|
New member Username: MisbahPost Number: 1 Registered: Apr-05 | Hi, This is my first time posting to this forum, hope I can find the help I need. I dont have anything fancy at all, Im a broke college student and unfortunately cannot afford a brand new HDTV. What I do have is my friends HDTV that he gave to me because he moved. Its in absolutely perfect condition, and he bought it brand new about 3,4 years ago. Its a Sony KW-HD1. After researching it, I realized..it's old, technologically as well. None the less, my biggest annoyance is the lack of 480p or 740p. It says in the manual it will display ONLY in 480i and 1080i. I know ABC HD and a few other channels output in 740p, and progressive playback on my DVD player is also useless due to no 480p. I was wondering though, if I got TWC HD service, does the converter box convert everything into 1080i? Basically, if i get HD over cable, will I even be able to see the HD channels that arent in 1080i? And lastly, whats the resale on this TV? if I can even get a decent amount of money for it then I would sell it and save up the rest for a new HDTV, maybe a KV-34HS420?? He says he bought it for around 7 grand in late 01. No reciepts though so I dont know if thats the truth. Im sure its worth a fraction of that now, but any estimates? Thanks for any help, sorry for the lengthy post. |
|
formerly xvxvxvx Unregistered guest | So many questions grasshopper. The STB will convert all the HD signals to 1080i if you wish. You gain or lose nothing by sending 480p or 480i to your display. Generally all CRT's display only in their native resoultion. ABC and ESPNHD and FOX use 720p but look at it like this. Even if you had a brand new $10,000 plasma HDTV it would scale and convert every single input signal from 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i to it's native resolution. So you are not missing out at all. It is worth what someone will pay for it, like anything used. IMHO about $500 to $700. xvxvxvx |
|
Lyn Stecci Unregistered guest | Wow, what a blast from the past. I remember this Sony being heavily anticipated. Plasmas were unheard of and the widescreen format was brand new to consumers. Despite what the manual says, it actually converts standard signals to 480 progressive. It is not all that different from the HS420 other than the fact the decoder was not built into the set. The 420 will still convert 720 progressive to 1080 so I do not see any advantage in dropping the HD1 for the 420. Besides, you can obtain hi def for free, you owe nothing on the tv, and free is always good for a broke student. Hope this helps |
|
New member Username: MisbahPost Number: 2 Registered: Apr-05 | Ok, one big thing I forgot to mention, I don't have that external tuner. It's no where to be found. I don't know what it is but on the back of the TV, in addition to the analog component and 1080i only component, theres a pin connector that says DTV I/O for use with KW-34HD1 Reciever only..(assuming thats for the tuner) It's not HDMI, and I don't think it's DVI..it looks similar but not really, I would have to compare side by side with my computer cable. is it some more proprietary sony crap? How does lacking the external tuner change things for me? So if the tuner goes in that pinned connection, what in gods name do they expect me to put in the 1080i comp input? Do set top boxes have inputs in them as well? Like..if I plugged in my DVD player and PS2 to it would it be like a pass through and convert it to 1080i? and then I can plug the stb straight into the HD Component inputs? this TV is extremely confusing. Are the STB and the Tuner that the tv sold with the same thing, as in do they do the same thing? Sorry about the long post, I supposed I shouldve mentioned the lack of that tuner.. |
|
New member Username: MisbahPost Number: 3 Registered: Apr-05 | Ah hah! I should read before I post. So I downloaded a manual for the tv from sony..and on page..56..at the end. It gives explanations for each input/output. Next to HD1080i its says "connects to digital cable boxes as they become available in the future". So that IS where my STB will hook into. Now my only question is, does the STB have inputs for other inputs like..if I had a 480p dvd player..I'm assuming it could take in the 480p and will change it to 1080i before it goes into the TV? I know stecci said it doesnt make a diff..but I thought maybe 480p converted to 1080i would look somewhat better than 480i to 1080i or am I talked out of an unknowledgable head?....what was the purpose of that DTV reciever that shipped with the TV then? |
|
Lyn Stecci Unregistered guest | ....what was the purpose of that DTV reciever that shipped with the TV then? On your last question, the decoder box came with the Sony because rentable decoder boxes did not exist at the time. It was to allow users to watch hi def using their current over the air antenna like those lucky enough to see John Glenn launch on the shuttle which I believe was the first airing of hdtv to the public. You are right in that the decoder box has a Sony proprietary cable. The 1080 hi def input is, as you said, where a STB will go so you do not need the external tuner that was originally packaged. Your dvd player would connect via the regular input and 480i would be converted to 480p by the tv. If you wish the dvd player to convert 480i to 1080i then you would need an upconverting player with dvi or hdmi outputs connected to a display that has dvi or hdmi inputs. If you are on a limited budget I would stick with your current configuration. Later, you can upgrade your display and also purchase a blu ray or hd dvd high definition player that may be available by the end of this year. |
|
New member Username: MisbahPost Number: 4 Registered: Apr-05 | thanks for all the help. I'm not trying to doubt anyone, but I'm pretty sure my TV wont display 480p at all. It says in the manual and in online reviews and it's never worked when I've tried hooking a progressive scan DVD player into either the HD component input and the regular component input. however! I found this online: http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/brandspecific/sony/kw34hd1_tweaks_480p.html Supposedly a service mode tweak that will enable it to display 480p. Ive read a couple different peoples posts saying it has worked, and I believe them. using the MID/Twin View circuitry the TV is able to display both digital AND analog in the split screen feature (which I absolutely LOVE, ps2 right half, and tv left half) by converting them both to 480p. That's how it explains it in a review I read. And it makes sense, a TV capable of 1080i resolution should easily be able to display 480p resolution, and supposedly does in split screen, I think I just need to enable it..very carefully. So I just wanted input before I attempted this, if ya'll think it will work, or if I'm going to blow up my TV, etc etc. I'm hoping to get a Component splitter/switchbox of somesort and plug the STB and DVD player into the single HD comp input. and the ps2 on the regular component input. |
|
New member Username: Tonybc74Post Number: 1 Registered: May-05 | bought the KW-34HD1 within the first two months of its availabilty. The year slips my mind but I know it was produced in 1999. At the time only Channel 2 CBS in NYC was broadcasting HD content and I used the tuner that came with the set. Since then I have switched to the DTC100 Directv HD receiver. I have never had any problem with any channel and the picture has been super. Compares very well to my Pioneer Elite 50" Plasma and my Pioneer Elite 64" projection sets I have since bought. However I recently bought Directv HD Tivo receiver HR10-250 and this set will not operate with it properly as it goes blank for a few seconds from time to time. I understand this is a problem with many Sony tube TV's produced before 2000. PS I paid $7600.00 for the set at "The Whiz" |