HD READY OR HD TV?

 

LG
Unregistered guest
I just purchased a Toshiba 52hm84 and I love it. The picture is great and I have no complaints. I currenty use comcast and everything works great. The pictures are wonderful. I wanted to know would it be worth me getting the new 52hm94 wich has a built in HD turner? would it make my pictures that much better? I am new to this and wanted some feed back. Also I understand that ESPN broadcast in 720P however when watching the chanel it broadcast in 4:3 versus the 16:9. Do I have to change some settings or something?
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 210
Registered: Feb-04
LG:
The only use for an on board HD tuner is to receive local over the air HD signals that may be available in your area (with an adequate antenna). It would have no effect on picture quality you see from your cable box.

Not all video on ESPNHD is shot in HD. So a lot of their stuff such as game highlights or even complete games is still in 4:3 "pillar boxed" standard definition. This will change in time as HD production equipment becomes cheaper and more plentiful.
 

LG
Unregistered guest
Thanks for the heads up. I was about to return my 52hm84 and get the 94 with the built in tuner but I think I will stick with what I got. I don't think it is worth the extra money. I was dissapointed that the Red Sox Yankees game was broadcast in 4:3.
 

Adam Naper
Unregistered guest
"wide screen" versus "WEGA" ... Can someone explain? Also I would be curious as to opinions on each, ... as well as comparison.
 

xvxvxvx
Unregistered guest
"WEGA" is the name of a certain line of Sony displays. Widescreen denotes a ration of 16:9 vs the 4:3 ration of standard displays.


xvxvxvx
 

New member
Username: Gbutler12

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-04
SDI vs SXGA
SXGA, although a analog signal (1280x1040) should be a better picture than SDI that is a digital signal that low resolution (720x480).
Would this be your opinion and why?
Thanks
 

New member
Username: Bampie

Post Number: 2
Registered: Sep-04
I just ordered a Mitsubishi WD62725. It has a built in tuner. I am currently on Directtv with the triple LNB including TIVO. What else will I need to get HD?
 

WD62725 owner
Unregistered guest
Bampie posted: "What else will I need to get HD?"

You will need 2 things:
1) A decent quality cable from your DirecTV box to the WD62725. You didn't mention the box model number, but a "Component Video Cable" (actually 3 cables bundled together) should work.
2) An antenna to pull in Over The Air (OTA) channels. Connect this to either of the Antenna connections on the back of you Mitsubishi.

In DirecTV, if you get Showtime or HBO, there should be a HD version of that. FromDirecTV for another $10.99 a month, you can add 5 other channels - ESPN-HD, Discovery HD, HD Net, etc. These are HD, although some of hte "ESPN-HD" is really 4:3 aspect ratio 480i stuff.

You local OTA HD channels will vary by area and how good your antenna setup is. Most of hte HD programming is in the evening Primetime slot.
 

Unregistered guest
I just purchased a 60in. sony LCD. I'm trying to get my local channels in HD. Which OTA antenna is best. I live about 25 miles north of Birmingham, AL.
 

xvxvxvx
Unregistered guest
I just purchased a 60in. sony LCD. I'm trying to get my local channels in HD. Which OTA antenna is best. I live about 25 miles north of Birmingham, AL.


Are you looking for an indoor or outdoor antenna? Are the stations you wish to receive in the UHF or VHF band?

Better yet go here http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx and click on "Choose an Antenna" and you will be walked through all the steps you need to make your best selection.

xvxvxvx
 

Anonymous
 
What's up everybody! I have a couple of questions about the 27" sony wega[KV27HS42O] 4:3 HDTV.I saw it in action at circuit city and was VERY impressed with it's picture quality. I planned on getting it until a friend told me that i would be better off getting a 16:9 HDTV because of its widescreen ratio which is best for HDTV. My question is since i play alot of xbox playstaion2 and gamecube games wouldnt it be better for me to get the 4:3 HDTV sony? I mean dvd movies would still look good on 4:3 HDTV right? And the sony had the best picture(in my opinon)at the store.If anyone could explain or let me know if a 4:3 HDTV is a over all better TV for games than a 16:9 HDTV is i'd really apreciate it. THANKS!
 

Anonymous
 
What's up everybody! I have a couple of questions about the 27" sony wega[KV27HS42O] 4:3 HDTV.I saw it in action at circuit city and was VERY impressed with it's picture quality. I planned on getting it until a friend told me that i would be better off getting a 16:9 HDTV because of its widescreen ratio which is best for HDTV. My question is since i play alot of xbox playstaion2 and gamecube games wouldnt it be better for me to get the 4:3 HDTV sony? I mean dvd movies would still look good on 4:3 HDTV right? And the sony had the best picture(in my opinon)at the store.If anyone could explain or let me know if a 4:3 HDTV is a over all better TV for games than a 16:9 HDTV is i'd really apreciate it. THANKS!
 

New member
Username: Scottii

Las Vegas, NV Us

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-04
I have a 57"Hitachi hdtv ready,and a dish some stations come in good and clean and some come in just ok.when i play a move from a dvd player it is grate,would it be good to get a hd tuner or what would ba a good salutation to get a good pictur on all chanels.
 

Baaat2
Unregistered guest

"My question is since i play alot of xbox playstaion2 and gamecube games wouldnt it be better for me to get the 4:3 HDTV sony?"

Most ps2/xbox games and all new ones coming out support 16:9 although you do have to change it to 16:9 mode in the options/setting the first time you play.

My opinion is the 16:9 is the way to go otherwise you'll find yourself wanting to go buy one within the next year or so. Time Warner cable claims 80% of there programming will be hdtv by 2007, and there is no doubt that hdtv/dvd's look best in 16:9.

The only downside I see is that not all hdtv programming is not broadcast in 16:9 yet, but like JOHN S explained earlier, it will come in time.
 

xvxvxvxv
Unregistered guest
Time Warner cable claims 80% of there programming will be hdtv by 2007, and there is no doubt that hdtv/dvd's look best in 16:9.

That would be digital transmission, not HD programming.

The only downside I see is that not all hdtv programming is not broadcast in 16:9 yet, but like JOHN S explained earlier, it will come in time.

Incorrect, all HD is broadcast in a 16:9 ratio. Currently all programs broadcast on an HD channel are not necessarily being broadcast in Hi-Def, that is when you see 4:3 ratio programs. A good example of this is on the ESPN-HD channel when you see the sidebars, this is SD programming. The waters are further muddied when you take FOX into account which will sometimes choose to broadcast in widescreen 480p. Many people confuse this for HD programming because it is shown in a 16:9 ratio, the Simpsons is a good example of this type of broadcast by FOX.

In summary if the program is 4:3 it is not Hi-Def, if it is shown in 16:9 it is usually Hi-Def but not always. Clear as mud now?

xvxvxvxv
 

HOTDOGVNDR
Unregistered guest
Ok. So, If I want to receive HD content and Digital content, at the same time, when it's being broadcat that way, without the use of an external receiver, what do I look for in a Televisions description. Or better yet, what models are currently out there that can do both? Thanks
 

Unregistered guest
What is the difference between HDTV Monitor and HDTV ready?
 

xvxvxvx
Unregistered guest
What is the difference between HDTV Monitor and HDTV ready?

Nothing, it is simply marketing preference.


xvxvxvx
 

New member
Username: Np8502

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-05
I am considering buying a TV that is HD ready. The only thing is; I don't watch a lot of digital channels and so I think when my special runs out I may give back the cable box to save some money. Am I unable to watch HDTV if I don't have the cable box? I have heard that I can use an antanna if I have an HD built-in TV. Does this make it more complicated.
I just hate giving the cble company money.
 

Anonymous
 
built-in HD tuners are getting cheaper by the day, for example Walmart is selling a Sanyo 30" widescreen hi def with built-in HD tuner for around $650.

