HDTV advice

[jake]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Looking for some advice from some folks much more knowledgeable than me on
T.V.'s. Here is what I am trying to find out info on.
Fixing to have to buy my parents a new TV. Was looking today and now I am
totally confused. They are not big TV buffs, Will watch a movie once or
twice a month. My mother enjoys a good picture when she does watch tv. They
have no surround sound system so would like something that sounds decent but
does not have to be audiofile type of sound.
My main thing is Dependability. I do not want to have to get someone to go
over to their house and help me load the thing up to have it repaired.
Not sure whether to get the HDTV thing or not. I do not know when everything
is supposed to change over to HDTV. Don't want to have to buy another TV in
a couple of years because the TV won't pick up anything. Don't need anything
over 30" in size.
I found a philips at Sams today that is a 30" HDTV. The model number is
30pw8420/37 for $599.87 I did a search today on that model number and came
up with nothing, I did find it on philips site, but that is the only place I
have found it. IT seems like a good price, but found some stuff that did not
sound to favorable about the dependability of Philips, Not sure if it was
good info though.
Any suggestion on brand, Whether HDTV or not would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance folks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

The first thing I'd figure out is what HD programming they would
actually watch, how would they get it, how much would it cost, etc.
The HD that is available is either on cable, sat, or OTA. Keep in mind
that while most of prime time on the major networks is now HD, most of
the other programming, ie daytime TV, most cable channels, etc, is not.
The point is that to get HD, you're going to have to figure out how
you're goint to get it.

As for the future, there is no reqt for everything to go to HD, only to
digital broadcasting.

 

[Roger]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Hi, The Sony 30" and 34" sets seem excellent except for their heavy weight.
I'm talking about the HD sets with 16:9 screen format. If good picture
quality is important, you can still consider a rear-projection set which
costs so much less than DLP or LCD or Plasma. I still have a nice 55"
Mitsubishi rear projection, 3 years old. Picture quality is excellent. Not
quite as brilliant as their new DLP but those go for around $3000 now. I
have no desire to try and sell it and get a newer DLP. Look up
http/www.mitsubishi-tv.com/ for all their TVs. Specialty TV stores like
Tweeters tend to have more upscale models than Best Buy does.
Tube TVs" Picture great and cost is decent but weight is horrendous. Meant
to be bought, put in place until the owner dies.....
Rear projection: Good overall value for the money but picture not as sharp
as DLP or Plasma. Often have nice big speakers with good sound especially
Mitsubishi.
LCD: Somewhat blurry in action scenes. Direct view LCD more expenive than
rear projection LCD but better.
DLP: Great picture. Expensive. Lamp costs $400 which may need replacing in
say five years.
Plasma: Great picture, wide viewing angle. Expensive. Need watch for burn in
of phosphors.
Do NOT buy EDTVs but insist on HDTV. A built-in tuner is usually not
essential. Because both Cable and Satellite have the tuners in them. Indeed
satellite receivers often have Off-the-air tuners built in.

Roger

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Roger" <nospam@world.com> wrote in message
news:gH96e.32362$9v2.1098828@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> Hi, The Sony 30" and 34" sets seem excellent except for their heavy
> weight. I'm talking about the HD sets with 16:9 screen format. If good
> picture quality is important, you can still consider a rear-projection set
> which costs so much less than DLP or LCD or Plasma. I still have a nice
> 55" Mitsubishi rear projection, 3 years old. Picture quality is excellent.
> Not quite as brilliant as their new DLP but those go for around $3000 now.
> I have no desire to try and sell it and get a newer DLP. Look up
> http/www.mitsubishi-tv.com/ for all their TVs. Specialty TV stores like
> Tweeters tend to have more upscale models than Best Buy does.
> Tube TVs" Picture great and cost is decent but weight is horrendous. Meant
> to be bought, put in place until the owner dies.....
> Rear projection: Good overall value for the money but picture not as sharp
> as DLP or Plasma. Often have nice big speakers with good sound especially
> Mitsubishi.
> LCD: Somewhat blurry in action scenes. Direct view LCD more expenive than
> rear projection LCD but better.
> DLP: Great picture. Expensive. Lamp costs $400 which may need replacing in
> say five years.
> Plasma: Great picture, wide viewing angle. Expensive. Need watch for burn
> in of phosphors.
> Do NOT buy EDTVs but insist on HDTV. A built-in tuner is usually not
> essential. Because both Cable and Satellite have the tuners in them.
> Indeed satellite receivers often have Off-the-air tuners built in.

