Anyone have an HDTV?
- Thread starter Orion
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
AlphaTea
Enlightened
[ QUOTE ]
Orion said:
Just wondering if anyone on this board has an HDTV? If so, . . .
What make did you buy?
What size did you buy?
Why did you choose that one?
Anything else you'd like to add>>
Thanks!
[/ QUOTE ]
I bought a Pioneer 50 Plasma for my wife for our 25th anniversary. Believe it or not, thats what SHE wanted. Yes, I am one very lucky man...
The picture is incredible! Watching Discovery HD is like looking out a window at the world. Dolby 5.1 really makes a difference. There is TV, and then there is HDTV.
The ultimate experience is playing Xbox in HD. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif
Orion said:
Just wondering if anyone on this board has an HDTV? If so, . . .
What make did you buy?
What size did you buy?
Why did you choose that one?
Anything else you'd like to add>>
Thanks!
[/ QUOTE ]
I bought a Pioneer 50 Plasma for my wife for our 25th anniversary. Believe it or not, thats what SHE wanted. Yes, I am one very lucky man...
The picture is incredible! Watching Discovery HD is like looking out a window at the world. Dolby 5.1 really makes a difference. There is TV, and then there is HDTV.
The ultimate experience is playing Xbox in HD. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif
ACMarina
Flashlight Enthusiast
Ours is a 57'' Widescreen Toshiba. My dad did his research (shopping is his hobby, finding the best deals and stuff) because he always wanted one. My brother started spying on him when he looked at them, and when we found the one he liked the best we bought it and snuck it in the house when he was at my grandparents' house.
Before you jump, make sure you can get things in HD. Are you on cable, DirecTV, direct broadcast?
Before you jump, make sure you can get things in HD. Are you on cable, DirecTV, direct broadcast?
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
I cobbled one together with a 20" computer monitor and a YPrPb-->RGBHV converter. Not a perfect aspect ratio but ya can't beat the price. If I was buying one I'd probably go for one of the DLPs like RCA's Scenium. No burn-in or motion artifacts, and a wide viewing angle with excellent off-axis brightness.
IlluminatingBikr
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2003
- Messages
- 2,320
I've got a Sony 34-XBR960. It's a 34" wide-screen (16:9) high-definition, with built in tuner, tube television. Yup, good old tube technology.
My dad and I did some research into televisions, and decided on a tube for a few reasons. After deciding on a tube, we went to our local electronics stores, and checked out what they had. We did some internet research as well. We concluded that the 34-XBR960 would be a good television for our needs, and it got excellent reviews. Cnet's best high-def tube tv I believe. Consumer Reports also ranked it highly.
I am very happy with it, and recently had an entertainment center built around it to go in our family room, in a cutout, which was probably a closet a while ago.
My dad and I did some research into televisions, and decided on a tube for a few reasons. After deciding on a tube, we went to our local electronics stores, and checked out what they had. We did some internet research as well. We concluded that the 34-XBR960 would be a good television for our needs, and it got excellent reviews. Cnet's best high-def tube tv I believe. Consumer Reports also ranked it highly.
I am very happy with it, and recently had an entertainment center built around it to go in our family room, in a cutout, which was probably a closet a while ago.
geepondy
Flashlight Enthusiast
The tube HDTV's are definitely getting real affordable, especially in the not so giant size. I was TV shopping this weekend and saw 27" HDTV monitors which required a HDTV tuner for less then $500 but saw a nice Sony 27" HDTV tuner included for less then $700 if memory serves me correct.
greg_in_canada
Flashlight Enthusiast
Bought the recently discontinued Sony 40XBR800. It's
a 4:3 (non-widescreen) picture tube based set. But it
is big enough that it is equivalent to 37" in 16:9.
We mostly watch 4:3 sources so that was a major reason.
And it weighs 300 lbs so no one is likely to steal it.
It's in a fairly bright room so didn't want to go with
any kind of rear projector. And I have young kids so
anything with a delicate screen was out.
We're very happy with it.
Greg
a 4:3 (non-widescreen) picture tube based set. But it
is big enough that it is equivalent to 37" in 16:9.
We mostly watch 4:3 sources so that was a major reason.
