If it was me - 46" Sony HDTV . very reliable and a fantastic picture. getting mine after the first of the year. If you can wait- they will be closing these models out for 2008, at a reduced price.
Have a great day Ken.
Brian
Member
Ken,
If it was me - 46" Sony HDTV . very reliable and a fantastic picture. getting mine after the first of the year. If you can wait- they will be closing these models out for 2008, at a reduced price.
Have a great day Ken.
Brian
Moderator
Gary, sat is actually pushing hard on HD these days. DirectTV even changed some of the technology they use (and the Satellite, itself) so they could offer more with better quality through improved compression algorithms. I currently have Comcast and do get their HD. My issue with them is they keep taking away HD channels for those of us who refuse to pay big bucks for a lot of stations we never have any intention of watching. They just tried to get another $30 out of me, for example, when they took away Discovery Theater HD from the basic HD offer...the only HD channel that my kids regularly watch. Adding $30 (more, actually, as that was time limited) is a big nut over the $38.50 I'm paying for basic/Digital Plus/HD now per month. If I have to pay more, I'll go with DirectTV or if the township ever stops trying to make unreasonable demands on Verizon which is keeping deployment away, FiOS TV, both of which provide great quality HD, the latter over fiber to the home.
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Member
the main reason to go 1080p is to give your chance a shot to be future proof. Comcast broadcasts several shows in 1080i (which is similar in quality to 720p). But depending on how large a set you buy and how far you sit from it will determine if you can "see" the difference. Also even if you don't watch many dvd's now...once you see the HD picture you might find yourself shopping for an HD-dvd player DAMHIKTOriginally Posted by David Duke
Couple of questions from a guy who knows absolutley about this stuff. On the difference between a 720 -1080 I understand that bigger is better (kinda like MORE POWER) however it is my understanding that the satalite broadcasts (DirecTV at least) is delivering a 720 signal with no plans to upgrade for several years, I know that games and DVDs are at 1080 but I'm not a gamer nor do we watch many DVDs.
I'm a firm believer in buying the best that you can afford but is it truly worth the 500.00 - 600.00 extra for the 1080? As far as LCD vs Plasma, it is my understanding that the Plasma is superior when viewing from an angle is this the case? Where it will be placed would have indirect lighting so glare would no be a problem and as far as energy consumption, we only watch TV a few hours a week and any saving with LCD would be negligable.But I bought my Toshiba XA2 a couple months ago and i LOVE it. Before that I hardly watched any dvd's.
Guest
Jim, Not sure what we pay for HDTV as all our TV, telephone and internet are lumped together as one bill. I have one question: will you be getting a 120 Hz or a 60 Hz? I purchased the 60Hz and haven't noticed a difference in the 3:2 pulldown, but we don't view alot of fast action video's anyways. The price for the 120 Hz is rather substantial.
Gary
Contributor
Does anyone have experience with upconverting players? Is it just a gadget to extract money, or is there a real difference? Thanks for any inputs!the main reason to go 1080p is to give your chance a shot to be future proof. Comcast broadcasts several shows in 1080i (which is similar in quality to 720p). But depending on how large a set you buy and how far you sit from it will determine if you can "see" the difference. Also even if you don't watch many dvd's now...once you see the HD picture you might find yourself shopping for an HD-dvd player DAMHIKT
Curt
Moderator
Pete I have the Sony 46" XBR2 also. I paid about 3700 with shipping. I am STILL amazed with the picture quality. We went to a friends house last weekend to watch a race on their conventional TV and could barely stand it. HDTV is so much better.I purchased a Sony XBR2 46" a year ago. I paid $3200.00 discounted. The same set, which has been replaced by Sony with XBR4 is available for $2000.00 or less (see Best Buy). I would put my Sony up against anything that is on the market with the exception of the New XBR4 & XBR5. Become a member of the 1080 club and you will be very satisfied. One note, I see reviews from people who say this and that, pro and con about this TV and that TV but these people never even receive real HD service. In order to really appreciate a HD TV you must have HD Service. Why bother to spend the money on a HD TV and not paid another $10.00 a month (DirecTV Anyway) and get the HD Service? Also another fact to consider, get at least 40" because anything less will give you a very small picture on a Non Letter Box movies, news, etc. Yea you could STRECH the image but to me that looks very cartoonish, people's heads out of portion and such. One more thing, do not get a Plasma TV unless you want your electric bill to go up. Plasma TVs are like having a 400 to 700 watt light bulb on and they give off a lot of heat. Of course all of this is just my humble opinion.
