HDTV

[Dandy 0]

is it fair to equate (for the sake of comparison) 1080i to 540p? I understand that progressive scan is better with fluid motion and whatnot, but if I were to compare 1080i to 720p involving something stable on screen (say, a nature show with lots of still images), is that a fair assessment?

No. I stated that same thing in this thread and was corrected. 1080i shows more pixels than 720p, so 1080i could not equal 540p. Something stable on the screen, and 1080i would be better than 720p. 720p would be better for onstant, quick motion.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

is it fair to equate (for the sake of comparison) 1080i to 540p? I understand that progressive scan is better with fluid motion and whatnot, but if I were to compare 1080i to 720p involving something stable on screen (say, a nature show with lots of still images), is that a fair assessment?

No. I stated that same thing in this thread and was corrected. 1080i shows more pixels than 720p, so 1080i could not equal 540p. Something stable on the screen, and 1080i would be better than 720p. 720p would be better for onstant, quick motion.

 

That makes sense. Thanks.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Is anyone else tired of the fucking scrollers across the screen about digital tv transmission? Its stupid to be doing that now (I could see the scrollers in say..January but now?)

 

Also it was fully brought out now that even if people who dont have cable/satellite go out and buy new tvs or converter boxes for old tvs, there's one huge problem that no one really gave much thought about: digital signals don't travel as far as analog. So some people who got by fine with a simple antenna might have to fork over as much as a couple hundred bucks for a new bigger more powerful antenna to pick up digital signals. Technically digital signals can be pulled in with any antenna but if the digital signal is weaker than the analog you'll need a powered one to pick it up and they dont run as cheap. I had to buy a $50 powered one to pick up signals that I could pick up in analog (albeit a bit snowy picture) to replace my cheapo one and I still have slight problems occasionally with the most distant channel away from me (I think its like 20 miles to the antenna from here).

 

Supposedly some stations will be allowed to increase the power they transmit at BUT I dont know when that will happen, so if people upgrade now and cant get the signal they'll probably feel forced to get the antenna now even though they may not need it come next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NoCalMike 0]

"Digital" TVs aren't even that expensive if you are just buying a secondary(or third, fourth etc) smaller set for the back bedroom(s). I have a 27inch Insignia in my bedroom and it was a couple hundred dollars.

 

Most people probably already have a "digital" tv and just don't know it because they are beyond standard now.

 

The panic will ensue when people confuse "digital" for "HD" and think they have to go out and spend $999 on a new tv.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

"Digital" TVs aren't even that expensive if you are just buying a secondary(or third, fourth etc) smaller set for the back bedroom(s). I have a 27inch Insignia in my bedroom and it was a couple hundred dollars.

 

Most people probably already have a "digital" tv and just don't know it because they are beyond standard now.

 

The panic will ensue when people confuse "digital" for "HD" and think they have to go out and spend $999 on a new tv.

 

I saw the last line in practise constantly when I was in retail.

 

As for the tickers? The earlier, the better. I hate to sound arrogant, but the general public are either: stupid, lazy, careless, or indifferent, if not a combination of both. The more press this gets, the better.

 

 

 

 

 

Who makes Vizio? I saw a fantastic deal on one today at Costco - I'm not buying a new set until I get my own place again in the fall, but if all Vizio's are that much of a bargain (sounds like they are), that might be the one I pick up. The reviews on them have been great, and they do seem priced really well; just curious who was behind them.

[CanadianChris 0]

Someone told me that Vizio uses LG components as well, but they're a small company that makes their own TVs.

[NoCalMike 0]

Samsclub(which is Wal-Marts version of Costco) has a 720p and 1080p Vizio for some bargain prices along with a bunch of other brand/models. If my wife hadn't made me promise to spend the stimulus package on a damn temprapedic bed, I might have been picking one up in a couple of months

[ForumPro 0]

Okay, look. Here's what I would do. Split the money on getting a bed AND the HD TV at once at the same time. That way, everyone gets something, to some extent. It's called compromise. If you need more money, this forum has a board for selling things so you can make up the money you might need by getting rid of things. Thanks for reading!

[ZGangsta 0]

The panic will ensue when people confuse "digital" for "HD" and think they have to go out and spend $999 on a new tv.

Oh man, I've heard a lot of that going on already. People going "Well in 2010 eveything's going to be in HD when the government makes them stop giving you analog cable" and other stuff like that.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

What's the benefit of an LCD rear projection? Wouldn't it make sense to go either one way with LCD, or another with CRT?

I suppose I should point out that I'm not entirely sure if LCD RP uses CRT's or not - I thought it used three, the way a CRT RP does, and only the screen was LCD.

 

 

Also, what's the lifespan of a DLP bulb? I've heard 3000 hours, but that sounds awfully low, doesn't it? That's only about 18 months at 6 hours a day, compared to the usual 40 or higher thousand hours of a flat-panel.

[NoCalMike 0]

Okay, look. Here's what I would do. Split the money on getting a bed AND the HD TV at once at the same time. That way, everyone gets something, to some extent. It's called compromise. If you need more money, this forum has a board for selling things so you can make up the money you might need by getting rid of things. Thanks for reading!

 

Well the thing is, we already have a 46" Toshiba HD TV, so my bargaining chip goes out the window. The TV is about four years old now and there is nothing really wrong with it, pretty kickass for the price I paid, however the way prices have come down, I can get a TV a lot better for about the same price now. If I just let her get the bed now, then when we get our tax return in early 2009, I will have a bigger chunk of change to go out and get a new TV. So it is going to work out.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

Anyone else have a 8300HDC by Scientific Atlanta? If so, I feel bad for you. This thing is such a huge piece of shit. I'm on my 2nd one and this keeps fucking up and I'm bout to be on my 3rd in 7 months. I would take it back faster, but I have shit recorded on it that I don't feel like losing. This thing is the biggest piece of shit I have ever had.

