Watching DVD's on 16:9 rocks, however, you still get bars at the top and bottom
TV question...
- Thread starter TigerNSX
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NetViper said:Watching DVD's on 16:9 rocks, however, you still get bars at the top and bottom
This is inevitable because movies are not shot in 16:9 ratio.
Back to the topic, for around the 2k range, rear projection HDTVs are the way to go. The best bang for the buck is definitely Samsung, their picture quality is better than Sony. On the other hand, they make the skinniest rear pojection TVs.
Just a lil correction, Tan made a typo in this post, he meant 1080 interlace format.
Got a stupid question now. I was told that in order for you to have a clear pic on HDTV you have to have digital cable. I was really thinking of getting one (HDTV) but digital cable isn't offered here yet, don't know when it will be either.
That is correct you do need digital. The Dish is not an option? Although content in HD is not as numerous as cable.
Tan
Tan
A dish is an option but I have heard lots of pros and cons to having them. Glad I found out about the digital cable thing before I went out and bought one and THEN found out.
You do NOT need digital cable to enjoy HDTV broadcasts. If you have an HDTV tuner, either built in to your TV, or through an optional set top HDTV receiver, you can receive over the air broadcasts in HD. I do not subscribe to digital cable, but currently receive HD broadcasts via an antenna for local San Diego CBS and ABC channels.
Keep in mind, you should check with your local cable provider regarding them supplying HD channels via cable. Locally, Cox Cable and Time Warner offer digital cable or digital cable with HD for the same price. They supply either of two decoder boxes for the same price, depending if your tv is capable of displaying HD signals.
Remember, just ordering digital cable does not mean you will get HD signals. They are two different things.
Keep in mind, you should check with your local cable provider regarding them supplying HD channels via cable. Locally, Cox Cable and Time Warner offer digital cable or digital cable with HD for the same price. They supply either of two decoder boxes for the same price, depending if your tv is capable of displaying HD signals.
Remember, just ordering digital cable does not mean you will get HD signals. They are two different things.
Fury is right.. you do not need digital cable. Digital Cable and HDTV are not the same thing at all. I have heard that digital cable will be offereing some HD channels in the future (at least in my area.. they may be out elsewhere now). I personally think putting up an antenna again to get HD is silly. Dish is probably the best way to go to get HD programming.
NetViper said:
NetViper,
Yeah, I know what you mean. We have a neighbor who put up some god awful twenty foot antenna next to their balcony. I think that's overkill. (Our housing development is only two years old, so it really stands out.) Myself, I connected a small, low profile amplified antenna hidden at the top of my entertainment center surrounding the tv. You can't even see it.
-Randy
Tantheman said:
What I meant to say is that if you wanted HD from your cable provider than you have to go digital cable and not analog cable. Time Warner supplies you with an HD format converter box at the same cost as a non HD digital converter box at $5.95 per month with a remote. Current line up of 24/7 HD channels is seven with Dolby Digital surround sound when available.
Tan
Just one thing... The likelihood of 4:3 TV's and analogue signalling being obsolete by 2006 is roughly the same as us having mastered cold fusion and faster than light travel by then.
Personally, I think the only benefit of an HD capable TV is increased resolution with DVDs and support for progressive scan (assuming you're a videophile).
Me, I really don't notice a big difference (big meaning "worth spending thousands") which drives my friends crazy (since a few of them have $10k+ in their HD plasma, progressive scan DVD)
Personally, I think the only benefit of an HD capable TV is increased resolution with DVDs and support for progressive scan (assuming you're a videophile).
Me, I really don't notice a big difference (big meaning "worth spending thousands") which drives my friends crazy (since a few of them have $10k+ in their HD plasma, progressive scan DVD)
Here are my opinions:
Don't get a huge 4:3, these will be obsolete if you are or plan to be somewhat of an entusiast as you are w/ the NSX. I suggest at your price range, Samsung, formerly under-rated, but making a big name via it's mobile phones. Very future forward designs, often cutting edge compared to Sony. They were the first w/ an LCD TV on the market at a reasonable price. My 56" from 5 years ago had a built-in HDTV decoder when every one else had set-top boxes. Also if you don't like viewing normal tv broadcasts in 16:9 format, my Samsung lets you switch to 4:3 screen format. For a little more $$ or maybe take advantage of 1 or 2 year interest-free store financing, get the new Samsung 65" 1080i widescreen rear projection HDTV (only $2,600). This thing is a beautiful behemoth of a TV http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11218195&m=1&cat=24&scat=1470 ! Or for about $4K, I'd go w/ the Sony Grand Wega 60" LCD TV, which is less bulky compared to typical rear projectors and is just absolutely beautiful to look at, you won't need to buy any other furniture for your living room! If go the route of plasma TVs, the best kept secret is to buy from Dell direct, which uses the same components as Pioneer plasmas, but not dressed up consumer TV use, i.e. I don't believe it has a broadcast TV tuner since it's suppose to be a pc screen, but can be added later. You could get a 50" for the close to the price of a consumer 42" version.