All you add is an antenna for Hi def, no cable is necessary

Of course you have to be in an area within broadcasting range of digital signal sources -usually within about 50 miles
 

Unregistered guest
Ok. So, If I want to receive HD content and Digital content, at the same time, when it's being broadcat that way, without the use of an external receiver, what do I look for in a Televisions description. Or better yet, what models are currently out there that can do both? Thanks
 

Unregistered guest
Ok. So, If I want to receive HD T.V. and Digital content, at the same time, when it's being broadcat that way, without the use of an external receiver, what do I look for in a Televisions description. Or better yet, what models are currently out there that can do both? Thanks.
 

Anonymous
 
look for the term "integrated tuner". Sets with built-in digital tuners are showing up everywhere now, too common to mention all

normally what happens if you have lets say a group of 12 channels in the hi def section of the 150 cable channel lineup - when they are not broadcasting in true widescreen HD (720p or 1080i) they will default to standard digital (e.g.ABC News) which looks pretty good at 480p too, better than regular TV

so in when you are watching just these 12 channels all the time, you will be varying between digital and hi def - good quality nearly all the time

on the other hand, digital signals from analog channels really are not digital quality
 

bricksnivy
Unregistered guest
I was just wondering what the diff is between HD ready vs HD built-in?
 

Anonymous
 
"HD READY" means you need to add an HD tuner and you receive actual (720p or 1080i) hi def TV. Most common way is to subscribe to hi def cable. Next w/b to get hi def Satellite hookup. Third w/b to buy an OVER THE AIR hi def tuner box and add an antenna - e.g Samsung OTA digital box

HD - built means integrated built-in hi def tuner and you simply add an antenna to get hi def over the air
 

Unregistered guest
I have a 52 " Hitachi Ultrascan HD (HD ready) tv, an Onkyo TX-DS575X AV/Receiver, a Pioneer Elite Progressive Scan DVD and several other legacy pieces (i.e. Laserdisk, etc). We just moved and now have a Motorola HD Cable receiver to play with. The cable tech would only hook directly to my tv's component video input. I would like to hook this to my surround sound system. What is the best way to ensure HD quality pictures for the cable box and DVD since my Onkyo doesn't have component video inputs and still get surround sound through my system?
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 267
Registered: Feb-04
tsmallmon:
Leave the component video line the cable guy hooked up alone. Just install an RCA phono jack-ended coax line from the digital audio output on the cable box into one of the two digital coax audio inputs on your Onkyo receiver.

Hopefully, your Hitachi has two sets of component inputs, as you'll want to run the Elite DVD player's component output into the second component input on the TV.
 

Anonymous
 
Hi,
I am new to this HDTV stuff and I have a couple of ?'s. Do you know what the best brand HDTV to get? and If I got a HDTV built in turner and used it over the air for the local channels, would it cost me anything to get HDTV over the air?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
" Do you know what the best brand HDTV to get?"

Very subjective question, there is no "one size fits all" answer. It depends on your budget, viewing distance, lighting conditions and other minor but important factors.

"and If I got a HDTV built in turner and used it over the air for the local channels, would it cost me anything to get HDTV over the air?"

OTA HD channels are free but you will need an antenna in conjuction with your built in tuner.

xvxvxvx


 

Bubbachuck
Unregistered guest
I was wondering if a small HD-ready tv will be able to play my xbox games in high definition and in 16:9 right out of the box. Or do i need an HD Tuner?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
No HD tuner = no HD.

xvxvxvx
 

CTim
Unregistered guest
"No HD tuner = no HD."

You should explain that more because if you are responding to Bubbachuck you are incorrect.

If you have an HD Ready TV then all you need is the Xbox HDAV Pack.

Bubbachuck please see:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/highdefinitionavpack.htm


http://www.xbox.com/en-US/expertguide/hdtv.htm

http://boards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=89770686&replies=6&ui=cb_post_03
 

Anonymous
 
i just bought a 57" hdtv ready tv.I'm new at this and was wanting to know if you by a hd top box would you get a better picture.I have dish network but I don't have the hd package with them.Can you get hd with out going through them?
 

Unregistered guest
DISH vs CABLE when it comes to watching the most for your HDTV buch, which one give you more opions or HD wide screen movies?
 

Unregistered guest
Plase I need an Answer, I went to Best buy to purchase a HD tv and the sales person told me that the tv had a built in tunner and that if I want to have Direct tv hd the only thing I need it's a card????? not a hd box?? it's this tru?
 

Unregistered guest
Plase I need an Answer, I went to Best buy to purchase a HD tv and the sales person told me that the tv had a built in tunner and that if I want to have Direct tv hd the only thing I need it's a card????? not a hd box?? it's this true?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
Untrue Hernan,

The built-in HD decoder works for local OTA stations only, it is an ATSC tuner, If you want satellite service from either Dish or Direct TV you will need to signup through them and will need a seperate receiver for the sat channles although you will not need a seperate OTA receiver for your locals.

xvxvxvx
 

nubee-4-ever
Unregistered guest
what are the actuall numbers for hd tv?? 720p and 1080i i know but when i look at tvs on the net all i see are 1280x768 or 1366x768. is the 1280= 720p and 1366=1080i or what?? i'm confused. what do the 720p and 1080i actually stand for in lines of resolution?? and does the sony 60"wega lcd actully use any of these numbers or are they just coming close?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
I initially wrote a four paragraph detailed explanation. Insted of posting that I'll offer you a simple link that explains it all clearly and even includes 480i, 480p and ED as well as HD scan rates.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/archives/pixelcount.html
 

nubee-4-not much longer
Unregistered guest
WOW!!! THAT WAS GREAT!!!
so if i want hd i need to make sure i have at least 720 or 1080 lines. and that sony does not have 1080 lines it only has the 768, so that means it does have hd but not the clearest of the hd.
at least thats the way i understand it now.
if a program is sent out in 1080i it will fit it to the native res of 720i.
correct??
thanks!!
 

nubee-4-ever still??
Unregistered guest
but now after reviewing sonys 60" hd tv im still lost. these specs tell me its not 1080i capable but will be converted to a lower res. right??
VIDEO:
ATSC INTEGRATED TUNER
CABLECARD SLOT
1,092,168 MILLION DOTS PER PANEL
SONY'S PROPRIETARY WEGA ENGINE SYSTEM
FLEXIBLE TWIN-VIEW 2-TUNER PICTURE-AND-PICTURE (HD, NTSC)
CINEMOTION REVERSE 3
 

fx
Unregistered guest
The virtues of 1080i vs 720p have been discussed for years and will likely never come to a definitive agreement due to the progressive vs interlaced nature of the two types of programming.

What is best is what looks good to your eyes under your specific viewing conditions.

xvxvxvx
 

GTXBOXLIVE: SiKzMaN
Unregistered guest
If anyone could help me out i'd much appreciate it, i'm about to blow E2000 on a Sony hd ready 50" grand wega tv with 3LCD technology and a pc input i cant seem to find the model no but i'm specifically getting it for my xbox 360, but hd tvs are practically unheard of here (we don't have hd tv stations yet i'm in ireland by the way) i don't have a clue about res levels or anything but need to find out a bit about them, additionally i was told its quite easy to burn an image onto the screen, not on purpose like say you forgot to turn your tv off for 5 hours and you had a game paused you come back and theres like a ghost of your pause screen left there. Does anyone know anything about 3LCD? I'll try some more to find out the model number if that helps.
 

