How will HDTV turnover change things?

[mdovell]

The date of 2/17/2009 has been set and I'm wondering how it would effect everything. I mean there is some HDTV on FTA but most of the stations I see at least on the domestic side are not yet in hd.

Not everything on FTA is local OTA channels (naturally since it means we wouldn't get nearly as much) so the non domestic side I don't think would be changed.

Basically what I'm saying is are there any hd receivers or any upgradable (HDMI ?) that can adjust to the change. IIt would be annoying to pick a setup only to get a whole new receiver in a few years.

 

[gizzer777]

Another problem

The date of 2/17/2009 has been set and I'm wondering how it would effect everything. I mean there is some HDTV on FTA but most of the stations I see at least on the domestic side are not yet in hd.
Not everything on FTA is local OTA channels (naturally since it means we wouldn't get nearly as much) so the non domestic side I don't think would be changed.
Basically what I'm saying is are there any hd receivers or any upgradable (HDMI ?) that can adjust to the change. IIt would be annoying to pick a setup only to get a whole new receiver in a few years.

the current HDMI is due for a MAJOR change this year (HDMI2) including an entirely different connector! What a nightmare! (all my HT stuff is HDMI 1.0 and I am sure adaptors will have to come to pass!
Jeff

 

[djnrg787]

well i think thats part of all the confusion, i guess they moved the date again from end of 2006. but anyways they arent converting to hdtv just to digital technology which is what most of all the fta stuff is now. the hdtv is in place to make the digital picture even more crisp for people that apply. so i wouldnt worry about that im not sure where "everything will be hd" is coming from but i see that alot. the fcc needs a better website and make it easy for people not understanding the big switch.

 

[gizzer777]

confusion...How about a disaster

well i think thats part of all the confusion, i guess they moved the date again from end of 2006. but anyways they arent converting to hdtv just to digital technology which is what most of all the fta stuff is now. the hdtv is in place to make the digital picture even more crisp for people that apply. so i wouldnt worry about that im not sure where "everything will be hd" is coming from but i see that alot. the fcc needs a better website and make it easy for people not understanding the big switch.

This is just like most things the authorities do with things they don't research properly.. The entire HDMI/HDCP stuff is a mess and a waste of time...HDMI was poorly thought out when they decided it could only carry 2 ch stereo w/ video! My new Plasma HDTV and Pioneer Elite receiver and DVD are HDMI 1.0...no chance I will be upgrading in less than 5 yrs! Spent too much as it is!

I for one will not put another penny in until it is sorted out! Just like the Blu ray/HD DVD battle...No thanks....been there done that with Beta/VHS...Of course I bought the beta!! <grin> Where blockbuster goes will more than likely determine who wins that one!

I adopted DVD early and could not get anything to watch for rental for 3 yrs after that!

 

[mdovell]

I for one will not put another penny in until it is sorted out! Just like the Blu ray/HD DVD battle...No thanks....been there done that with Beta/VHS...Of course I bought the beta!! <grin> Where blockbuster goes will more than likely determine who wins that one!
I adopted DVD early and could not get anything to watch for rental for 3 yrs after that!

There's an old saying "The first settlers always get arrows!"

I know what you mean I used to be the type that always wanted and bought the latest and greatest things. Now I've just learned to wait. Waiting means the price goes down and I can let someone else deal with any bugs

Even little things add up. I waited one year to get a video game it went down from $50 to $30. Computer software drops like a rock. I got my pvr used...no subscription $ needed vs a tivo it's paid for itself in 16 months...

 

[digiblur]

The date of 2/17/2009 has been set and I'm wondering how it would effect everything. I mean there is some HDTV on FTA but most of the stations I see at least on the domestic side are not yet in hd.
Not everything on FTA is local OTA channels (naturally since it means we wouldn't get nearly as much) so the non domestic side I don't think would be changed.
Basically what I'm saying is are there any hd receivers or any upgradable (HDMI ?) that can adjust to the change. IIt would be annoying to pick a setup only to get a whole new receiver in a few years.

Actually the largest confusion is the analog to digital conversion has nothing to do with HD, it also has nothing to do with paid satellite and FTA satellite, and it has nothing to do with cable TV systems. In a nutshell basically an OTA carrier must change its signal from analog to digital. If they decided to run one SD channel in the 19 megabit ATSC stream so be it, it is their choice.

 

[gizzer777]

Actually the largest confusion is the analog to digital conversion has nothing to do with HD, it also has nothing to do with paid satellite and FTA satellite, and it has nothing to do with cable TV systems. In a nutshell basically an OTA carrier must change its signal from analog to digital. If they decided to run one SD channel in the 19 megabit ATSC stream so be it, it is their choice.

yep...A few of the networks (really backwards in RENO) are transmitting SD stuff digital (and calling it HD)
Actually on a large screen, I will take FTA PQ (on a lot of channels) 0ver that OTA except with PBS OTA...HD!

The Viewsat Extreme does well outputting a good signal thru Component VIDEO Outs, left the setup stay with the component cables connected.