Don't get a huge 4:3, these will be obsolete if you are or plan to be somewhat of an entusiast as you are w/ the NSX. I suggest at your price range, Samsung, formerly under-rated, but making a big name via it's mobile phones. Very future forward designs, often cutting edge compared to Sony. They were the first w/ an LCD TV on the market at a reasonable price. My 56" from 5 years ago had a built-in HDTV decoder when every one else had set-top boxes. Also if you don't like viewing normal tv broadcasts in 16:9 format, my Samsung lets you switch to 4:3 screen format. For a little more $$ or maybe take advantage of 1 or 2 year interest-free store financing, get the new Samsung 65" 1080i widescreen rear projection HDTV (only $2,600). This thing is a beautiful behemoth of a TV http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11218195&m=1&cat=24&scat=1470 ! Or for about $4K, I'd go w/ the Sony Grand Wega 60" LCD TV, which is less bulky compared to typical rear projectors and is just absolutely beautiful to look at, you won't need to buy any other furniture for your living room! If go the route of plasma TVs, the best kept secret is to buy from Dell direct, which uses the same components as Pioneer plasmas, but not dressed up consumer TV use, i.e. I don't believe it has a broadcast TV tuner since it's suppose to be a pc screen, but can be added later. You could get a 50" for the close to the price of a consumer 42" version.
Dell doesn't rebrand their own plasmas, they sell the actual Pioneer 50 inch plasmas in consumer and commercial models. You have to wait for the stackable coupon specials. They recently had a 15% + 15% which made the Pioneer 503 a little over 5000 shipped which is a great deal, the consumer model is a little over 6000. Best Buy sells the consumer model for 10,000, which is the exact same thing except for a tv tuner, speakers, and a table stand.
If you can wait a couple months Costco is having a deal on an Akai 42 ED plasma with speakers, tuner, and stand for 2700. Supposedly this Akai uses the new Samsung glass from the SPN4235. This glass compares favorably with the best ED panels from Panasonic.
Many videophiles have chosen to go the ED plasma route which is much cheaper than the HD plasmas. It is actually hard to tell the difference in PQ with HD material.
If you can swing the extra dough I would recommend going with the Akai deal at Costco, but only if it is the new Samsung glass. The older model which is at Costco right now is not great.
The best forum for TVs is the AVSforum.
If you can wait a couple months Costco is having a deal on an Akai 42 ED plasma with speakers, tuner, and stand for 2700. Supposedly this Akai uses the new Samsung glass from the SPN4235. This glass compares favorably with the best ED panels from Panasonic.
Many videophiles have chosen to go the ED plasma route which is much cheaper than the HD plasmas. It is actually hard to tell the difference in PQ with HD material.
If you can swing the extra dough I would recommend going with the Akai deal at Costco, but only if it is the new Samsung glass. The older model which is at Costco right now is not great.
The best forum for TVs is the AVSforum.
spookyp said:
High def has a maximum 1080 interlaced lines. A DVD disc only has a maximum 480 interlaced lines. Therefore, an "increased" resolution is somewhat of a farce. Not until HD DVD's come out will they use the full range of 1080 lines of HiDef (and hopefully, 1080 progressive scan will be offered by then).
My projector has 480 progressive as a native format which makes the 480 lines of a DVD disc a "perfect" fit. Translation: no motion artifacts = best clear, crisp picture quality. The projector can also take 1080i but will have the aforementioned artifacts.
I just wanted to throw in what I've learned...
HDTV channels can be received using both cable and satellite technology. One big difference in the two however is the start up costs (Note: this applies only if your TV is labeled "HDTV-Ready", i.e., your TV does not have a built in HD receiver). To receive HDTV via satellite, you must have/buy your own HD receiver and dish, which can run $600-$1200 installed. Cable companies, on the other hand, usually will rent you a HD cable box for ~$5 per month, like Tantheman mentioned. So, it would take 10-20 YEARS to break even, if you buy the satellite equipment yourself instead of going with the rented cable equipment. After 10-20 years, who knows what kind of new technology will be available, and you will be stuck with an expensive doorstop. Cable seems like the best way to go, IMO.
I have satellite right now, but I'm looking into cable once again...
HDTV channels can be received using both cable and satellite technology. One big difference in the two however is the start up costs (Note: this applies only if your TV is labeled "HDTV-Ready", i.e., your TV does not have a built in HD receiver). To receive HDTV via satellite, you must have/buy your own HD receiver and dish, which can run $600-$1200 installed. Cable companies, on the other hand, usually will rent you a HD cable box for ~$5 per month, like Tantheman mentioned. So, it would take 10-20 YEARS to break even, if you buy the satellite equipment yourself instead of going with the rented cable equipment. After 10-20 years, who knows what kind of new technology will be available, and you will be stuck with an expensive doorstop. Cable seems like the best way to go, IMO.
I have satellite right now, but I'm looking into cable once again...
Autophile said:
Hence, the cable industry has justed added another advantage to their arsenal against Direct TV and Dish Network.
