Digital TV Conversion and High Definition TV HDTV

Digital TV Conversion and High Definition TV HDTV

by Sanjuro | Published on October 16th, 2007, 7:28 am | Science

Liv wrote:I want HD so-o bad!

It's really a night and day difference, Liv. I had to get rid of my old 36 inch tube because the coax connector was being 'difficult' and decided to upgrade to a 50 inch 1080p plasma. I bought a cheap HD-DVD player, and an antenna to pick up the HD broadcasts...I tell ya, it's awesome. Never being a big sports fan, I find myself mesmerized by the beauty that is HD and end up watching WAY more sports than I used to. When watching football for instance, you can see every blade of grass, the weave in the uniforms, and the action is smooth and life-like.

One thing that pisses me off are the number of people who THINK they have HD because some counter jocky at Best Buy tells them they do. They are simply rocking a big tv (or worse) only have 480p are convinced they are cutting edge. "Bigger is better" is their motto. Sad really.

We went to Circuit City about a year ago just wasting time, and I was shocked at it... I'd love to own one. If I can find a good deal around tax time, I might have to buy one.

Liv wrote:We went to Circuit City about a year ago just wasting time, and I was shocked at it... I'd love to own one. If I can find a good deal around tax time, I might have to buy one.

The best place hands down is Onecall.com

GREAT service, awesome prices, etc. I was very happy with them.

Liv wrote:I want HD so-o bad!

We got a 32" LCD TV, and it's doing pretty well. I like getting the sports events in HD (though I wonder if HD golf is really worth it...), but the change appears to be lost on my wife. She says she can't tell any difference.

Matt wrote:Because I'm not the homeless activist who tells everyone else to give money and then clamors for HDTV, laser hair removal, travel, etc.

I can't want HDTV? and want to help others too?

I don't own one. I actually own a 99 dollar 23" tv from Walmart my parents bought me for Christmas. I probably make less money then anyone on this board. I've saved every dime for laser hair removal, and our Trip to LA was mostly so Shannon and the kids could see their grandparents, and aunts and uncles. We hadn't been back in 3 years and that was for a funeral. The vacation I'm looking into now will be our first vacation since having kids (5) years, and technically I'm constantly question if I shouldn't use it for something else. If we do go, it will hardly be anything extravagant.

Sure I'd love HDTV, and maybe someday I can afford it. I also am constantly making an effort to help those less fortunate out. Via awareness on this blog, and my hopes to encorporate it's ability to contribute to such causes.

I've never claimed to be a saint, but I'm trying alot harder than 90% of the people out there. I've been on foodstamps, on welfare. I realize how thin the line is. Hell I work 40 hours a week at work, and probably nearly that on this site, yet our dinner tonight was noodles and peporoni because it was all we could afford.

I'm not able to go to Converge South or the local PFA meetings because when I'm not working, Shannon is and I'm watching the kids.

Don't judge me Matt, I've worked harder, and been through stuff you'd cringe at.

Now that, that's out of the way.... Why size TV do you have Matt?

I guess Matt wins the hair-shirt and ashes TV category. Clearly anyone who has a better TV is anti-social and should have donated the money to charity. Shame on you Liv for even thinking of wanting one :roll:

My conscience is clear with respect to my charitable work and donations and I don't have a problem with treating myself occasionally.

I got rid of my fifteen year old 27" TV last year and bought a 42" Samsung LCD (I don't like the plasma)

I have to say it's great, it uses a fraction of the electricity of the old one so it's green too

I figured I'd add some nostalgia to this thread...

Found this while going through my scans:

We've come along way.

Went out and bought my HDMI cable today. Walmart. $30.00. For a CABLE!!?! Total rip off. You can't tell me there is anything in a HDMI cable other then the proprietary plugs that make it any more special then regular cables.... but alas if I wanted my Blu-ray player... to play in digital.... I had to fork over the $30.00 for the cable.... I was unfortunately under additional pressure as NetFlix had sent me Torchwood on BluRay.

I can't for the life of me describe how incredible of an experience it is. I know some of you have had High Def. for some time... but I was a HD virgin up till a week ago.... It's utterly mind blowing.... I thought Captain Jack was hot before hand... whoa! Baby.... talk about worth every dollar...

It's odd because I've even played some non-bluray home videos from London, and even the Torchwood series which I had seen in DVD first, there's so much you actually miss on the old analog TV. Book names on shelves, subtitles, tiny facial expression. I feel like a drug addict, I may never actually get off the couch again.

Oh no...

First: HDMI.. You were raped while watching for falling prices. They are 10 bucks or less at Intrex. There is one on Battleground Ave and one off Wendover/Guilford college rd near macys. Take back the one you bought!

Second: Wanna talk mind blowing...Get back to me when you hit Wall-E or Planet Earth in 1080p @ 46-60 inches. 8-)

Seriously though, congratulations on the first step. :dance:

I have HD, and it's Ok. Can't really say that it's like upgrading from B&W to color, but it's pretty cool.

Wall-E is in the queue.... and Shannon remarked on the planet earth series just a few hours ago... (they previewed it on Torchwood)....

