Comments on news posted 2005-12-08 09:24:25: Apparently half of all HDTV owners don't actually use the HD capabilities of their set, and nearly a quarter think they're watching high definition video when they actually haven't set it up correctly. ..
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G_Poobah
join:2004-01-17
Schenectady, NY
| The way to check if you are watching HDTV Go to the porn channels. In HDTV format, they are REALLY ugly, but if you put it back to regular analog mode, they look ok. Nothing like seeing those acne scars and birthmarks in widescreen HDTV format to ruin the movie (you may actually watch the movie all the way to the end!)
But yes, apart from HBOHD, ShowtimeHD, and DiscoveryHD, I don't really get HD on any of the satellite channels. (DiscoveryHD works sometimes). The OTA is the best HDTV quality (when it's not pixelating out), but the cable is almost all SD. For the few HDTV shows you record (via motorola PVR) you have no choice but to immediately export to your PC (the damn unit barely holds 12 hours of shows).
480p is 'good enough'. SDTV is good enough. Hell, even analog is 'GOOD ENOUGH' for the 90% of the people who don't own HDTV. Sure, I'd love to watch everything in HDTV, but I'm not willing to give up all my capabilites, and spend tons of money just to do so. And for the VAST majority of americans, the same attitude exists. As of today, the vast wasteland of TV offers NO COMPELLING REASON to spend 2-3K on a new TV set. And it actually makes porn much less watchable! ouch!
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Sure the internet has lots of porn and piracy, but I'm sure there's a downside to it. | |
| edeclark
join:2003-11-17
Green Bay, WI
| Understandable but picky viewers will notice. I don't have cable and unless they lower the price or offer more diverse packaging probably won't have it soon. I have a HDTV-ready 52" set with a standalone receiver that I bought at Circuit City a couple of years ago. Finally all 7 local network stations have HD capabilities for their primetime shows (WB was the last to join). When I do get a chance to sit down and watch TV I know when its in HD but I can understand how some may be confused about it being HD with "stretch" modes, etc... Most late night talk shows and SNL are HD now too. My black bars on the side return during commercials though so......I know when I'm watching HD programming.
Some shows look excellent in HD (sporting events which I don't usually watch anyway and the late night shows) while others look grainy and not good at all (Alias). Light level and number of colors seem to make a difference. Jay Leno has the so many colors on his show it would be hard to notice the difference in quality. Very vibrant, bright, and colorful. | |
| radougherty
join:1999-07-23
Austin, TX
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Some folks just don't follow directions I have a friend that has a HD RPTV set but didn't have a HD STB. After two years of me ragging them they finally got a Dish 811 receiver. A couple of weeks later I went to their home and happened to look at their picture and said it didn't look very good. They said they were disappointed in the quality and they wasted their money. So I took a quick look at how they had it connected, they were using the S-Video connection, not component. Dragged the cables out of the 811 shipping box, hooked it all up and they they went wow. They didn't even bother reading the instructions in the manual, just hooked it up using the same cables they used before. | |
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likwidkool
Premium
join:2002-05-05
Jersey City, NJ
| .. there definately is not enough HD channels. Plus the channels there are just suck. Discovery hd is ok, but inhd, and inhd2 stink. Then there are the networks and espnhd. That's all I have with comcast. TNT has a HD channel but I can't get it.
Funny story though. My Dad came over and I was showing him the HD channels. He didn't seem impressed. Prolly cause what we were watching didn't interest him. Well, I had him over for the Super Bowl. Watched in HD, and he couldn't stop raving. especially when comparing to the regular channel. After that if he was over and anyone else showed up, he would start showing it off instead of me!
So anyway, does a DVI cable really get a better picture than component? My STB has dvi, but my TV has HDMI. I bought a dvi to hdmi coverter and used the hdmi cable that came with my dvd player and the picture was awful. I am wondering if one of those hdmi on one side and dvi on the other side cables would work any better? I just have a hard time spending $110 at Best Buy or compusa for a 6' cable.
