Help buying an HDTV

[Ladic]

here are pics of my room now that i finished hooking up everthing.

Part 1:

[Ladic]

Part 2:

Edited April 8, 2005 by Ladic

[JsARCLIGHT]

Looks like you went with the cable (noticing the Motorolla box). How many HD channels in your area? TNT HD perhaps?

[HWR MKII]

Gotta love those wal-mart bookshelves i have them too.

REXX maybe if you would read you would see i wasnt talking about a LCD tv but an actual PROJECTOR. The unit is smaller than most new computer towers and puts a crisp clear and very full color picture up on my wall. The reason they seem washed out to some is because of where they see the displayin a store which has bright lighting all over. Flourscent lights wash out anything. to see the picture best you need a dim or dark room to view it in. That is actually best for viewing any vidoe source from tv to projector. The unit i have is also HD capable.

Man the hostility pouring from some people on here is palpable sometimes.

Edited April 8, 2005 by HWR MKII

[Ladic]

Looks like you went with the cable (noticing the Motorolla box). How many HD channels in your area? TNT HD perhaps?

I already had cable with comcast, so I went there yesterday to find out how much more was the HDTV service, and they said $5 a month, so I'm gonna give it a try for a month.

Currently the cable box is hooked up to my TV with those Coaxial cables, should I ditch that and hook up the box with component cables?

[Hurin]

Currently the cable box is hooked up to my TV with those Coaxial cables, should I ditch that and hook up the box with component cables?

Uh, YES! You can't get HD unless you use the component cables!

[Ladic]

those bastards at the comcast offices didn't tell me that.

[Hurin]

those bastards at the comcast offices didn't tell me that.

Hehe. Oops.

Mind you, you'll be able to see the HD channels over the coax, S-Video, and other connectors, but the box will have "down-encoded" them to standard TV resolution. To get the pure HD signal, you need to use the component cables and also make sure that you plug into an HD-capable input on the back of your TV.

H

[Gaijin]

Hehe, no wonder you didn't even mention seeing the difference in pic quality .

What HD stations are you getting?

I get:

D-KITV (ABC-HD feed)

Discovery HD

HDnet

HDnet Movies

iNHD

iNHD2

ESPN HD

HD Sports (ususally some feed from Fox Sports Net in LA)

TNT HD

HBO HD (if you have HBO)

Showtime HD (if you have Showtime)

Edited April 8, 2005 by Gaijin

[Ladic]

I goto find the little book that says all.

But what I find strange is, that the only movie channels I have are Cinemax and HBO, and for some reason I am getting the Highdef Showtime?

I ain't complaining.

[Gaijin]

Most cable companies will give you a 24 hr "freebie" free-for-all on all the stations including the premium but not the pay-per-view movies and stuff when you take home a new cable box. Unless you are paying for all the premium stations like HBO and Cinemax...they have nothing to do with your High Def service, though HBO has a dedicated HD station, as well as Showtime which you usually only get if you are subscribing to either.

The main High Def stations most cable companies provide are

HDNet & HDnet movies

or

iNHD iNHD2

Discovery HD

Some get ESPN HD and TNT in High Def

I'm lucky enough that my cable co provides them all but unfortunately, we don't get Fox, CBS, or NBC in HD yet.

[MGREXX]

Unlike some people, I actually made it through high school.

Anyways...

What makes an LCD expensive is the manufacturing process. Baring radical new fabrication techniques, we've just about hit the limits of practical direct-view LCDs.

Supply and demand is irrelevant.

We just can't GET larger LCDs reliably enough for a consumer price point to be viable. It's not a matter of people wanting them, it's a matter of being able to make them in volume. We can't, and there's no visible way to do it near-future.

If you knew anything about electronics manufacture, you'd understand this.

Or in words more appropriate for someone of your intellectual caliber...

Bigger = harder, and we're already working as hard as we can.

QUOTE 

Back to the topic, projections are no good.  They are big, bulky and still have a sweet spot.  I like watching my T.V. from any anwhere instead of being forced to watch it directly.

Depends on the tech used, as well as the kind of projector.

Front-projection works great. I dare you to find a movie theater with a limited viewing angle.

Try to find one with a DLP projector. Fun, I tell ya. No film scratches, no dirt, no nothing. And it's relevant.

