New HDTV in the near future-questions!

[JUC]

Hi all, I am about ready to take the plunge and purchase a HDTV. I am leaning towards a 32" LCD over a Plasma (if you think I should go Plasma please chime in with reasons!). Here's the dilemma. I am worried about how my picture quality will be (isn't everyone!!). I do have DirecTV so my source will be good. I do not plan at this time to purchase their HDTV programming (but may in the future once additional channels are supported). So, I will be spending lots of money on a HDTV but will mostly be using it for SDTV content provided by DirecTV. No OTA options either. I know that if I went with a bigger HDTV the quality may be noticeably worse but how about on a 32". Anyone else out there driving 32" LCD's without HDTV programming? Any help, recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks
JUC

[JasonJoel]

I have a 27" LCD I mainly use SDTV for...


And I can say it looks a LOT worse than you would think. Can you get used to it? Sure. But will you ever be as happy with it as a SD analog TV? No.

It does help that you will have DirecTV. But it will still be noticeable.

Jason

Originally Posted by JUC

Hi all, I am about ready to take the plunge and purchase a HDTV. I am leaning towards a 32" LCD over a Plasma (if you think I should go Plasma please chime in with reasons!). Here's the dilemma. I am worried about how my picture quality will be (isn't everyone!!). I do have DirecTV so my source will be good. I do not plan at this time to purchase their HDTV programming (but may in the future once additional channels are supported). So, I will be spending lots of money on a HDTV but will mostly be using it for SDTV content provided by DirecTV. No OTA options either. I know that if I went with a bigger HDTV the quality may be noticeably worse but how about on a 32". Anyone else out there driving 32" LCD's without HDTV programming? Any help, recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks
JUC

[Naylia]

Well, spend some time over at AVS Forums and you'll see that the general consesnus seems to be that you will get a better picture with plasma...problem is with plasma you have to go with a 50" to get square pixels (vs. those darned rectangular ones).

But to be honest, I'd stick that money in the bank and grow it some more and wait until you have at least some HD content before purchasing. Get an XBox360 to use with it or do you do a lot of other stuff on your PC that would justify it?

[JUC]

damn....any advantages with Plasma's? What about forgetting the HDTV's and going for an EDTV---I could then get a 42" Plasma EDTV--would the picture quality improve with that? May not be futureproof but maybe give me a better picture quality today. I don't know. I just want a bigger TV with good quality. What is everyone doing? My 24" 7yo RCA piece of junk with coaxial input just isn't cutting it anymore.
Thanks
JUC

edit, didn't see the previous post....no, I want a bigger TV today!! no waiting.

[cummings66]

I agree that SD on an HD display will look much worse than you would expect it to. Now if your display isn't a true HD display it might look pretty good.

It doesn't matter if it's plasma or LCD or DLP. SD content just looks worse on a display that can show you the details.

You will get used to it however.

[JUC]

so maybe an EDTV might give better picture quality for SD content?

[paulbeers]

If you are really serious about upgrading now, I would not recommend buying EDTV unless you have money just floating around and don't care about throwing this tv out in the near future. If you are going to spend the money, they buy an HDTV and deal with the limited picture quality of SD on HDTV (it isn't that it is SDTV on an HDTV television that is the problem, it is that SDTV is just so low res on ANY big tv it is not going to show you the quality you want). Big televisions are what is pushing HDTV. The picture just doesn't look nice on any big tv unless it is higher res. The example I like to give, is I have a travel 9" screen. It looks crystal clear due to the small size it really compacts the pixels. If you compare that to my 27 SDTV, the image actually looks worse because now those pixels are much more spread out. Buy HDTV if you are going to buy LCD or DLP or Plasma. You will be unhappy in about a year or two when you make the HDTV plunge and your image does not live up to what you want if you buy EDTV.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by JUC

so maybe an EDTV might give better picture quality for SD content?

Probably not, see with an SDTV, the interlaced nature of the display (including broad beam size, overlapping beams, low resolving power) mask most of the problems of SD, thus you can't tell how bad it is.

Now with a "digital" display (HD or ED) it can fully resolve every pixels sent to it (for SD at least) thus you can plainly see all the deficiencies.

Now with what little I've seen of DTV, it should look pretty good, it shouldn't be noisy or fuzzy, but it will look rather soft.

My advice to you would be to invest in a Geforce 6 series, and the nVidia "PureVideo" decoders, as you'll want the best deinterlacing you can get.

As for display choice, about the only advantage of a Plasma is the size, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You could get a nice DLP for pretty cheap these days. Plus they're much more PC friendly than a CRT (which run 1080i).

[JUC]

well, any idea on the time frame to get most programming in HD? If it is a few years out for DTV--then by the time that comes around, i can purchase another HDTV when that comes and move the one I purchase now to my bedroom or something. If its more like next year, then obviously I woudn't want to waste my money. Anyone use a larger EDTV set--how's the quality?
Thanks
JUC

[JUC]

okay, what about if I wasn't using a computer for this--so it removes the interlacing/deinterllacing issues---just hooking it up directly from DTV to the TV?

[night]

watching regular tv on a monitor is some ugly sh*t.
and plasma is a limited life and can burn in

[JasonJoel]

To be honest, if it were me, I would get a CRT based HDTV if I were you. That is unless you REALLY need the space recudtion a digital will give you.

You get very good SD picture, and a darn good HDTV picture in the future. The only think you really give up is a little HD clarity (not much if you look at a DLP/LCD/Plasma versus CRT side by side) and the size/weight.

Think about it...

