HDTV vs. HDTV - ready (1 Viewer)

[Marshall Sander]

Is this right:

If a tv has HDTV, it already has a HDTV tuner inside of it.

If a tv is HDTV-ready, it needs an external tuner.

What about other tvs? Can a non-HDTV-ready tv be turned into an HDTV with an outside tuner?

Also, it would seem more advantageous to buy a tv w/o a built in tuner since there is no industry standard on the type of HDTV which will be used.

Thanks for any responses.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Can a non-HDTV-ready tv be turned into an HDTV with an outside tuner?

No. The most you can do is downconvert the HD signal into something that a standard model TV will accept. But there's no reason to do that now, since everything broadcast in HD is already available in good old NTSC format.

M.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Also, it would seem more advantageous to buy a tv w/o a built in tuner since there is no industry standard on the type of HDTV which will be used.

Well, maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure what you mean about "industry standard type of HDTV": all the available resolutions have been determined and standardized... and while there were some stirring issues with the broadcast system early on, I believe they have been reasonably quieted and the current standards will stay.

The issue now is copy protection- and how those outboard tuner boxes will interface with the TV sets. The entertainment industry has stepped in here in the 4th quarter (or more accurately, after the game is over) and have demanded changes which might make some current sets essentially obsolete.

If you do get a HDTV READY TV- make sure it has all possible input interfaces, specifically DVI... as it looks like the entertainment industry is pushing towards a tuner system that would pass the signal via DVI.

It's a complex issue right now- unfortunately, which results in further delays any real progress. People are afriad of new technology to begin with- and then rumors of changing standards and obsolete equipment causes even more to avoid purchasing new stuff.

I would recommend if you're planning to buy a set right now that you do some research on the current status on tuner systems and copy protection...

-V