New member
Username: Justfig

Maynardville, TN USA

Post Number: 7
Registered: Nov-05
FX, I read your article and it is very informative but I guess I'm still abit confused (which is typical). My Sharp Aquos specs say its "Pixel Resolution Wide XGA (1366 x 768)". So does this means its 720p and "upscales" to 1080i?
Sorry for being so dumb but I am trying to learn.
Thanks,
JF
 

fx
Unregistered guest
Newton,

Your Sharp displays everything in 720p only. Keep in mind 768 is commonly called 720p because it is too difficult to differentiate between all the different displays.

xvxvxvx
 

New member
Username: Justfig

Maynardville, TN USA

Post Number: 8
Registered: Nov-05
Thanks FX. I guess thats ok because to be honest I can't tell any difference between the 720p and the 1080i settings on my set. I'm happy with this set. Can't wait til they come out with a 1600x1200 TV and something to show on it :-)

JF
 

Bran L
Unregistered guest
Hey everybody, I was researching TV's and found this message board. From what I have read on this board, as written by JOHN S, the only advantage of built-in HD over HD-ready is the ability to receive local channels in HD. I am mainly purchasing an HDTV(built-in or HD-ready) for the playstation 3 that is coming out soon. The playstation 3 will have HDTV capabilities when being played. Being that the playstation 3 has nothing to do with actual TV broadcasts, does that mean that built-in HDTV and HD-ready will not make a difference in this case?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
That is correct Bran L, no difference between the two for your specified usage.

xvxvxvx
 

Unregistered guest
Dumb question but im asking anyway: Bought a Phillips 30 inch wide screen with built in tuner. Am hooking it up to a duel Motorola HD from comcast. Was told to buy a monster cable (HDMI) or just high grade cable for HD. Do I need those items with the built in tuner?? Am I going to get a better HDTV picture
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 517
Registered: Feb-04
Joe, your cable box is your HD tuner. Who told you to buy a monster HDMI? Have you been talking to a drone at Best Buy? What does Comcast say?
 

Jeremi
Unregistered guest
fx... So a plain CRT HD Ready tv will have the same gameplay on the XBOX 360 as an HD with the built in tuner? If so tha's sweet.
 

Andreww
Unregistered guest
So if you were to get a hdtv-built in TV you don't need to get an antenna for OTA channels?
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 526
Registered: Feb-04
Yes you need an antenna to receive OTA HD, the same as for the regular standard def channels.
 

AshleyDN
Unregistered guest
I recently purchased a RCA 52'' HDTV only to find out that it only works as a monitor with cable and satelite. I am a college student living in the country and need to save some money. I do not have either. I have been told to purchase a HD receiver or HD tuner in order to get regular local channels. There is about $120 difference in the two. Can I even get local channels on this tv after purchasing one of these and if so, which one do I purchase?
 

AshleyDN
Unregistered guest
One more question. Do the local channels have to be sending in HD for the HD tuner/receiver to work? What are the odds that my local channels are?
 

KHabs
Unregistered guest
I want to buy a 42 Inch Plasma screen, can I use it without getting HDTV thru my Satelite and if so how will it look if I just set it up without HD. Will the picture still be decent or is it a waste without.

 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 537
Registered: Feb-04
Ashley,
I find it very hard to believe that RCA doesn't have a standard TV tuner in it. In other words, you should be able to receive local regular channels by hooking up an antenna. Even if your TV is HD capable (a model number would be helpful), it is possible that your TV doesn't have a Hi-Def tuner, in which case you do have to get that signal via an outside source.

Yes, the local stations have to be broadcasting in HD in order for you to see it on your TV. Go to this site and put in your address and zip, and then after submitting, click digital stations only. It will even provide a map and compass directions from your location.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx
 

Unregistered guest
I am really confused. I am looking at buying a Samsung or JVC Widescreen flat panel HD -Ready. I currently use Directv for all channels, but have a roof antenae available for local channels if needed. I am not sure of the difference between HD Ready and HDTV. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE expalin the difference to a technically challenged lady??? {This tv is for my bedroom as a second tv, with my main tv in Family room IF that makes a difference in which to buy]. THANKS SO MUCH!!
 

Unregistered guest
I am really confused!! I am looking at buying a Samsung or JVC Widescreen flat panel HD -Ready. I currently use Directv for all channels, but have a roof antenae available for local channels if needed. I am not sure of the difference between HD Ready and HDTV. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE explain the difference to a technically challenged lady??? {This tv is for my bedroom as a second tv, with my main tv in Family room IF that makes a difference in which to buy]. THANKS SO MUCH!!
 

fx
Unregistered guest
DEBITS2000,

An HD ready Tv need a seperate tuner in order to display HD programming. This can be either a cable box, SAT receiver or an OTA HD receiver.

An HDTV has an internal ATSC tuner for sure which means you can get all your local HD and digital channels using your OTA antenna. It may also have an internal QAM tuner which will allow you to display the unencrypted cable HD channels provided by your cable company. If you use a SAT provider (DISH or DIRECTV) they will either lease or sell you the receiver you need and install a seperate outside antenna.

xvxvxvx
 

Unregistered guest
I am interested in buying a HDTV and notice that reburbished DLP seems to be the way to go. Could
someone let me know if reburbished HDs are as good of deal as it claims. If so is it worth it to get the extended warranty?
 

Unregistered guest
simple question, when you guys keep talking about how intergrated HD only requires an antenna, are you talking about the black cable that goes from the wall that hooks up into the back of the TV? I have Comcast regular cable, no box and a Phillips 30" Widescreen. I am hoping for the time just to unscrew the cable from the back of my current tv and put it into the New Integrated HD. Will I get HD signals whenever they are available on the channels that I have (ie NBC, CBS, TNT, DISC)?
 

Alawy
Unregistered guest
I have about $2,000 I want to spend on buying an HDTV. I have already ordered from DirectTV the following: DIRECTV HD Receiver and all the works. They will install in the next few days. I need advise on the best HDTV that I will get for this amount and also avoid the pitfalls of buying HDTV-Ready, or HDTV built-in and all the confusing stuff out there. Please advise me where to go with my $2K and what should I ask for in terms of built in tuner hd ready etc? I live in Woodbridge VA about 30 miles out of DC.
 

RandyM
Unregistered guest
Alawy, I'm biased because I work in product development at RCA, but as I have told others on this board, we believe our HD50LPW175 at Best Buy is an oustanding performer and a great value. It has a fully integrated HD tuner (no other equipment is needed). It is great for gaming, it has a 7-segment color wheel for less dithering noise in dark areas, it has fabulous contrast ratio, it has a built-in subwoofer for better audio, and it sells for $1899 or so. The cabinet is pretty cool, too, in my opinion. Read Sound and Vision Nov. issue for their evaluation of our set.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Imustbecrazy

Post Number: 53
Registered: Sep-05
HD Monitor verses HD TV

Only difference is HD TV has Integrated TV Tuner to display Over The Air (Freely Broadcasted) HD signal. My old Sony KDF-60XS955 (Ex-wife's now) came with the Integrated ATSC HD TV tuner. It could pick up Comcast HD from the cable without a cable box; however, the numbering was unique. Instead of having 1 to 600 channels I had 600 hundred channels in the 100.# to 127.#.

I have a Westinghouse 32" LCD now. I bought a Sylvania HDTV tuner from Best Buy. I like the free HD.

Take care.
 

New member
Username: Lcapal01

Bellmore,, NY

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-05
I am thinking of purchasing a new TV for my home. I currently subscribe to regular cable and have a cable box. Can I purchase an HD Ready TV or should I purchase one with HD tuner built in? What are the advantages of both?
Also, in order to view widescreen DVD's and movies, what ratio should I be looking for?
Any suggestions on brands would be appreciated as well.
 

cawthorne
Unregistered guest
I just got a x box 360, and i am goin to purchase the cheap hd tv, the 360 is the only hd i have so i m not going to spend to much. Do i need just a hd ready or hd built in tv for it to work in hd?
 

Brl1986
Unregistered guest
I just purcahsed the Sony KD-30XS955. It is a widescreen with a built-in HD-tuner. What exactly is the difference between built-in HD-tuner and HD-ready. I have been looking all the place and cannot find a definitive answer. Does the built-in tuner mean I will get channels like ESPN-HD without having to add anything. If not what do I have to add?
 

