I LOVE HIGH DEF!!!!!!

[jumbopackage]

No not necessarily, all signal goes to Digital in 2009, which is not HD. You can buy TV's that pick up DTV but are not HD, my daughter has a ETV (Enhanced TV) that are a lot cheaper.

It's quite a bit more complicated than that. All terrestrial signals must go to ATSC by Feb 19, 2009. ATSC defines 18 different formats (resolutions). The lowest is 480i at either 4:3 or 16:9, which is roughly what you get now. The highest is 1080p. A station can broadcast any of those 18 resolutions, or any combination of them on different "sub" channels. EDTV is basically 480p, which is what most DVDs are encoded at, and is one of the formats defined by the ATSC standard.

An ATSC tuner should receive any of those formats, and, optimally, transcode it for output to whatever device you have. If you have an SDTV, it will downconvert it and output it to that TV.

The VAST majority of terrestrial stations will be broadcasting in HDTV (720p, 1080i or MAYBE 1080p) come 2009, since there is no point in not doing it.

 

[ceeboe]

Smello-Vision. That will make the games at EIU interesting with all that Marlboro smoke, Aqua Velva and B.O.

I saw an old buddy last night who is a Hawkeye fan to the bone. I asked if he got his new tickets to the state prison for next season. He got a chuckle out of it.

 

[Cypwr]

It's quite a bit more complicated than that. All terrestrial signals must go to ATSC by Feb 19, 2009. ATSC defines 18 different formats (resolutions). The lowest is 480i at either 4:3 or 16:9, which is roughly what you get now. The highest is 1080p. A station can broadcast any of those 18 resolutions, or any combination of them on different "sub" channels. EDTV is basically 480p, which is what most DVDs are encoded at, and is one of the formats defined by the ATSC standard.

An ATSC tuner should receive any of those formats, and, optimally, transcode it for output to whatever device you have. If you have an SDTV, it will downconvert it and output it to that TV.

The VAST majority of terrestrial stations will be broadcasting in HDTV (720p, 1080i or MAYBE 1080p) come 2009, since there is no point in not doing it.

I had read most of this before but did not realize there are 18 different resolutions. When I first thought about it I too thought there would be no reason for a station not to go to the higher end resolutions 720p and 1080i, which most are now, but than flipped by channel 8.2 (KCCI weather) which is only 480i. I assume it cost more to broadcast in the higher resolutions and wonder if these type of channels will stay at the lower resolution.

 

[Arkansas Cyclone]

HD actually makes (gasp) Nascar look cool.

A buddy of mine got HD and he is definitely not a Nascar fan but said he watched a whole race because he was so impressed by the picture quality.

I really want to start getting HD thru Directv but just can't get past that $300 receiver.

 

[Cypwr]

This is a little OT but I read the other night that a lady purchased a car (GM) for her son because she specifically wanted the Onstar service. The article went on about that service will go away as it is when the anolog channels go away in 02/09.

 

[clonefarmer]

We got our plasma HD television just over a year ago and even boring shows look good on it. I wouldn't go back. Any sports or live event in HD makes you feel like you are almost there. Even digital programs broadcast in 480 look much better than a conventional set. When I go over to my Dad's house and see his 5 year old 27" conventional set, I feel like my eyes are going bad.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I've been captivated more than once by a golf tournament in HD......so green, so pretty

 

[jumbopackage]

I had read most of this before but did not realize there are 18 different resolutions. When I first thought about it I too thought there would be no reason for a station not to go to the higher end resolutions 720p and 1080i, which most are now, but than flipped by channel 8.2 (KCCI weather) which is only 480i. I assume it cost more to broadcast in the higher resolutions and wonder if these type of channels will stay at the lower resolution.

8.1 and 8.2 are on the same ATSC "channel". 8.1 is in HD, and 8.2 is not. There isn't enough bandwidth in one channel to have two HD sub-channels. The content in 8.2 doesn't have to be in HD to be useful. The vast, vast, majority of the stations that have licenses will broadcast their main channel in HD, even if it's unconverted HD. Otherwise, they're just wasting bandwidth (unless they have 4 or 5 sub-channels or something).

A buddy of mine got HD and he is definitely not a Nascar fan but said he watched a whole race because he was so impressed by the picture quality.

I really want to start getting HD thru Directv but just can't get past that $300 receiver.

You can get the regular HD receiver (non-DVR) for 100 bucks. Gets all the same channels, just no DVR.

This is a little OT but I read the other night that a lady purchased a car (GM) for her son because she specifically wanted the Onstar service. The article went on about that service will go away as it is when the anolog channels go away in 02/09.

