HDTV

[MarvinisaLunatic 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.

Sports enhancement level in HD (Most to least)

 

Hockey

Basketball

Baseball

Golf

Football

Tennis

[Mr. S£im Citrus 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.

Yeah... I was the last guy on the block to switch to those, too...

 

But that wasn't what I was getting at: what I'm getting at is that I saw those very same things that HD makes it easier to notice... and that it did not, in fact, make the game more entertaining. It just made it... wider...

[MillenniumMan831 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.

 

I feel your pain there. Although TW did give us the CW so Smackdown is now in HD. But yeah, sucks we don't get USA or Spike. We did get a HD ppv channel here though.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Figure skating actually makes the best transfer to HD out of all the sports. I'm surprised Marvin - as a NASCAR fan - didn't mention that either. I don't get the appeal of watching cars move in a circle for 3 hours, but damn it looks pretty in HD.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, we have Charter and don't get any of the "wrestling channels" in HD right now...so no WWE in HD for us.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

1) What is everyone's take on the Insignia brand? I've lowered my ceiling on TV prices in the fall when I return home, but there's an Insignia on for 999 right now, which was pretty well my cap. It's 40 inches, what is what I was roughly looking for, and 1080 res, which I was also looking for.

 

1a) Is it worth the extra money to invest in 1080p? The bulk of my viewing is going to be in 720p since I primarily watch sports anyway, but for news and anything else I might watch....I was perfectly happy with my 37hl57, which had a 768 NR. Buddy of mine tells me it's a night and day difference with programs shot in 1080i since it's not stretching the signal in any way. I've kind of made a case in my head that "what I don't know won't hurt me". Thoughts?

 

2) How will the digital switch effect VHS tapes? Obviously, it won't record without the set-top box, but can a blank tape handle a digital broadcast?

 

3) Same question for DVD recorders. A co-worker today said that only DVI, VGA, and HDMI are digitally-sent cables. If that's true, isn't Digital Video Disc grossly misleading?

[SuperJerk 0]

2) How will the digital switch effect VHS tapes? Obviously, it won't record without the set-top box, but can a blank tape handle a digital broadcast?

I would assume the set-top box converts the picture to a conventional analogue signal in order to output it through whatever it is hooked up to the VCR with. coaxial and composite (RCA) cables are analogue formats, so I would assume a conversion is happening before the signal gets to the VCR.

 

 

 

Side note: I wonder how many people besides me can go back and read older portions of this thread and want to punch themselves for how misinformed they were in certain older posts.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

2) How will the digital switch effect VHS tapes? Obviously, it won't record without the set-top box, but can a blank tape handle a digital broadcast?

I would assume the set-top box converts the picture to a conventional analogue signal in order to output it through whatever it is hooked up to the VCR with. coaxial and composite (RCA) cables are analogue formats, so I would assume a conversion is happening before the signal gets to the VCR.

 

 

 

Side note: I wonder how many people besides me can go back and read older portions of this thread and want to punch themselves for how misinformed they were in certain older posts.

 

 

Yes to the side note, but it comes out in the wash to a degree; Most of it was thinking outside the box and ensuring I could answer any questions at work before they came up. But yeah, some of them were really out there.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Figure skating actually makes the best transfer to HD out of all the sports. I'm surprised Marvin - as a NASCAR fan - didn't mention that either. I don't get the appeal of watching cars move in a circle for 3 hours, but damn it looks pretty in HD.

 

Id say NASCAR is probably the worst HD just because of all the fast motion artifacts I get on my 1080i set. BUT.. I saw the Best Buy demo today of an LG set that has some sort of motion filter on it and they used a NASCAR race as the demo footage and it was much clearer to the point I could change my mind. Still..the asphalt in HD doesnt look as nice as grass or dirt in HD does and the 16:9 view doesn't really add much extra to the viewing area. I do give Credit to FOX/ABC&ESPN/SPEED for going all out on the HD for all 3 divisions of NASCAR though, and the main Series has been 100% HD for all races for a couple years now which is much better than even the NFL has been able to do to this point considering FOX still occasionally does a 16:9 SD broadcast and CBS will still have to do I think 2 SD NFL games a week this year.

 

speaking of FOX and 16:9 SD, I think its fun that a lot of people cant tell that some of their 16:9 shows arent really HD. I know Dont forget the lyrics and Hells Kitchen are 16:9 SD for example and I think theres a couple more as well. They actually look good though.

 

Also, on the subject of VHS, there is such a thing as D-VHS and for the longest period of time it was the prefered method of recording HD stuff. 2 hours of HD could fit onto one tape in high speed mode and the lowest quality mode could fit 12 hours of video on a tape at just a tad below commercial DVD quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

The Score HD is(was) notorious for the 16:9 stretching. I haven't seen that network for about six weeks now, but up until about mid-January, nearly everything on it was stretched out. The last time I saw it, SD shows were in 4:3 with 'The Score' logos running down the side. That's undoubtedly the way to go, IMO.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Score HD is(was) notorious for the 16:9 stretching. I haven't seen that network for about six weeks now, but up until about mid-January, nearly everything on it was stretched out. The last time I saw it, SD shows were in 4:3 with 'The Score' logos running down the side. That's undoubtedly the way to go, IMO.

 

I think you misunderstood 16:9 SD. Its shot with a 16:9 camera that isnt HD, It isnt stretched 4:3 SD. I doubt it will be a very common thing since anyone upgrading now will probably go for the HD, but I think FOX must have gotten burned on a deal a few years ago on 16:9 SD cameras.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

He may not have been referring to your post directly...

