High Definition Television

[Bobb]

Hi everyone, If you have High Definition Television[HD] broadcasting in your area, this is the deal to get. Dish network ,a satelite co, has either a 34" direct view or a 40" rear projection set with a reciever that has both standard defination and high definition tuners for both satelite and local broadcasts for 999.00. this includes installation. For your information, in 2006 the kind of TV we have now, NTSC, will stop broadcasting and there will only be HD which can not be picked up by the television sets we have now. There will be tuners that you can buy so you can see the HD signal on your existing set. As I always say, you pays your money and you get your thrills. No I don't have anything to do with dish. I wish I did! Take care, BOBB

P/S I hit 500 posts. "B"

[mohrds]

That is interesting. It seems like a pretty good deal. I don't have a dish or cable, I receive my HD content over the air. I'm lucky to live in a city where most of the stations are broadcasting in HD. Here, the cable company provides minimal HD broadcasts except on the pay per view channels, so I opted not to get it.

The 34" direct view will probably provide you a sharper picture than the rear view.

I have a 34" widescreen direct view from Toshiba and I'm very happy with it. It was a little over $700.

Doug

[Bobb]

Hi Doug, The street price on a 34" 16X9 set that will display HD with a HD tuner box runs from about 1800 to 2500 dollars depending on who the mfg is. I was looking at either Toshiba or JVC 34" and they are both in the 1800 to 2000 price range. Then you have to get a HD tuner which run about 400 or 500 bucks. On the dish deal you do have to sign up for at least one year of programing plus the HD pkg. I was spending about $50.00 a month so I will only add about $10.00 for the HD pkg. You can get you local HD stations with the tuner that comes with the pkg. Dish calls it HDTV in a box. Take care, BOBB

[Ron Mummert]

Pardon me, Bobb, but I hear "standard" analog broadcast will be with us for a long, long time, as HDTV "standards" are still all over the board. Then again, maybe you're speaking strictly about satallite transmission, & I'm lost with your explanation. I just bought a 32" Sharp flat screen non-HDTV set at Costco for only $399.00. I decided with my aging eyesight, what the heck do I need to spend over a grand to see a sharper image for anyway? Then I'd have to invest in lasik surgery to appreciate it.
Nah.

Ron (rabbit ear lover).

[Mr. Pockets]

Are these direct-view HD sets just a regular old CRT? I play a lot of video games (go figure), so when I picked out an HDTV I went for a glass-tube one that wouldn't burn in like the rear-projection TVs can.

I paid about $800 for my 30" widescreen Philips. It retailed for $1000 at the time, but Best Buy had the thing marked at $600 on the shelf at the time. Their mistake - the $600 model was the same size, and widescreen, but analog. I should have argued until I got the $600 price, but they were closing and I was happy enough to get $200 off it.

Anyway, progressive scan is one of the coolest things evAR!

[Bobb]

Hi Ron and Nick. Regular TV which is the NTSC format is going to go away in 2006. So Ron you will have to get a new set or an adapter box to see whats out there. If your on cable you will probably be OK for a while after 2006. Yes nick this a 34" all glass tube. the set weighs 170 lb plus. Today most Sets for HD are just HD ready. You have to buy a HD tuner "set top box" to get HD off the air. About mid 2005 the gov will require mfg to sell sets with at least one HD tuner in the sets they make. So you won't need an external tuner. And Ron, the HD standard has been set for some time. The cable guys couldn't get it togeather and just came up with a standard for themselves. It's not as high a resolution as broadcast or what Dish has. Direct TV has a different format from anyone else. Just think 480P,720p or 1080i For even more confusion JVC upgrades there pictures to 1500i on some of their sets. Take care and don't sit to close, BOBB

'

[Mr. Pockets]

As I understand it, mine has a tuner. Not that it really matters - I use DirecTV, I don't think I have an HD-ready satellite receiver and don't actually subscribe to any of their HD channels yet anyway.

I really only wanted the HD capability for games and movies.

Project Gotham Racing 2 looks pretty fantabulous in 480p widescreen.

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
As I understand it, mine has a tuner. Not that it really matters - I use DirecTV, I don't think I have an HD-ready satellite receiver and don't actually subscribe to any of their HD channels yet anyway.

I really only wanted the HD capability for games and movies.

Project Gotham Racing 2 looks pretty fantabulous in 480p widescreen.

All my tv needs is a box and it will be HD. I bought it to watch football. It's an RCA 61 inch rear projection. Cheap porn looks horrible on it. Also you realize how many people have pimples and freckles.

Oh and Halo rocked on it.

[manofmayo]

I have a Sony 34" HDTV (16x9 screen). My big problem with it is not the HiDef stations, DVD's or the game systems, its with the old NTSC format (which is still 90% of the programing). The programs look like cr*p; blurry, grainy, lots of artifacts. No brand of HDTV is really any better than the other I found; my HDTV is the newest Sony too. I had issues w/ the Panasonic and JVC tv's too.

My opinion on these TV's is that unless you watch lots of movies or sports, I'd wait another year or two before dropping $2k on one of these behemouths (mine weights in at over 300 lbs).

My 2 cents.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by Scott
Oh and Halo rocked on it.

My big complaint about Halo (now that I have a widescreen TV) is that it doesn't support 16:9 TVs. Not many XBox games do, and that's just a pain in the butt. It means that I have to boot up the game, find out if it supports widescreen, and if it doesn't I have to reset the console and turn off 480p and widescreen support.

I like the GameCube's method better - if the game supports 480p, it'll ask you when it starts if you want to use that mode. If you already know that the game doesn't also support widescreen, then you can tell it no.

Unless you don't mind things being stretched. I do.

[Landshark]

Bobb,

that does sound like a good deal. it seems Dish Network has made up with Viacom and will keep their programming afterall.

HDTV would be nice, but there just isn't much content right now. besides, i'd never be able to live without my TIVO - one of the best consumer electronics devices i've ever bought!!!!



Alan (fast fwd'ing through the commercials )

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by Landshark
Bobb,

that does sound like a good deal. it seems Dish Network has made up with Viacom and will keep their programming afterall.

HDTV would be nice, but there just isn't much content right now. besides, i'd never be able to live without my TIVO - one of the best consumer electronics devices i've ever bought!!!!



Alan (fast fwd'ing through the commercials )

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who TiVo and those who don't.

[mohrds]

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
Are these direct-view HD sets just a regular old CRT?

Direct view is the buzz term for plain old CRT

Doug

[mohrds]

Originally posted by manofmayo
My big problem with it is not the HiDef stations, DVD's or the game systems, its with the old NTSC format (which is still 90% of the programing). The programs look like cr*p; blurry, grainy, lots of artifacts.

Sorry to hear that. I guess i'm spoiled with all the major network affiliates broadcasting in HiDef.

Doug

[mohrds]

Originally posted by Landshark
besides, i'd never be able to live without my TIVO - one of the best consumer electronics devices i've ever bought!!!!

There is a HiDef/ATSC Tivo out there.

The main problem is HiDef (1920X1080i) takes about 10GB/hr for recording. That eats up a lot of drive space on most digital recorders.