ooh ooh HDTV

frankieG · June 22, 2007, 08:02:15 PM

i got a sony hdtv for my birthday, which also was fathers day, and direct tv is coming tomorrow to hook up the hd service. i am curious to see the difference from digital signal to high def with hdmi cables. anyone here already have this set up?

jdanna · June 22, 2007, 08:41:47 PM

Quote from: frankieG on June 22, 2007, 08:02:15 PM
i got a sony hdtv for my birthday, which also was fathers day, and direct tv is coming tomorrow to hook up the hd service. i am curious to see the difference from digital signal to high def with hdmi cables. anyone here already have this set up?

its gonna look pretty good. unfortunatly, after it gets to you it is compressed so hard so they can fit so many channels into their freq allotment that it isnt nearly as good as it could be.
which sony is it? if it isnt a CRT, standard def will look worse on it. but more and more HD programming is coming every day so itll just get better.

im thinking about buying an hdtv, but i need a CRT, and sony stopped making them. Im going to go check out the samsungs soon.

oh and dont waste your money on those expensive HDMI cables that the stores try to sell you, they make no difference.
The cheapest cable you can find that meets the HDMI spec is just as good as the most expensive one you can find.

Gisser · June 22, 2007, 09:25:16 PM

Sony.........

The best difference in high def over standard digital is watching widescreen without stretch distortion.

I notice that starting Monday ESPN2 HD will be broadcasting Wimbledon and since I also notice that you bear a resemblence to Jim Courier I thought I'd just mention that.

manofthefield · June 23, 2007, 07:09:13 AM

Quote from: jdanna on June 22, 2007, 08:41:47 PM
oh and dont waste your money on those expensive HDMI cables that the stores try to sell you, they make no difference.
The cheapest cable you can find that meets the HDMI spec is just as good as the most expensive one you can find.

I went with HDMI cables from monoprice.com. I actually had the thicker 24 gauge, but it was too stiff and I don't think it was staying plugged in properly, or it was just crap. I didn't get to send it back in time, but I later ordered one of their 28 gauge HDMI cables and I have been very happy with it. And it's like 1/50th of the price of over-hyped monster cables

edit: I use this from my upconverting DVD player to my Westinghouse HDTV... I'm to cheap to order HDTV service, though I did get some through my basic cable for a while and they looked awesome

jdanna · June 23, 2007, 09:34:32 AM

just to put the overpriced cables in perspective a bit:
a 3.3 foot monster HDMI cable is $100. thats $33/foot, to move HD video, and audio, right?

When we are MAKING the HD programming that you watch, we move fully uncompressed HD and 12 channels of uncompressed digital audio on 75ohm coaxial cable. Its about 50 cents/foot, and we just cut it to length and put a BNC connector on each end. try doing that with HDMI.

HDMI is a conspiracy to sell cable, it isnt neccessary at all. Why the dell does it need like 16 or however many pins it has?
Coax has 1 copper pin and a sheild. thats it.

bettingpython · June 23, 2007, 09:57:15 AM

HDMI computer monitor cables work great

frankieG · June 23, 2007, 01:06:34 PM

its all set up and amazing...direct tv also included the hdmi cable but i had one of my own that was better. now the next decision is HD DVD or Blue-ray

jdanna · June 23, 2007, 01:49:57 PM

Quote from: frankieG on June 23, 2007, 01:06:34 PM
its all set up and amazing...direct tv also included the hdmi cable but i had one of my own that was better. now the next decision is HD DVD or Blue-ray

i would wait that one out

bettingpython · June 23, 2007, 02:31:51 PM

Or if your a big console gamer just make sure you have a PS3 and a Xbox 360 then you have no worries both formats covered

spc · June 23, 2007, 03:18:15 PM

Dude, Wii. I'm not really into video games but that Buddha Loves You is addictive