I date back to a time when people were watching B&W TV. Progress is great!
Please help support the Creek.
"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
Andy Rooney
Guest
Hey Curt.
Photo courtesy Amazon.com
HD upconverter. See more pictures of high definition electronics.
An HD upconverter is a device that solves two problems, both of which are due to the collision of old technology with new technology. The analog signal still present in a lot of our electronics is colliding with the all-digital developments that now control the electronics industry.
An upconverter allows the digital information stored on a DVD to be transmitted directly to a hi-definition TV without ever having to be converted to an analog signal. An upconverter also takes the lower screen resolution on most DVDs and "upconverts" it to the higher resolutions offered by HDTVs
Gary
Moderator
As someone else mentioned, I'm buying for the future, too. The LCD TV I buy for the new multi-purpose room in the addition will be 1080p and 120 hz and be 50-52". I don't find the price difference all that much different at this point...a few hundred and even that may mitigate between now and when I actually make the purchase in a few months. I pre-wired for 7:1 sound, too, for the same reason. I'm still working on what I'll use for that.
Our existing 30" Aquos will be moving to the new master bedroom as will the small Sony 5:1 DVD home theater system. We will finally be able to watch some of the films we have missed out on since the girls came into our lives...and I don't mean "bedroom" flicks; rather, good films that have some language or situations that are inappropriate for an 8 and 12 year old. Netflix has been laughing at us for a long time for not watching anything...
Someone also mentioned HD DVD systems. It really pains me that there are two different competing technologies there right now...it forces one to either buy two decks to be able to watch "anything" that comes out in high def on disk, buy a combo deck (there are only about three choices in that space right now and each has some quirks) or pick one format, knowing that a percentage of movies will not be available in that technology. Arrrgh!
Last edited by Jim Becker; 11-18-2007 at 1:24 PM.
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Guest
I think the prudent thing to do is let the two formats fight it out, then the decision will be more economically feasible. I purchased a 1080 up-convertion DVD player for $100 and I refuse to buy anymore TV technology until the dust settles.
Gary
[OP]
Contributor
The guy who yesterday convinced us that 1080 and 120 hz was the way to go tried to convince us that HDTV DVD would be going away and Blueray was the way to go. I'll hold off doing anything on that as while Bill is a straight shooter.....he's the same guy who convinced me to buy the most expensive Sony Beta recorder.......4 years later.......well......
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
re: the blu-ray HD-dvd war....Sony (blu-ray) is doing everything it can to try and win this war...so that is why when you walk into the big box electronic stores all you hear is blu-ray is the one..Sony is driving that train...but if you look into it a little deeper you will see hd-dvd is a better format....BUT that is no guarantee it will win. But i think we have 5 years before a winner is crowned....so pick one or both now if you want...but don't wait for a winner or you could be waiting awhileThe guy who yesterday convinced us that 1080 and 120 hz was the way to go tried to convince us that HDTV DVD would be going away and Blueray was the way to go. I'll hold off doing anything on that as while Bill is a straight shooter.....he's the same guy who convinced me to buy the most expensive Sony Beta recorder.......4 years later.......well......
Moderator
Sounds like Sony has Bill in their back pocket!The guy who yesterday convinced us that 1080 and 120 hz was the way to go tried to convince us that HDTV DVD would be going away and Blueray was the way to go. I'll hold off doing anything on that as while Bill is a straight shooter.....he's the same guy who convinced me to buy the most expensive Sony Beta recorder.......4 years later.......well......
"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
Andy Rooney
Guest
Yea, and Ken's wallet in the other.Sounds like Sony has Bill in their back pocket!
Gary
[OP]
Contributor
Sounds like Sony has Bill in their back pocket!Yea, and Ken's wallet in the other.
Gary
Why do me and my wallet find little humor in these comments?
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
I think both Blu-ray and HD-DVD are going to be in trouble.
As the different providers come out with HD content and fatter broadband pipes there will be less need for discs. I rarely use a DVD anymore. I just rely on my DVR.
My movie viewing has been seriously curtailed since my kids have come on the scene.
I like to read until I pass out from the exhaustion at night.
I could cry for the time I've wasted, but thats a waste of time and tears.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