Brl1986
Unregistered guest
I just purcahsed the Sony KD-30XS955. It is a widescreen with a built-in HD-tuner. What exactly is the difference between built-in HD-tuner and HD-ready. I have been looking all the place and cannot find a definitive answer. Does the built-in tuner mean I will get channels like ESPN-HD without having to add anything. If not what do I have to add?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
"Does the built-in tuner mean I will get channels like ESPN-HD without having to add anything. If not what do I have to add? "

No, ESPN is a pay channel. Your tuner will allow any free HD channels to be displayed. You need to subscribe to either a cable or Sat service for ESPNHD or for ESPN period.

Free HD channels:

TNT
UPN
FOX
ABC
NBC
CBS
PBS

All channels are not available in all areas in HD, check your local listings.

xvxvxvx
 

Brl1986
Unregistered guest
Thanks alot...so that means any sports games broadcasted on those channels will be in HD for me at no cost?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
"Thanks alot...so that means any sports games broadcasted on those channels will be in HD for me at no cost?"

You are welcome, to answer your question, mostly yes but sometimes no. Not all programming on an HD channel is broadcast in High Definition. It can be broadcast in 4:3 SD with sidebars or 16:9 upconverted or 16:9 HD or in very very rare cases like The Wizard of OZ recently on TNT in 4:3 remastered in HD.

Again check your local programming guide to see what events are in HD. A good source is www.titantv.com The titantv site seems to be down right now so try this one at CNET:

http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5119938-1.html
 

Brl1986
Unregistered guest
Cool...thanks for all your help!
 

Brl1986
Unregistered guest
Cool...thanks for all your help!
 

Anonymous
 
So apologies for asking what I'm sure has been answered 100 different ways, but...another HD-ready vs. integrated question:
I have digital cable (Starpower). They've told me that whether I buy a tv that is HD-ready or built in, I'll still need to upgrade to a HD compatible box. Does this box they are talking about do the same thing as an external tuner (ie, can I buy the HD-ready tv, get their box, and need nothing else) or is their box something I'll need in addition to the tuner (in which case I might as well just buy the HD-built in, right?)
Thanks!
 

Anonymous
 
I have you all beat with confusion. I'm a grandmother and know nothing about all this HD stuff and I recieved a 15" Magnavox HD LCD TV for Christmas for my kitchen. I have a cable hookup there from my old 9"TV. I don't have a cable box, HD or otherwise. The picture isn't great, what can I do to improve it without subscribing to an HD cable box?
 

GaryG54
Unregistered guest
I just bought a Phillips 42" plasma hdtv. I contacted my cable company; Time Warner, and they said that all I would need is a new hd box which they supply for free. Is this true? How can I tell when a signal is coming in hd or just regular? Sorry, probably very dumb questions but I'n new to this.

Thanks
 

New member
Username: Taminhthao

Gilroy, CA USA

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-06
have a 64inch Mitsubitshi HDTV ready, the manual remcommended that I have to use Mitsubitshi Branch only, is there any other branch out there that is compatible with Mit.? I notice that HDTV interface of my TV only allow to use 5-in-1 pintype video cable only? can I converse this type to the regular input RCA input?
Thank you all
 

Unregistered guest
There are some misconceptions about HD TV which the manufacturers are putting about. All other definitions are essentially lies. Richer Sounds in the UK is as guilty of this as anyone.

720p is 1280x720 pixels.
1080i or 1080p is 1920x1080 pixels.

When you see a panel advertised as 1366x768, 1280x768, or 1280x720 it should be capable of displaying a 720p signal without scaling (possibly through the use of small black bars at the top and bottom for the screens with 768 pixels). A 1080 signal is scaled down to 1280x720 (usually).

A panel advertised as 1920x1080 is just that a 1080i or 1080p panel. It's ability to display 1080p is determined by the circuitry more than anything, and though the response rate of the pixels may also dictate this. Thes panels will scale up 720p to fit the native resolution. The quality of this very much depends on the cleverness of the scaler hardware.

There are some weird panels out there labeled as HD ready. Examples include 1024x768, 1024x1024. These are not true HD, the only part of it that is HD ready is the tuner, or scaler. The panel itself (the really important part you watch :-)) is not HD.
 

fx
Unregistered guest
Actually the FCC refused to adopt any specific definition as to what qualifies as HD. This means that as Michael noted some HD displays will do a much better job of displaying all the program information than others. But it does not mean that the manufacturers are using any deceptive (legally anyway) advertising. There are a bunch of posters over at SatGuys forum trying to sue DTV for sending them HD-Lite. They are pretty much wasting their time but at least it makes them feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :-)

xvxvxvx
 

Paul in Indy
Unregistered guest
I just purchased a Samsung DLP (HLP5688) that has an integrated HD tuner. I have an older Hughes DirecTiVo box connected to it, and I'm considering replacing it with a DirecTiVo HD Receiver so that I can record & playback in HD. Does it matter if the TV and the TiVo unit have an HD receiver built-in to them? Just wondering if anyone else has a setup like this and if anything special was needed to make it work...

Thanks!

 

New member
Username: Tech7470

Staten island, Ny

Post Number: 7
Registered: Jan-06
i dont see you having a problem recording an hd program and playing it back in hd. Just remember your tv is basically a monitor and will produce anything that it is made to do.
 

Paul in Indy
Unregistered guest
Thanks tech7470... my concern is whether or not having two HD tuners (one in the TV and one in the DirecTiVo box) will cause a problem. So, what you're saying is that the TV's HD tuner won't care, and it will just display what is fed to it from the DirecTiVo tuner. Connecting an antenna directly to the TV will give me OTA HD channels in addition to what I get via DirecTV.

Thanks for helping me get my head straight on this.
 

Unregistered guest
I have about $2000. to spend. Would you buy a larger Plasma or a smaller LCD?

WHAT minumums do I want, that is, contrast,m 1080i, etc. What should I stay away from?

We have Cox Cable, and I do not need an intergated HD tuner.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 

BoydBear
Unregistered guest
Anyone!! I have a Toshiba big screen HD ready and I just got an HD sat. receiver. I can not get the picture to work through stream line components, I do not presently have an S component. Is this required also in conjunction with the stream line cables?
 

pattid
Unregistered guest
So confused. HD-ready means I need a box. I get that, but I have basic cable just from the coax in the wall. NO BOX... I don't necessarily want 200 channels. Just the 78 are good enough. If the HD tuner is built in, I can get the ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS HD channels without an antenna if I have the coax cable from the wall? Or do I need an antenna or the box to see anything Hi def? THANKS!
 

Unregistered guest
Please help!! I just purchased the 51" Toshiba HD monitor(51HC85) and the Samsung digital tv set top box(SIR-T451). I also purchased an indoor antenna with the UHF and VHF connectors on an adapter plug. I am still unable to get any signal. I do not have cable and I do not want cable, I do not care if most programs are in standard format, I just want to watch my new set!!! Please help, I am unsure what to do.
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 688
Registered: Feb-04
pattid,
If the HD tuner is built in, I can get the ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS HD channels without an antenna if I have the coax cable from the wall?

I am pretty sure the answer is no. The cable company probably codes the HD channels and the only way you can get them is with their HD cable box. But if the HD tuner is in the TV, then you can get the HD channels with an antenna. You could watch your basic cable stations on one antenna terminal, and use an antenna on the other terminal. Most HD sets have at least two antenna inputs.
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 689
Registered: Feb-04
SusanG,
You should be in business. Either you live in the boondocks where there is no signal or there's something wrong with the equipment or your procedural execution is wrong in some way.

For starters, hook the antenna directly into the TV. Switch it to the appropriate antenna input and see if you can pick up anything at all.

