HDTV Question - Pretty Specific

[Beerambassador]

I'm looking at a second HDTV for my upstairs living room. I have a big Hitachi plasma right now, which I like but don't love. My main problem with it is a lag that makes playing Guitar Hero and other timing based games on my Wii not a lot of fun. Long story short, there's no way around it. I've done everything tech support suggests and it still does it.

 

So here's what I'm looking for, A 32-37 inch HDTV in the $400-800 range that will not lag when I plug my Wii into it. Does anyone have any firsthand experience with a TV that will fit that bill? Or know of an excellent site where I could get some info on this? I've done a lot of research on the internet, but I'm finding very little on that.

[Patrick425]

I don't have a Wii, so I'm not completely sure about those games. However, doesn't Guitar Hero and Rock Band have a calibration option in their menu that allows you to time your guitar and drums, so that it matches the image on the screen?

[Godspeed]

There's a lag on your plasma? That's typically a problem associated with LCD televsions, not Plasmas. I'm not remotely familiar with GH, so I'll bow out now.

[Beerambassador]

However, doesn't Guitar Hero and Rock Band have a calibration option in their menu that allows you to time your guitar and drums, so that it matches the image on the screen?

It improves the lag issue, but doesn't fix it completely. Besides, it's one of the few games that has a calibration feature. I know the main problem with the plasma is that it is upconverting the Wii - which isn't in HD - and that causes the delay.

[mothershipconnection]

I play Wii and PS3 (with Guitar Hero) on my Panasonic Plasma and have never had a lag issue.

[blatzlight]

I play Wii and PS3 (with Guitar Hero) on my Panasonic Plasma and have never had a lag issue.

I also play GH on my Wii with a Panasonic Plasma and have never had an issue. I also run everything through my receiver to and out one HDMI.

[RyDogg66]

I just got a 37" Samsung LCD HDTV 1080P today and while I was watching Seinfeld this evening the picture was very herky-jerky. No other shows that I watched today had this problem. Not even Magnum P.I. What gives?

[1992casey]

What channel were you watching? Was this one of the new HD Seinfelds or was it in SDTV format?

[RyDogg66]

I was watching Fox 11 out of Green Bay. I dont know if it was a new HD Seinfeld or SDTV. I was watching it on the DTV channel. So far it has been the only show that has been herky-jerky. It made it almost impossible to watch.

[ewizabeff]

RyDogg, you're just using a regular HD antennae, right? Were you seeing the pixel-type interruptions? I had that problem a lot when I was just using the antennae. Signals can be finicky.

[T B0NE 10]

I got a new vizio for christmas..... its a 26 in 1080p and I just use it for XBOX mainly. How can I get local HD channels. When I scan for channels I don't pick up anything. Do I need an antenna or a one of these boxes or what?

[Godspeed]

It should have a built-in ATSC tuner, so there's no need for the box. You can plug in an antenna and then scan to get channels. Or you can plug in to a cable jack (if that's an option) and scan from there.

[mothershipconnection]

Yep, you have to get an antenna unless you're right by the tower.

[RyDogg66]

Yeah, I had to get an antenna, or rather I had one so I plugged into the back of the TV.

 

As far as my other problem with the herkyjerky picture, I havent stayed up late enough to catch a Seinfeld since the first night I had my TV so I dont know if there is still a problem or not. I wouldnt call it pixel-type interruption, just that the picture would stop for a millisecond or two and then speed up again to catch up. It did it regularly to the point that it was making me sick.

[1992casey]

I talked to a sales person at Best Buy about digital-capable antennas today. Capability varies from antenna to antenna: some are amplified, some are simply little boxes, some have rabbit ears, etc.

 

When purchasing one, we agreed that starting with the cheapest and exchanging until you're satisfied a good way to go.

 

At home, this shouldn't be an issue for me; I have an excellent outdoor antenna. I'm checking this out for my dad. For him, I'd like to find the least obtrusive option possible. I'm hoping that one of the tiny boxes, about the size of a small router, will work for him.

[Invader3K]

You might be surprised what a small indoor antenna can do, if positioned near a window. When I lived in Whitewater, we were in an apartment that was pretty bad for reception, but I was able to get quite a few stations from Madison and Milwaukee with a Zenith Silver Sensor antenna connected to my HD-ready set.

[Beerambassador]

Just as an update, I bought a 32 inch Samsung LCD 720p. I'm very happy with it. I'm able to play Guitar Hero without even touching the lag calibration settings. Great picture for a great price. It's maybe a tad on the small side, but seems to fit my living room quite well.

 

Now I'm struggling with the antenna issue. I figured since I'm in the Madison and Milwaukee markets, over the air signals would be a breeze. We're on our third antenna and considering a small rooftop (dicey proposal because of neighborhood covenants). Madison stations, with the exception of the Fox Digital signal, come in fine. Kind of need Fox for the baseball and football. WMLW out of Milwaukee comes in decently, which is great because of Brewers games. Anyone with any experience know if we're better off with a small rooftop?

 

Edit: I should add, WMLW and the CBS Station that carries their signal is the only Milwaukee station I'm getting.

[zurch1818]

From what I've experienced, FOX comes in better with a circular antenna.

[Invader3K]

Put up the antenna and tell the neighbors to deal with it.

[Beerambassador]

Put up the antenna and tell the neighbors to deal with it.

Ha! It's not the neighbors I'm concerned about. They're cool. It's the developer. A few years back my neighbor had a pretty sizable roof antennae and they made him take it down. I never signed any covenants (my wife bought the house before we were married) and I don't know if she signed anything or not. Any which way it seems we have to abide by them, or at least be sneaky in violating them.

 

I hate neighborhoods with covenants. I guess I hate my neighborhood.

[Invader3K]

Seems communist to me.

[1992casey]

Beerambassador, how about putting a rooftop-style antenna in your attic? If you'd like to add amplification to it, adding an electrical outlet near the antenna would be a snap.

[giffted1]

Setting up an antenna is a form of art not easily learned. It takes precision (one slight adjustment can mean gaining or losing multiple stations), persistence (a lot of trial and error), and self control (resisting the urge to snap antenna in half).

 

Fox 11 gave me the most trouble...countless hours adjusting, sleepless nights. One day I found the right set up where all the channels came in. It was glorious...and then my roommate knocked the antenna over. All was lost.

[Beerambassador]

Another thing I love about my house, the attic is virtually inaccessible. I have a removable ceiling panel that opens into the attic, but the whole thing is full of insulation, including directly over the removable panel. I am not a fan of Brookstone homes.

 

I've seen some pretty small aerial antennas, no bigger than a standard DirecTV dish (which I've gotten away with). Anyone know if they actually work? Or are they just for people that live near broadcast antennas?

[MJLiverock]

Try out the website antennaweb.org they have the compass headings for the direct line of sight for the best reception of the digital signals as well as the type of antenna that may be best suited for a given zip code to receive OTA channels.

 

I also wouldn't worry too much about the developer and your DirecTV dish. The FCC has special regulations that override any condo association or neighborhood covenents regarding the satellite dishes. There have actually been a number of cases where the renter or owner has won these disputes. The burden of forcing removal falls on the association and it does't go their way very often if at all.