Community Newsletter: Q&A: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source?
- 9/7/06 4:35 PM
HD TVs
by Paul Zaidel - 9/8/06 12:54 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You talked about cable in your answer, but what about using an antenna for local TV stations. What can happen there? Will I get the locals in a new LCD set? Thank you for your time. Paul Zaidel
Don't rule out EDTV just yet
by ayala31 - 9/8/06 1:12 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Do your comparisons before you buy...Specifically Consumer Reports and of course CNET.com. I purchased a Panasonic 42'' Plasma EDTV Model: TH-42PD60U From Best Buy for less then 1800.00. Consumer Reports rated this Panny EDTV higher then ALOT of Budget or Mid Range Plasma HDTV's. Don't belive me? go to any BB or CC and look at the Image Quality/Brightness/Sharpness of this ED vs. HD of any other TV around that price point.
Just remember that ED or HD through a standard 75 Ohm Coax will not look as good as through an HDMI Cable... Oh and if you really want to try something cool? Spend less then 10 bucks on a set of ''rabbit ear'' antenea. Most Local NBC/FOX/ABC/CBS affiliates are broadcasting over the air HD signals that you can bring in with those ''old tech'' rabbit ears. The picture quality will be better then from your Cable company, and it's free.
Plasma TV Burn in or ghosting
by pcic57 - 9/8/06 1:16 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Have they modified the newer plasma tv's that help with the burn in of images? Which is a better picture, lcd or plasma?
Plasma Burn is gone with new TV's
by mbryansf - 9/8/06 2:10 PM In reply to: Plasma TV Burn in or ghosting by pcic57I bought a 5th gen Plasma from Samsung last year with a 27 year life span w/o burn in. All new units should not suffer, unless your buying a no name brand.
What about recording
by nightstitcher - 9/8/06 2:07 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Currently I use multiple VCRs and a few DVD recorders to do all my time-shifting. Don't want the expense of Tivo or set-top-boxes because I will often want to record multiple shows at the same time. Mostly these shows are on basic cable, and the VCR/DVD-R tuners handle things just fine. What will I need to buy & do down the road?
windows mce
by voge420 - 9/8/06 4:06 PM In reply to: What about recording by nightstitcherYou being someone that wants to record multiple shows at once from basic cable an mce pc can have up to 4 tuners in it. which lets it digitally record 4 shows at once.
MCE?
by nightstitcher - 9/8/06 4:41 PM In reply to: windows mce by voge420Is that multimedia center edition or some such? It's not a familiar term. Where can I get more info? I don't really want to buy a whole new puter right now, but might be ready for an upgrade by 09. I have a DVR on my current PC, but it's only one tuner and since I'm usually recording while computing and while watching recordings playing on my vcr through the computer's tuner, I'd have to get a dedicated always-on system for that. 4 at a time is usually enough 
, and one adequatly-equipped PC might be cheaper than 4 adequately equipped new-style DVD-recorders - or maybe not. Anything I'll be able to do with regular VCRs or DVD recorders, or will the 09 models perhaps have some of the box-avoiding circuitry that's being discussed?
Disagree - Mostly
by Rperson - 9/8/06 2:29 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Getting an ED set instead of a HD set is not a bad choice - IF and its a BIG if - you are only watching SD television and DVDs. If your local HD broadcast offering is limited then your sources and also limited. 85% of the HD offering doesn't make full use of HD and ED will cover most of that - for now.
The other note is that ED (in at least the units I am considering) have a significantly petter SD picture then the SAME PHYSICAL SIZE HD display.
Check out the Panasonic 42" Plasma EDTV Model: TH-42PD60U
My 32inch CRT just blew out and I will be replacing with Panasonic this weekend. I will not be changing my service any time soon. In the 2 years it takes to get HD TV as the minimal offering, I will have a top notch display and the new sets at that time will be a great choice. The Panasonic will end up being a 2nd or 3rd display or even a computer screen with no complaints.
HDTV another question
by columbia999 - 9/8/06 3:06 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The explanation of HDTV/DTV technology was very helpful. I want to add an additional question to the mix. When the change rolls around in 2009, what happens to our VHS recording machines and the hard disk recorders we now own? Will these become obsolete for making off the air and cable recordings?
Not really
by Wolfpacker96 - 9/11/06 6:50 AM In reply to: HDTV another question by columbia999First up, if you're on cable or satelite the 2009 deadline does not affect you. Read all the responses. The original forum writer was just wrong on that.
As far as your VCR, the converter boxes for over-the-air (OTA) signals will have analog outputs. It would be no different than using your VCR with a cable box. Just run the signal cable out of the converter and into the VCR. You'll have to put the box on the correct channel manually and to have it record I'm sure.
As far as DVRs, if you use cable, you'll just ask them to send you a new box if something stops working. With sat you may need a new box someday, but heck, I'm sure you'd have to buy a new one eventually anyway. For TIVO, I'm sure that recording OTA would be a problem. I'm not even sure if a TIVO can record easily OTA right now. They obviously could just sell you a new box with a converter built in.
VCR - box or no box?
by nightstitcher - 9/11/06 9:41 AM In reply to: Not really by Wolfpacker96Wolfpacker96 wrote:
>As far as your VCR, the converter boxes for over-the->air (OTA) signals will have analog outputs. It would >be no different than using your VCR with a cable box
So, if they will be able to take the analogue cable signal as before, and allow the VCR/DVD-r to do the tuning, then I'm ok. I don't get any OTA stations anyway, so it's all through cable - unless they decide not to provide analogue cable anymore. It's only for OTA that I'd need a box that would need to be babysat for recording. Is that correct?
Exactly
by Wolfpacker96 - 9/11/06 12:24 PM In reply to: VCR - box or no box? by nightstitcherYeah, if you're on cable no worries for awhile. Of course, the cable companies could go all digital and that would mess you up, but they aren't required to do it by law. And I don't see them forcing all their customers to get boxes anytime soon. But what do I know!
HDTV
by Cindy Hasty - 9/8/06 3:21 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Click on the link to the FCC website below to answer your questions in a less technical manner, (less confusion).
Surf the FCC website to answer other questions you have and learn more about HDTV. Or log on to "wikipedia.org" for other information.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-238850A1.doc
Good luck.
HDTV purchase
by Emilie Miller - 9/8/06 3:27 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I recently bought a Sony 40 inch HDTV. It can cost under $2000 without HD ready plus use of cable card. Mine is about 2300 from Amazon (delivery extra). I spent more at a local CT brick etc store, worth the unpacking and carrying up to the second floor as well as cable set up and no mailing charge. The usual 3 channels plus Fox are availavle in HD and incredible movies. Hate to admit I'm so shallow, but this is really fun. Emilie
Maybe I didn't make a mistake!
by D. Ness - 9/8/06 3:57 PM In reply to: 9/8/06 Is an HDTV worth buying even without an HD source? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
A little over 2 years ago our old 32'' CRT set ''went south.''
Talking with my trusted salesman, (small private TV - Audio business) he pointed to a 42'' Plasma MONITOR (VERY High Resolution) hanging on display, and sugested that until the analog / digital ''war'' settled down, that the monitor hooked to my DVD / VHS Tape PLAYER would be the best way to go. (no HD programing was avaiable at the time)
He went on to say that even though I / we wouldn't enjoy the full resolution benefits with this set-up; when NEW generation cable boxes (and feeds from our cable service) became available, the monitor would be ready to go HD.
Was this a good choice??
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
