HD Receiver and Old SD TV

[Duckjake]

We just hooked up an HD Directv receiver to our old Toshiba non HD Television in anticipation of getting an HD tv this weekend.

The picture from the HD broadcasts is fabulous! Its every bit as crisp and clear as the picture on our LCD HDtv upstairs. What's going on?

I think I just saved $2000.

 

[HeavyB3]

You are probably seeing 480p. Looks nice on its own, side by side it wouldn't stand up to 720p or 1080p.

 

[Duckjake]

You are probably seeing 480p. Looks nice on its own, side by side it wouldn't stand up to 720p or 1080p.

Could be. However its good enough that I won't have to buy another HDTV for awhile.

Didn't know that an SD TV would pick up HD signals. Learn something new everyday.

 

[Chaz]

Technically it is a digital signal (not an HD one) and that makes the picture much clearer because it doesn't have the noise (static) of an analog signal.

Digital is the transmission medium, high definition is the resolution of the program and it can vary in production quality.

You can get a digital signal with the proper tuner and display it on an SD television but only an HD display will be able to show the HD resolution.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Technically it is a digital signal (not an HD one) and that makes the picture much clearer because it doesn't have the noise (static) of an analog signal.

Digital is the transmission medium, high definition is the resolution of the program and it can vary in production quality.

You can get a digital signal with the proper tuner and display it on an SD television but only an HD display will be able to show the HD resolution.

Correct. Most cable and satellite channels send out an all digital picture, but a SD TV can accept and decode that signal. TV's will not accept an HD signal over the coax cable from cable/satellite companies. You need a tuner of some sort, (built into the TV or not) to decode the HD signal over component, DVI, VGA, or the most common now, HDMI.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

also size matters as well - if it's a smaller screen the differences between SD & HD aren't as glaring