 

But yes, when I first got my HD receiver in January I noticed The Score HD never aired 4:3 shows in 4:3. I like that they have the coloured in bars with a moving spotlight because I hear of people getting image burns from the solid black 4:3 borders (and in fact from time to time I notice a very faint thin, thin black line on my TV when watching something that is 16:9).

 

As far as I can tell (and have heard) A&E seems to be the current worst offender for insisting on stretching every single damn thing they air to 16:9 on their HD channel. I've heard USA and TNT are just as bad but we don't get those in Canada. I think even some of A&E HD's 16:9 programming is 16:9 SD as I've flipped by and seen programs that were actually widescreen that didn't look any more vibrant or defined.

 

I mean, it's easy enough to just hit the button that flips your TV between 4:3 and 16:9 (and before I actually had an HD receiver and perhaps didn't "get it", I think I told Marv to do just that when he was bitching about stretched out Law and Order on TNT) but we shouldn't have to.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

USA is actually pretty good about not stretching. Universal's networks seem to be really good about HD.

 

the worst offenders are Turner Networks with the exception of CNN. TNT isnt as bad since a lot of their shows are in HD, but TBS is awful and I cant even watch Cartoon Network anymore.

[Fartsauce 0]

Raw seems to be the only show in actual true HD on The Score. Everything else has been stretched.

[treble 0]

I've been HD-less for about 2 months now, but the Score would have things like Raptors games, plus sports picked up from American networks (mostly NBA games) in HD. Plus, occasionally they'd have their own produced stuff, too, like the Vanier Cup.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

The Brick in Calgary is closing one of its locations, and is having an obscene clearance. They were gone by the time I got there, but 42-inch plasmas were on for $300. It would have cost $105 to ship it home - so in essence, I could have had a 42-inch plasma for $450 dollars. I've often said I wouldn't buy plasma, but if I could do it for half of what I had planned, I'd bend the rules a bit.

[Fartsauce 0]

I forgot to mention that I eventually did get an HDTV a little over a month ago, but it was a 1080i Sony Bravia 40s3000 model. Yeah, it's not 1080p but the picture is stunning in HD. The only minor problem I have is that the reds don't produce true reds. Everything considered, i'm very happy with the set.

[NoCalMike 0]

I forgot to mention that I eventually did get an HDTV a little over a month ago, but it was a 1080i Sony Bravia 40s3000 model. Yeah, it's not 1080p but the picture is stunning in HD. The only minor problem I have is that the reds don't produce true reds. Everything considered, i'm very happy with the set.

 

Well 1080p does nothing for watching TV networks anyway.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

To further my question from earlier, the same buddy said the picture maintains its integrity since it's a 1080 native res and most things are shown in 1080i.

 

Still, it's becoming inreasingly likely my next TV will be 720p. I was actually looking at the Toshiba HL57 again. I paid 1050 for the 37-inch model last September, and a 42-inch model is now 900. The only thing I wasn't happy about with it was the lack of ATSC/Qam tuners.

[Dandy 0]

See if you can find a TV that does both 720p and 1080i. We discussed that around Thanksgiving in this thread. I had never heard of it until then.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

See if you can find a TV that does both 720p and 1080i. We discussed that around Thanksgiving in this thread. I had never heard of it until then.

Nor had I until that point, but it turns out most do. We shall see.

 

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Well, shit. Walmart's new TV mod (which starts July 14) will have some 1080p's on it, including a 42" Sanyo and Vizio for 999.

 

I'm back to the drawing board.

[NoCalMike 0]

In the Spring of 2009, I should have a good $12-$1600 from my tax return alone to spend on a new 1080p HDTV. That is if I only use money from my tax return and none from my actual checking and/or money market account.

 

Of course hoping nothing goes wrong in life between now and Spring 2009 that will require me to use that money for is pretty wishful thinking, of course the amount listed above is just a portion of the tax return anyway.

 

However, the biggest factor holding me back from getting a newer HDTV is not the cost of the TV itself, it is the higher monthly price I would have to pay for programming. Technically I could scale back the programming package I get to offset the cost increase HD-programming would induce, but I like having access to everything I have. I think if I changed nothing besides upgrading to HD programming my bill would go up by about $20-30 a month. Of course that is if I get the highest possible HD package.

[Craig Th 0]

I am getting my HDTV out of storage this Sunday and I am pumped. Though I don't know when I'll get a box because I am not sure if my new landlord will go for that, but we'll see.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

For christ's sake, RCA and Sanyo 42 1080p's on for 1000. Maybe I'll just throw a dart at a board covered in TV brands. Well, I guess I have until the Royal Rumble to decide anyway, which I had often said would be my housewarming party.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

No need to slum with RCA if you can order from Amazon. The newest 40" Samsungs can be had for less than $1200 shipped.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Slum with RCA? Lol. I'm not comparing them to Samsung, but since when is RCA bad whatsoever? I really liked your perspicacity there, though.

[Dandy 0]

RCA hasn't been quality in ages. This is not the same RCA from before, as that company is dead and buried. Electronics are now being made with "RCA" on there, but it's not by the dog in front of the speaker.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

What he said. Sanyo and RCA are mid-market options, decent for value. However, if you can get a much better product for $150 more (on a product you'll probably be keeping for several years), do it. As far as I can tell, Samsung and Sony are still the brand leaders in televisions. Some of those Pioneer plasmas are gorgeous and have gotten very favorable reviews as well.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Id say there are only 5 brands for HDTVs

 

Sony

LG

Samsung

Vizio

Sharp

 

any brands other than those and you are taking too much risk with such a big investment.