What's the point of HD TV?

Your DVDs will not look better on a HD tv unless your DVD player is progressive scan. If it doe not have that, they they will look the same.

Also, you cable and broadcast stations will also look the same. Unless your HD tv has the built in ability to render the pictures better. That is not always built in.


I have a nive HDtv, Sony Wega. I had the HD package from Dish network for a while, it was not worth it. I got rid of it. The only HD I use it with now is from my XBox 360. For that, it looks great.

Here's how it goes with a regular DVD, Progressive scan DVD and a upconversion DVD. All three will look better on an HD tv then a regular TV. The difference is:

regular DVD: component cables 480 Interlaced lines of resolution.

Progressive scan DVD: component cables 480 Progressive lines of resolution.

Upconverson DVD: (some with component cables up to 1080I) HDMI or DVI 720 Progressive or 1080 Interlaced.

All will look better because of your HD tv with a built in progressive line doubler.
It just comes down to first what your HDTV supports and then what quality you want which will be based most likely on what your HDTV supports.

I should of been more detailed. But you are correct. If your DVD player has those outputs, it will look better. But they all do not have them.

Not to put down your game system but, the XBox 360 does not display a full HD signal. It might upconvert it but I'm pretty sure I haven't seen an HDMI cable for it.

720p is HD. What Sony says about what true HDTV is, is not accurate.

Can you back this up? We all know that 1080p is a true HD signal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p

HD comes in 2 official formats right now as of today 720P and 1080I. There is no 1080P signal yet. I own the 60" XBR it upconverts to 1080P it cannot recieve a 1080P signal not that it matters now because there is no 1080P signal broadcasting it shouldn't be anyones concern I honestly believe if I look at a 1080P tv like my own sony and look at a tv that can recieve 1080P signal, It will not be much different. Why? the highest signal broadcast right now is 720P. Why 720P and not 1080I. Because 1080 currently is interlaced vs 720 is progressive depending on who you talk to 720p looks better than 1080i if you have the train eyes. Who cares honestly both look good 1080P with the Sony PS3 games has been stated it is doubtfull anytime soon will we see games offered in 1080P by developers the movies yes games no. I bet if I hook up a blu-ray or PS3 and playback a 1080P capable movie on my XBR it will look just as good cause although it cannot recieve a 1080P signal it does recieve a 1080I signal which "guess what" my XBR upconverts to 1080P. Again not a big deal. Also, about the XBOX 360 it does produce a true HD signal from games and from the XBOX360 dashboard because it does use component cables and component cables can do 480I, 480P, 720P, 1080I. The difference between component cables and HDMI and DVI is that component cables are analog quality, HDMI and DVI are true digital cables so no loss in transfer from say for example a HD reciever hooked to a HD television.

...They keep making "deadlines" the pushing them back.

It's a joke. Unless they stick to their guns we'll never get across the board HD programming.

I liken it to a bandage on your skin that needs to come off. It'll hurt like all get up when you tear it off, but then it'll be better.

they are dealing with bandwidth limitations. most networks out there that have HD programming broadcasts 2 kinds of signal...a SD and a HD. they do this to try to make sure people that dont want to upgrade, can still watch tv. there is not enough bandwidth out there to broadcast that much more stuff in hd....and most people dont want to upgrade. all this SD signal bandwith is being taken up just to hold the technology back.

you will never see 90% HD unless a majority of america is willing to change. after that, you'd have to convince people that move to america from other countries of benefits of hd (and why they buy a new tv, instead of using any of the tv's they brought with them from other countries). when my family moved to america, $1000+ for a tv was the LAST thing on their minds.

Ok listen up I live in the San Francisco bay area and I receive 18 local over the air digital stations 9 of which are in hi-def with a cheap outside antenna FREE, and all the stations look beautiful even in the digital only mode, Also I have Dish network hi-def system and I pay $15.00 extra for 15 more hi-def channels and those channels offer outstanding programming with theater quality picture and sound Please, do your homework before you say there is no programming that just not true

I did my research already. I get 120 channels (non-HD) right now. If I install and HD antenna and pay for the HD package from my provider, I'll be getting (at most) a whopping 18 HD channels. WOW, 18 out of 120...please, why spend extra for an HD televison, then pay extra per month to have only 15% of my channels be in HD? There are other HD providers I could get in addition, but now we're talking about doubling the cost of my TV services.