(By the way, I'm thinking about getting that Sam 451 myself, so I'm interested in your experience with it.)
 

Mike0607
Unregistered guest
pattid
The TW system where I work, does not do anything to the local HDs. They are in the clear, so folks here can see them without a converter, if their Tv is capable of picking them up. Along with the locals they also get TNTHD, and DiscoveryHD, no extra equipment. Any premium HD, or our HD Tier (ESPNHD, INHD, HDNET, etc.) requires a converter, or a cablecard, as those channels are encrypted. Best to check with your local cable company. If the person you talk to seems to be a little slow understanding what you are inquiring about, ask to speak to a supervisor.
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 695
Registered: Feb-04
Thanks Mike. Since my only HDTV does not have an ATSC (HD) tuner, I've not been able to check my cable line. I have always wondered about it, though.
 

fx
Unregistered guest
"Thanks Mike. Since my only HDTV does not have an ATSC (HD) tuner, I've not been able to check my cable line. I have always wondered about it, though. "

John,

Your display needs an internal QAM tuner to get the "in the clear" cable HD channels that Mike described, not an ATSC (OTA) HD tuner.

xvxvxvx
 

Mike0607
Unregistered guest
Thanks fx. I forgot to include that very important bit of information.
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 696
Registered: Feb-04
Thanks for clearing that up for me fx. I've never seen the definition of "QAM" in non-technical plain English terms. It apparently means Quadrature Amplitude Molulation. I have always assumed that QAM was the same as your old basic "cable ready" tuner. Apparently, QAM goes beyond that.
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 699
Registered: Feb-04
Yes, now I get it. A paragraph from an old article....

The thing to remember is that there are three types of tuners, excluding those required for satellite, which is a different subject altogether. "NTSC" tuners are used to receive the standard analog over-the-air and analog cable channels we've all been watching for the last fifty years. "ATSC" tuning allows a set to tune to those same frequencies, but when it "sees" a DTV or HDTV signal, it is able to receive, demodulate and decode it. This gets you the local, over-the-air HD signals, but not anything from a cable hook-up. The key there is to look for sets that have "QAM" tuners built-in. That lets the set deal with digital cable signals. Remember that a QAM tuner alone, without a CableCard, will only allow reception of "in the clear" digital cable channels, and there aren't many of those. To receive the "pay" channels or "tiered" premium channels you will need to still resort to the use of an external cable STB unless the set has a CableCard slot.

http://www.resmagonline.com/articles/publish/article_435.shtml
 

Unregistered guest
I have an XBOX 360 but I dont think my television is HD ready. My TV has the component setup(red, white, blue, green), does this mean I'm playing in high definition? I really cant tell.
 

Unregistered guest
I have a sony wega KV-36FS17. I don't think it is HD ready but my cable company offers HD service through a special cable box. Would I be able to view programing in HD with my current TV if I upgraded to this box? if not is there any way to view HDTV without purchasing a new tv?
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 755
Registered: Feb-04
Letrell, some TVs were built in recent years with component inputs but that didn't automatically make them HD TVs. Believe me, you can tell if you are watching HD when you see it.

thebub64, the answers to your questions are no, and no.
 

OTA OTTER
Unregistered guest
We just installed an OTA antenna in our attic, and live about 45 miles outside of NYC. When I hooked it up I was able to get only 4 digital channels, all PBS. In order to get the local Networks, ABC,NBC, etc., would I have to put the antenna up on the roof instead? Other then the plywood and roof shingles, would it make that big of a difference?
 

fx
Unregistered guest
Go to www.antennaweb.org

Fill out all the information, in your case use your exact address as well, for most people just the zipcode works well.

It will tell you which digital channels you should be able to receive, which antenna will work best for you and what direction it should be pointed.

xvxvxvx
 

Cristoff
Unregistered guest
I have just bought an XBox 360 but cannot get it connect to my HD Ready Philips TV using the HD Cables. Can someone let me know what I need to buy to cennect it to the TV.
Thanks.
 

New member
Username: Phi76erso0o3

East brunswick, New jersey United states

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-06
i have an hdtv ready t.v. and i have an xbox 360, am i able to buy something that i can get to play my games HD without geting a big expensive tuner because i dont realy want to watch hd tv, jus the games
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 914
Registered: Feb-04
Use the cable that came with your 360:

Upload
 

New member
Username: Phi76erso0o3

East brunswick, New jersey United states

Post Number: 2
Registered: May-06
no no, i know that, but i have a hd ready t.v., and in the front it only has 3 outlets, and the hd wires have six, is there something i can buy so that i can play hd. because i dont want a tuner. and in the front of my tv where it had the 3 outlets, next to it it has another different outlet so i can plug something else in. get it?
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 916
Registered: Feb-04
"and the hd wires have six"

No, HD wires, or at least the red-green-blue component wires pictured above are only three wires. All HD ready TVs have at least one set of these three-wire component inputs made to utilize the component signal coming out of your xbox and other HD devices. That is all that is required for an HD picture. They also show the red-white wires being used for the sound. If your TV does not have a component input, it is not an HD ready TV.

Get it?
 

New member
Username: Phi76erso0o3

East brunswick, New jersey United states

Post Number: 3
Registered: May-06
ooo, ye i see, i jus checked the back of my tv and there was green blue yellow red and white, so if i hook my 360 up to it it would look like im playing on a plasma t.v with the same quality?
 

Silver Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 917
Registered: Feb-04
"ooo, ye i see, i jus checked the back of my tv and there was green blue yellow red and white, so if i hook my 360 up to it it would look like im playing on a plasma t.v with the same quality?"

Since you have not specified your TV's model number, I can only promise HD quality if your TV has a component (RGB) input. But with a component input, it must be said that even that does not guarantee HD quality video. There are TVs with component inputs that are not "HD ready."
 

New member
Username: Lgtv

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-06
I recently bought an LG 32LP1D LCD TV with a HD tuner built in. I was told that I would need a cable card in order to see high definition. But when i plugged it in (I have cable television), I was able to see the channels in high definition without a cablecard or cable box from the cable company. I was wondering why that was.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1025
Registered: Feb-04
Bob, in addition to the NTSC and ATSC tuners, your LG has a QAM tuner which allows you to receive unencrypted (in the clear) HD signals on your cable.

See

https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=604459#POST604459
 

New member
Username: Lgtv

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jul-06
I see...Not only was I able to receive the local channels in HD, I was also able to see premium channels such as ESPN and TNT in HD. Does that mean I do not need to contact my cable company for a box or cable card? Or if I get a cable card will I be able to see more channels in HD?
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1027
Registered: Feb-04
Does that mean I do not need to contact my cable company for a box or cable card?

For now yes, as long as you are satisfied with the channels you get without their cable box or Cable Card. This could change as they can encrypt any channel or channels without warning in the future.

Or if I get a cable card will I be able to see more channels in HD?

Yes. Primarily movie channels most likely. You can call them and ask about what HD channels their "bundles" include, and at what cost. Good luck.
 

New member
Username: Mase

Post Number: 10
Registered: Dec-05
So let me get this straight about the OTA HD antenna as I'm just as confused as everyone else on this thread. If your tv has a built in ATSC tuner and you get a HD antenna, you can recieve both your digital and HD channels this way? And if chose to view HD programming this way, what type of package would you have to get from the cable company? And what is the advantage of viewing HD programming with an antenna as opposed to a cable box?
 

Silver Member
Username: Formerly_fx

Dallas, Tx

Post Number: 160
Registered: Mar-06
"And what is the advantage of viewing HD programming with an antenna as opposed to a cable box?"

It is free, not all cable companies are required to broadcast their HD locals in the clear, yes most but some have waivers from the FCC.

xvxvxvx
 

New member
Username: Dawnn

Post Number: 5
Registered: Nov-05
hi there!
i have a acer 26" Lcd, its HD ready. im on digital right now -comp cable, with a pretty basic package
i was wondering if i bought the HD box and called my cable co. to set up HD would this make my channels more clear as some are fairly decent now but..would it be worth the extra $
thanks!
 

