Practicality of picking an HDTV

[billybob]

Friend downsized from the 65' Toshiba DLP...and now has a Sony 50' LCD...which accomodates his viewing area better. I'll see for myself on the 25th.

Have been waiting for the first film to do justice to Tolkiens' Hobbit... since early 70's! Maybe now they will start the process.

After the trilogy might as well do *Silmarillion, which I recently am discovering.

[mas]

I wonder if The Silmarion might not be the 'other tales' in addition to The Hobbit.

Should indeed be interesting and if they of the same quality as TLOTR, a project well worth waiting for!

[mysterymeat]

I have a samsung lcd dlp 1080p. seems like a nice telly to me. dlp bulb life is nowhere near 6000 hrs according to the children over on the AVS forum, and many are not inexpensive. 2-3000 hrs is not a real long time, when you leave the thing on overnite a few times. i sort of think the samsungs from buy.com are coming from a factory warehouse with a different name. one can get a 5' model for about $1700 or so on a good day.

[mark1101]

720P or 1080P ????? I thought the source determined which is necessary and best. I have Dish network. I don't believe there are any 1080P broadcaosts at all. I could be wrong. But my 1080P SONY Bravia is always displaying 720P. So what good is having a 1080P TV? How often do you sit and watch 1080P DVDs? We hardly ever do because we watch TV so much. I also think the upconverted stuff looks lowsy compared to a good HD broadcast. I think the very best bang for the buck right now for those who watch a lot of HD TV might be the 720P plasmas. I saw the 50" Samsungs going for $1,400 a few weeks ago, and now you can find them for around $1,000.

Why are people here buying the 1080P TVs?

[Islander]

Face it folks, your biggest challenge is in finding quality programming.

What, you don't get Teletoon and The Weather Channel?

[8-)]

Seriously, though, there's some good old films on Turner Classic Movies, stuff I'd long heard of, but never had a chance to see, plus those old films don't need any kind of hi-res monitor to see at their best, as best was back then.

[el jopez]

For some, not speaking for myself, they enjoy playing video games in full 1080p. Dont' understand the allure, but its an option that some caught fishhooked into supporting. For me 720 is great, sufficing a set doesn't lag (DLP's circa 2005).

[mark1101]

I just checked and Dish Network receivers do not support 1080P. I searched on Direct TV's website and the technical info dodges the issue. I would bet their receivers do not either. I'm not sure about cable, but the folks I know who have Cable HDTV.....it doesn't look as good as what we have with Dish. Don't know why. But it seems that the only 1080P sources available are the 1080P DVDs and games.

What I believe that means is that no one is REALLY watching true 1080P at all, because the source doesn't have it.......unless you are watching the 1080P DVDs or playing 1080P games. Can someone confirm this? Also, does anyone know if there is any TRUE technical benefit to using a 1080P TV on a 720P signal? I guess that's the real question.

Thanks for any answers.

By the way I bought a 1080P SONY late last year before I really did my homework. But I just got a 26" for our bar and I didn't go spend 5 grand or anything like that. Come to find out I use it exclusively on 720P.

[Arky]

I just checked and Dish Network receivers do not support 1080P.

Mark, my Dish 622 does 1080i but not 1080p. Most at AVS report that up to 10ft they see no difference in 720p or 1080p signal. At farther range they see a slight improvement.

[Professor.Ham.Slap]

What I believe that means is that no one is REALLY watching true 1080P at all, because the source doesn't have it.......unless you are watching the 1080P DVDs or playing 1080P games. Can someone confirm this? Also, does anyone know if there is any TRUE technical benefit to using a 1080P TV on a 720P signal? I guess that's the real question.

Thanks for any answers.

By the way I bought a 1080P SONY late last year before I really did my homework. But I just got a 26" for our bar and I didn't go spend 5 grand or anything like that. Come to find out I use it exclusively on 720P.