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I quit Smoking!! You should too!»nj.quitnet.com | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN | Don't dvds look better? I would bet everyone who bought an HDTV has watched dvds. | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY | Re: Don't dvds look better? DVDs are nowhere near to an HD program.
In fact, they look fairly shitty (including 480p/Superbit/etc DVDs) compared to any HD programming. | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN | Re: Don't dvds look better? Yes, but if they look better, then their is an advantage to an HD tv and I would consider that using your HD tv. | |
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Persona
Premium
join:2004-07-07
Gravenhurst, ON
| premature technology I'll just join the fray here by saying my Dad just bought a 32" Plasma - he's offered about 8 HD channels - half were broadcasting in HD the Sunday afternoon I was there, but one of his major complaints is that a hockey game (with its frequent starts and stops), continually switches back to 480 throughout the game as they going to commercials and between periods...drives him crazy. | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY | Re: premature technology 1. a 32" plasma is nowhere HD display at all
2. those channels are sux - buy premium HD channels, they are great
3. plasma sux big time - as bigger and better LCDs are coming out, plasma will fade away | |
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Persona
Premium
join:2004-07-07
Gravenhurst, ON | Re: premature technology I don't think I'll tell my Dad most of this - lol | |
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rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL
|  Digital YES, HD, NO! 8VSB/ATSC, NO! DVB-T YES!
I am all for conversion of television broadcast to Digital BUT digital doesn't equate HD, and HD is a waste of the digital space.
The US should have moved to the DVB-T like Europe and which is related to the DVB-S as used by Dish. The 8VSB/ATSC system selected is a mess.
When I purchase a new TV it will be:
1) Widescreen
2) Have multiple inputs like S/Video, RGB Analog or DVI for a PC interface, composite, component.
What it WONT HAVE:
An HD tuner of any sort! I don't need it or want it now or in the future. There is zero need for HD and I wish it would just go away. Just another way for the schelps at those so called electronics stores to con people into purchasing TV's they don't need or want.
Just get a widescreen TV so you can watch DVD's in the correct aspect ratio. Note to studios, QUIT MAKING FULL SCREEN versions! Do you know hard it is to explain to the sheeple not to buy those horrid discs! "But it doesn't fill my screen." Its not suppose to on 4:3 TV.
If people can't tell when they are getting real HD v. SD then its obvisouly not needed.
Just say no to HD!
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
 ·T-Mobile US
| Re: Digital YES, HD, NO! 8VSB/ATSC, NO! DVB-T YES! said by rec9140  :. I am all for conversion of television broadcast to Digital BUT digital doesn't equate HD, and HD is a waste of the digital space. The US should have moved to the DVB-T like Europe and which is related to the DVB-S as used by Dish. The 8VSB/ATSC system selected is a mess. When I purchase a new TV it will be: 1) Widescreen 2) Have multiple inputs like S/Video, RGB Analog or DVI for a PC interface, composite, component. What it WONT HAVE: An HD tuner of any sort! I don't need it or want it now or in the future. There is zero need for HD and I wish it would just go away. Just another way for the schelps at those so called electronics stores to con people into purchasing TV's they don't need or want. Just get a widescreen TV so you can watch DVD's in the correct aspect ratio. Note to studios, QUIT MAKING FULL SCREEN versions! Do you know hard it is to explain to the sheeple not to buy those horrid discs! "But it doesn't fill my screen." Its not suppose to on 4:3 TV. If people can't tell when they are getting real HD v. SD then its obvisouly not needed. Just say no to HD! Ignorant stupid anti-HD rant.
Europe? Check your facts again: whereas their DVB-T is better, just realized how far they are behind us in HD - now they are pulling themselves together too.
Digital? I don't care. HD? YES!!!
SAY NO TO STUPID ANTI-HD RANTS! | |
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rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL
| Re: Digital YES, HD, NO! 8VSB/ATSC, NO! DVB-T YES! said by kamm :
Europe? Check your facts again: whereas their DVB-T is better, just realized how far they are behind us in HD - now they are pulling themselves together too.
