Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (
More info?)
"Mr Fixit" <MrFixit@msn.com> wrote in message
news:54brb11n5aivq4gt91iq942b21im4cjepf@4ax.com...
> The bottom line is stay with recommended major brands and purchase
> whatever looks good _to you_ while staying within your price range from
> among those recommended brands. Set the max price you can afford -before-
> going in to shop and stick to your budget.
>
> The only difference between EDTV and HDTV is the difference you can see
> and appreciate. If you can't readily see that difference, or the
> difference seems only minimal, then the extra money spent for the HD model
> is money wasted (except for bragging rights).
>
> Most wall-mountable Plasma screens are EDTV and the few that are true HDTV
> are doggoned expensive, so make sure the viewable performance difference
> really is worth the price difference to you. That price difference is
> likely to be substantial, so be sure this is a 9/9 decision that both you
> and your hubby are comfortable with. Prices are also dropping and the
> technology improving. I know you're looking for a "10-yr TV" but honestly
> I/m not sure that animal exists right now. At the current rate of
> technical advancement in widescreen televisions, the set you purchase
> today could be "yesterday's news" by next year and close to being obsolete
> in 6 or 7 years.
>
Most standard tv channels are broadcast at 480i whihc is roughly equivalent
to EDTV (480p), while HDTV is broadcast at 720p or 1080i. Here is my logic
as to why HDTV is better than EDTV. On my 42" TV, there is a huge
difference between normal TV channels (EDTV at 480i) and HDTV channels (720p
and 1080i). On the Discovery HD channel, the difference is like wearing
glasses and not wearing glasses, like the difference between having black
and white TV and having color TV. Granted, you need to have a larger TV to
see the difference, but it is a big difference.
But to be fair to the EDTV folks....
If you look at the CNET ratings, the 42" lower resolution Panasonic EDTV
received top ratings although they do point out that it does have lower
resolution. The top rated Panasonic 42" EDTV is $2k at either samsclub or
costco and teh HDTV pioneer 42" is $3k, so there is a price difference, but
the price difference isn't huge. But then if you go to the Cnet ratings the
Panasonic 42" EDTV did quite well beating out other displays wiht higher
resolutions. I chose not to buy the Panasonic 42" EDTV; instead I opted for
the higher resolution display, and I am glad I did.
http
/reviews.cnet.com/Home_video/4521-6531_7-5021476-3.html?tag=prmo1
> The only difference between EDTV and HDTV is the difference you can see
> and appreciate. If you can't readily see that difference, or the
> difference seems only minimal, then the extra money spent for the HD model
> is money wasted (except for bragging rights).
Most stores do not have a high def. signal for their TVs, so you can't see
the difference in the stores. It is utterly stupid. How are they supposed
to sell high def TVs, if they don't show people the difference between high
def. and not high def? I went to Costco and looked at my TV on display
showing a horrible standard TV picture off of standard TV. The picture
looked lousy, nothing at all like when I see Discovery HD at home on the
same model. You really won't see the high def. difference until you get the
TV home and hook it up to a good high def. channel that happens to be
broadcasting high def. signals filmed with a high def. camera (like
Discovery HD). If you don't see a difference between normal TV channels and
high def. channels, you don't have a high def. TV. (assuming the picture is
filmed and broadcast in high def.) So that leaves us using reviews or word
of mouth to decide which TV is best.
At the higher end Best Buy store they only had one TV hooked up to a high
def. satellite signal (and you will only see high def. if is on a high def.
channel filmed with a high def. camera); all the rest of the high def. TVs
were mass fed a standard 480i DVD signal. I know all of this now, I did not
know it before I bought my TV.
But Mr. Fixit is right in that you have to choose how much you are going to
pay, and there will be something better and cheaper next month.
noone
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