Nope, you will not see a difference on a 1080p TV with a 720p signal. That said, however, you will be able to see a difference with a 1080i signal on a 1080p TV vs. a 720p TV, which is what most everyone is broadcasting (virtually the only HD networks remaining that are broadcasting in 720p is ESPN and Fox, mostly due to 720p being better for fast moving images, i.e. sports). Now for a 26" TV of course it isn't worth it, even if you were going to hook a HD DVD player up to the screen due to the human eye's inability to notice such detail. That said, I do disagree with the point that most people make regarding sizes with 1080p. I can easily see the difference between 720p and 1080p on ~40 inch LCDs and plasma displays at normal differences, but then again, I have pretty good eyesight.

[mas]

Seriously, though, there's some good old films on Turner Classic Movies, stuff I'd long heard of, but never had a chance to see, plus those old films don't need any kind of hi-res monitor to see at their best, as best was back then.

Ironically enough, that and American Movie Classics are the channels I miss most, as I love the older movies where a story was foremost nd they did not depend solely on CGI or specialFX.

I mean, just the scene in The Big Sleep where Dorothy Malone 'drops' and renders the Acme Bookstore 'closed' has to be one of the most sensually suggestive, yet utterly innocent, scenes ever filmed... And the dialogue (and interplay) doesn't get better than Bringing Up Baby. But of course that is but a tip of the iceberg! And one wonders just what the heck is impeding the release of The African Queen on DVD...(I just hope its not a problem with the master)...

But you are right. If you need color you have it in spades (eg The Adventures of Robin Hood), and black and white is used with incredible sense of purpose.

There are a few other channels worth receiving (SciFi, History, A&E, Discovery, Military, etc.), but still...

But...I gotta run, TMZ is coming on and I need to keep up with Britny...heck, someone has to keep up with where she is at, as she certainly can't! Can you imgine the depth and scope of the conversation between her and Jessica Simpson as they ponder the concept of tuna fish and sea chickens...not to mention my man R Kelly ...[+o(][:S]

[]

[billybob]

Seriously, though, there's some good old films on Turner Classic Movies, stuff I'd long heard of, but never had a chance to see, plus those old films don't need any kind of hi-res monitor to see at their best, as best was back then.

***Their best was back then direct from satellite. And if your system was 3dB above threshold you were all set at "Broadcast Quality."

Ironically enough, that and American Movie Classics are the channels I miss most, as I love the older movies where a story was foremost nd they did not depend solely on CGI or specialFX.

I mean, just the scene in The Big Sleep where Dorothy Malone 'drops' and renders the Acme Bookstore 'closed' has to be one of the most sensually suggestive, yet utterly innocent, scenes ever filmed... And the dialogue (and interplay) doesn't get better than Bringing Up Baby. But of course that is but a tip of the iceberg! And one wonders just what the heck is impeding the release of The African Queen on DVD...(I just hope its not a problem with the master)...

But you are right. If you need color you have it in spades (eg The Adventures of Robin Hood), and black and white is used with incredible sense of purpose.

There are a few other channels worth receiving (SciFi, History, A&E, Discovery, Military, etc.), but still...

But...I gotta run, TMZ is coming on and I need to keep up with Britny...heck, someone has to keep up with where she is at, as she certainly can't! Can you imgine the depth and scope of the conversation between her and Jessica Simpson as they ponder the concept of tuna fish and sea chickens...not to mention my man R Kelly ...

*Did those channels drop off of satellite (TMC,AMC)??? I know I am "The Man Wo Fell To Earth" but.....

[mas]

No, I think they are still there, but in most systems (cable and satellite) you must subscribe to one of the 'larger' packges to get the few channels that are attractive. ~$75 per month is a bit much to justify just a few channels. A good portion of tht seems to go further (with a few tradeoffs admittedly) into picking up the media. I sure wish the service providers woud offer an al carte menu.

I guess its my way of rebelling after having worked (and refining) in Viacom engineering in the 80's, and on the Oak based addressable data and video encryption systems that were the precursor for DBS (direct broadcast satellite) systems and subsequently showing Zenith how the system worked and the refinements discovered tht led to their marketing their sinewave sync suppression and baseband encryption industry standard ZTac series converter... s well as working with the first fully implimented 2-way capable braodband network and pioneering the first pay-per-view (Leonard Hearns fight) event...(and remembering MTV with all of the burning buildings and 'dead air segments' waiting to be filled with promo and commercial spots... for after getting off the road. Hey, someone had to break the 40 bit proprietary encryption schema that subsequently led Videocypher to adopt DES encryption. But those were the fun and wild days of a new technlogy...(Edit:Many a night was spent reverrse engineering this system...there is a story here!)