Silver Member
Username: Formerly_fx

Dallas, Tx

Post Number: 168
Registered: Mar-06
Hello Dawn,

On a screen that small your picture should be as clear as it will ever be, you will notice some difference on HD channels but on all the other digital 480i channels nothing should change, If your current picture is not clear you should have your cable company check your signal strength.

Alson unless you live in Canada you cannot yet purchase your own cable box in the USA. Well I guess you can but it will never function.

xvxvxvx
 

New member
Username: Dawnn

Post Number: 6
Registered: Nov-05
thanks for your speedy reply!
yes some of my channels are crisp but some are .. well there is a difference for sure.
so my question is if i go from digital signal box to an HD signal box and change to DVI cable, will this be worth the $, will i see more "crisp" pictures??
thanks!
i am in canada :-) rogers cable 3200 box
 

New member
Username: Kvin

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-06
hello everyone, i am new here and i am sorry but i need some help regarding a TV i am hoping to buy

LG 32LC2R

it is very cheap, and i am planning on buying this along with a xbox 360. so the question is, will i be able to play it in HDTV? i am hopeless with these hi tech gizmos.

any help would be greatly apprieciated. thank you in advance.

cheers
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1103
Registered: Feb-04
.

https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=694956#POST694956
 

New member
Username: Mohd44

Muscat, Muscat Oman

Post Number: 1
Registered: Oct-06
I PURCHASED ONE LG PLASMA42 HD READY.NOW TELL ME HOW TO GET HD SIGNALS FROM DVD PLAYER,VER,RECEIVERS ETC.THE HD SWITCH IS VERY COSTLY.PLEASE GIVE ME SOME TIPS SO THAT I CAN USE MY COSTLY ABOVE SAID ITEMS
 

New member
Username: Mohd44

Muscat, Muscat Oman

Post Number: 2
Registered: Oct-06
I PUCHASED LG42PC1RR-ZL BECAUSE IT HAS BUILT IN DVR AND PAUSE FUNCTION.IT IS HD READY ALSO.BUT NOW I CAME TO KNOW TV IS ANALOGUE WITH LG XD ENGINE TECHNOLOGY.NOW HOW I CONVERT IT TO HDTV
CAN I FIX AN EXTERNAL HD TUNER.PLEASE GO THROUGH THIS TV TECHNOLOGY.NOW I WORRY BECAUSE IT IS ANALOGUE.CAN XD ENGINE MAKE THIS TO HIGH DEFINITION.PLEASE COMMENT
 

New member
Username: Mohd44

Muscat, Muscat Oman

Post Number: 3
Registered: Oct-06
I PURCHASED LG42PC1RR-ZL BECAUSE IT HAS BUILT IN DVR AND PAUSE FUNCTION.IT IS HD READY ALSO.BUT NOW I CAME TO KNOW TV IS ANALOGUE WITH LG XD ENGINE TECHNOLOGY.NOW HOW I CONVERT IT TO HDTV
CAN I FIX AN EXTERNAL HD TUNER.PLEASE GO THROUGH THIS TV TECHNOLOGY.NOW I WORRY BECAUSE IT IS ANALOGUE.CAN XD ENGINE MAKE THIS TO HIGH DEFINITION.PLEASE COMMENT
 

New member
Username: Dannyb007

LAKELAND, TN USA

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-07
I HAVE A HD READY TV AND NEED TO KNOW WHAT I NEED TO RECEIVE HD SIGNALS.
 

New member
Username: Rgensemer

Rock Hill, SC United States

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-07
Hi everyone, I've been searching for answers and wound up here. You guys seem to be knowledgeable and full of answers. So, I am planning to jump into the Flat panel world and I plan to buy a 37" - 42" LCD or Plasma whatever the best I can buy. I'd rather have an excellent 37" than a so-so 42". Questions: I currently have a 5:1 set up using an analog Pioneer receiver and a Digital Pioneer DVD player. I have no complaints about the sound. My DVD has both S-Video, which I use now, and digital component out. As far as the DVD part, can I continue using the S-Video or is the RGB better? My cable company will supply an HD cable box, so I can use HDMI from the box to the TV. I guess what I really want to know is, with the exception of the HDMI cable to the converter, can I use my present setup? Is there anything else I need to buy? I plan to stick with a major brand, Sony, Panasonic, Sharp unless one of you has a better suggestion. Many thanks to whoever tries to help me.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1365
Registered: Feb-04
­
"My DVD has both S-Video, which I use now, and digital component out."

For accuracy component, like S-video, is analog. Component is superior to S and is able to carry a progressive scan into a modern display, so you'll want to ditch the old S cable in favor of component cables. Then switch the DVD to progressive scan if it has that capability.
­
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 563
Registered: Oct-06
S-VHS and RGB component are both analog input ports
HDMI is the only true optical port
If your TV has 1080p it worth spending the $100 on an HDMI cable. Your local cable company won't supply it. When TV broadcasters televize using 1080i you'll get a sharper upconvrting to 1080p via HDMI.

Just make sure you set the wizard for auto switching.

SET THE AUTO wizard (read your manual)

Since broadcasters use all of these you must enable them all or it won't look right.
Most TVs are preseted for TV tuners in case you tune externally:
In receiver/cable box set advanced setup to enable all:
* 480 standard
* 480i
* 480p
* 720i
* 720p
* 1080i
followed by the wizard for auto switching
If one of these not enabled will cause poor quality on LCD/Plasma/or DLP

Wizard will allow your receiver or tuner to detect broadcast aspect ratio/resolution but is up to you to set it for auto switch including auto stretching 4:3 and keeping 16:9 so you don't have to mess with that either.
 

Silver Member
Username: Formerly_fx

Dallas, Tx

Post Number: 232
Registered: Mar-06
Some corrections to the above post:

480 standard (what the heck does that mean anyway?) If it means anything at all it is identical to 480i

Also no broadcaters broadcast in 720i, none of them, period.

HDMI is not an optical connection it is a digital connection.

No HDMI cable is worth $100, a $7 HDMI cable works just as well as one you pay $100 for.

xvxvxvx
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 573
Registered: Oct-06
You are wrong again Scoob
there is 480 standard, 480i, 480p
It doesn't mean if you havn't seen it there is no such a thing.

It is on most cable receivers whether if you use it or not that is another issue
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 574
Registered: Oct-06
The New 1080p HDMI is no $7

There are even newer receivers that got the new 1080p for even sharper pixel upscale from optical port

Everyone
Before you buy the new cable find out which HDMI on your receiver

Cost usually $50 to $120 for 1080p HDMI
Don't get duped
 

New member
Username: Rgensemer

Rock Hill, SC United States

Post Number: 3
Registered: Feb-07
Tapeman,
After reading the above posts I'm even more confused. If S-Video and RGB Component are both analog, why would I have to ditch my S-Video? Or is there enough difference between these two to buy RGB cables?
 

New member
Username: Kramg

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-07
Hi, I purchased a Magnavox LCD HDTV which is HD ready with a ATC? Tuner. I hooked the TV directly to the cable outlet (no box) and ran autoprogram. Without a Comcast cable box the TV identified 333 digital cable channels as well as HD channels but the channel numbers run from 77-171 with a digit after each channel (i.e.- 171.1; 171.5; etc..) Comcast originally said I would need a box to get digital and cable. I can use some help us to how is it possible that I got all these channels and how do I get the regular channels associated with these stations.
Thank you
 

Silver Member
Username: Cableguy

Somewhere on... U.S.