frankieG · June 23, 2007, 06:28:38 PM

i;m not really a gamer, once in a while i will play C&C the old one or tiberian sun but that is about it. i got stuck with beta in the early 80s because i believed the sony hype about better quality. stupid me. however marketing and web key word tracking shows that HD DVD has just over 66% of positive rating while blue ray is around 37% positive. the greatest complaints about the blue ray is 1. sony "arrogance" 2. Gamers not having the choice with the PS3 3. sonys track record, ie beta and mini disc

jdanna · June 23, 2007, 06:39:55 PM

Quote from: frankieG on June 23, 2007, 06:28:38 PM
i;m not really a gamer, once in a while i will play C&C the old one or tiberian sun but that is about it. i got stuck with beta in the early 80s because i believed the sony hype about better quality. stupid me. however marketing and web key word tracking shows that HD DVD has just over 66% of positive rating while blue ray is around 37% positive. the greatest complaints about the blue ray is 1. sony "arrogance" 2. Gamers not having the choice with the PS3 3. sonys track record, ie beta and mini disc

beta WAS better quality.

frankieG · June 24, 2007, 05:14:16 PM

who said it was not?

genEricStL · June 24, 2007, 06:00:44 PM

the people that purchased VHS over Beta did hehe

We used to have both ... my dad was an old-school technophile hehe

Jake D · June 25, 2007, 09:19:45 AM

Last year I got a Samsung 1080i. I can't stand watching non-HD channels anymore. Horrible. HD is so much better.

Here is the ultimate set up: 50 inch 1080i, HD, and TiVo/DVR. You won't understand how you lived without TiVo.

Stephen072774 · June 25, 2007, 09:59:19 AM

I agree on the tivo... its great. I understand the new generation tivo makes uploading programs to video ipod a snap, I'd love to get that.

I'm still playing the waiting game with HDTV, the 46" 1080p Sharp Aquos I've been eyeing has went from $2600 to something like $1890 last time I checked it about 6 months. When I keep seeing prices drop, I'm keeping myself content to wait. I'm also avioding watching big games over at friends houses that have HD, cause I know when I spend any length of time watching it, I won't go back.

Hey Frankie, how much did the switch to HD add to your monthly Directv bill?

Nepix · June 25, 2007, 10:38:54 AM

i have a 37" hp 1080i and i def. agree with everyones love for the hd channels. the markup on thos hdmi cables is seriously outrageous, I had a rocketfish (sp?) hdmi cable that retailed at best buy for like 89 dollars and then i switched to a monster hdmi cable and I noticed a difference but it was in the 150's retail

frankieG · June 25, 2007, 08:14:16 PM

the HD is 9.99 a month

jdanna · June 25, 2007, 08:26:27 PM

Quote from: Jake D on June 25, 2007, 09:19:45 AM
Last year I got a Samsung 1080i. I can't stand watching non-HD channels anymore. Horrible. HD is so much better.

Here is the ultimate set up: 50 inch 1080i, HD, and TiVo/DVR. You won't understand how you lived without TiVo.

Remember, on an LCD or plasma, standard def channels will actually look significantly worse then they did on your old tube tv

jdanna · June 25, 2007, 08:47:18 PM

Quote from: Nepix on June 25, 2007, 10:38:54 AM
i have a 37" hp 1080i and i def. agree with everyones love for the hd channels. the markup on thos hdmi cables is seriously outrageous, I had a rocketfish (sp?) hdmi cable that retailed at best buy for like 89 dollars and then i switched to a monster hdmi cable and I noticed a difference but it was in the 150's retail

you imagined the difference.

Its a digital signal, you dont loose anything in the cable. the only time the cable will make ANY change in the picture, is if the cable is SO bad that it doesnt meet the minimum specs for HDMI. In that case you will see tons of blocking and digital artifacts.

Sorry, but if your signal isnt breaking up, changing to a "better" cable, will not make any difference whatsoever.

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ooh ooh HDTV