The Official High-Definition TV thread

[dreamcastrocks]

Thanks. Outputs from what, your cable/satellite box?



In this case the TV takes it to 1080 progressive, so I am wondering if it is better to go 480p->1080i->1080p or 480p->1080p.

Cable box.

It still depends on your TV's descaler, unless you are using an upconverting DVD player.

 

[Lefty]

I was in Best Buy the other day and was pretty impressed with the picture quality on the flatscreen tv's by LG. Does anyone own a tv by LG, and if so, are you happy with the quality?

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Cable box.

It still depends on your TV's descaler, unless you are using an upconverting DVD player.

And that is what I am wondering, if the TV's upconverter is better than an upconverter in a DVD player. I just don't have an upconverting DVD player (yet) to test, so I was wondering if anyone had performed a subjective test.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I do not have an upconverting DVD player either (not yet). You traditionally are much better off with the DVD player doing the scaling, rather than your TV.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I do not have an upconverting DVD player either (not yet). You traditionally are much better off with the DVD player doing the scaling, rather than your TV.

I will most likely end up getting one to bridge the gap to HDDVD and/or BluRay (someone please win already!). The upconverters normally use HDMI (at least the ones that I have seen) output to support the 720p+, so I will have to run HDMI from the player to the TV with optical audio back out of the TV to the receiver (no HDMI on my receiver). Hopefully that will sync okay.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I will most likely end up getting one to bridge the gap to HDDVD and/or BluRay (someone please win already!). The upconverters normally use HDMI (at least the ones that I have seen) output to support the 720p+, so I will have to run HDMI from the player to the TV with optical audio back out of the TV to the receiver (no HDMI on my receiver). Hopefully that will sync okay.

I have an upconverting DVD player...the second one I've purchased....first one broke, this one has been acting funny.

But it does have nice features for widescreen, upconverting, and it uses HDMI...

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I am a current DishNetwork SD customer and I went ahead and ordered the HD package from DishNetwork this evening. Besides the $99 (after rebates) for the dual-tuner HD DVR receiver (one HD output, one SD output (lame!)), it is going to cost me $104 bucks per month, since I also have a dual-tuner SD DVR receiver as well. They get you with the second-receiver fee ($5), the DVR service fees ($5.95 X 2), and I also get to pay $5.00 for local channels, not to mention $5.99 for the multi-sport (out of region) package. And since the receivers only have one HD output, they make sure that you will be buying/leasing new receivers for each HDTV! Cha-ching! But hey, at least I will have the Kung Fu HD channel (no lie). Wonder what will be on it. Anyone have it?

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I have an upconverting DVD player...the second one I've purchased....first one broke, this one has been acting funny.

But it does have nice features for widescreen, upconverting, and it uses HDMI...

Any audio/video syncing problems - when it is not acting funny? And what DVD player do you have? If you don't recommend the model you own, what would you recommend? Also, can you recommend a DVD recorder that is a solid player as well?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I will most likely end up getting one to bridge the gap to HDDVD and/or BluRay (someone please win already!). The upconverters normally use HDMI (at least the ones that I have seen) output to support the 720p+, so I will have to run HDMI from the player to the TV with optical audio back out of the TV to the receiver (no HDMI on my receiver). Hopefully that will sync okay.

Do you have a VGA out on your TV? If so, the XBOX360 is now an upconverting DVD player.

The HDDVD player has also been said to be the best upconverting SD DVD player on the market. Considering that you would be spending at least $200 for an ok DVD player, (an Oppo is the way to go) a HDDVD player may be attainable.

I personally am waiting for the new electronics this year to have HDMI1.3 before I upgrade the DVD player/receiver.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Do you have a VGA out on your TV? If so, the XBOX360 is now an upconverting DVD player.

The HDDVD player has also been said to be the best upconverting SD DVD player on the market. Considering that you would be spending at least $200 for an ok DVD player, (an Oppo is the way to go) a HDDVD player may be attainable.

I personally am waiting for the new electronics this year to have HDMI1.3 before I upgrade the DVD player/receiver.

I have a VGA in (can connect PC) but why would I need an out? Can you walk me through that? Is the DVD quality of the XBOX360 better than that of the XBOX?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Well, it is supposed to be better. All you need to do is update the dashboard on the 360 to get the upconverting player. I hear that it is a pretty good upconverter, however my TV does not have a VGA, so I cannot test.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Well, it is supposed to be better. All you need to do is update the dashboard on the 360 to get the upconverting player. I hear that it is a pretty good upconverter, however my TV does not have a VGA, so I cannot test.

I will look into that. So I do just need a VGA in on the TV and not an out. Is the upconverting player a free upgrade/download?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I will look into that. So I do just need a VGA in on the TV and not an out. Is the upconverting player a free upgrade/download?

Yes, it is a free download. If your TV accepts a VGA connection, you will be fine.

Tell me how it works, I am curious.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Before, I said out, was thinking in. My mind was on the DVD recorder that I am getting.

