MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 Yeah, I mostly just want TBS for the baseball playoffs. I'm sure Sportsnet in Canada will have most of the games, anyway, but if there's a conflict, I'd like to be able to see the game I want in HD. The Bill Engvall Show in HD will be great, too, I'm sure. HD couldnt save that disaster if it tried. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
treble 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 House of Payne, then? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Th 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 TBS is going to have everything in stretch-o-vision, except for baseball. TNT isn't as bad as it used to be though. Minority Report was on the other day and it was actually in it's OAR (2:35:1). And DirecTV isn't going to have 100 HD channels by Sept because there aren't that many HD channels! Though HBO is going to have ALL of their channels be HD soon. But that isn't 100, though I could be wrong about that. I can't find the link where they have every HD Channel and what stations they are on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 TBS is going to have everything in stretch-o-vision, except for baseball. TNT isn't as bad as it used to be though. Minority Report was on the other day and it was actually in it's OAR (2:35:1). And DirecTV isn't going to have 100 HD channels by Sept because there aren't that many HD channels! Though HBO is going to have ALL of their channels be HD soon. But that isn't 100, though I could be wrong about that. I can't find the link where they have every HD Channel and what stations they are on. My Boys, House of Payne and Bill Engvall are shot in HD and will be in HD come september (the reruns anyway). Some later eps of ELR were in HD as well. TBS also just acquired the rights to The Office and My Name is Earl which begin in 2008 on TBS and obviously will be in HD. As for the 100 channels, right now they have 94 channels annoucned and ready to go: A&E (Sept.) Altitude (RSN; Dish launching in HD this fall) Animal Planet (Sept.) Big Ten Network * Bravo * Cartoon Network * Chiller Cinemax East * Cinemax West * CNBC CNN * Comcast SportsNet Chicago HD Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic HD Discovery Channel (Sept.) Discovery HD Theater (channel 76) ESPN HD (channel 73) ESPN2 HD (channel 72) Food Network * FSN Arizona FSN Bay Area FSN Detroit FSN Florida FSN New England FSN North FSN Northwest FSN Ohio FSN Prime Ticket FSN Rocky Mountain FSN South FSN Southwest FSN West FX * HBO East (channel 70) HBO West * HBO2 East * HBO2 West * HBO Family East * HBO Family West * HBO Latino East * HBO Signature East * HDNet (channel 79) HDNet Movies (channel 78) HGTV * MHD (MTV Networks' HD music channel) * MoreMax East * NASCAR HotPass driver 1 (channel 795) NASCAR HotPass driver 2 (channel 796) NASCAR HotPass driver 3 (channel 797) NASCAR HotPass driver 4 (channel 798) NASCAR HotPass driver 5 (channel 799) NGC HD (channel 98 - sneak peek only) New England Sports Network HD (channel 623) NFL Network * NFL Sunday Ticket – game 1 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 2 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 3 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 4 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 5 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 6 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 7 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 8 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 9 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 10 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 11 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 12 NFL Sunday Ticket – game 13 Pay-Per-View HD (channel 99) SCI FI Channel * Showtime HD (channel 71) Showtime West * Speed * SportsNet New York HD (channel 625) SportsSouth (RSN; now in HD on Dish) Starz East coast feed (Sept.) Starz West coast feed (Sept.) Starz Comedy (Sept.) Starz Edge (Sept.) Starz Kids & Family (Sept.) Sun Sports (RSN now in HD on Dish) TBS * The 101 (part-time HD) The History Channel (Sept.) The Movie Channel * The Science Channel (Sept.) The Tennis Channel * The Weather Channel (Sept.) * TLC (Sept.) TNT HD (channel 75) Universal HD (channel 74) USA Network * Versus * YES HD (channel 622) + 2 TBA Discovery-owned networks = 94 HD feeds by Dec. 31, 2007 HD channels launching in 2008: ABC Family Disney Channel ESPNEWS HD HBO Signature West HBO Comedy West HBO Zone East HBO Zone West HBO Latino West MoreMAX West ActionMAX East ActionMAX West ThrillerMAX East ThrillerMAX West Toon Disney WMAX East WMAX West @MAX East 5StarMAX East OuterMAX East The regional sports Nets count because everyone will be able to get them if they sub to the sports pack. The problem is games will be blacked out as usual if they are out of market so that pretty much removes the hd content from them, but they still count. You can also debate the 18 "channels" of NFL/NASCAR but they are exclusive and Directvs going to count them to make their 100.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
At Home 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 oh snap DVR >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TiVo. I have Time Warner Cable which is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Direct TV. TiVo is shitty. HD is great. Supposedly, there was a bill passed either on the state or national level that mandated every channel to broadcast in HD by the end of the year. So much for that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 Tivo is a great user friendly dvr, and Im going to miss the dual live buffers on mine (the directv dvr only has 1 live 90 minute buffer as opposed to the tivos dual 30 minute buffers). But ultimately the HD-tivo would become a boat anchor next year anyway due to Directv converting to mpeg4 HD. and the only thing the government has mandated in regards to tv is that in Feb of 09 over the air analog signals will be shut off. It has nothing to do with HD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