Then everything is upconverted to 720P by the TV! NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST PART 43. Looks pretty good though...(good Line doubler in the Plasma!!)

I add that many FTA channels have an excellent Picture on a large screen HDTV...It is not easy to get good PQ from SD on an HDTV in many cases. That is why EDTV usually looks so good....Less Pixels to fill! Of course Analog FTA HDtv looks superb as well!
Jeff

 

[Tron]

I add that many FTA channels have an excellent Picture on a large screen HDTV...It is not easy to get good PQ from SD on an HDTV in many cases. That is why EDTV usually looks so good....Less Pixels to fill! Of course Analog FTA HDtv looks superb as well!
Jeff

Exactly... and why SD broadcast television looks so poor on a PC display. The increased resolution reveals the flaws in the lower definition image.

As for OTA DTV, I would prefer two or three high bitrate SD streams to six low bitrate ones. MPEG artifacts can really show up on high definition monitors!

 

[OldPhart]

There's an old saying "The first settlers always get arrows!"

I know what you mean I used to be the type that always wanted and bought the latest and greatest things. Now I've just learned to wait. Waiting means the price goes down and I can let someone else deal with any bugs

Even little things add up. I waited one year to get a video game it went down from $50 to $30. Computer software drops like a rock. I got my pvr used...no subscription $ needed vs a tivo it's paid for itself in 16 months...

I'm with you, I've got a closet full of the T-Shirts (been there, done that, got the...) over the years! Pacitence and experience over the flash and bang / smoke and mirrors... of the latest thing. I no longer get the deer in the headlights stare when I see the latest thing.

I'm letting you guys pay the price in $$$$ and pieces of your lives for HDTV, LCD Monitors... and in 5 years or less I'll be having the enjoyment of it being new to me at 1/10th the price and 10X the reliability of today. But I won't be in the new and improved clique now or ever again, no problems, I've been pretty much a loner all my life. I still read books too. NASA TV, and hopefully soon several PBS channels on FTA... while I was sub'd to DTV I was mainly parked on the Learning/Discovery channels... on the internet I spend more time resaerching new interests than anything else...

In my younger days it was building, designing and flying Radio Controlled airplanes and Model then High Power Rockets... My first computer was a kit (PC Board and loose components) with a whopping 1k of memory, and on and on...

I've paid $600 for a 14" crt monitor, $350 for a 40mb hard drive, $700 for a 16mhz 286 motherboard with 1 megabyte of ram... and all of these were bargain prices at the time... now I have less than $600 in a 2.6ghz computer with whizz bang 3D grapghics and 400gb of hard drives... driving a 19" crt monitor.

I paid my dues, you guys are paying them now...

NASA employs and has access to many of the most brilliant minds in the world, and they seldom get it right the first time, so they test, test, test... Unlike NASA consumers are the Beta Testers of consumer electronics, so work out them bugs guys so I and others don't have to!

mike

 

[gizzer777]

I agree

I'm with you, I've got a closet full of the T-Shirts (been there, done that, got the...) over the years! Pacitence and experience over the flash and bang / smoke and mirrors... of the latest thing. I no longer get the deer in the headlights stare when I see the latest thing.
I'm letting you guys pay the price in $$$$ and pieces of your lives for HDTV, LCD Monitors... and in 5 years or less I'll be having the enjoyment of it being new to me at 1/10th the price and 10X the reliability of today. But I won't be in the new and improved clique now or ever again, no problems, I've been pretty much a loner all my life. I still read books too. NASA TV, and hopefully soon several PBS channels on FTA... while I was sub'd to DTV I was mainly parked on the Learning/Discovery channels... on the internet I spend more time resaerching new interests than anything else...
In my younger days it was building, designing and flying Radio Controlled airplanes and Model then High Power Rockets... My first computer was a kit (PC Board and loose components) with a whopping 1k of memory, and on and on...
I've paid $600 for a 14" crt monitor, $350 for a 40mb hard drive, $700 for a 16mhz 286 motherboard with 1 megabyte of ram... and all of these were bargain prices at the time... now I have less than $600 in a 2.6ghz computer with whizz bang 3D grapghics and 400gb of hard drives... driving a 19" crt monitor.
I paid my dues, you guys are paying them now...
NASA employs and has access to many of the most brilliant minds in the world, and they seldom get it right the first time, so they test, test, test... Unlike NASA consumers are the Beta Testers of consumer electronics, so work out them bugs guys so I and others don't have to!
mike

Agreed....The only thing that stops me is when my current stuff does not do what is needed. Then I am forced to upgrade THAT item. I also started with some pretty old computers...1st came the Timex-Sinclair yada yada.

problem is that if you wait, something will always be newer and right around the corner. I too have paid my dues and since I have a NICE DVD system...will sit on the sidelines! Luckily you can recoup some of the losses by Ebaying the older stuff you replace, while it still has some value.

I only paid $360 for a Septre 20.1 inch widescreen LCD Monitor...seemd like a good price and I am not going to cry when it goes lower and/or something better comes out...needed it so I bought it!

regards
Jeff