Need Help in Pulling the Trigger? (1 Viewer)

[Jason Rosoff]

First off, this is a great community and I am now proud to be a part of it.
I have been considering a new television, as many of you have, for quite some time now. After going to many local shops and some of the bigger chains, I am still unable to get good, unbiased information. Please help in my decision making process and thanks in advance for your replies!
I am big into new technology, although not nearly as knowledgable about the technical stuff as some of you, and want the latest and greatest of everything. After seeing the HDTVs, how could you not want one? Nevertheless, I do not watch DVDs nightly nor do I plan on getting DirecTV (bad taste in my mouth from past experiences) or an antenna on the roof of my house. For the most part, I watch standard cable and most of the time the local stations and sports games. Will I still see a great picture on these new sets with my viewing habits, or will that only happen in 2006? Shall I get off this HDTV binge that I am on and get myself a "standard" tv and upgrade down the road?
Please help, any additional information will be greatly appreciated and very welcome.
Jason

 

[DanP]

Well Jason, off hand it doesnt sound like you're a good candidate for an HDTV (aside from wanting the greatest and latest).
Widescreen HDTV's are good for 3 things (not necessarily in order)
Anamorphic DVD watching.
HDTV via satellite
HDTV via over the air transmissions requiring an antenna. Though depending on your location, the antenna can be something less than roof mounted. Attic or even rabbit ears.
If cable channels are still going to represent the vast majority of your viewing, you're better off just waiting since those signals wont look any better on the aforementioned sets, as well as the fact that if you wait awhile yet you may find yourself better off anyway due to connectivity issues which still havent been fully sorted out in current set offerings. DVI, etc.
About the only caveat would be, considering your criteria, would be if you're lucky enough to live in a city like Houston or one of a couple others that actually do have a bunch of HDTV offerings on the cable. Movie channels, local network affiliates etc.
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[Edited last by DanP on October 31, 2001 at 05:52 PM]

 

[John Tillman]

Jason, after having an HD ready set for almost two years I find it difficult to watch SD broadcasts. For instance, world series on fox is bogus trash, quality wise. Jets & Giants football is of the same variety.
After watching HD programming in my region mature, Sept 11 happened. However, there is still enough to keep me satisfied as CBS and ABC are still available to me, plus cable & dish provide more services.
Don't be swayed by the naysayers who urge you to wait forever to make your move. You give no reference as to your location, but if you are in the USA, beautiful HD programming is available to you. I have witnessed a large amount of sports in HD and it is the killer application.

 

[DanP]

For the record, John makes good points. I myself these days watch nothing but DVD's and HD basically. I have 3 HD STB's, get HD OTA with an antenna, and have a widescreen set. HDTV is awesome, period.
But, for somebody that doesnt watch alot of DVD's, wants no part of satellite TV and doesnt want to use an antenna...as the original poster claims, well again, whats the point in an HDTV then? If you truly want it, thats the price you have to pay. Cant have it both ways.
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[PaulKH]

Dan, why do you have 3 HD STBs?

 

[DanP]

Oh, just for the heck of it. First I got a Dish 6000 for HBO HD and Showtime HD, HD PPV etc. Then I got an ExpressVu 6000 to have access to more HD movies and Network HD like CBS and ABC which I couldnt get OTA (only get PBS HD locally), and then most recently a DirecTv HD receiver primarily for HDNet though I use it for the NFL Sunday Ticket also.
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[Jason Rosoff]

Thanks again for the replies!
I am in the USA, in Florida (the Miami Area). I am not sure what kind of HD is offered here. I can tell you that Digital Cable is available in my area.
What is the picture quality like for Digital Cable? Is the picture for standard cable worse, better or the same on an HDTV than on lets say a regular old 32" picture tube?

 

[PaulKH]

Dan, you have Dish AND DirecTV? Not sure what the ExpressVu box does. You sure must have a big monthly bill!
Jason - digital cable is highly compressed 4:3 standard definition content only (except for some very limited Time Warner trials). In general, it looks better than analog cable, but usually not as clean as satelite. As far as what it looks like on a big screen - the reality is, the bigger the screen, the worse it looks in terms of quality.
Big wide screens need DVD or better quality to look great. I just got over the air digital TV capability (tuner/antenna), and it looks GREAT on my rear projection TV.

 

[DanP]

Nah, my monthly bill isnt a heck of alot Paul. It's not like I have full packages from each provider. I pretty much have it configured for only the channels I watch most. Particularly HD.
With Dish I have HBO and Showtime for their HD feeds and then simply the AT-50 package for the few SD channels I watch like CNN and ESPN and a few others. So that bill is around 45.00
With DirecTv I dont really have a monthly bill because the only thing I subscribe to is The Sunday Ticket. But that counts as a subscription when it comes to getting HDNet for free. If you average out the NFL for 12 months, I suppose it comes to about 12.00 per month.
Then ExpressVu which is a Canadian DBS provider costs me about 15.00 per month more for their HD offerings that I mentioned earlier (that fee also includes some SD channels). That brings the total outlay to about 72.00 per month or so which isnt really that high at all I dont think to have access to about all the HD thats available, the football package, and the few SD channels that I'm interested in. I think alot of people pay around that much for their satellite/cable service even if they only have one provider, if they like having all the SD channels that those companies offer. But again, I dont need/want all those SD channels.
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[Edited last by DanP on November 03, 2001 at 09:49 AM]

 

[PaulKH]

Very cool Dan, thanks for the explanation. I'm surprised you can subscribe to Canadian satelite service in the U.S., but that's cool.
Maybe I'll break down and get satelite at some point if it works, but my neighbor(across the street though) tried and they couldn't get a good signal with all the trees around.
Anyway, sounds like you've got a great setup. I'd like to get that HDnet channel - it sounds decent.