And it weighs 300 lbs so no one is likely to steal it.
It's in a fairly bright room so didn't want to go with
any kind of rear projector. And I have young kids so
anything with a delicate screen was out.
We're very happy with it.
Greg
James S
Flashlight Enthusiast
helped my father-in-law get his setup recently. i'm not sure of the brand or size other than it's honkin huge and rear projection.
His set is a little older, but we're just getting the HD hookup now. His set has DVI inputs, which is cool, I want to hook it up to my computer. But the receiver has some new connector on it that looks sort of like a USB connector. I forget the name mdef or something.
Lots of competing connection standards it seems, so make sure whatever you get has the same connector as whatever else you get or you'll be out a couple of hundred for a converter box. Or, like in our case you can use a component video cable but loose some clarity from the all digital connection.
Other problem is that beyond an HD Tivo or similar type box, is there anyway at all to record an HD program?
His set is a little older, but we're just getting the HD hookup now. His set has DVI inputs, which is cool, I want to hook it up to my computer. But the receiver has some new connector on it that looks sort of like a USB connector. I forget the name mdef or something.
Lots of competing connection standards it seems, so make sure whatever you get has the same connector as whatever else you get or you'll be out a couple of hundred for a converter box. Or, like in our case you can use a component video cable but loose some clarity from the all digital connection.
Other problem is that beyond an HD Tivo or similar type box, is there anyway at all to record an HD program?
[ QUOTE ]
James S said:
His set has DVI inputs, which is cool, I want to hook it up to my computer. But the receiver has some new connector on it that looks sort of like a USB connector. I forget the name mdef or something.
Lots of competing connection standards it seems, so make sure whatever you get has the same connector as whatever else you get or you'll be out a couple of hundred for a converter box. Or, like in our case you can use a component video cable but loose some clarity from the all digital connection.
Other problem is that beyond an HD Tivo or similar type box, is there anyway at all to record an HD program?
[/ QUOTE ]
Probably an HDMI connector. This passes HD video and Dolby Digital all through one cable. As far as recorders other than a Hard disc, you might check out the D-VHS recorders from JVC but I think you can only record from the box if it has firewire.
James S said:
His set has DVI inputs, which is cool, I want to hook it up to my computer. But the receiver has some new connector on it that looks sort of like a USB connector. I forget the name mdef or something.
Lots of competing connection standards it seems, so make sure whatever you get has the same connector as whatever else you get or you'll be out a couple of hundred for a converter box. Or, like in our case you can use a component video cable but loose some clarity from the all digital connection.
Other problem is that beyond an HD Tivo or similar type box, is there anyway at all to record an HD program?
[/ QUOTE ]
Probably an HDMI connector. This passes HD video and Dolby Digital all through one cable. As far as recorders other than a Hard disc, you might check out the D-VHS recorders from JVC but I think you can only record from the box if it has firewire.
beam_me_up
Enlightened
I have a 65" widescreen Mitsubishi Diamond series RP HDTV....it's great /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Marty Weiner
Flashlight Enthusiast
Just got a JVC 30" widescreen HDTV last week. Besides the heft (110 pounds) it has a great picture and sound.
One thing that I noticed was that networks that broadcast in HDTV also put out the channel number, network name and program name on the screen when initially switched to that channel.
I got this specific set because it was exactly the overall dimensions that I needed for my TV stand /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
One thing that I noticed was that networks that broadcast in HDTV also put out the channel number, network name and program name on the screen when initially switched to that channel.
I got this specific set because it was exactly the overall dimensions that I needed for my TV stand /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Yep, HDMI carries video and Dolby stereo audio. The video pairs use the same TMDS format as DVI, thus a passive adaptor can convert between DVI video and HDMI video. Since DVI does nto carry audio, if you connect a DVI source to an HDMI display (or vice versa) with an adaptor, you'll still have to run separate audio cables.
keithhr
Flashlight Enthusiast
51" hitachi ultravision (widescreen)51S700 (built in tuner) combined with a radio shack $24 UHF antenna, OTA (over the air) HD tv 14 channels in all. Rear projection televisions are capable of higher resolution than direct view tube sets.