Weren't you just advocating direct-view LCD, anyways?

LCD DEFINES limited view angle.

Do you have an A.S., a B.S. and a Masters degree?............thought so.

Now listen up and I will teach you something.

LCD screens have been decreasing in price over the years do to efficient manufacturing techniques and an increase in sales over the last 3 years. They are getting cheaper and will continue to decrease in price. LCD monitors have for the first time this year, outsold CRT monitor and T.V. sales due to their convenience and size.

An LCD's viewing angle is a problem WITH OLDER flat panel technology. Newer and decent LCD screens have a sharper image and WAY LESS of the viewing angle is lost. You get what you pay for.

Sure DLP and DLP 2 are the new thing in rear projection T.V.s but they also have their negative aspects, namely their massive size and "rainbow effect" on some consumers. LCD monitor's have neither.

The size of LCD screens vary from 2" displays up to 55". This seems like every size is covered.....unless you want to go "jumbotron" style, which is very uncommon.

It is estimated that LCD screens will continue to outsell and outperforme all CRT, plasma, and DLT (2) screens in the next few years, making them the number 1 choice for both home and business use.

You can take that to the bank Biotch!!!!!

stil don't buy my 5 cents? Then let me prove my unbiased opinion and read this article:

http://www.projectorcentral.com/lcd_dlp_update.htm

(ring ring)..............School is over, so you may go home litle lady.....and remember to look into night classes to get ahead and loose your ignorance because there are more options that just having a H.S. diploma.

I hope this was of some help Ladic.

Edited April 9, 2005 by MGREXX

[Vince]

Most cable companies will give you a 24 hr "freebie" free-for-all on all the stations including the premium but not the pay-per-view movies and stuff when you take home a new cable box. Unless you are paying for all the premium stations like HBO and Cinemax...they have nothing to do with your High Def service, though HBO has a dedicated HD station, as well as Showtime which you usually only get if you are subscribing to either.

The main High Def stations most cable companies provide are

HDNet & HDnet movies

or

iNHD iNHD2

Discovery HD

Some get ESPN HD and TNT in High Def

I'm lucky enough that my cable co provides them all but unfortunately, we don't get Fox, CBS, or NBC in HD yet.

I have charter for cable, the hd package is $7 over the digital package including the first box where I live. All 4 major networks are hd, but it's all depending on the shows. All prime time programs are hd here, except news and older re-runs.

ESPN is hd for the most major events, Discovery is hd all only channel I get in hd all the time with the prettiest picture. They gave me 3 months all movies channel as a when I upgrade, only newer movies will be in hd on these movie channnels.

Good thing is, charter added two new hd channels here without charging any extra in the last 2 months.

BTW, voom is going out of business, don't know if anyone could pick up their 20+ original hd channels.

[JsARCLIGHT]

Here in Saint Louis we get HD Net 1 & 2, Sho, Hbo, ESPN and the networks (NBC, CBS, FOX) and we are supposed to be getting (for some stupid reason) the WB in HD.

No TNT HD, No Discovery HD... the two channels I want.

At least it's not all bad. I'm laid up with the flu right now and I got to sit on the couch and watch Dog Day Afternoon on HDNet for the past two hours.

[Gaijin]

TNT is pretty good in HD...I still want Universal HD here though.

[Vince]

I goto find the little book that says all.

But what I find strange is, that the only movie channels I have are Cinemax and HBO, and for some reason I am getting the Highdef Showtime?

I ain't complaining.

Is your a HD box? In order to view true HD pograms, you'll need to connect the component ouput from the HD cable box to your tv's 1080i component port, ususally the second and the third one. Other type of cables will only give you dvd quality image at best. Unless you use a off-the-air antenna and the tv's buildin HD turner, you can't get HD signal with the coax cable.

[JB0]

Now listen up and I will teach you something.

Like the depths of your idiocy?

LCD screens have been decreasing in price over the years do to efficient manufacturing techniques and an increase in sales over the last 3 years.  They are getting cheaper and will continue to decrease in price.  LCD monitors have for the first time this year, outsold CRT monitor and T.V. sales due to their convenience and size.

You have a point here?