We've got the new Narnija movie in blu-ray for tonight.... I feel like a monkey with a flashlight when all the pretty colors come on.

SouthernFriedInfidel wrote:I have HD, and it's Ok. Can't really say that it's like upgrading from B&W to color, but it's pretty cool.

Then you're doing it wrong. LOL..

Seriously, thats the only way I can describe it.. Like going from Black and White to Color.

Liv wrote:Wall-E is in the queue.... and Shannon remarked on the planet earth series just a few hours ago... (they previewed it on Torchwood)....

If you get Planet Earth, make sure its the one with Richard Attenburough (sp?) narrating from the BBC. Not the crappy Discovery channel one with Sigourney Weaver narration.

Both Wall-E and Planet Earth are stunning. Wall-E is particularly jaw dropping and one of (if not THE) best transfers ever. Simply gorgeous.

I remember many years ago, I worked in a department store with a fellow like you. He tried showing me the difference between VHS and Beta, saying it was OBVIOUS how much better the picture was with Beta. I could not tell the difference. I admit that the HD images are better quality than regular, but I don't see that it's that significant.

I know... I'm a dullard. :oops:

SouthernFriedInfidel wrote:I know... I'm a dullard.

No, just potentially blind. LOL

Sanjuro wrote:
SouthernFriedInfidel wrote:I know... I'm a dullard.

No, just potentially blind. LOL

Well, yes. My eyes have presented me with some rather strange problems over the past couple of years.

SFI, you do have it running through the HDMI cable right?

Because I remember when I worked with Dish, we had a lot of people with HD and HD components only using the analog outputs....

That's what we were using till today.... Huge difference for me?

Tell me you cant see the difference... Click on each of these and enlarge to full resolution...

The Standard Disc upscaled:

The Blu Ray Disc:

And this shot of Jason from Crank looks like a damned photo!

More: Band of Brothers....

Standard:

BluRay:

I'm still rockin' my 30 inch Phillips Magnavox I found next to the dumpster last year. It may be lo-def, but when I think of the money I saved, it makes the picture seem a little brighter!!!

When we first got the HDTV, my daughter insisted that we watch the extended Lord of The Rings from start to finish (12 hours or so). She had bought the DVDs as soon as they were available and refused to watch them until we had something worthy of Orlando Bloom.

There is a whole industry to the cable scam. Like all digital cables (and unlike analogue), "good enough" is in fact good enough. A better cable does not produce a better output, although to listen to the salesmen I was in danger of infecting my system with Ebola by not buying $100 Monster cables.

We dropped off a perfectly good Samsung TV, in the original box, at the dump. I hope it went to a good home where the underpriviledged poor can enjoy watching Bugs Bunny on a 30" screen.

Liv wrote:SFI, you do have it running through the HDMI cable right?

The TV came with some other type of digital cable... can't recall the type. It seemed to me that the frame rate on the HD channels was pretty bad, so I got an HDMI cable. Like I said. I see that there's a difference. I'm just not as impressed with it as other people seem to be. My failing eyesight probably has much to do with it. :cry:

Pineview Style wrote:I'm still rockin' my 30 inch Phillips Magnavox I found next to the dumpster last year. It may be lo-def, but when I think of the money I saved, it makes the picture seem a little brighter!!!

Sounds like my living room... My TV is a lil bigger than that me thinks... I guess I don't need hi-def, but the lo-def has sucked when watching football or NASCAR, and listening to my friend on the phone talk about debris or blades of grass that he can see on his hi-def broadcast. Maybe the birthday fairy will pay me a visit next month and drop off a whole mess of electronics.

Well we watched Chronicles of Narnija last night, made home-made pizza and got a cheap bottle of wine. It was about just as good as going to the movies in my opinion.... Incredible picture, incredible sound.... Food was good and the wine excellent...

When they combine an authentic Italian Pizzeria, and wine with pizza over at the DLP theaters... then... they'll have last night beat... but till then I couldn't ask for a better experience.

Ren even cried at the end, (moved by the movie) and she never gets into non-animated movies. Not to mention it's nearly a 3 hour movie and the kids stayed gripped to the screen...

Perhaps the best investment I've made to bring the family together ever.

It was only slightly irritating to have to watch House when it was over in Analog... even though I know analog on this Tv is better than analog on the old TV.

Okay, it's looming, February 17th 2009, the day America shuts down analog TV broadcasts which have been floating around the globe since the dawn of television.... but what happens? I mean I always a bit surprised every year when they pushed back the date. I thought to myself "Who the heck uses rabbit ears anymore?"... but according to the news the other night, they've run out of rebates on DTV converters. I'm guessing a lot of people are getting the converters who don't actually use them. Knowing the intelligence level of America, some people are probably thinking "this" box will give their TV- High Def. capabilities, rather than merely a "digital" decoder which they won't use if they're not on rabbit ears. Then again, who knows. Some of the papers are reporting some people refuse to upgrade.

So what happens? Mass panic, hate calls to the TV stations, nothing at all?

Since they have run out of coupons, there was talk of either offering rebates or pushing the date back... might I suggest sometime in 2012 to give the cookys something to really cry about? :twisted: