Is my TV HDTV ready?

[Vamp]

I was always under the impression that HDTV was a standard of harware, like LCD or Plasma now that I've realized it's a broadcast signal, I'm wondering if all TV's will be able to display it? from an old CRT to a modern Flatron?

about four years ago my parents got a very large screen LG Digital Flatron Rear Projection TV is there any way of know if this will be able to utilize HDTV properly?

[lynx]

A Digital TV receiver may be capable of handling the HDTV signal, new ones should, older ones may not.

Even if your DTV receiver can handle the signal, unless your hardware is capable of displaying the extra information (and with 4 yr old rear projection that's unlikely) you won't see any improvement.

[Vamp]

Is the difference very, very noticeable though?

[Virtualbody1234]

Yes it's very noticeable.

What model is their LG?

[Vamp]

Not sure, will check...Not such a bother now seeing as South Africa is only expected to be fully HDTV by 2010 :P But in terms of running consoles, would Xbox360 look a ton better on an HDTV TV? What can the quality of broadcast television be compared to?

[Seedler]

Not sure, will check...Not such a bother now seeing as South Africa is only expected to be fully HDTV by 2010 :P But in terms of running consoles, would Xbox360 look a ton better on an HDTV TV? What can the quality of broadcast television be compared to?

Yes, you shouldn't buy a xbox360 if you don't own a hdtv already.

[Vamp]

That much of a difference? :(

I run my PS2 and Xbox360 through an older CRT and it really looks playable...Thaaaat much of a difference? :P

[mr. nails]

a tv is a tv. get a hdtv if u have the money. if not, don't worry.

[cpt_azad]

HDTV is a world of difference, mix that with digital audio (optical if possible) and your in for a hell of a ride.

[Busyman™]

That much of a difference? :(

I run my PS2 and Xbox360 through an older CRT and it really looks playable...Thaaaat much of a difference? :P
Hell yes. I remember playing a simple game of Condemned on my friend's LCD HDTV and was stunning.

You see more of difference in a bigger screen than a smaller one. I've had an HDTV since the end of '04 and prices are still going down. I paid $2200 for a 65" Mitsubishi. On Black Friday I've seen a 55" for $800 although that was an Akai. I only knew them as a company that made mini home stereos before.:unsure:

With an HDTV and, as azad said, digital audio, you basically have a movie theater at home. Watching simple TV shows and sporting events are now 10 times better.

I previously never wanted a TV in my livingroom but if I can get a flat screen for a decent price I'd put one in there. I could put a recording of Sunrise Earth off Discovery Channel on there and it'd be like a moving painting.:D

Also check your connections on the back of the TV and see if you have a HDMI or DVI connection. I hooked my STB up using the HDMI connection and it made my HD picture look better. Otherwise you should have component connections back there if it's an HDTV (I think Y Pb Pr). HDMI carries audio and video. DVI is video only.

[cpt_azad]

Ya, as busyman pointed out, try to get a HDTV that has HDMI since that is truly next gen, and since all tv's these days have component you're good to go.

The 32" I have in my room is just sweet, I got it for 875 after tax (Canadian :D) and it has everything built in, just remember this, brandname (unless it's a sony vega) is just money money and more money.

Mine is a Prima LCD, and it has the exact same features as a Sony 32", I'm talking exact 1:1 features...the sony one costs 2000 dollars.

Basically what I'm saying is, don't always think "recognized brand name = better quality" because it truly isn't, do extensive research before buying, I did and I'm glad.

And another thing, if you find the TV that you're looking for, don't buy it right away, be patient. The TV I bought retails at 1299.99, just waited a while till a sale came along, and the price dropped to 1000. Waited another 2 weeks and it dropped to 750ish (can't remember what it exactly was), I went there at 10 am in the monrning and there were only 2 left lol.

If you have the budget, go with DLP, if not go with LCD. Stay away from Plasma, it might be great, but the problems outweigh the aesthetics of it. Like I said, do your research ahead of time.

[Vamp]

So if I were buying a new TV, how would I know if it would support HDTV? What would be better? How much of American/Canadian TV is broadcast in HD to make use of it though? I know that there's nothing here yet so I'd only be using it for console gaming...Or can you display normal TV in High Def?

[lynx]

If you want a tv which supports all the formats at optimum clarity you should look for one with 1920x1080 resolution.

Lower resolutions will work, and it depends on what you like to watch. For instance, sports are likely to be broadcast at lower resolutions (probably 1280x720) but higher frame rates. If you mainly watch sports this resolution would probably be good enough for you.

On the other hand if you watch a lot of movies then you need the higher resolution, but that won't improve the resolution on sports programs which are transmitted at the lower resolution.

You can display normal tv on a high def screen, but since the information isn't there you obviously can't get any improvement on the picture.

[cpt_azad]

So if I were buying a new TV, how would I know if it would support HDTV? What would be better?
Simple, ask before you buy, and always always use the single greatest tool at your disposal, the internet. Do your research extensively before buying as I pointed out before, you're going to be making at least a thousand dollar investment. Almost all (I say almost because I am not 100% sure) LCD TV's support HDTV, and come with component+HDMI+DVI inputs. Same with Plasma's (but do not buy this, too many problems for console gaming and even normal HDTV broadcasts, unless you plan on sitting quiet a distance from it) and DLP's.


How much of American/Canadian TV is broadcast in HD to make use of it though? I know that there's nothing here yet so I'd only be using it for console gaming...Or can you display normal TV in High Def?
Not much, but as the years progress, so do the standards of broadcasting, best to set yourself up now then later on, albeit prices will most likely be lower in the future, it's all relative really, do you really want a HDTV now or later? That's a question only you can answer.

You can watch normal TV on HDTV no problem, but it won't be displayed in Hidef, most likely in 480p.

Also be warned, most DVD's are 480p, the newers ones are 720p and up, and if you have a DVD player make sure it supports progressive scan and utilizes 720p and up.

I use my HDTV as my computer monitor, 360 display, and normal TV. Just make sure of two things:

1) Depending on screen size, how far you're going to be sitting away from it
2) Whether or not you're going to be using a digital cable box/receiver for normal TV viewing.

Best to go with a receiver (digital cable/satellite), since it is digital to begin with.

[Vamp]

Now can TV broadcast in HDTV be displayed (although of course not in the best quality) on a standard TV, or will an upgrade become necassary eventually?

[lynx]

Once HDTV starts to get hold here in the UK, I'm probably going to get something like this (http://www.acer.co.uk/acereuro/page4.do?dau22.oid=14082&UserCtxParam=0&GroupCtxParam=0&dctx1=17&CountryISOCtxParam=UK&LanguageISOCtxParam=en&crc=861929139).

Prices should come down once HDTV really takes off, and that model not only has the highest quality display, but also directly handles streaming divx/mpeg/wmv from your pc (and probably the internet). Not available in the US yet though. :P

[cpt_azad]

Once HDTV starts to get hold here in the UK, I'm probably going to get something like this (http://www.acer.co.uk/acereuro/page4.do?dau22.oid=14082&UserCtxParam=0&GroupCtxParam=0&dctx1=17&CountryISOCtxParam=UK&LanguageISOCtxParam=en&crc=861929139).

Prices should come down once HDTV really takes off, and that model not only has the highest quality display, but also directly handles streaming divx/mpeg/wmv from your pc (and probably the internet). Not available in the US yet though. :P

Wow, that's awesome. I had the Acer 19" widescrenn LCD computer monitor for a while, it was the best damn computer monitor that I've owned up until now (but then again what I have now is not a computer monitor...). If it becomes available to Canadians (shipping), then I might just buy that and sell what I have now.

37" > 32"

Not to mention the quality.

[Vamp]

So whats the difference between HDMI, DVI and HDTV?

Is HDTV the signal and HDMI/DVI is the way it converts it into video (and in HDMI's case, audio?) HDMI looks a like a flat connector though, while DVI is three component cables right?

If I got an HDMI (Do you get TVs with both DVI and HDMI?) HDTV ready TV, how would I connect my DVD Player, Decoder etc to the TV with HDMI? Would each of the accessories (DVD etc) have to have HDMI output? And would I use one HDMI cable per accessory into the TV? Would the TV have mutliple HDMI inputs that I could switch between like AV on a TV?

[Busyman™]

So whats the difference between HDMI, DVI and HDTV?

HDTV is the signal...either 720p, 1080i or 1080p

HDMI is a connector for the audio and video

DVI is a connector for the video

Is HDTV the signal and HDMI/DVI is the way it converts it into video (and in HDMI's case, audio?) HDMI looks a like a flat connector though, while DVI is three component cables right?

DVI is an entirely different connector. It is not 3 component cables.

If I got an HDMI (Do you get TVs with both DVI and HDMI?) HDTV ready TV, how would I connect my DVD Player, Decoder etc to the TV with HDMI? Would each of the accessories (DVD etc) have to have HDMI output? And would I use one HDMI cable per accessory into the TV? Would the TV have mutliple HDMI inputs that I could switch between like AV on a TV?

To connect with HDMI, you need an HDMI connector on the other end. You can also have DVI since there are HDMI to DVI cables but you'll have to connect audio separately since DVI doesn't carry audio.

Some TVs have both connections in the back.

[Vamp]

Ok that's cool, but how does one watch 720p video/tv on a 1080i TV and visa versa?

Is there quality loss when 720 is converted to 1080 and 1080 is downconverterd to 720?

