[Scott DeToffol]

Is it time for a dedicated HDTV forum? It could include equipment, programming, cable vs. satellite vs OTA, etc..

[Jack Briggs]

All those topics are already covered in Display Devices, TV Shows & HDTV Programming, and A/V Sources. Not really much reason to create another section. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[Scott DeToffol]

Yes, you can post HD related postings under various forums, but many times HD related issues don’t necessarily fall under an appropriate topic. For example, I have some big news. Time Warner is coming tomorrow to install their new Sci-Atl Explorer 8000HD that gives me access to Time Warner’s excellent selection of HD channels AND includes DVR capabilities. That means I can record HD content! Where does this topic best fit? Home Theater Hardware/PVR, DVR; or Home Theater Hardware/Audio, Video Sources; or Entertainment and Media/TV and HDTV Programming? It would fit perfectly in Home Theater/High Definition if we had one. Once that forum got too crazy you could split into more defined forums: HD Hardware, HD Programming, etc..

AVS Forum has a booming HD discussion because they have a separate section with four dedicated forums. I think many people are highly interested in HD specifically and apart from DVD. HD is really coming on strong and for many people the availability of all the HD content that is coming out is spurring purchases of HDTV capable displays. DVD is great, but it has been around for a number of years and has become a mass consumer product. HD is still at the bleeding edge and needs to be given special attention.

Just my two cents.

[Vince Maskeeper]

AVS Forum has a booming HD discussion because they have a separate section with four dedicated forums.

Nope, AVS has four dedicated forums BECAUSE they had a booming discussion.

Creating an area does not create a desire, demand or traffic. The HTF has always, very wisely IMHO, allowed the traffic and discussion to dictate the forums that exist. In the few times they strayed from this thinking, they created dead forum areas that dragged the HTF down as a whole.

HD is still at the bleeding edge and needs to be given special attention.

That may be true- but have you ever noticed this "bleeding edge" has never really been the domain or attention of the HTF? The HTF has a specific appeal, as does AVS and other forums--- the HTF doesn't seem to swing so much into the bleeding edge (note the HTPC area on AVS versus the HTF version!)... and even creating a million different forums will not foster a discussion that doesn't exist here.

-V

[Nathan_R]

Before this topic is closed, I'd like to add my thoughts. As great a proponent of HDTV that I wish to be, I have mixed feelings on an HDTV area here. However, please consider the following points:

Quote:

That may be true- but have you ever noticed this "bleeding edge" has never really been the domain or attention of the HTF?

This is true and I support this mission. However, this logic didn't stop dvd recorders from getting their own section. Conversely, just one "all-things HDTV" section would keep me on the HTF for longer periods of time, rather than moseying over to AVS to find information I need or want to share.

Quote:

and even creating a million different forums will not foster a discussion that doesn't exist here.

I also agree here. However, as for the discussion not existing here, this is primarly due to the lack of a specific area for such HDTV discussions.

Consider this episode:
I for one want to discuss HDTV topics here, but when one looks at the forum roster, the term "HDTV" is only mentioned once-- and that's in the "TV and HDTV Programming" area. One will find the terms two more times in the sub-forum descriptions (one for display devices and once in the TV and HDTV Programming description). Please note that "HDTV" or some related variation of HDTV is not mentioned at all in the "Audio/Video Sources" area description.

So unfortunately if I wanted to discuss the Sci-Atl Explorer 8000HD DVR capabilities from Scott's example, I would most likely post in the A/V Sources area among the DVD, SACD, and Playstation topics. Or maybe it should go into the PVR and DVD Recorder section, wedged between TiVo and Panasonic HDD devices. If I picked the wrong section, I suppose someone would be kind enough to move it for me.

I concede that in all reality, the time may not be right for an HDTV forum here. I agree that the technology hasn't reached the masses like the DVD has. However, when the HTF decides that HDTV is a home theater mainstay, I hope we can revisit this topic. In the meantime, could we please add more HD references to the forum area descriptions? I have some suggestions for text to be added in the descriptions:

Audio/Video Sources-- "HDTV Set-Top-Boxes" (adding "scalers" may not be a bad idea, too)
Personal Video and DVD Recorders-- "HDTV and D-VHS recorders"

Best regards and keep up the good work.
~~Nathan

[Scott DeToffol]

Thanks Nathan_R.

This forum is such a great resource especially for people who are looking into buying gear and/or services (cable vs. satellite). At this very point in time many purchases are being made specifically because HD content is booming. HD is second only to DVD in spurring people to build home theaters and is gaining fast.

For example, the HD Super Bowl will be seen by exponentially more people this year over last year because DirectTV is going to carry the CBS HD feed in O&O markets (owned & operated). Also, many cable systems have added HD channels (including CBS) in the last few months and have made receiving HD content much easier and much cheaper. If only people knew where to look on HTF for this type of news.

The question in people’s minds is: “How do I go about getting the Super Bowl in HDTV?” If we had a HD section it would be the obvious place to go to first. The answer to this question involves many issues like hardware, cable, satellite, displays, etc. Now you’d stumble around in TV and HDTV Programming and/or Audio/Video Sources or even Computers and HTPC.

My last point on this topic: We have a dedicated Car Audio/Video forum and not a dedicated High Definition forum.

Thanks.

[Michael Reuben]

Quote:

However, this logic didn't stop dvd recorders from getting their own section.

That's not what happened. There was a separate PVR section, and we decided to move DVD recorders to that section instead of leaving them in A/V Sources. The increasing prevalence of models with hard discs and PVR-like capabilities was the impetus.

DVD recorders have never had "their own section", and I don't see that happening anytime soon.

M.

[Nathan_R]

Michael,
Fair enough. Could we add a comment about HDTV recording devices to that area's text description?

Best regards,
~~Nathan

[Parker Clack]

I appreciate the suggestions guys. We do already have 3 forum areas that deal with HDTV. The first is Audio/Video sources to discuss HDTV desktop units, etc., the Diplay Devices area which covers HDTV display units where it is CRT, LCD, DLP, etc. and then the HDTV programming area to talk about HDTV programming.

[Vince Maskeeper]

However, when the HTF decides that HDTV is a home theater mainstay, I hope we can revisit this topic.

Again- I would say that when you see a dozen or more HD related topics with decent traffic in any one of the forum, then the topic will probably be revisited in a hurry.

I find it very hard to believe that there is a giant army of members just itching for a dedicated area to post information, and until that day they refuse to post it anywhere else. History has shown that people will post whatever they want to post, on topic or not, and this push generates the direction the HTF moves, like natural evolution.

I again applaud Parker and Ron for not starting a new section for everyone who has an interest they feel isn't getting enough attention due to a lack of a dedicated area. The HTF had dedicated HD forums before, and it simply caused more confusion, not less, and resulted in areas which got maybe 1 new post per day.