Instead, I choose to invest in the DVDs to the degree that they are available. Especially when I already have the SG1 series, WildWildWest, Have Gun Will Travel, Ray Bradbury, Tales from the Crypt, Andy Griffith, and so many other series, not to mention classic movies, already on DVD...

But the thought of having 50+ Spanish channels at my disposal is mighty tempting....[] [:S][*-)] (over the top and, if possible, even more ridiculous than their English counterparts... but one has to admit, the women are hot!)[]

[billybob]

No, I think they are still there, but in most systems (cable and satellite) you must subscribe to one of the 'larger' packges to get the few channels that are attractive. ~$75 per month is a bit much to justify just a few channels. A good portion of tht seems to go further (with a few tradeoffs admittedly) into picking up the media. I sure wish the service providers woud offer an al carte menu.

*OK, was wondering about their availability to you. Certainly congress is wanting the market to sort out the pick and choose (alacarte) options with DBS satellite, which while not as flexible as the older C-band was, is starting to make some headway?!

I guess its my way of rebelling after having worked (and refining) in Viacom engineering in the 80's, and on the Oak based addressable data and video encryption systems that were the precursor for DBS (direct broadcast satellite) systems and subsequently showing Zenith how the system worked and the refinements discovered tht led to their marketing their sinewave sync suppression and baseband encryption industry standard ZTac series converter... s well as working with the first fully implimented 2-way capable braodband network nd pioneering the first pay-per-view (Leonard Hearns fight) event...(nd remembering MTV with ll of the burning buildings nd 'dead air segments' waiting to be filled with promo and commercial spots... for after getting off the road. Hey, someone had to break the 40 bit proprietary encryption schema that subsequently led Videocypher to adopt DES encryption. But those were the fun and wild days of a new technlogy...

* Interesting career, to me! Guessing now that that you may be referring to the Oak *Orion encrytion system. It was my 1st view into the world of audio/video scrambling(loose). Some in this country made use of the technolgy to access Canadian/Adult programming, as the spillover from Anik was there for the subscribing albeit illegally. MaComm, and then GI were indeed up against it out of the gate with the VCII. Relatively easy fix to get at the video(video invert). Certainly the consumer learned alot about the problem having to go with the VCII+ module. VC1 not available(military)to the public called for a system like the Digicipher to begin with, as video compression was upon us.

Instead, I choose to invest in the DVDs to the degree that they are available. Especially when I already have the SG1 series, WildWildWest, Have Gun Will Travel, Ray Bradbury, Tales from the Crypt, Andy Griffith, and so many other series, not to mention classic movies, already on DVD...

* Good investment indeed! I am an out of the closet videophile seeking refuge in an audiophile forum.

But the thought of having 50+ Spanish channels at my disposal is mighty tempting.... (over the top and, if possible, even more ridiculous that their English counterparts... but one has to admit, the women are hot!)

Si, Caliente!

[JJkizak]

Those women are extroadinarily evolved, expecially the news and weather girls.

JJK

[jbsl]

Still have my Sony 34 inch CRT heavy SOB and it still has a great picture. I'm going to wait another two years and then see what is available.

I have a Denon 2900 dvd player so I don't know if getting a HD dvd player that plays regular dvds is even worth it.

I've seen some HD/Blueray dvds on HDTVs and they looked incredible!

However I've seen some, Pirates of the Car for example, that look unnatural to me. By that I mean the sharpness seems to be set on super sharp and it just looked wrong to me. I have had other people agree with me in stores so I know it is not just me.

Probably they have the tv and dvd player set to ultra sharp.

I just watched Underworld: Evolution and the opening scene is the camera pulls back and shows the lead vampires face and it looked outstanding on my meger 34 CRT tv. I also watched Planet Earth from BBC and it also looked outstanding(anyone who loves Animal planet should get this DVD set) so I'll just wait a couple more years and "see" where the technology and prices go.