Will current HDTV's be obsolete QUICKLY? (1 Viewer)

[Brent Joye]

I would like to get a big screen (65") HDTV-ready TV soon, but I thought that I read or heard that the powers that be were considering putting some type of copy protection into the actual screens, rendering any older HDTV's useless? I'm not asking for a 10 year guarantee, maybe just 3 or 4 years? I'd hate to spend that kind of dough and never get to watch a day of HDTV on the set. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I had thought that it would be safe to get a HDTV-Ready monitor, but now I'm not sure.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

OTA commercial HD stuff will not be downrezzed, nor will HDNet. This downrezzing due to copy protection will only be an issue for PPV and possibly Premium channels like HBO HD and possibly HD-DVD (not looking for that any time soon), if and when it happens.

I think there just may be enough HD-capable sets out there now without the HDCP feature that implementing it would lead to a hell of a class action lawsuit, unless some sort of reasonably priced adaptor is made available.

I bought my HD-capable but non-hdcp widescreen set primarily to watch progressive scan dvd in all it's anamorphic glory. The HD stuff I get from my stb is great, and the best is on HDNet, which will never downrez. I do get Showtime and HBO HD, which may eventually downrez. In my case, I haven't seen a single movie on HBOHD or Showtime HD that I haven't already seen on dvd, and the picture quality on HD is not so huge an improvement over 480p anamorphic dvd that downrezzing of those channels will bother me that much.

If, on the other hand, HD DVD arrives and won't work on my set, I'm going to be mightily po'ed.

If I were to invest in it, JVC's D-VHS will output 1080i via component video cables, and it's prerecorded tapes will play back in 1080i on my set. That deck has no component video inputs, just DVI with HDCP. There are as yet no stbs to plug into this that have the appropriate output, but these will be along soon.

So already there is no way I can record HD with my 6 month old HDcapable DirecTV receiver.

Sorry to ramble on, but my main point is that a non-DVI set is not going to be instantly useless in a couple of months.

Another point is that Sony and Toshiba have both announced there next HD ready sets which will appear within months will have the HDCP/DVI connectors. So if you're really worried about it just wait until September to buy your new set.

 

[Brent Joye]

Steve,
Thanks for all the info. I'm not familiar with the HDCP/DVI stuff, but I'm guessing DVI is digital video input. Do any of the current sets have this, or do I have to wait until September for any of them to have it?

 

[Mr. Brian]

Steve,

I've seen Sony's announcement about DVI in their upcoming sets, but where did you see Toshiba's announcement? Could you point me in that direction?

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Kevin_Kr]

Currently the JVC sets have DVI.

 

[Dean McManis]

One thing to understand are that even though DVI is the same digital video interface that we have known for years used with computer video, the implementation of DVI/HDCP is a different animal, and most all DVI input displays (99%) are not compatible with DVI/HDCP.

Also DVI/HDCP is not a recognized encryption "standard", with at least two other encryption technologies out there, which are not compatible with DVI/HDCP or with each other.
And none of the digital encrypted technologies are compatible with today's RGB and Y-PbPr DTV input connection standards.

So unfortunately, even though each manufacturer will provide a set of DTV products that will include a DTV STB, recorder, DTV display, and probably a PVR, getting one is no guarantee against obselescence because there is no industry agreed-apon standard yet.

So some people buy today's DTV displays and enjoy them for better looking DVDs, and whatever HD programming that we find, and some people are just holding out until some defined encryption standard is agreed apon (2-5 years?).

I'm just enjoying what I can now.

-Dean.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Dean,
What you've posted makes me feel much better about my recent purchase of a component-in only HD capable set. I too am enjoying gorgeous dvd and 4 HD channels that will be full resolution at least until a copy protection scheme is agreed on in how many years?

I strongly suspect that by the time standards are agreed upon and implemented, I'll be upgrading my set anyway.

My gut feeling is that whatever copy protection scheme is adopted it will only effect the resolution at which programming can be recorded and not downgrade the "live" broadcast.

When the tv networks tried to fight timeshifting via vcr back in the 80s, they lost because enough voters had already bought and were using vcrs for timeshifting and politicians didn't want to alienate voters. I would imagine the same dyanamics would prevent the obsolesence of all the thousands of HD ready sets people have already purchased, especially since quite a few of these early adopters are probably lawyers.