 

[abomb]

Here is an interesting article from the gang over at Popular Mechanics.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

If/When I take the HDDVD plunge, I will probably fork over the money to get my tv calibrated.

 

[Lefty]

Looks like this fall will be the time to buy a flatscreen TV. Just in time for Christmas.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060719/tc_usatoday/flatpaneltvsgetlesspriceyfaster

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I probably could have saved a bit of money if I would have waited another 6 months to upgrade my TV. I wanted to get a better 360 experience, and be prepared for 1080i.

Next comes the HDMI 1.3 compatible receiver.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I probably could have saved a bit of money if I would have waited another 6 months to upgrade my TV. I wanted to get a better 360 experience, and be prepared for 1080i.

Next comes the HDMI 1.3 compatible receiver.

What's 1.3 do?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Mostly, (for me anyway) it will allow for true high definition audio for the new HD-DVD, Blu Ray, and other new devices, (PS3, etc). It also doubles the available bandwidth.


From hdmi.com

HDMI 1.3 capabilities include:

Higher speed: HDMI 1.3 increases its single-link bandwidth from 165MHz (4.95 gigabits per second) to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps) to support the demands of future high definition display devices, such as higher resolutions, Deep Color and high frame rates. In addition, built into the HDMI 1.3 specification is the technical foundation that will let future versions of HDMI reach significantly higher speeds.

Deep color: HDMI 1.3 supports 30-bit, 36-bit and 48-bit (RGB or YCbCr) color depths, up from the 24-bit depths in previous versions of the HDMI specification.
Lets HDTVs and other displays go from millions of colors to billions of colors
Eliminates on-screen color banding, for smooth tonal transitions and subtle gradations between colors
Enables increased contrast ratio
Can represent many times more shades of gray between black and white. At 30-bit pixel depth, four times more shades of gray would be the minimum, and the typical improvement would be eight times or more

Broader color space: HDMI 1.3 removes virtually all limits on color selection.
Next-generation “xvYCC” color space supports 1.8 times as many colors as existing HDTV signals
Lets HDTVs display colors more accurately
Enables displays with more natural and vivid colors
New mini connector: With small portable devices such as HD camcorders and still cameras demanding seamless connectivity to HDTVs, HDMI 1.3 offers a new, smaller form factor connector option.

Lip Sync: Because consumer electronics devices are using increasingly complex digital signal processing to enhance the clarity and detail of the content, synchronization of video and audio in user devices has become a greater challenge and could potentially require complex end-user adjustments. HDMI 1.3 incorporates an automatic audio/video synching capability that allows devices to perform this synchronization automatically with accuracy. (this is a big issue with some receivers where the audio does not sync with the devices, mostly Xbox 360 though)

New lossless audio formats: In addition to HDMI’s current ability to support high-bandwidth uncompressed digital audio and currently-available compressed formats (such as Dolby® Digital and DTS), HDMI 1.3 adds additional support for new, lossless compressed digital audio formats Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™.

 

[Lefty]

Is HDMI 1.3 in most new flatscreens now? Also, how would you rate the LG flatscreens? When I went into Best Buy and saw the LG's, I really liked the 42" LCD. Finally, for those who shop at Costco, what brands of flatscreens do they sell?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Is HDMI 1.3 in most new flatscreens now? Also, how would you rate the LG flatscreens? When I went into Best Buy and saw the LG's, I really liked the 42" LCD. Finally, for those who shop at Costco, what brands of flatscreens do they sell?

No, if you want HDMI 1.3 on the new TV's, you will need to wait until this winter, (another reason why eventhough I knew 1.3 was coming, I should have waited.) I wanted an upgrade for the 06 Cards season.

The flat screens that they sell at Costco, (at least the last time that I was there were Sony (they were selling a Wega) and a Mitsubishi DLP.

They also had Toshiba LCD's I believe. They usually sell cheaper brands of Plasma, as in AKAI or some other 2nd rate plasma.

Personally, I think that the LG screens are not the best, but a great bang for the buck. If you can wait another few months, the pricing, and HDMI 1.3 would be well worth it. I personally couldn't. Poker winnings blowing a hole in my pocket.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

I bought a 50" RCA Screnium DLP from Costco on special - it's not the worlds greatest TV, but definitely fits my needs and I really like it - the HD stations come in nicely and it should continue to work well when my new house is done and the audio, wiring and add ins are all upgraded

I was looking for value and think this one delivered pretty good at around $1,300

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I bought a 50" RCA Screnium DLP from Costco on special - it's not the worlds greatest TV, but definitely fits my needs and I really like it - the HD stations come in nicely and it should continue to work well when my new house is done and the audio, wiring and add ins are all upgraded

I was looking for value and think this one delivered pretty good at around $1,300

Congrats on your new TV purchase.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

BTW, if you have NFL Ticket you can get a free HD Tivo right now from DTV, plus the upgraded Mpeg4 5lnb dish...

Then when the Mpeg4 HD DVR's come out, you can get upgraded for free.

TivoCommunity.com has info there...on one of the forums.