[converge241 0]

Old Sony HD only goes to 720P from 2002. Guy I know has a few newer TVs and unloading this one for 300$ 36" Good Deal?

 

Thx!

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

What type is it? Flat-panel or CRT?

 

Either way, the answer is probably yes.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I dont think they made HD CRTs that big back in 2002, if ever.

 

$300 for that size in 720p is a good deal.

[ZGangsta 0]

I dont think they made HD CRTs that big back in 2002, if ever.

 

$300 for that size in 720p is a good deal.

Yeah my parents have a 32 inch HD CRT (720p) from a few years back.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Every single HD TV manufacturer that is worth their salt is slashing prices on current models starting today, the biggest of which is Sony who is cutting around 25% off their prices.

 

Gee, I wonder why?

 

 

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Is there a specific reason? Lesser tv-watching during the summer?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I figured it had to do with the "economic stimulus" rebates most tax payers are getting.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I figured it had to do with the "economic stimulus" rebates most tax payers are getting.

*price is right winner theme*

[Craig Th 0]

Anyone else have a 8300HDC by Scientific Atlanta? If so, I feel bad for you. This thing is such a huge piece of shit. I'm on my 2nd one and this keeps fucking up and I'm bout to be on my 3rd in 7 months. I would take it back faster, but I have shit recorded on it that I don't feel like losing. This thing is the biggest piece of shit I have ever had.

I had one, but my landlord took it back the other day because I am moving out. But I never had a problem with it. I only had 2, 1 for each apartment I lived in and they worked the entire time.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

That's what I'm hearing at other forums. Either you get one that works forever, or you get a shit one that breaks after a day, week, or month.

[KingPK 0]

I figured it had to do with the "economic stimulus" rebates most tax payers are getting.

*price is right winner theme*

 

Hey, if they want me to stimulate the economy, then by God, I'm going to stimulate it raw.

 

I'm looking at something like this one. It's for my bedroom TV (for XBox and DVDs), so I don't want to go nuts and figure that 25-30" is the best size.

[Mik 0]

We finally got a much needed update to our HD channels here on Time Warner. Good news right? Not when it's Food Network and Home and Garden HD!

 

I'd really like Spike and USA HD but I think it's an absolute travesty that I still can't get UFC and WWE PPVs in HD but I can watch someone make a soufflé in 1080p!

I'd have thought that PPV would be one of the first channels to get the upgrade. I guess that's why I don't work at a cable network.

[Dandy 0]

We finally got a much needed update to our HD channels here on Time Warner. Good news right? Not when it's Food Network and Home and Garden HD!

 

I'd really like Spike and USA HD but I think it's an absolute travesty that I still can't get UFC and WWE PPVs in HD but I can watch someone make a soufflé in 1080p!

I'd have thought that PPV would be one of the first channels to get the upgrade. I guess that's why I don't work at a cable network.

DirecTV~!

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

We finally got a much needed update to our HD channels here on Time Warner. Good news right? Not when it's Food Network and Home and Garden HD!

 

I'd really like Spike and USA HD but I think it's an absolute travesty that I still can't get UFC and WWE PPVs in HD but I can watch someone make a soufflé in 1080p!

I'd have thought that PPV would be one of the first channels to get the upgrade. I guess that's why I don't work at a cable network.

 

Food Network HD used to be good when it wasnt a simulcast but all HD programming. As of last month they've pretty much turned it into the worst HD Channel ever (even beyond TBS standards) by making it a simulcast channel when probably only 25% of their shows are actually in HD. Sure, there are some HD shows and they look awesome, but most of their programming is god awful stretched 4:3 crap. thank god my tv can resize that stretched crap back to 4:3 decently.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I'm in a weird setup, in an apartment complex that gets a pre-configured Dish Network feed transmitted through cable via a little local cutout company (Shentel). Since I moved in, the HD's been bare bones--the networks, TNT, ESPN, and that's about it. The whole setup finally got upgraded to the point where I now have one of the mpeg-4 boxes and about 50 channels, including all the absurd Voom networks. Monsters HD is unquestionably the greatest TV-based thing to occur in years.

 

I like Food Network HD, but I really only give a shit about Good Eats, so the stretching isn't a problem for me.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

I still don't see what the fuss is about: I watched the first half of Lakers/Jazz on the HDTV in our video lab on my lunch break yesterday, and while I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't notice a difference, it didn't enhance my actual viewing experience in the slightest. I mean, why should I give a shit if I can see the dimples on the basketball? It doesn't make the game any more entertaining.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

You codger, you!

 

Basketball is actually one of the things that I think translates wonderfully to HD. Not only is everything clearer, but the wider aspect ratio means you can actually see an entire half of the court at once. Overall, it's just much easier to pick up details that make games/programming/anything more entertaining. Same reason we buy DVDs instead of VHS tapes, or CDs instead of cassettes.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I agree with Edwin, although to me it's more the equivalent of going from really blurry old film to high-res DVD. I'd been watching sports for months on 720p in Florida, and when I first moved up to Portland, I didn't have HD service and it literally felt like everything was really blurry. Considering I wear contacts/glasses, it was a little confusing at first.

 

I also love things that are shot in widescreen, and the majority of the programming I watch is either sports or movies (aside from only a couple primetime dramas and shows on Comedy Central), so HD is great for me.