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"Bob Miller" <robmx@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:uUJhe.1930$Ri4.1299@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Doug McDonald wrote:
>> John wrote:
>>
>>> I noticed that Sharp offers several different widescreen LCD models with
>>> the same picture size, for example, at the 26" level, there's the
>>> LC-26GA5U, and then, for about $500 more, they offer the LC-26D5U. For
>>> the extra 500 beans you get a built-in HDTV tuner with a CableCARD slot.
>>> Now, could someone explain to me why anyone would buy the more expensive
>>> model with a built-in HD tuner when seemingly all U.S. cable companies
>>> that offer HDTV do so with a free external cable box that has the HDTV
>>> tuner built into it?
>>
>>
>> For $500, it's not clear. At the reasonable price of say $100 more,
>> it's clear: many people are not interested in cable. At $100 more
>> you get the convenient built in tuner, so you can watch HDTV
>> for free.
>>
>> A plain over the air HD tuner should add no more than $75 to
>> the price.
>>
>> Doug McDonald
>
> It may be possible theoretically to offer an integrated set for $75. But
> most manufacturers who are STILL in business have learned to factor in all
> the cost associated with each thing they sell.
>
> When they include the 8-VSB receiver in the HDTV set they incur the the
> added cost of RETURNS when a percentage of buyers actually try to use
> these integrated receivers and attach an antenna. Horrors! The added cost
> of returning sets makes retailers steer CORRECTLY most customers who will
> be attaching their sets to cable to those with NO receiver, a monitor.
> This eliminates the WASTED cost of the OTA receiver while allowing the
> retailer to compete with the competition that is doing likewise.
>
> The higher cost than Doug thinks is "necessary" is also a way to make sure
> that few buy integrated sets with their increased HIDDEN cost of returns.
> A return of a large HDTV set is more costly than the return of STB's that
> weigh a lot less for one thing. Also the hit a retailer takes in open box
> specials on integrated HD sets is greater than on an STB based just on the
> higher total cost.
>
> If I were a retailer with current 8-VSB receiver tech I would jack the
> price as high as it takes to discourage any sales. With the exception of
> the latest LG integrated sets with 5th gen chips if indeed they have the
> same tech that we tested last summer. We will hopefully test one next week
> to see if it is so.
>
> I am worried because two receivers we tested with 5th gen LG chips have
> failed. These 5th gen chips were implanted in the latest LG Innotech
> tuners. If those same tuners are in these new HD sets all bets are off.
>
> But one dealer has stated that he believes that these new HD sets are
> indeed the real thing. He is loaning us one to test. If they are the real
> thing I'll sell them.
>
> Bob Miller
>
> Bob Miller
Bob,
Your crazy insistance to make everything an 8-VSB vs COFDM argument is
tiring.
The Sharp w/ tuner has both 8-VSB and 256 QAM: Most people will probably
hook it up to cable TV, where having an integrated tuner is nice, since you
don't need an external HD cable box.
It's much more likely the $500 difference is because the set without tuner
is the older model, which they are dumping at a discounted price, since they
are mandated to have ATSC tuners in any new sets that can receive
over-the-air TV of any kind.
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