Post Number: 956
Registered: Mar-05
Those channels are in the clear, meaning they are not scrambled. If you have an ATSC tuner, it is designed to pull in digital channels, so what you are seeing is nothing it shouldn't be doing. Enjoy your channels as they are, they won't change unless you get a STB or cable card, the decimal numbers are just the digital channel identifier and this is normal.
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 575
Registered: Oct-06
Ron
I was referring to S-video and RGB connectors
This is what they are called they will work fine for HD

Mark Gold
HD/Digital broadcasters are currently testing their services, so some viewers will get them from time to time.

But like cableguy said to get them on a regular basis you need to subscribe to them or Get an external HD/Digital to Air Antenna. will allow you to get some local HD/Digital
www.antennaweb.org
You can get a survey to what channels available in your area
 

New member
Username: Kramg

Post Number: 3
Registered: Feb-07
Thanks cableguy and King Tapeman, I will enjoy it especailly without a box but} is there anyplace I can get a listing of the TV stations associated with those strange channel numbers. strangely I also am periodically receiving movie channels (some of them X rated). How can that be happening as well ?
Thanks for your help.
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 579
Registered: Oct-06
Oh you are a lucky man
You gotta tell me which TV this is
LOL
 

New member
Username: Kramg

Post Number: 4
Registered: Feb-07
Magnavox 37MF231D/37. Listed # 2 by Consumer Reports and picked it up at Target on sale for
$798 about 2 weeks ago. Any idea where I can get a guide listing for all these wacky channels ?
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 581
Registered: Oct-06
How many are you getting? and which ones?
Last night I plugged cable directly into my Panasonic HD tuner I did not get one single channel HD or digital. Just the analog 2-75

This is what I guess is happening.
Cable company supposed to install a trap along with a booster and that's what I got up my house

If they don't install this trap I believe it will go in clear. Now I don't have a proof of this. I just guess. It is a matter of getting to every single house to update to latest requirements

There are a lot of listings
Give me an idea what channels and how many in total
 

New member
Username: Kramg

Post Number: 6
Registered: Feb-07
King Tapeman, after plugging in the cable directly to your panasonic HD did you run autoprogram ? This is when all the digital cables were identified by the tuner. I'm getting several hundred channel numbers which run from 71-171. There are decimal points after most of them.(i.e.- 171.2; 171.5, etc.)
I've been getting all the locak channels in HD (CBS, NBC, ABC, etc) and other digital plus channels. Even getting some movie channels.
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 585
Registered: Oct-06
Yes I did
I'm telling you they forgot to put some kind of a trap on your Utility cable

They will audit it later and will put it
Enjoy your free HD cable

How is the quality?
 

New member
Username: Kramg

Post Number: 7
Registered: Feb-07
Excellent. I highly recommend the Magnavox TV
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1366
Registered: Feb-04
­
Mark, your Magnavox has, in addition to its ATSC tuner, a QAM tuner. The QAM tuner enables the TV to tune in some unencrypted HD channels on your basic cable line. Not all HDTVs are equipped with QAM. I understand it is very common to receive local HD channels in the clear on most, if not all cable systems. But the QAM tuner will not decode scrambled channels, so the exact channels one can receive varies with the cable system.
­
 

Silver Member
Username: Tapeman

Post Number: 623
Registered: Oct-06
I do agree
And I think it has to do with your Utility cable provider

On mine I opened the Utility box I can see the Trap/filter/booster all in the cable

Before they put the trap I was able to get the analog channels including HBO but not anymore as they put the trap
 

New member
Username: Codymarthaller

Fargo, North Dakota United States

Post Number: 1
Registered: Mar-07
Hello. I recently bought a :

337H 37-inch LCD HD-Ready TV

Now, I know I need a HDTV tuner. Are there any suggestions as to what I should get? The less expensive the better I suppose. I have also heard of the HDTV/DVD combos. Has anybody ever used one of these or what? I am 100% BRAND NEW to the HD flat panel televisions. I have finally upgraded after having my old television for 15 years!!

Please guide me towards the right path here. Thanks!
 

New member
Username: Codymarthaller

Fargo, North Dakota United States

Post Number: 2
Registered: Mar-07
Sorry I forgot to mention the brand. The brand is Olevia.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1426
Registered: Feb-04
"Now, I know I need a HDTV tuner."

Yes, provided you are not going to subscribe to a cable or satellite service, where they would provide the HD "tuner."

You will need an external tuner with an adequate antenna if you want to receive local HD broadcasts in your area. Go to antennaweb.org, plug in your zipcode and see what and where the HD is near you.

One of the best and most widely available HD tuners is the Samsung SIR-T451. Many are available on eBay.

http://search.ebay.com/Samsung-SIR-T451_W0QQfromZR41QQsatitleZSamsungQ20SIRQ2dT4 51

I have no experience with HDTV/DVD combos.
 

New member
Username: Codymarthaller

Fargo, North Dakota United States

Post Number: 3
Registered: Mar-07
Thanks! At the moment I get my cable by directly plugging in the coaxial cable straight from the wall. I will just need to plug it in through a vcr to receive cable correct? I will be going through a cable company which provides a cable box in the very near future. Should I get a HDTV tuner anyways?
 

New member
Username: Codymarthaller

Fargo, North Dakota United States

Post Number: 4
Registered: Mar-07
Also, there are HDTV Tuners that say Direct TV or Satellite Receiver. If I do not have Direct TV nor Satellite cable will these still work for me?
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1427
Registered: Feb-04
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"At the moment I get my cable by directly plugging in the coaxial cable straight from the wall. I will just need to plug it in through a vcr to receive cable correct?"

Yes, you can use the VCR's tuner to tune in standard def channels on your cable.

"I will be going through a cable company which provides a cable box in the very near future. Should I get a HDTV tuner anyways?"

Not if you are going to get an HD cable box from your cable co. If you don't, then yes you still need an HDTV tuner.

"Also, there are HDTV Tuners that say Direct TV or Satellite Receiver. If I do not have Direct TV nor Satellite cable will these still work for me?"

Yes, but be careful. Many, maybe all, of these boxes need a satellite card for them to work. You need an old authorization card even though you're not subscribing to the satellite service.
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New member
Username: Lightsyder

Post Number: 1
Registered: Apr-07
Ok, I am looking to get a new TV. I have Time Warner Cable, with the Digital Package. What kind of TV should I get, a HDTV or a HD Ready TV?

I've heard all kinds of stories about how horrible regular cable channels are on an HDTV. Time Warner only offers a few HD channels so far and most of them I am not interested in so I will be mostly watching regular digital cable and DVDs. How do I know what kind of TV to get so digital cable looks at least as good as with a normal TV?

I believe the digital box I have is already HD compatible so I am guessing I will not need to replace it...

Any help would be appreciated.
 

Gold Member
Username: Tapeman

New York-HD, NY

Post Number: 1064
Registered: Oct-06
With OTA HD Antenna you can get locals with no monthly fees.
Read my HD thread:
https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=1062457#POST1062457

Do a Survey to see what you can get in your area:
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx
 

New member
Username: Deedee71

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-07
Hi Everybody. Can someone Please Pleaseeee Help a damsel in distress. i just purchased a Bush + IDLCD32TV006 + 32" 16:9 Digital LCD TV
The picture isnt all that good, even though i tryed tunning ect. plus i cant find anywhere for my x-box 360 to play on HD.
i,m beginning to think my tv is what i thought is was(HD READY) i,m not very clued up on tvs, but i have read all through this forum and i still am no wiser. to be honiest i,m not even sure what i,m expecting from a hd lcd tv. just all my mates have one so i bought one too. beginning to wish i hadnt.
thank you for your time in reading this. and id be very gratefull if anyone could help me. oh and what is dvb?
Thanx guys.
Deena xx
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1691
Registered: Feb-04
Deena, regular (non-HD) TV signals usually are not very good on today's newer HD displays. There are several reasons for this, so I wouldn't be too impatient about it. Instead, I would try to get true HD signals to this TV as soon as possible. Then you will see this TV at its best.