I have no idea why Onstar would be affected by the ATSC changeover. It's a satellite-based service, and satellite signals are not at all affected by the changeover.

 

[mustangwinner97]

A buddy of mine got HD and he is definitely not a Nascar fan but said he watched a whole race because he was so impressed by the picture quality.

I really want to start getting HD thru Directv but just can't get past that $300 receiver.

NASCAR on SPEEDTV and DirecTV Hotpass will be in HD starting with Speedweeks at Daytona. CAN'T WAIT

 

[Erik4Cy]

HD actually makes (gasp) Nascar look cool.

sorry, but I don't even think Fonzi himself could make Nascar look cool...or at least not boring.

I need to stop cuz I am prolly gonna make a lot of hawk fans mad if I get on my anti-nascar, anti-chewin' tobacco, anti-trailor park, etc. rants...

so I'll just add that HD is VERY nice and I can't play video games without it anymore, thank god for the 360!! As fas as movies or TV, it is very nice to have, but not essential. I think any discussion here will be confined to that HD is not necessary, but its still cool. I don't think anyone will say that HD sucks.

 

[tyrelrobert]

When I first got my HD set up two years ago the very first game I saw on it was the ISU-KU game at Hilton! Ever since I have loved it!!

 

[dmclone]

For the people that say that HD is not that big of deal, I wold guess that you have small TV's. I have a 19" and it's no big deal but on my 100" SD is almost unwatchable.

 

[CYCLONE STATE]

Once you go hi-def you'll never go back.

 

[jumbopackage]

For the people that say that HD is not that big of deal, I wold guess that you have small TV's. I have a 19" and it's no big deal but on my 100" SD is almost unwatchable.

I don't have a room in my house that a 100" screen would work in. I might be able to fit it, but I wouldn't be able to watch it.

I would contend that people who insist that HDTV is necessary have TVs that are wayyyyy too big for the rooms they are located in.

For a 100" TV, the optimum viewing distance is probably 15'+.

For most people, and most rooms, anything bigger than 50" or so is probably way too big.

 

[ajk4st8]

I would like to thank Mediacom for the 5 week wait to get HDTV.

Maybe I will have it for spring training :/

 

[jumbopackage]

I just scored a free HD-DVR upgrade from DirecTV!

I ordered NASCAR hotpass last year for the g/f (she's a big fan), and this year they are going to be doing it all in MPEG-4, so I'd need a new receiver. They sent an e-mail that said I could get a free upgrade, so I called and sure enough, a free HR21. I didn't bring up that I had chosen not to renew it for this year. Sa-weet!

At any rate, Hotpass only costs like 75 bucks, so if they would upgrade your receiver (300 bucks worth) for 75 bucks, it would be worth it. I'M TALKING TO YOU BRIANHOS.

 

[dmclone]

I don't have a room in my house that a 100" screen would work in. I might be able to fit it, but I wouldn't be able to watch it.

I would contend that people who insist that HDTV is necessary have TVs that are wayyyyy too big for the rooms they are located in.

For a 100" TV, the optimum viewing distance is probably 15'+.

For most people, and most rooms, anything bigger than 50" or so is probably way too big.

That's why you build a theater in the basement. My couch is 14 feet from the screen which is the perfect distance for my size screen

I would guess that most people that put in projectors do it the right way but you're probably right that a lot of those 60" big screens are probably in too small of rooms. I have a 36" Sony HD in our living room and 80%of the time I watch that.

 

[AirWalke]

You may not see the importance of HD now, but once you go HD, you will never, ever go back. Don't kid yourself if you don't want to "see the pores on someone's face"... watching football in HD is like sitting up in the press box with a set of binoculars, except without the eye strain.

 

[jumbopackage]

You may not see the importance of HD now, but once you go HD, you will never, ever go back. Don't kid yourself if you don't want to "see the pores on someone's face"... watching football in HD is like sitting up in the press box with a set of binoculars, except without the eye strain.

I totally agree that it's way, way better. I can watch a game in SD, though, and still enjoy it just as much.

HD makes it prettier, but the picture isn't what makes the game exciting.

 

[ISU_Alum_2000]

This is a little OT but I read the other night that a lady purchased a car (GM) for her son because she specifically wanted the Onstar service. The article went on about that service will go away as it is when the anolog channels go away in 02/09.

Not true. My dad has an Envoy with OnStar service, and he had to take it to the dealer to have the OnStar receiver replaced/reprogrammed to receive the digital signal. The service is not ending.

Ok, back to talking about how much HD rules....