50% Of HDTV Owners Dont Use HD

[ralfyguy]

FWIW, I'm one of the people who has the means but doesn't watch HD.

I bought a 61" HD-ready TV in Feb 2004 and was looking for an E* 921 at that time. No one in my area had a 921 or had even heard of a 921--I was informing the dealers. It was at about that time that I discovered this site and others and started reading about the 921, which made me decide to wait.

The 942 was announced and I hoped to lease one. No lease has yet been announced for current customers.

Haven't purchased a 942 due to price (including installation of receiver and new/second dish) and all the questions about MPEG4 and other compression systems.

I purchased an Accurian HD receiver from Radio Shack a month or two back (hey, even the remote works on mine ), but I love my DVRs so much, I haven't the patience to bother with live shows. Plus, I only get ABC, Fox and PBS OTA. Signal strength isn't great, but I wasn't impressed--I think more tweaking is required, and as I said, without a DVR, I hardly watch it anyway.

Haven't tried for the lease deal on a 942 from E* (I think I'd be eligible--without knowing exactly what makes one eligible or not ) due to hesitation on increasing my monthly bill ($10 HD pack, $5 VOOM channels, $5 DVR fee). I guess it's just not a priority for me.

If I watched HD somewhere else, perhaps that would change, but I don't know anyone locally who does have HD. If I do know people with HD, they apparently aren't so pleased they want to tell others. As it is, I'm extremely content with my 721 and 508.

What signal strength level is required for the Accurian receiver to lock to a channel?
My old voOm box requires at least 80.

 

[Barry Erick]

On our street, there are 5 houses. 3 of those have HD sets and view HD. Of course, none of the other 2 knew how to get it, but were sold once they saw mine.

 

[destrada]

I have HD thru Dish and OTA. I have a friend who has an HD ready set but has only basic cable. He said he wasn't looking for an HD set when he was looking for a new TV. He was just looking at getting a bigger TV(I think 46"). He just happened to get one that was HD ready. He's happy with it even though he sees mine and is amazed at the PQ.

 

[caam1]

I bought a HD capable front projector about three years ago, and couldn't imagine not having a way to watch HD on it, so I bought a HD OTA box at the same time. I work as a video engineer and always wanted a way to watch TV at home with close to the same quality as a control room monitor. My wife was always a big fan of crime shows, but I hardly ever watched them. I started watching them just because they were in HD. Now we watch about three hours every evening, 100% of it in HD (we don't like reality shows, etc. that are in SD only). It helped that we are in a top 10 market where the major network stations were some of the first in the country on the air with HD. Since then we have added a model 6000, two 811s, and two additional HD displays.

I think the reason that a lot of people with HD capable TVs don't watch HD programming, is because they are totally confused about what they need and how to connect it. They don't know the difference between 480P, 1080i, DVI, HDMI, composite video, etc. and a lot of the sales people in some stores don't have a clue either. I have a brother-in-law that bought a 65" TV with HD built-in. He wasn't sure what kind of antenna to buy, so the salesman sold him a fancy amplified indoor antenna, which he laid on the floor behind the TV (the cable wouldn't reach to the top of the TV). The reception was so bad that the picture broke up every time someone walked around the room. He then used the TV only to watch DVDs and SD satellite connected to the RF input. He then got an 811, but connected it to an input on the TV that was labeled 480p (the TV had a component input labeled 1080i and a DVI input, but he didn't know what those were for). He began to wonder why the picture on the HD channels didn't look much different than the SD channels. He finally called me to look at his TV because he wasn't sure if it was working right. I put up an outdoor OTA antenna (the antenna and everything needed to install it was less than $75 at RadioShack). I also connected his 811 to the 1080i inputs on the TV and got an optical cable to connect the audio to his surround receiver (he only had it connected with RCA cables). Now he is amazed at how good the picture and sound quality is.

I wonder how many other people are confused by the terminology and the options to get HDTV, that they just don't bother with it. Also a lot of people have no knowledge of the channels and programs that are available in HD. A lot of the sales people in some stores don't bother to explain to people how to actually get HD programming on the HD TVs that they buy.

 

[tonyp56]

In all honesty, I don't watch HD on my HDTV because there isn't anything available that is worth a damn! I had Dish's HD pak for over a year, didn't watch it, cause of nothing on, I still use my 811 to tune in OTA HD, however, not very much is in HD. I'm waiting for the time when I have more to choose from when it comes to HD.