Regarding your xBox, you need an HDMI adaptor cable that will hook into the xBox's propriatary connection and then hook onto your TV's HDMI input. This will get you the best video performance from your game console. Monster makes just this sort of cable, but I don't know if it is marketed in the UK. Maybe you should ask the people where you purchesed either the xBox or the TV.

http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=4447
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Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1692
Registered: Feb-04
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Oh yes........

Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) - Digital video broadcasting is a European standard for digital television.

http://www.bcapa.com/about/glossary.php?page=d
 

New member
Username: Baldas

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-07
Hello. Ihave a philips tv (50pf9966/12) and it has a dvi-i connector.I bought a panasonic hdmi dvd recorder and it has an hdmi entrance. I bought an dvi-d to hdmi cable and when i connected it the image turned green. Please help me!
 

New member
Username: Deedee71

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jul-07
Hi Guys.
Thank you so much for your replys, so sorry for the delay in getting back to reply.
i have tuned my tv in through the dvb instead of trying to go through the normal tv tuning, does that make sence
Anyways, its a much much better picture, but i,m quite disapointed in the freeview, as only say a moterbike goes past my window, and it goes all pixelated for a minute or so. very anoying if your in a good bit of a film Sigh..... Oh well.
well thank you again.
Deena
 

New member
Username: Deedee71

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jul-07
Oh JOHN S
i got the cable you mentioned. Thank you. your a star!!!
Deena
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1706
Registered: Feb-04
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Deena, freeview is an AM video broadcast and therefore susceptible to nereby electromagnetic interference, such as the nasty unshielded ignition on some motorbikes passing nearby. Autos are much better shielded, otherwise freeview would be unwatchable most of the time.
Freeview will most likely go digital (DVB) sometime in the future, which will solve that problem.
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Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1707
Registered: Feb-04
­
Eric, the DVI input on your TV is for computer use via the supplied VGA®DVI adaptor cable.
I do not think it is possible to alter that input to make it appropriate for the digital output of aDVD player.
 

New member
Username: Johnny321

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-07
i have a samsung LCD TV LA32R81B that is hd ready. But i cannot play my xbox 360 games on high definition. please help!?
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1820
Registered: Feb-04
­
shiv, you must have a proper component hookup to the TV from the xbox. That hookup looks like this.

Upload
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New member
Username: Johnny321

Post Number: 2
Registered: Sep-07
hey, i have already tried to connect the way you have shown above, which i got from from the xbox360 website. But even after this blue screen appears on tv.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1822
Registered: Feb-04
­
First, I am assuming you have selected the appropriate component input on the TV.

Second, you must select "HDTV" on the connector, as the diagram shows above.

Third, you must select hi-def output in the "System Area" on the xbox dashboard. If it gives you a "720p" option, select that.
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New member
Username: Johnny321

Post Number: 3
Registered: Sep-07
i have done all these things....but the hd option is not highlighted on the
xbox dashboard because of which i cannot select it.
Do i need some other external tuner for my HD ready TV? pls guide!
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1825
Registered: Feb-04
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Are you trying to play an older (pre-360) game?

Does you xbox have a hard drive?
 

New member
Username: Johnny321

Post Number: 4
Registered: Sep-07
No i am only playing xbox 360 games of pal version and my xbox 360 has a hard drive. all the games are new and are working on standard definition. the thing i want is to play them on High definition on my samsung LCD TV LA32R81B that is HD ready using a component hd cable but im unable to do so even after connecting.
 

Silver Member
Username: Huron

Post Number: 200
Registered: Mar-07
go to system, console settings, then display, hit on HDTV setting, then spank it into the setting you want, if everything is a go it will show as a current setting on display like,
current setting
720p
wide screen
standard,
for the cable xbox give you the crappest cable they could supply, theres a switch on it for high def that you might have to giggle back an forth real hard untill you break it into a permenant position, then go to bestbuy and for $50 you can buy the cable that should have come with it, and buy a optical to plug into that, dont buy the moster version or you will end up spending money on there stupid optical adapter unless they finally fixed that, if you have everything hooked up right you should notice a huge improvement on your display menu, it wont look grainy any more it will look very clear, if your getting a blue screen then the signal is not getting threw, or your not selecting the right one on your reciever or if you have it direct to your TV then on that,

hay john whats with the green high light thingys, its getting real irritating everytime my curser tuches them, I didnt notice them before?
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1827
Registered: Feb-04
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"hay john whats with the green high light thingys, its getting real irritating everytime my curser tuches them, I didnt notice them before?"

This forum has gotten cute (like others) and has added auto pop-ups on key words. It's all about money.

Angelo, it sounds like Shiv hasn't shown his xbox who's boss. You are saying things like "spank it" and "giggle back an forth real hard untill you break it into a permenant position." Seriously, it did occur to me that their stupid switch on that wire wasn't working right.

Also, Shiv is either in India or England, so he doesn't know anything about Best Buy. He probably does know about Monster Cables. As everybody knows, Monster rules the world! That said, even if the xbox cable is crap, it should still at least give Shiv a picture, don't you think?

"all the games are new and are working on standard definition.

OK Shiv, what hookup are you using in this instance.?

Oh yes Angelo--thanks for coming over to help here. But then you probably needed a break from Halo 3.

Upload
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Silver Member
Username: Huron

Post Number: 202
Registered: Mar-07
I dont play Galo Galo is just that, Gayy, I play close to real combat games, Battlefield2 and the first Ghost Recon, that way when Im cleaning my 7.62x39 Russian VEPR Im not thinking of futuristic cartoon weapons that dont exist.

why am I not getting Email from this site now, whats going on Jhon I leave for a short time and now everything is turning Communist, check out my new bender dall, Hes an alcaholic robot with suicidal tendencies and a bad aditude
Upload
 

New member
Username: Oldral

Post Number: 2
Registered: Oct-07
Will an ATSC tuner in a LCD TV work with a DIRECTV receiver? Or will it mess up the Directv signal to the TV.

When purchasing a new LCD TV to work with Directv, should I get all three tuners built-in: ATSC, NTSC & QAM ???
 

Gold Member
Username: John_s

Columbus, Ohio US

Post Number: 1839
Registered: Feb-04
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Roy, the sat receiver is your tuner, so even a tunerless monitor will work with DirectTV. The only reason you need any tuners at all is if you are going to use the TV with an antenna for over the air reception, or basic cable with no cable set top box.
 

New member
Username: Frostyme

Greer, SC United States

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-08
I currently have an outside UHF and VHF antenna. I have been told I will need the UHF antenna only and will no longer need the VHF antenna. Is this true?
 

Gold Member
Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3883
Registered: Jul-04
Most digital channels are UHF but not all are. You can look here to see if there are any VHF channels in your area:
http://www.solidsignal.com/antennas/dmamarkets.asp
 

New member
Username: Andy113

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-09
the other day my roommates and I bought a 50 inch Samsung DLP HD-Ready tv. We were replacing a smaller tv that we were using for the time being. We are at college so we do not control the cable we get, but we have regular, I assume Comcast, cable. The old tv I assume had a QAM tuner because we were able to get HD channels from the cable hook up, but with the new tv we got, we can no longer get them. Do you recommend buying an HD tuner to hook up to the cable and the tv so we can get the hd channels back? Or does an HD tuner only get OTA channels in HD? If so, I can change the input on the tv to "Air" and it receives the 13 or so local stations over the air, so would an HD tuner work for that?
 

New member
Username: Alex235

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-14
I will say HD clear vision Indoor antennas are good, they are of good quality and you don't have to do much for fixing... here is a review page http://usemyreviews.com/hd-clear-vision-indoor-hdtv-tv-antenna-free-air-digital- tv/http://usemyreviews.com/hd-clear-vision-indoor-hdtv-tv-antenna-free-air-digital- tv/
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