HDTV

Subject: Re: HDTV

bill c wrote: recently got a new tv but i learned that to get HDTV, direct tv charges and extra $10 per month. i' m wondering if it is worth the cost since i think only some of the channels are HD channels. any opinions / advice on the benefits of HDTV?

We have HDTV and regular. My husband is an avid movie watcher and HD is fantastic for watching movies and sports. I watch most of my shows on my bedroom television which is not HD. While you can tell the difference between the two, I have no problem watching shows that are not HD. Many network and cable shows do no have all their programming in HD. At one time Cablevision had certain HD channels and regular channels (i.e., NBC on channel 4 and HNBC on channel 704) and I have noticed that those regular channels are now permanently HD. When the channel is not broadcasting in HD some tvs have a black bar on the side which makes the screen slightly smaller and to get rid of those bars I have to press a button to "stretch" the screen which slightly distorts the picture - thus making seem like "regular" tv.

Is it worth an extra 10 bucks? Yes, and I'm not exactly a TV watcher.

Subject: have you tried an over-the-air hd antenna?

Have you tried an over-the-air hd antenna? Your tv needs to have an HDTV tuner built in for this to work (TIVO HD units also have the tuner built in), but you may want to try this before you shell out to the cable co. I get excellent results with a $30 RCA "flat" antenna (just a flat square box that sits behind the tv, no rabbit ears etc.). I get all of the network channels perfectly (and the networks also broadcast some strange sub-channels like the NBC olympics channel). About the only thing I dont' pick up are the public broadcasting channels in the 20s (channel 13 comes in perfectly though). The picture is actually better than most cable HDTV signals because it is not compressed. Of course, the reception will vary depending on how your home is situated...

It seems Cablevision has totally discarded most of their non-HDTV channels. Even all of the NY locals are in HD.

Depends on your priorities. I just got a big HDTV, but for several reasons. I have DirecTV and yes, it's $10 more per month for HD service.

Realize you'll also pay $99 for an HD receiver or $199 for an HD DVR (tho just by asking for a better deal they took $50 off the HD DVR.) But I really like DirecTV compared to other cable companies, and there are enough HD channels to make it worth it for me.

All the locals are HD, but you can get them with digital antenna for $30. I suggest you check out the DirecTV website or whatever cable co. to see what channels they offer - most major cable stations are available in HD (Hist, Bio, Disc, Bravo, HBO, SHO, etc.)

For me, I plug my Macbook Pro laptop into it and use it as a giant monitor for screening & editing with Final Cut (I'm a documentary filmmaker) and watching downloaded movies & streaming video. You can download many TV shows and movies in HD now.

It's nice to have a centralized media server / hub with the computer, and the new TVs also have networking capability - like DLNA - which allows you to wirelessly stream things from computers and Playstation/X-box and stuff (which I don't have).

So for me, it's all useful (and tax deductible.) Plus the HD stuff looks pretty amazing. Whether it's important enough for you... only you can decide.

J

Subject: Re: have you tried an over-the-air hd antenna?

prospector wrote: Have you tried an over-the-air hd antenna? ... I get all of the network channels perfectly (and the networks also broadcast some strange sub-channels like the NBC olympics channel). About the only thing I dont' pick up are the public broadcasting channels in the 20s (channel 13 comes in perfectly though). The picture is actually better than most cable HDTV signals because it is not compressed. Of course, the reception will vary depending on how your home is situated...

I don't have an over-the-air HD antenna, nor am I a cable subscriber. I 've just plugged the cable coming out of the wall into my TV and gotten the channels that Prospector described. HD Networks and their weird sub channels and the public channels etc, but as of yesterday I lost all the HD and sub channels. Anybody well versed enough on the subject to explain where the other channels went?

That's a possibility. Since I don't pay for cable, is there still a cable company associated with my service or would the landlord have put the antenna up there and somehow connected it to the cabling throughout the house?

Part of that question is, do I call a cable company or my landlord?

Cablevision sent a tech around last week to cut the coaxial cable feed that was left when my tenants moved out. So even though the cable box is gone, and all you can get from the coaxial feed if you plug into a tv are the "free" channels - Cablevision still wants to cut the line.

The tech explained that its because of potential feedback problems that can screw up your neighbors recpetion or internet access.

Seemed so petty - they already fed the damn line from their pole and through the backyard and snaked up 4 stories and punched it through the wall - just leave the damn thing.

But you need to get your "free" channels via indoor/outdoor hdtv antenna.