At Home 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 When I bought my HDTV in california (when I lived there) I remember having a pretty long talk with the best buy guys about the legislation. It's legit, but wasn't enforced at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 When I bought my HDTV in california (when I lived there) I remember having a pretty long talk with the best buy guys about the legislation. It's legit, but wasn't enforced at all. Because the guys at BestBuy are such an authority on federal government legislation, even if it somewhat remotely applies to the stuff they're selling. The government doesn't give a rats ass what format (SD,ED,HD..1080i/720p..4:3,16:9) that content is broadcast in, they just want it off the analog spectrum so they can auction that off and make a ton of money on the analog spectrum for other uses besides sending your grandmother with the analog tv and antenna and no cable her soap operas every day for 3 hours and the news at 6. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
At Home 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 I never said or insinuated that the best buy guys were experts, but it didn't sound far fetched at all, especially for state legislation in california. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 It's not state legislation, it's federal legislation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2007 It's not state legislation, it's not federal legislation. EFA Honsestly, the government is having enough trouble as it is with the transition to only digital ota that might affect at most like..10% of the country since most people dont even depend on analog over the air signals at all, they threw the rabbit ears out with the garbage 10 years ago. A switch to HD would impact about 75% of the country right now, it wouldnt matter if you get cable, satellite, ota or whatever. And Im not even going to get into the fact that there isn't even enough programming in HD to fill 1/100th of the channels full time that are available right now.. Someday..HD will become the norm and the SD channels will go away..but it wont be in the next 20 years. And by that time there will be ULTRA HD too.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Th 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 That is a common mistake people have. When they hear the switch to digital, they think HD. But it is just switching from analog to digital, like Marv said. The guy at Best Buy is wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 What's this you say about them auctioning off the analogue system? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobobrazil1984 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 I'm going to be getting a small tv (probalby 20-ish inches), and wondering if at that size its worth going HDTV or not? I'm interested in LCD TVs because they won't take up much space in my small-ish room. Even better if i could hook my laptop up and use the monitor in addition to it being a TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobobrazil1984 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 It's not state legislation, it's not federal legislation. Someday..HD will become the norm and the SD channels will go away..but it wont be in the next 20 years. And by that time there will be ULTRA HD too.. at that point there will probably be holograms that don't need a screen at all, at perfect quality. At least for those with good vision. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJMc 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 What's this you say about them auctioning off the analogue system? When all of the over the air channels are no longer used, the frequencies that they are broadcast on can be re-allocated for other things that use radio frequencies. Police radios, wireless microphones, etc. Maybe someone else can explain it a bit better than me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 I'm going to be getting a small tv (probalby 20-ish inches), and wondering if at that size its worth going HDTV or not? I'm interested in LCD TVs because they won't take up much space in my small-ish room. Even better if i could hook my laptop up and use the monitor in addition to it being a TV. Not really....the greater detail wouldn't be as noticable on a television that size, but not only that, HD set-top boxes, from the selection I've seen, are fairly bulky compared to SD ones, which seems contradictory to what you're getting at. (Not neccessarily an issue, it all depends on your preference). A variable to that would be how many channels are available in HD over-the-air in your area, but again, not a noticable difference. Ask the guys at the store you're planning on purchasing it from if you can see what an NTSC broadcast looks like (or even a DVD) and then ask to see a HD show. How feasible it is is dependable on the store's setup, but just something to consider. The Wal*Mart I work at, as well as a prior job in the field, it wouldn't be that hard to switch some cables around, especially on a 19 or 24 inch tv. The good news is nearly all LCD's have VGA inputs, and as I learned from this site a few months ago, S-Video as well will do the trick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2007 What's this you say about them auctioning off the analogue system? When all of the over the air channels are no longer used, the frequencies that they are broadcast on can be re-allocated for other things that use radio frequencies. Police radios, wireless microphones, etc. Maybe someone else can explain it a bit better than me. From Cnet back in April The 700MHz band of spectrum, which has been used to provide analog TV service, is considered the last piece of prime real estate left in wireless spectrum. And mobile operators, as well as companies in other industries such as cable and satellite TV, are expected to bid on