Don't care about HD, and neither does 98% of the viewing audience. The fact most can't tell when they are really watching an HD v. SD digital ATSC proves that. The high end where the HD crowd is a niche and its always going to be a niche.
Europe was smart enough to sell DVB-T and the conversion from analog to digital for what it was and not muddy the water and confusing the consumer over HD, SD, digtial all in one swoop.
said by kamm :
Digital? I don't care. HD? YES!!!
HD, I don't care! DVB-T YES!!! 8VSB/ATSC NO!
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
| Re: Digital YES, HD, NO! 8VSB/ATSC, NO! DVB-T YES! said by rec9140 : said by kamm :
Europe? Check your facts again: whereas their DVB-T is better, just realized how far they are behind us in HD - now they are pulling themselves together too.
Don't care about HD, and neither does 98% of the viewing audience. The fact most can't tell when they are really watching an HD v. SD digital ATSC proves that.\ LOL, this is complete bS, from A-Z. *ANYBODY* can tell the difference. | |
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rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL
| Re: Digital YES, HD, NO! 8VSB/ATSC, NO! DVB-T YES! said by kamm :LOL, this is complete bS, from A-Z. *ANYBODY* can tell the difference. Quote from the headline: "Apparently half of all HDTV owners don't actually use the HD capabilities of their set, and nearly a quarter think they're watching high definition video when they actually haven't set it up correctly..."
So obviously not just anybody can tell the differece.
For all the HD zealots, please outline what HD, and HD ONLY brings to the table over a digital broadcast.
What technologically superior features does HD over a digital signal be it ATSC/8VSB OTA or DVB-S/T or other digital signal.
Lets see all the enhanced "features" on the HD signal.
Copy Protection on the displays and the tuners. Theres a feature I want.  
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GlobalMind
Domino Dude, POWER Systems Guy
Premium
join:2001-10-29
Hollywood, FL
| SPEED I just want SPEED channel in HD so I can watch F1 in 61" HD glory!
Of course our lovely cable co Adelphi-cast has HD on some stuff, but alas they haven't finished whatever upgrade they need to do to allow me to have it. Bastards as they are, I can see the HD channels on my Guide but can't tune them in yet...evil, just plain evil!
Of course there is DTV...but honestly I am lazy in this regard and don't particularly feel like changing over to sat. While I know HD would look superior, I am usually fine with the picture quality on my set with the standard stuff. Current programming doesn't look too bad..just the older stuff looks horrid sometimes.
K.
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TheGlobalMind.com
Chaos, panic & disorder. My work here is done.
Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? | |
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nookeroonie
@68.87.x.x | Too bad... Too bad many people don't understand when you buy a $2000 tv it's a little more complicated than "hookin' up the cable, cuttin' on the TV and using the surfer." | |
| Chewyrobbo
join:2005-04-12
Tacoma, WA
| Bad Marketing As an avid home technology researcher I of course know about all the resolutions, all the connections and of course source material. Like what is true HD and what is not. 480p of course isn't HD, just progressive scan. I've seen many people purchase a flat panel tv and assume now they are watching high def. I think that's the perfect reason to wait until high def is more prevalent, for now ill keep my PC monitor and watch high def on it, only downside is no 16:9 for me. | |
| damox
Premium
join:2002-01-07
Olympia, WA
·Comcast Formerly ..
| It won't be long . . . and that won't even be an issue! Three more years and the mandatory conversion from analogue to digital will be upon us. I am waiting until then, or until I need a new TV, whichever comes first, to buy a High Definition TV. I don't really care about TV that much, and that's why I subscribe to Comcast's Cheap Basic, for $14 a month. I do like to watch the news, and some football now and then, but mostly when it comes to TV, I can take it or leave it. As far as having an HDTV and not subscribing to digital channels, I believe they stopped manufacturing analogue sets better than 36" last year, and if one was buying a new TV today, it probably wouldn't be cost effective to buy an analogue set anyway, because it will become useless by 2009.
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DAMOX Proud to be a member of Team Discovery | |
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