Don't get me wrong, HD looks AWSOME and I'd love to make the jump and stay there, but if 85% of my channels don't do it, I just don't see the point, at least nor right now.

I think it comes down to what your preference is for a TV viewing format. Years ago, I bought a 16:9 HDTV because I was able to watch DVDs on it in the proper aspect ratio. Only 3 months ago did I finally get HD cable service. My preference is to watch a 16:9 TV. I don't think you can buy a 16:9 TV nowdays that isn't "HD" ready. Once you get a 16:9 set you want to see everything in that format instead of stone-age 4:3. I'm assuming that you still use a 4:3 TV and all of your DVD viewing is done on a 4:3 TV. If so, that's sad because you're missing a whole lot. Yes, most channels are still SD but for $6.99 extra per month I personally enjoy and look forward to watching the HD channels, especially sports. I guess one could equate HD to having a Surround Sound receiver. Who needs it when the TV has a perfectly good 3" speaker? For me HD is worth the extra money. The quality of TV reception has traditionally been lousy, so it's wonderful to finally see some channels in wonderful HD knowing that this is the way TV reception could be, and hopefully will all be.

I also get the 120 channels, but really don't watch most of them. All the shows I watch on network TV are in HD (CSI, NCIS, E-Ring, Earl, The Office, Saturday Night Live, Medium, Conviction, Bones, House, The Unit, Leno, Letterman, Conan, Malcolm, Bernie Mac, Gray's Anatomy, etc.). Football season is outstanding in HD. And next season, Monday Night Football on ESPN HD. PBS & Discovery in HD are beautiful. HBO HD has boxing, Curb and Sopranos that I love & watch.
Since I don't watch most of my cable channels, I wouldn't even get them, but I have to in order to get the digital cable package. Going HD is a decision I never regret.
And how much TV can a person really watch during a week? I don't need more HD channels than I currently access, but I know the number will continue to grow over time. Win-Win all over!

I COULD'VE bought the KD-36XS955 HD capable model, but why move BACKWARDS???

I love it......... thanks all, for your input.

An educated consumer is the best consumer!!!

thanx, river.

T.V. until now has been just something you put in a corner and watched the news with. And thats just fine. But please If you dont know the facts about hi-def dont knock us folks that want a nice home theater system. Fact is you can buy a huge h-d set for about $1000, also almost every over the air t.v station is now broadcasting in digital and hi-def and that is free on top of that I pay $15.00 a month extra for hi-def satellations that are out of this world have a nice weekend stewart

Every time I do the math I just have to ask myself?how important is HDTV to me and most folks who just want to watch TV. We don?t want to have to pay through the nose (more expensive TV, external HDTV antenna, extra cost of HDTV service), and every time we switch to a ?SD? channel we don?t want to have to say ?hmm, would this look best in 16:9? No?maybe panorama would be best?hmmm, lets try zoom. Yeah, that?s it?. Not to mention that when ? the family keeps everything in 4:3 anyway I have to worry about burn-in. Oh, and the DVR?s and MCE PC?s that ? the people own?.very few support HDTV, so there?s another upgrade to make.

Most folks just want to sit down, turn on the TV and select a channel.

If HDTV were a car, it would be beautiful, fast and get 500mpg. Problem is, it would cost more than a standard car, and right now it wouldn?t get that 500mpg on 85% of the roads, just the 15% designated as supporting the new ?HD? car. On ?Standard Definition? roads, it would even get slightly worse mileage and performance than your old car did, AND for the privilege of driving those new ?HD? roads, most of them would require an extra monthly bill. But everyone would say ?It not that much, and if you just drive on the new roads all the time you?ll love it?, never mind that most of my trips go nowhere near those roads.

Don?t get me wrong, I REALLY look forward to the day when HDTV is TRULY the standard, in the same sense that Standard Definition is right now, but until then, I?m out. My only HDTV purchase to date resulted in noticeably lower image quality on the SD channels?I?ve been burned once, not again.

First you dont know a thing about hi-def and how it works. You are just making stuped coments that are untrue. You are never going to buy a nice little home theater system, NEVER

For your information, I did buy a nice HDTV, a Samsung 42" DLP HDTV (dropped over $1700 on it).

I am only sharing my personal experince with HDTV's. A few folks at work have been in the same boat I was in...they got great HDTV's, loved the way DVD and HDTV signals looked, but were so unhappy with standard definition image quality that they returned them.