Why not EDTV? HDTV's go 75% or more than EDTV and the picture is nearly as
good.

>
> Roger
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

A 30" 16:9 HDTV is going to show 4:3 SD pictures -- what your parents are
used to watching and what they are going to still be watching a lot of -- at
the size of a 24.5 inch 4:3 regular old TV set. So, if you want their SD
pictures to be the same size as they used to be on the old TV, you need to
go for a bigger 16:9. See http/www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi and use the
engine on that website to get comparitive screen sizes. Also, keep in mind
that, in general, HDTV sets do not deliver SD pictures at quite the same
quality that a good SD TV does. You have to question whether, if you are
going to buy a screen size that small, you even need HDTV, since smaller
screen sizes make even low-resolution SDTV look pretty good.

All that having been said, personally, I would not buy a TV set for anyone
now that was not HDTV. HD is just too good to pass up on. And I would not
go smaller than a 50" 16:9 screen, since HD looks best at the larger sizes.
There is no way to know for sure whether or not the particular TV you buy is
going to have troubles, but you can do some research. You can buy from
Sears, with which you can bargain for price and buy their well-regarded
service agreement to go along with the TV set. That way, your parents would
only have to make one call to Sears Service if they have problems; they will
not have to fret about the manufacturer's warranty.

mack
austin


"Jake" <jfoster1@nospamcableone.net> wrote in message
news:115hihvaqamrjcc@corp.supernews.com...
> Looking for some advice from some folks much more knowledgeable than me on
> T.V.'s. Here is what I am trying to find out info on.
> Fixing to have to buy my parents a new TV. Was looking today and now I am
> totally confused. They are not big TV buffs, Will watch a movie once or
> twice a month. My mother enjoys a good picture when she does watch tv.
> They
> have no surround sound system so would like something that sounds decent
> but
> does not have to be audiofile type of sound.
> My main thing is Dependability. I do not want to have to get someone to go
> over to their house and help me load the thing up to have it repaired.
> Not sure whether to get the HDTV thing or not. I do not know when
> everything
> is supposed to change over to HDTV. Don't want to have to buy another TV
> in
> a couple of years because the TV won't pick up anything. Don't need
> anything
> over 30" in size.
> I found a philips at Sams today that is a 30" HDTV. The model number is
> 30pw8420/37 for $599.87 I did a search today on that model number and came
> up with nothing, I did find it on philips site, but that is the only place
> I
> have found it. IT seems like a good price, but found some stuff that did
> not
> sound to favorable about the dependability of Philips, Not sure if it was
> good info though.
> Any suggestion on brand, Whether HDTV or not would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance folks.
>
>
>

 

[David]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Mack McKinnon" <MckinnonRemoveThis@tvadmanDeleteThisAsWell.com> wrote in message news:5Qb6e.51095$1H3.46808@tornado.texas.rr.com...
>A 30" 16:9 HDTV is going to show 4:3 SD pictures -- what your parents are
> used to watching and what they are going to still be watching a lot of -- at
> the size of a 24.5 inch 4:3 regular old TV set. So, if you want their SD
> pictures to be the same size as they used to be on the old TV, you need to
> go for a bigger 16:9. See http/www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi and use the

If you do the math (which is not difficult) and want the height of a 4:3 set to be the same as a 16:9 set:

Take the screen size of your current 4:3 set (diagonal measurement) and multiply it by 1.224. That will give the screen size of a 16:9 set that will give the same size 4:3 picture.

David