1. Broadband Thru Coaxial cable
2. HD programing and content is higher on cable as well
3. Equipment cost
4. Voice over IP by 2004
5. Home security thru a coax network
Tan
I do not work for the cable company
Digital Cable TV is still analog, aren't they? At least, that's what the cable company once told me! So it's not really "digital" per se because it's run through wires.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Just because it is run through wires does not mean it is analog. The internet runs through wires and it is not analog.
They were trying to say the original signal was analog, vs. the newer DT versions of local channels. The digital part of cable means they can cram more signal into the same amount of bandwidth using some sort of compression, like MPEG4.
The upside to HD on cable is they can (if they want to) carry the DT signals from the local channels. None of the satellite vendors are doing this. Satellite is limited to just 4-5 HD channels at present.
The reason to get your HD over the air is so you can get the full bandwidth that station is broadcasting. FOX just does 480p, while ABC actually has some 720p, and the others are mostly 1080i, which is in between. Then of course it depends on what kind of display you have, and what kind of decoder box, and how it is connected to the display, and does it have copy control so the networks (and cable and satellite) can all down grade your signal back to 480i or at best 480p so you will not make perfect copies to stream to all of your friends in foreign countries so Steven Spielberg only makes 1 gazillion dollars this year instead of 2 gazillion. At least Indiana Jones is finally coming to DVD.
They were trying to say the original signal was analog, vs. the newer DT versions of local channels. The digital part of cable means they can cram more signal into the same amount of bandwidth using some sort of compression, like MPEG4.
The upside to HD on cable is they can (if they want to) carry the DT signals from the local channels. None of the satellite vendors are doing this. Satellite is limited to just 4-5 HD channels at present.
The reason to get your HD over the air is so you can get the full bandwidth that station is broadcasting. FOX just does 480p, while ABC actually has some 720p, and the others are mostly 1080i, which is in between. Then of course it depends on what kind of display you have, and what kind of decoder box, and how it is connected to the display, and does it have copy control so the networks (and cable and satellite) can all down grade your signal back to 480i or at best 480p so you will not make perfect copies to stream to all of your friends in foreign countries so Steven Spielberg only makes 1 gazillion dollars this year instead of 2 gazillion.
At least Indiana Jones is finally coming to DVD.
In the long run, buy the best looking television you can afford that is tailored for your viewing tastes. Almost anything over $1000 these days can handle 1080i, which will take you a long way to good HD.
Find a set with defeatable velocity scan modulation, and preferably one that has individual settings for each input, as regular NTSC and HDTV has completely different color spaces and different brightness levels, and will need to be set up differently for the best picture.
I personally have only purchased 16:9 sets over the last 4 years, but I am seriously thinking about a mongo 4:3 tube that changes it scanning when anamorphic material is presented so I can still enjoy all the resolution offered. Until you see a good DVD or HD presented as it was meant to be, you are missing out on a lot, and bars do not bother me.
Find a set with defeatable velocity scan modulation, and preferably one that has individual settings for each input, as regular NTSC and HDTV has completely different color spaces and different brightness levels, and will need to be set up differently for the best picture.
I personally have only purchased 16:9 sets over the last 4 years, but I am seriously thinking about a mongo 4:3 tube that changes it scanning when anamorphic material is presented so I can still enjoy all the resolution offered. Until you see a good DVD or HD presented as it was meant to be, you are missing out on a lot, and bars do not bother me.
I was just speaking to my city's cable provider and they say that they aren't making HDTV available to their residents. What kind of CRAP is that? I think it's ludicrous to deny HDTV services to residents of one city that which is readily available to residents of the city next door! All because different cable companies have a hold on particular areas to which they are the ONLY ones allowed to provide them. So basically, what they're saying is, "if you live here and not there, you're sh** out of luck and you are to settle for what we give you." Stupid!
Joel said:
Direct TV and Dish are options. I find it strange that your cable company wouldn't offer HDTV since you live in such a big city. They'll get the hint as more of their subscribers swith to satellite.
Joel,
You might want to wait awhile and see if your cable provider will provide HD in the future. There are many cable providers that have already began providing HD and many that are in the process. Give it some time and I'm sure your provider will release HD. I couldn't see any reason why they wouldn't.....they would lose marketshares definitely if they don't.
You might want to wait awhile and see if your cable provider will provide HD in the future. There are many cable providers that have already began providing HD and many that are in the process. Give it some time and I'm sure your provider will release HD. I couldn't see any reason why they wouldn't.....they would lose marketshares definitely if they don't.
Thanks. Yeah right now satellite is out of the question. Too expensive for set-up and I like watching TV even if it's overcast or raining outside.
I hope Time-Warner buys out Verizon. Orange County is reaping the benefits of that company and it's time to move it over to Cerritos. Verizon sucks.
I hope Time-Warner buys out Verizon. Orange County is reaping the benefits of that company and it's time to move it over to Cerritos. Verizon sucks.
Im sorry to bump this thread again but can someone here recommend a 42" flat panel tv which is good....TIA
Either Panasonic or Fujitsu, at 42inch, make sure the resolution is 1024x1024.
Does Cable support Dolby Digital 5.1?
Thanks,
R
Thanks,
R