This DOESN'T mean HDTV sucks, it just means you need to understand how and what you watch, and make your choice accordingly. Belive me, the day most of the channels I watch are available in HD, I'll be in line for a new HDTV.

But fact is almost all over the air broadcast stations are being broadcast in digital and hi-def, so you will have a stunning picture with a hi-def tuner and good outside antenna FREE. Also I have a Dish 811 which has an over the air tuner + satillate and the hi-def sat stations are wounderful to watch Also if you have your system installled properly s.d. should look good. In closing Iam just an old nut case, I believe hi-def is the coolest technology ever and equipment has become very affordable good luck to you stewart

Just kidding, but fact is I receive 18 local over the air digital channels 9 are in hi-def And For $15.00 extra I receive 17 hi-def channels over my Dish system, Also stations like cnet, cnet movies, discovery h.d. theater are awsome to watch. I can even watch the news in hi-def thru VOOM and the best is RAVE, Hi-def rock and roll in 5.1 sound it cant get any better than that In closing I find the few s.d. stations are not worth watching I dont mind watching poker and cooking shows in s.d. and thats about it . I only hope CMORPH will buy a nice hi-def cable or satellite system and injoy whats out there he will love his $1700 t.v.

Found this post thread very interesting, thanks Distasio and all of the others who brought the HD programming/SD quality issue to this forum...

And Stewart, this is a forum, not a chat room, titled ''Home Audio & Video Forum'', says nothing about having to be about High Definition in the title, so your post heading is just plain ridiculous...

A while back I posted about getting my father a plasma for his birthday and with the help of this forum, have narrowed the choices down.
There are however, several reasons that I have yet to pull the trigger..

1. His added cost of upgrading to HD on DirectTV
2. Making him go through the break-in period and adjustments
3. The lower quality SD viewing on HD sets
4. The lack of proven longevity (as I have seen some pretty horrible pictures on older plama models)
5. The ''dead/stuck pixel'' issues
6. The added cost of his wire concealment/mounting
and many others...

These are all plausible reasons for my hesitation, when he is happy with his 20+ year old 27'' Zenith CRT...

Everyone has their reasons for buying/not buying new technology and all opinions are valid/valued...

I am glad that you are happy with your system Stewart, God knows I have read enough about it in these threads... Doesn't mean that other opinions need to catch your flack... Didn't feel too good when someone put your Toshiba down did it?

Docwu

Based on my schedule and most peoples schedule we work during the day about 8 hours a day for most. If you are seriously worried about having all 120 channles in HD that you cannot watch everything in one day then I don't see why you bother to bye the TV. You should have done more research in your purchase no matter what HD televsion you got and this isn't the issue of which one you got because the issue is still the same. Let your family know and yourself this. STANDARD DEFINITION CHANNELS WILL NEVER GOOD ON AN HD TELEVISION GET USED TO IT. I didn't see any post I may have just missed it. But what do you and your family watch the most if it is local channels then I don't see what you are complaining about. For me I am paying only an extra 10 dollars a month for HD Direct TV and I watch most my shows on my HD DVR that are local channels. And somthing you don't see because you haven't fully researched is that the 15% of channels you say are HD are giving you everything you need that all the 120 channels could offer you if in HD. Movies, Sports, Drama, Horror, whatever it is you are able to get all the categories in HD on those 15% channels. So I don't see the problem when I and most american working individuals and families don't not have the time in day to watch every single channel that is offered on tv. If you do you must be one serious couch potatoe if so. Basically it is worth it now just as much as it will be then especially having an HD now enjoy what is offered otherwise keep complaining why you bought and HD television and don't want to spend the extra 10 bucks a month for the HD channels.

Rather than cause problems or get anyone else angry, I'll just refrain from posting here in the future.

I do think I may have made a horrible mistake though. After browsing the DishNetwork site for a list of their advertised 23 HDTV channels, I came across some channels that REALLY make HDTV worth it! (note the sarcasm). If this abbreviated list doesn't just scream quality HDTV entertainment, I don't know what does!

Galagavison
Womens Entertainment
TV Outlet Mall
TV Guide Channel
SoapNet
Shop at Home
QVC
PAX TV
Jewlry TV
iShop
Home Shopping Network
Good Samaritin Network
Angel One
Horse Racing TV
C-Span
Kung Fu, etc...

That's 16 out of the 23 channels offered! Though the other 7 look interesting (Discovey, NasaTV, HBO, etc...), that's simply not enough to justify it (in my humble opinion).