 

[Anole]

12...12...12...

I think this guy's on the right track:

I wonder how many other people are confused by the terminology and the options to get HDTV, that they just don't bother with it.
Also a lot of people have no knowledge of the channels and programs that are available in HD.
A lot of the sales people in some stores don't bother to explain to people how to actually get HD programming on the HD TVs that they buy.

The job of sales people, is to sell you something.
Not explain it to you...(beyond what it takes to get the sale).
If Sears/Fry's/BestBuy/etc has two sales people, and one sells an HD set per month, and the other sells three a week, which one now flips burgers at MacDonalds?

But this is economics, not sales-bashing.
The great unwashed masses are not super technical.
How many years went by with VCRs flashing 12...12...12..., before the manufacturers built in an auto-set feature?
The TVs need to come with HD tuners, and be easily configured.
Maybe a little LED that flashes when you tune to an HD channel?
Check back in 10 years.

 

[SimpleSimon]

The TVs need to come with HD tuners

I agree with everything you said - EXCEPT what I quoted.

Look at the price difference between sets with an ATSC tuner and those without.

I certainly don't need, and can't use ATSC, and I'm not alone (I'm one of the millions that got this whole satellite TV thing going in the first place - no OTA).

And it's not just people like me. If you've got an HD satellite receiver, you've got your ATSC tuner there. If you've got a HD digital cable box, again, you don't need ATSC.

 

[Sarang]

I am planning on getting a larger unit with HD builtin but have no plans, for awhile at least, to bother on getting HD programming thru Dish. I will watch OTA HD if possible and will wait, years if necessary, to get the programming thru Dish. Too many problems it seems and until the providers get their act together why waste the time or money. When the MLB package becomes totally HD then it will be great, not to many programs worth watching or paying extra for. I want a good picture ith good reception, I don't care if it is SD or HD. Work out all the bug and the situation with the recievers then I will consider it. Anything new which I consider a Beta version is worthless until proven otherwise.

May I suggest buying a CRT HD to hold you over for the time being till SED's, i.e. CRT's supposed picture quality replacement, become affordable. Seriously good things have been heard about them and that's going to be my next TV purchase, granted I want a big screen but I won't sacrifice picture quality for it.
Tony I couldn't have said it better myself in terms of the lack of HD content which is why for the time being one country that has been broadcasting in HD for YEARS now I'd like to see programming from subtitled as well as another which may be doing it somewhat but not as common. I am speaking of Korea and Japan and would not be surprised if the HD programming is DECENT there or am at least hoping.

 

[Charise]

What signal strength level is required for the Accurian receiver to lock to a channel?
My old voOm box requires at least 80.

I get locks at 76. The signal strength fluctuates between 76 and 49. If I lose the lock, strength drops to 49.

I haven't even turned it on in weeks.

 

[Prometheus23]

This statement still amazes me! I would rather watch penguins rolling around in the snow or cows grazing in a field in HD then the big game or Debbie Does Dallas in poor PQ!!! Well maybe not Debbie Does Dallas!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Look at the price difference between sets with an ATSC tuner and those without.

This difference is essentially zero now. TVs with the integrated tuner are selling for less than last year's models were without the tuner.

There may be a difference on direct-view sets, but DLP and LCD rear projection have no cost penalty for including the tuner. That is, once you throw discontinued, clearance last year model sets that don't have tuners out of the comparison.

A year ago a Panasonic 43" LCD RP w/o tuner was selling at BB for $2100. Last week the new 44" Panasonic LCR RP w/intergated tuner was selling for $1700.

Now that the R&D has been recovered on these tuner circuits, it costs very little for them to be included during the manufacturing process. I've read that including the tuner adds about $20 to the manufacturing cost of a HDTV set.

 

[Anole]

This statement still amazes me!
I would rather watch penguins rolling around in the snow or cows grazing in a field in HD then the big game or Debbie Does Dallas in poor PQ!!!
Well maybe not Debbie Does Dallas!

I'm not sure which side of the issue the writer is poking fun at...
...whichever way you take it, it's funny.
I just hope we can all agree on one thing: fresh material is best, regardless.
You can only watch the cute bunnies, the silly penguins, or even the big game just so many times!
And after that limit, even Debbie gets boring.

So, if there's nothing new on HD, how 'bout a little SD?
Or is it a drug... much like the PVR... once you've had it, there's no going back?


merry xmas