licenses. The auction is likely to generate between $10 billion and $15 billion in revenue for the government. Since Congress decided in 1997 to re-auction the 700MHz spectrum used to transmit analog TV signals, communication policy makers have viewed this sliver of the airwaves as a panacea to all the nation's broadband-access problems. The reason is simple. By nature, on the 700MHz frequency band, signals travel about four times farther than those on bands used by the wireless and electronics industries today. Reusing that spectrum could mean easier and cheaper deployment of broadband networks, which should translate into more affordable and widespread high-speed Internet access for consumers. For years, policy makers have argued that new regulation in the broadband market is unnecessary because new entrants could use the 700MHz spectrum licenses to cost-effectively build broadband services that will compete directly against the cable and phone company broadband duopoly. Others see the spectrum as a perfect way to fill holes in rural cellular phone coverage, because operators serving rural areas with this spectrum would cover more ground with fewer towers. And finally, the 700MHz spectrum could be used by new carriers that want to build 4G wireless networks, using technology such as WiMax, that will leapfrog 3G wireless services of today. Wireless Broadband for everyone! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UZI Suicide 0 Report post Posted July 20, 2007 How do you guys feel about Vizio? Costco has THIS Vizio 37". The price is really about as high as I'm willing to go for a TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted July 20, 2007 Yeah man, do it. Good specs on that thing, and a hell of a good price. Lots of good inputs, big screen. Shit I wish I had $800. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted July 20, 2007 CNet gave it a decent review, 6.6 editors, 8.1 users. The price can't be beat. Go for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
treble 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2007 We just had WGNHD added, but the programming is sometimes different than the SD channel. Maybe it's the local Chicago feed as opposed to the superstation one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Th 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Ha. My parents just got an HDTV a few months ago. And for an early birthday present, I paid $100 so my dad can get HD channels (you have to pay for the DVR box and HD channels, yes, you need a DVR box to get HD). The cable guy came and hooked up the HD box. I come to there place today to surprise my dad for his b-day (it's today). I look at the back of TV and notice its hooked up via composite cords! He said they would get HD great thru this. I then changed it to component cords and they could tell the difference right away. Fuckin idiot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ripper 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2007 How do you guys feel about Vizio? Costco has THIS Vizio 37". The price is really about as high as I'm willing to go for a TV. http://www.outlet.philips.com/b2c_redesign...amp;shop=OUTLET thats 699 right now if you don't care about getting refurbs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobobrazil1984 0 Report post Posted August 16, 2007 Do you guys think the budget brands like the Vizio (mentioned above) or Westinghouse or Olevia, or all of those, are worth buying? I'm looking at 26 inches (possibly 32) for my room, decided the 20 inchers were way too small. Unfortunatly my budget is generally limited ot 600 or possibly 700. I can probably get a good branded 26-inch right at the top tip of 700... or I could get a budget branded 32 inch. i'll probably be watching a lot of SDTV and DVDs at first- and whatever local HD channels the antenna or qam tuner picks up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Th 0 Report post Posted August 17, 2007 Yeah, they are perfectly fine. Just make sure they have at least one HDMI input. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2007 The TV I'm going with I can't really afford it, but I'll be damned if I can't watch the NFL in HD this season. Incidentally, what's the difference between dynamic and true contrast ratio? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobobrazil1984 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2007 ^ i ended up getting a smaller version of that samsung, same model (42H series). So far so good. I was worried about DVDs looking bad on it but they look really good after messing with the colors/contrast a bit (and i haven't even bought a component cable for it yet). supposedly samsung has better scalers than most in it, but that might be hype - but i'm happy with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianGuitarist 0 Report post Posted August 20, 2007 I liked the contrast ratio, I liked the inputs on it, and the place I'm buying it from allows me to not pay for a year, save taxes and admin fee. This upped my budget substantially, so why not go balls-deep? My original goal was to watch the 2008 Masters in HD, but with the deal Bell has right now on HD upgrades, I figured why not? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted August 27, 2007 Best Buy has a 42 inch 1080P Sharp Aquous LCD for $1399, Circuit City has the same model for $1299 so pricematch to BB. The tv retails for $1899 normally but its on clearance at BB. Ive read that a majority of the Sharp Aquous LCDs suffer from "banding" where there are light colored streaks that run across the screen, but to most its only noticable if you're actually looking for it. Im the type of person who would actively look for them and be annoyed so Im not too sure I want in on the deal, but its made better by 3 years no interest so I might take the plunge and see if I can get one that works, otherwise return em within 30 days til I get one thats not bad. I dunno. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
