you have one that can broadcast in 1080p.
If you are using an HDMI cable that came with your box that is 1080p-capable, you can be sure the cable can, as well.
You want your cable to be at least HDMI 1.4 since that’s the first version that can pass 1080p signals. Ideally, you want one that’s an HDMI 2.0, and the latest ones should be at least that version.
There is no way to physically check if your cable is 1080p compatible but to play around with your display settings.
- Connect the HDMI cable to your cable box and TV.
- Set your resolution to 1080p on the cable box.
- Set the resolution of your TV to 1080p.
- If your display settings do not show 1080p, get new HDMI cables.
Note: You can get HDMI 2.0 or better virtually anywhere. Any online retailer should carry those with reasonable pricing.
Step #4: Change the Resolution to 1080p on Your Charter Box
Now that you have checked your equipment, it’s time to change the resolution on your Charter or Spectrum cable box.
Here’s how to do it:
- Turn on your TV and cable box.
- On your cable box remote, press the Menu button.
- Go to Settings, then Preferences.
- Scroll to Video/Audio and select Video Format.
- Select 1080p and confirm your selection.
Note: Make sure that your TV is also set to 1080p.
If it does not come with a setting, your TV should automatically change resolutions depending on the source. You might see it flicker for a bit, but it should show a crisper image.
Step #5: Set to the Right Aspect Ratio
After changing the resolution of the output signal from your Charter box, your TV may not display the correct aspect ratio.
In this case, you will need to change it, so the display comes out properly.
You will need to go into the settings of your cable box once again to change this. Charter’s or Spectrum’s cable boxes will have the menu item for this.
Follow these steps to change it to the correct aspect ratio:
- Go to your cable box’s Menu.
- Go to Settings, then Preferences.
- Find Video/Audio and Select Aspect Ratio.
- Change to Letterbox or Zoom.
Note: Choosing Zoom will remove the black bars on the top and bottom of the picture.
It will not stretch the picture, but you will be losing a few inches of display from both sides.
Read Next: How to Program Charter Remote to TV in Easy Steps?
Thus, to change the resolution on your Charter box to 1080p, all you need to do is go into your box’s settings. Open up the Menu and go to Settings. Look for the Video/Audio configuration and change the Video Format to 1080p. You might also want to change the aspect ratio to Letterbox or Zoom for the best viewing experience.
Last Thoughts
You do not need any technical expertise since everything you need will be on the remote.
These steps should guide you on how to successfully do it so you can watch your favorite channels in high definition.
If your box does not support 1080p, you can always contact Charter support and have it switched to one that does.
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.