As far as my wasted $1,700 purchase, it wasn't wasted at all. I learned a valuable lesson AND was able to return it for a 36" televison (that cost less) that I have been VERY VERY happy with.

When the day comes that I feel HDTV is pervasive enough, I'll be happy to switch. That doesn't mean others aren't thrilled with HDTV, obviosuly different things appeal to different folks. But that's just my take, and I dare say the same as quite a few other non-HDTV owning folks.

Thank you and good night.

Now I see what the problem is it is the area you live in cause those are not the channels in both California and Arkansas that I live in that has HD I got Direct TV Sattelite so I get different channels than Dish. My frustration isn't meant to make you upset and I apologize what upsets me is that you were not taken care of from the get go and that goes both way the consumer and the retailer(unless you bought it from an internet site.) Being in retail working at Best Buy this is exactly what we deal with everyday someone wants an HD TV and does not fully see what is offered or satisfied with what is offered. Bottom line what you just wrote about the channel line up I can see why you are dissapointed if you had stated this in the beginning or if we had asked this conversation would have been cleared up days ago lol. Again sorry for getting upset that is my Best Buy frustration coming out of me I talk to so many customers that finally get it when they come in my store after trying to shop online or other retailers and even other Best Buy's to where the customer is not informed correctly if you came in my store you would have had all this information before purchasing the tv in just 20 minutes to let you know what direction would be recommmended for you and your family. Good luck.

Networks will be moving to HD broadcast when the feds quit delaying the rules and makes a firm commitment. Yes, this will impact individuals that could care less about hd and when their only signal is over the air, because they may want some local news, they will be forced to change out their sets. But by that time a HD CRT 32" could be the same orr less than a analog 32" CRT today. They are even individuals that live without TV and don't worry about it. Early adopters will and always pay the higher price for the newest products released. Waiting closer to the 2009 date (current deadline for all HD) and changes in technology will continue to drive down the price of HD sets. Panasonic dropped prices approximately 17% on their 42" plasma from their 05 to 06 model. So if you don't want to spend the money today for HD, wait. Consumers are not driving the change to HD, the networks and FCC are making this change. And when has either of of those two really listened to individuals that much anyway. Networks care about rating for their shows because that drives the cost they chanrge for their commerical time and that drives their revenues. No comments on the FCC because they are out of touch anyways.

distasio,

Getting bad SD reception is just a temporary setback. Technology has jumped leaps and bounds recently, way ahead of what broadcasters have been able to do with actually recording any new HD material. You've got to keep in mind that 99% of the material for on-air has been recorded in SD, so are the broadcasters just going to throw 80 years of archived material away? No. Now, the broadcasters are faced with the hurdle of actually shooting new shows in HD. Some do and some don't. It's expensive. So, the lousy SD reception is just a setback and one day 90% of the broadcast material will be HD instead.

Also, part of the lousy look of SD material has to do with current TV technology. I have two HD sets: One is a Sony LCD and one is an older Toshiba RPTV. The Toshiba blows the Sony away when watching SD material. I'm not sure if this is because of the old 3-light CRT technology or the fact that the Toshiba does 540p. I think the LCD, Plasmas and DLP have fixed pixels that the TV tries to fill-in, and when you have milliions of blank pixels to fill-in, it just doesn't looks so good. But, the Sony looks better when watching HD material.

The fact that none of the HD's were designed for SD and that is a good thing in my opinion. Cause if HD wasn't what it was now I wouldn't be as satisfied with it if the quality was just a little better vs alot better than SD. It is going to take time. You are correct about the stepping stone with SD. Some HDTV's do better than others for SD but you will never see anyone saying "wow the superbowl looks great on my HDTV in SD" lol. Not happening

In reply to your quote: "Some HDTV's do better than others for SD but you will never see anyone saying "wow the superbowl looks great on my HDTV in SD" lol. Not happening."

Practically everyone who has seen SD on my Toshiba has said "Wow, this is fantastic! Why does your TV look so good and mine looks so crummy?" I see the difference but it makes me very happy when others don't. I give credit to Toshiba. The old projection method gives a much more "theatrical screen" experience than the new digital displays, but it seems more people want the new sets because they are much brighter and have more contrast than the old-school sets. Personally, I've adjusted my new LCD down to "Pro" levels so it doesn't look like I'm staring into the sun and I don't need to wear suntan lotion to watch TV.