We still don't know how to make larger LCDs. We're up against a wall, and all teh sales in the world won't change the fact that we can't reliably MAKE a larger LCD.

An LCD's viewing angle is a problem WITH OLDER flat panel technology.  Newer and decent LCD screens have a sharper image and WAY LESS of the viewing angle is lost.  You get what you pay for.

Sharper image? Maybe when being fed analog signals, but that's due to ADCs, not LCD technology.

And viewing angle is still an issue. Less of one, yes. But that just means you don't have to sit front and center.

Sure DLP and DLP 2 are the new thing in rear projection T.V.s but they also have their negative aspects, namely their massive size and "rainbow effect" on some consumers.  LCD monitor's have neither.

LCD projectors are only slightly smaller than DLP projectors. The size of the LCD is offest by the DLP color wheel. In a TV, this is an irrelevant diffrence.

AndLCDs have the "screen door" effect. While LCoS doesn't have the screen door, and similar size to DLP as far as I know, a direct-view LCoS panel isn't POSSIBLE.

You can take that to the bank Biotch!!!!!

Wow. Namecalling is SO impressive. Especially when you can't even spell your names right.

stil don't buy my 5 cents?  Then let me prove my unbiased opinion and read this article:

http://www.projectorcentral.com/lcd_dlp_update.htm

LCDs have a screen door. DLPs have rainbowing. LCDs are brighter. DLPs have better contrast.

HOLY CRAP THIS IS AMAZING NEWS! I AM ENLIGHTENED BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS! I KNEW ALL THIS AGES AGO!

Also notable... you link an article about projectors, yet continue to talk about direct-view LCDs. An article that says NOTHING about what you said.

Remember people... when you provide a reference, you need to make sure it's relevant. Because the reader DOES check them.

(ring ring)..............School is over, so you may go home litle lady.....and remember to look into night classes to get ahead and loose your ignorance because there are more options that just having a H.S. diploma.  

Bellevue called. They want their straitjacket back.

I like how you keep making assumptions about my level of education. And my level of intelligence.

You are what is known in layman's terms as a self-absorbed fartwit. You think you're better than everyone, but when you speak it becomes evident that you know jack poo.

Edited April 11, 2005 by JB0

[JB0]

here are pics of my room now that i finished hooking up everthing.

Part 1:

Oooohhh...

I like the console colletion. Even if it lacks a bit of the old-school.

NESter DC, I'm guessing?

Oh yeah... if the cable box has HDMI or DVI out, you can get HD off that, too. And in a form that's digital, and thus essentially immune to interference, at every possible point.

[Ladic]

here are pics of my room now that i finished hooking up everthing.

Part 1:

Oooohhh...

I like the console colletion. Even if it lacks a bit of the old-school.

NESter DC, I'm guessing?

Oh yeah... if the cable box has HDMI or DVI out, you can get HD off that, too. And in a form that's digital, and thus essentially immune to interference, at every possible point.

Yeah I got also the old consoles (Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, SNES, etc, just no room to put them)

But I do have the Roms for Dreamcast (NES, Genesis and NES), so I just keep the consoles in the closet.

[JB0]

Oooohhh...

I like the console colletion. Even if it lacks a bit of the old-school.

NESter DC, I'm guessing?

Oh yeah... if the cable box has HDMI or DVI out, you can get HD off that, too. And in a form that's digital, and thus essentially immune to interference, at every possible point.

Yeah I got also the old consoles (Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, SNES, etc, just no room to put them)

But I do have the Roms for Dreamcast (NES, Genesis and NES), so I just keep the consoles in the closet.

I've never been satisfied with the emulation of the Atari-era systems.

And NESter has some major sound bugs, in my experience. Hence why I've not made much use of it on the PC. Makes it an inadequate replacement to me, though it's a great convenience.

...

Besides, my Transistorized Altar* is a sight to behold.

*A stereo, TV, CD player, and 8 game systems in a large stack that sort of resembles an altar, with the youngest system being an SNES.

Not a particularly good TV or stereo(speakers are awesome though. And big enough to make the setup possible).

Worse, I don't have room to put all my stuff in the one pile, so the newer stuff is in another room attached to a diffrent(and better) TV and surround sound system. But it lacks the aesthetic statement that the Altar makes.