HDTV Question

[ELCABALLO45]

Ok im already REALLY embarrassed to even ask this.. I don't have HD. I have asked around some people say its the GREATEST thing ever, others say they can't tell the differnce. Someone explain why HD is so great.. I feel stupid enough, so I figured I would ask you guys...

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

[danzig6767]

Simple answer, the picture is vastly better, vastly better.

 

I'm assuming then by your post that somehow you've never managed to see a TV that's broadcast in HD. If that's true, stop into a Best Buy, Sears, Wallmart, etc etc and look at an HD TV and then think of what you get on your TV.

[ELCABALLO45]

I have seen it, and I have noticed it really more clear. However I wish I could see like a regular TV next to a HDTV I guess. lol

[danzig6767]

You may as well get an HDTV because fairly soon pretty much everything will be broadcast in HD and prices have really dropped for the TV's. If you watch sales, you can get a nice 37-42 inch LCD or plasma from 800-1200 dollars.

[BoneDaddyKool]

Movies, sitcoms, normal TV... I could care less, but ever since I went HD, my sports viewing has totally changed, and I can't live without HD. Although, Discovery HD is pretty cool, once you go HD... You don't wanna go back. Everything is so clear, and football is my favorite to watch in HD, followed by Hockey. Now that FSN is gonna show like 65 Brewer games in HD, well thats just a bonus! Trust me, you'll love it if you go HD!

[gypcasino]

I have asked around some people say its the GREATEST thing ever, others say they can't tell the differnce

I think at least some those people were probably watching an HDTV but the program that was on wasn't being broadcast in HD.

[aracko]

HD is great but the amount of repairs I have had to do to my Hitachi UltraVision is just insane. I have been wishing for an HDTV that is abotu 50 inches and operates like a classic TV wtih a glass screen and all - if that makes sense.

[Menotti80]

El Caballo, if you want to see them side by side, feel free to stop by my place for a Brewers game when it is shown on FSN HD. haha. Even thought FSNHD isn't as good as some channels like ESPNHD, I love showing people who dont have HDTVs the difference by putting on 531 then switching to channel 31. It's almost gross to look at. I literally have to look away... The difference is astonomical...

[PrestigeWorldwide]

The only regular show that I enjoy more in HD than standard def is Lost. I have never watched 24 in HD but imagine that would be better as well. But sports viewing is FAR superior in HD. The difference is so great I can't even make a good comparison.

 

aracko - love the signature! Contra rules!

[brewcrew00]

I get mad when shows I like to watch in HD are not HD available for whatever reason. Like on Tuesday night, special CSI Miami, I set my DVR on the HD channel, but came home to findout CBS 58 had been running their election tracker messing up the HD broadcast. In hindsight, I can't believe I actually got mad about that.

[Schlitz001]

HDTV is bad, because it has dramatically increased the amount of TV I watch.

 

As an example, there is a program on "Sunrise Earth" on the HD Theater channel that I like to watch. All it is, is an hour long program of an outdoor scene as the sun rises. No story, no plot, no narration, no music. Just different angles of a single location somewhere in the world as the sun rises. That's how good the picture on my 42" Sony Bravia is.

[endaround]

Yep watching the incredibly crappy regular FSN feed compared to FSNHD is a killer.

[pitchleague]

I don't know about HDTV yet as I agree with someone else that I'd need to compare it to my current television, side-by-side, to see the difference.

 

However, a few weeks ago I was stuck at a Best Buy for a good 2 hours waiting for a friend to pick me up so I wasted time looking and trying out everything. The things about HDTV at Best Buy is that although the signal you are watching in the store is probably HD, the cabling they use on their demos are not HDMI; they just plug everything in via coax cable! So it looks goods, but it could be so much better in the store.

 

I did learn the difference between regular DVD and Blu-ray, though. You really can see the difference. I was impressed. Doesn't mean I'm replacing my current DVD library any time soon, though.

[2hoophead]

Yep watching the incredibly crappy regular FSN feed compared to FSNHD is a killer.

I also checked out WGN and the logo said it was HD but it was not passed along via DISH in HD.

Just a reminder, though, the home opener tomorrow is in glorious HD. And, as I am new to it I have noticed, by watching the Sunday night game, that night baseball in high definition is tats.

 

[ELCABALLO45]

Ok, thank you guys for all your help!!

[Getpaddled]

ELCABALLO45[/b]]Ok im already REALLY embarrassed to even ask this.. I don't have HD. I have asked around some people say its the GREATEST thing ever, others say they can't tell the differnce. Someone explain why HD is so great.. I feel stupid enough, so I figured I would ask you guys...

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

Didn't read what everone else wrote but here are my 2 cents

 

- The bigger the TV the bigger the differance you see... I have a new 42in tv I got from x-mas and there is a BIG difference between HD and non-HD The TV in my room is a 20in and I don't see a big difference as much....

[Samurai Bucky]

Don't be embarassed. Just stop calling to come over to everybody else's house... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

I remember before I had an HDTV -- I said the same things. Things like, "Oh, there isn't that much of a difference." I have to tell you that I was full of crap. We purchased a 52" Samsung LCD HDTV and are often astonished at the clarity.

Why is HD great... well...

It is very clear. Some examples: you can see the dimples of a golf ball, and it doesn't have to be taking up the entire screen. I never knew that they had that glitter stuff in UCLA's helmets. I guess coach K does have a few blemeshes on his face.