Jason

[JUC]

unfortunately, size does matter! My wife has only given me "permiission" to purchase a Plasma/LCD. I think the DLP's are too expensive for me right now.
JUC

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by JUC

well, any idea on the time frame to get most programming in HD? If it is a few years out for DTV--then by the time that comes around, i can purchase another HDTV when that comes and move the one I purchase now to my bedroom or something. If its more like next year, then obviously I woudn't want to waste my money.

It will be years, lots of stuff (pre-HD era shows) will never be HD, but right now, most new shows, especially those on the larger networks, are HD.

Anyone use a larger EDTV set--how's the quality?
Thanks
JUC

The bigger you go, the more pixels you need regardless of your source. I'd say if you get into the 40"+ size range you'll need at least 480p (scanlines are horrible) and probably want at least 720p.

okay, what about if I wasn't using a computer for this--so it removes the interlacing/deinterllacing issues---just hooking it up directly from DTV to the TV?

It doesn't eliminate the issues, it just forces them upon the TV, you still need good deinterlacing.

[White94Cobra]

Originally Posted by JUC

unfortunately, size does matter! My wife has only given me "permiission" to purchase a Plasma/LCD. I think the DLP's are too expensive for me right now.
JUC

Aren't DLP's typically less expensive than Plasma or LCD? I've been considering a DLP simply because I could get a 55"+ DLP for the price of a 42" Plasma. I'm waiting for the 1080p Samsung DLP to become widely available.

OK... I'm actually waiting for my wife to give in, but it sounds better to say I'm waiting for a new product.

In the mean time I've moved my Fusion 5 card to my main PC, installed MCE 2005, and am "enjoying" our one local HD channel on my 20" LCD.

[esubramanian]

Originally Posted by White94Cobra

Aren't DLP's typically less expensive than Plasma or LCD? I've been considering a DLP simply because I could get a 55"+ DLP for the price of a 42" Plasma. I'm waiting for the 1080p Samsung DLP to become widely available.

OK... I'm actually waiting for my wife to give in, but it sounds better to say I'm waiting for a new product.

In the mean time I've moved my Fusion 5 card to my main PC, installed MCE 2005, and am "enjoying" our one local HD channel on my 20" LCD.

I recently purchased a 61" Samsung DLP (1080p resolution). I watch it from about 13 feet. HD looks stunning and so does the computer. SD does not look so good when compared to HD, but it is not that bad. The SD is watchable, but if you compare to the 27" CRT that I had before, it does look bad. But, I am pretty sure you can live with it. DVD looks great too.

[blade]

You guys must be far pickier than I am. I have a 57" hitachi HDTV and SD content doesn't look all that bad on it to me. When I first set it up the picture was awful, but with a lot of tweaking it now looks ok. It looks much better than my old 32" and 52" SDTV's ever did.

Maybe you can find a store that will actually let you view the TV's with a SDTV signal instead of a HDTV so you can see for yourself what to expect?

[Kanati]

I got my 62" Mitsubishi DLP for 2400... SD is watchable on sage but it's noticably worse than coming directly out of the dish network box. With a plasma it's basically throw-away when it's done... With LCD (rear projection anyway), you replace a bulb every year or two and bang... it's brand new again. It's more maintenance obviously (filter needs replacing or cleaning occasionally too, and the mirrors might still need cleaning every couple of years) but it should last you a good 10-15 years if you need it too. Flat panel LCD's are a bit different... they aren't going to be as "vivid" as a plasma, but they'll probably last longer...

One thing to note about plasmas if you get one... get one that allows you to dim it... Dimming it will increase the life expectancy of the unit greatly.

EDTV... While researching my purchase, I ran into a few EDTV units that had amazing pictures. If I saw it and didn't look close I'd have swore they were HD units. There was even a hitachi (if I remember correctly) that I spent five minutes in the showroom thinking "why the hell is that unit so much cheaper!?" before I actually used my brain and read the tag that said "EDTV".

If you are looking budget but want a better than average picture and are willing to wait for more HD content... EDTV might be worth looking into.

AAAAAaaaaaaand finally... Dish network bought Voom and they have quite a decent HD lineup. It could certainly be better, but they are planning on adding another 10-20 channels late this year or early next year I've been told too...

[Kanati]

I recently purchased a 61" Samsung DLP (1080p resolution).

I was looking at those and decided against it because of the premium price and because they are 1080p capable but right now they just upscale (or deinterlace)... They can't actually accept a 1080p signal (not that there's any 1080p content out there yet any way.)

Can you tell a significant difference between regular 1080i and the deinterlaced 1080p?

[paulbeers]

Whether you buy DLP, Plasma, LCD, or CRT.....


THE BIGGER THE TV, THE WORSE THE SDTV WILL LOOK.


Accept that as fact. We can all agree. Whether you use deinterlacing/interlacing on your vid card, or you hook your dtv right up to the tv, it will not look as nice as your 24" (unless that t.v. was crap to begin with then that is a whole other ball of wax). Buy HD or at least HDTV ready....EDTV as I said before will just leave you pissed off at yourself in a couple years. Two reasons:

1. FCC has now set 2010 as when all broadcast should be in HD (that of course could change like the 2006 deadline)
2. Even if you never watch broadcast/cable HDTV, HD DVD or Blu-Ray DVD is right around the corner and that is in high def format and your EDTV/SDTV will not take advantage.

PLEASE do not throw your money away on an EDTV plasma. Please spend the money and buy at least an HDTV ready television.

If you are just looking for a chepa 27" television or whatever, fine go buy SDTV and upgrade down the line, but if you are going to spend any real money, do it right! Remember this moto:

You get what you pay for.

I have screwed myself toooooooo many times!

Oh and for true expandability I highly recommend an HDMI or DVD port for future expansion.

Sorry the way this post is coming off, I just don't want you to be upset at yourself down the line!