I chose to go with rear projection crt based because it is the most mature technology and far more bang for the buck. Since LCOS kind got pushed back, I couldn't wait any longer,I've been studying this since the inception of HD and felt technologically savy enough to make a good decision.
I chose to go with rear projection crt based because it is the most mature technology and far more bang for the buck. Since LCOS kind got pushed back, I couldn't wait any longer,I've been studying this since the inception of HD and felt technologically savy enough to make a good decision.
IlluminatingBikr
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2003
- Messages
- 2,320
[ QUOTE ]
keithhr said:
Rear projection televisions are capable of higher resolution than direct view tube sets.
[/ QUOTE ]
1080i is the highest resolution I know of, and direct-view CRT's can accomplish this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
[ QUOTE ]
I chose to go with rear projection crt based because it is the most mature technology
[/ QUOTE ]
Hasn't direct-view CRT been around a lot longer than rear-projection? Like computer monitors?
keithhr said:
Rear projection televisions are capable of higher resolution than direct view tube sets.
[/ QUOTE ]
1080i is the highest resolution I know of, and direct-view CRT's can accomplish this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
[ QUOTE ]
I chose to go with rear projection crt based because it is the most mature technology
[/ QUOTE ]
Hasn't direct-view CRT been around a lot longer than rear-projection? Like computer monitors?
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Resolution is tricky. While 1080i has more spatial resolution (more lines & pixels per frame), 720p has more temporal resolution because it's not interlaced. In other words, 1080i only paints half the number of lines (540) in a 60th of a second, while 720p paints all 720 lines in the same amount of time. This makes for less aliasing artifacts and smoother action on sports. This is the primary reason that the sports-oriented networks (ABC & ESPN) are using 720p - it just looks better on fast action and on slow-mo replays.
IlluminatingBikr
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2003
- Messages
- 2,320
That will all change with 1080p. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
mattheww50
Flashlight Enthusiast
Actually the channel, network, and program and run time information is present on many non HDTV broadcasts. The time of day signal signal your VCR uses to set the clock is part of that data stream. Most Cable systems try to strip it out, otherwise if the signal source is another time zone, it may set your vcr (or TV) to another time zone, or worse.
Only a handful of non-hdtv's (mostly Sony high end) are equipped to decode and display the data (The Sony I had could do it), and most VCR's toss everything except the time of day information.
Only a handful of non-hdtv's (mostly Sony high end) are equipped to decode and display the data (The Sony I had could do it), and most VCR's toss everything except the time of day information.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
[ QUOTE ]
IlluminatingBikr said:
That will all change with 1080p. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
1080p is used in some production applications, but it's not broadcast-able by today's standards because it requires a huge amount of bandwidth to pull it off. Maybe when the compression schemes get better, or when they convert from a channelized scheme to a large, contiguous glob of spread-spectrum bandwidth and/or cognitive radios.
IlluminatingBikr said:
That will all change with 1080p. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
1080p is used in some production applications, but it's not broadcast-able by today's standards because it requires a huge amount of bandwidth to pull it off. Maybe when the compression schemes get better, or when they convert from a channelized scheme to a large, contiguous glob of spread-spectrum bandwidth and/or cognitive radios.
Here is a good thread that explaines progressive vs. interlaced and 3:2 pulldown.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_4/dvd-benchmark-part-5-progressive-10-2000.html
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_4/dvd-benchmark-part-5-progressive-10-2000.html
Thanks for all the information. Please continue! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
My wife and I bought the 50" Sony HDTV. It isn't the completely flat screen, but the one that is about 16" thick, so by TV standards, it's pretty thin. Also weighing around 65-85 pounds. We are going to be getting the HD Discovery Channel to make use of the great picture ability, and just have a huge screen for other non-HD channels, which I hear those channels won't look any better than if they were on any other tube TV. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Oh well. Maybe soon they'll have more HD channels come out.
My wife and I bought the 50" Sony HDTV. It isn't the completely flat screen, but the one that is about 16" thick, so by TV standards, it's pretty thin. Also weighing around 65-85 pounds. We are going to be getting the HD Discovery Channel to make use of the great picture ability, and just have a huge screen for other non-HD channels, which I hear those channels won't look any better than if they were on any other tube TV. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Oh well. Maybe soon they'll have more HD channels come out.