Another reason is that it is bright and there is very good contrast. With SDTV, it is sort of muddy and our eye has been trained to deal with that.

The best way to look at something like that is to take a program, watch it on HDTV, and then watch the same program on a standard definition channel on the same TV. It is night and day.

[mothershipconnection]

The only downside is that sometimes you think an actress is hot, then you see her in HD and all the blemishes, fine lines, and imperfections are made salient, then she doesn't look as hot anymore.

[Diskono]

Ok im already REALLY embarrassed to even ask this.. I don't have HD. I have asked around some people say its the GREATEST thing ever, others say they can't tell the differnce. Someone explain why HD is so great.. I feel stupid enough, so I figured I would ask you guys...

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

 

 

The people who say that they can't tell a difference probably bought an HDTV without getting any HD programming, and just watch their existing SD content in stretch-o-vision.

 

[1992casey]

Or they didn't use their HDMI, DVI, or component video jacks.

[MJLiverock]

I'll admit it that I am kind of a geek when it comes to HDTV/Satellite TV/ DVR etc. There are some HD displays that really have a lesser quality to them when compared to other HDTV's so that may contribute to some people's view of how good HD is. I know we have a small LCD( probably a 30" or so) in my office break room that is just terrible, I don't know what brand( it is some obsure off brand) it is but the picture quality is down right bad especially with non HD pictures.

 

 

I would say that you should do plenty of research on the TV you are going to buy if you are looking and make sure it is what you want and it what you a paying for. The marketing of the HDTV's has improved but there are still little tricks. Never by what is called an enhanced definition TV or EDTV. These are not HD, many are 540P which is better than the standard 480i or 480p of a progressive scan dvd player but not HD with is 720p/1080i/1080p. Walmart used to sell a lot of these TV's and I know my assistant was suckered into buying one of these and was terribly disappointed when she realized it wasn't really HD after she saw my tv. You don't see these TV's much anymore because I think people figured out they weren't worth much.

 

The old adage you get what you pay for comes up as well. Sure there are some cheap LCD's on the shelves sometimes ridiculously cheap, usually for a reason. Check to see which fortmats of HD it supports, and how fast the processor works. I have an old (close to 7 years now) 60" projection LCD, the picture is pretty good and works great for movies but it has problem with fast action sports. I can see the little jaggies or screen door effect on the screen in fast action. A lot of the newer LCD's can process faster and have greatly improved the screen door effect but I still saw some low end LCD's on the shelves that look horrible when displaying sports when I was looking for a new TV last year. My wife doesn't notice the effect on the big screen but I can see it.

 

If you plan on watching a lot of sports on a LCD try to get the sales guy to put sports on the picture when you are in the store and compare or read up on which TV's are able to handle the faster action. Make sure the model number of the TV you like is the one you buy, I know Sony makes at least 3 different levels of some of the same sized LCD TV's, Panasonic also has many levels of their plasma, as does Samsung and probably all the makers. Basically just make sure that 42" LCD in the flyer from Walmart or Target is the same TV you are comparing it to at Best Buy or American TV, sometimes they only change one letter in the model number and TV is drastically different in actual performance.

 

You won't need 1080p unless you plan on hooking up a Blu ray player or a video game system to it and even then you can survive without it, but it is pretty nice with those two add ons. There are no broadcast signals sent out in 1080p and really no plans for any so it won't help you there. I have a 42" Plasma that supports 1080p but haven't really used it (the 1080p capability) since my blu ray is hooked up to the big screen for movies so I don't even use the 1080p capabilites of the plasma yet.

 

If you can afford it the calibration of a HDTV is worth it as well. I am color blind so my setting up of the colors will be off anyway but the professionally done calibaration looks great.

[Terok Balefire]

I bought my Sharp Aquos 46 inch last October and I don't regret it one bit. It really is a huge difference. I'll never forget watching a playoff baseball game and being able to see the stitches and type of spin on the ball. Absolutely ridiculous when they replayed in slow mo following a ball into a guy and seeing the impact on his leg. If you are a sports fan at all you are doing yourself a disservice by not getting one.

[BucketheadBrigader]

I'll co-sign with everyone who endorsed HDTV. I have a playstation 3, so I eventually needed to upgrade to HD if only because the games were created to be played in HD, and not doing so made the text unreadable and sometimes squished the picture in the 4:3 screen ratio. (16:9 widescreen is the standard for HDTVs). I bought a 32" Dynex from Best Buy at 5 AM the day after Thanksgiving for $350, and it was one of the best purchases I've ever made. I obviously had dreams of some of the bigger TVs/better brands, but I'm an 18 year old college student so the TV is plenty for what I'm using it for. I'm sort of an HD aficionado, and something I've learned and that should be kept in mind when shopping for a top class HDTV is that bigger isn't necessarily better. At the current generation of HDTVs, Sony Bravia is king, and the best size is the 42-46" range for the LCDs. They tend to have better contrast ratios and refresh rates than the TVs at the 50+ inch sizes, and if you get the 46" Sony Bravia 1080p ($2400-2600) you're pretty much getting the best picture money will get you at the moment (excluding organic light diodes, but that's another story). A lot of interesting stuff in the HD Market, and even if top of the line isn't what you need, it's cool to look at.