You don't get High Definition DVDs now, right? Those are going to be Blue-Ray disks? But if you do (or when you do) will you be able to switch between whether the DVD/Blue-Ray Video is 720p/1080i or will you have to buy a differen DVD/blue-ray for which signal your TV uses?

[Busyman™]

Ok that's cool, but how does one watch 720p video/tv on a 1080i TV and visa versa?

Most HDTVs do both but mine, for instance, only does 1080i. I honestly don't know when a 720p picture is shown.

Is there quality loss when 720 is converted to 1080 and 1080 is downconverterd to 720?

1080i means interlaced. Every other bar is alternates being shown. It's so fast that your eyes see one picture.
720p means progressive. All bars are shown at once.

You don't get High Definition DVDs now, right? Those are going to be Blue-Ray disks?

Yes and HD-DVD discs

But if you do (or when you do) will you be able to switch between whether the DVD/Blue-Ray Video is 720p/1080i or will you have to buy a differen DVD/blue-ray for which signal your TV uses?
I'd imagine that depends on what resolution is put on the disc in the first place. HDTVs will still show a 720p picture even if it only does 1080i. It just converts it to another format (I'm guessing 1080i).

[Vamp]

Oh, so you don't buy a 720p TV or a 1080i TV? The signal is just in one of those and your TV adjusts accordingly?

[Busyman™]

Oh, so you don't buy a 720p TV or a 1080i TV? The signal is just in one of those and your TV adjusts accordingly?
No.:dry:

[lynx]

You can buy a tv whose max capability is 720, or one which can handle 1080, the tv will always display at its native resolution.

If a 1080 tv receives a 720 signal it will upconvert but the picture will be no better than the original signal. In fact it will be marginally worse because 1080 is not a direct multiple of 720, but the difference may not be noticable to the naked eye.

If a 720 tv receives a 1080 signal it will downconvert, but the picture can never be better than the native resolution. Again it will actually be slightly worse for the same reasons.

The difference between i and p is more subtle, and actually refers to the frame rate not the screen size. With interleaved only half the information is transmitted at any one time.

A 1080 transmission could have the following frame rates and types:
30i, 29.97i, 30p, 29.97p, 24p, 23.976p.
By contrast, a 720 transmission could have:
60p, 59.94p, 30p, 29.97p, 24p, 23.976p.

Note that the 1080 transmission doesn't have 60p or 59.94p because the data rate would be too high. Similarly the 720 transmission doesn't have 30i or 29.97i because the picture quality would be too low.

Progressive transmissions are likely to be used for shows with a lot of high speed motion such as sports shows, interleaved is more likely to be used for slower motion shows such as movies.

[Vamp]

Wouldn't i framerate be 60? (60i, not 30i) seeing as an NTSC framerate of 30FPS is being shown in 60 half frames?

[lynx]

No.

Each half frame is called a field, and contains either the odd numbered lines or the even numbered lines. You need both fields to make a frame. Although you get 60 fields per second, you've still only got 30 frames so the framerate is still 30i.

[Vamp]

Confused: So why would progressive scan which draws all the lines in one pass be at 60?

[lynx]

1280 columns x 720 lines x 60p frames = 55296000 pixels / sec
1920 columns x 1080 lines x 30p frames = 62208000 pixels / sec
1920 columns x 540 lines x 2 fields x 30i frames = 62208000 pixels / sec

It's got nothing to do with progressive or interleaved. 720 at 60fps is a lower data rate than 1080 at 30fps, the data rate would be too high for 1080 at 60fps. Note that the data rate for 1080@30p and 1080@30i are nominally the same.

[Seedler]

1280 columns x 720 lines x 60p frames = 55296000 pixels / sec
1920 columns x 1080 lines x 30p frames = 62208000 pixels / sec
1920 columns x 540 lines x 2 fields x 30i frames = 62208000 pixels / sec

It's got nothing to do with progressive or interleaved. 720 at 60fps is a lower data rate than 1080 at 30fps, the data rate would be too high for 1080 at 60fps. Note that the data rate for 1080@30p and 1080@30i are nominally the same.

:stars: :stars: :stars: :stars: :stars:

[lynx]

1280 columns x 720 lines x 60p frames = 55296000 pixels / sec
1920 columns x 1080 lines x 30p frames = 62208000 pixels / sec
1920 columns x 540 lines x 2 fields x 30i frames = 62208000 pixels / sec

It's got nothing to do with progressive or interleaved. 720 at 60fps is a lower data rate than 1080 at 30fps, the data rate would be too high for 1080 at 60fps. Note that the data rate for 1080@30p and 1080@30i are nominally the same.

:stars: :stars: :stars: :stars: :stars:You must have a pretty high data rate to see all those stars. :P

[Vamp]

Ok, well, finally; if I watched standard broadcast TV on an HDTV widescreen, would the picture have black bars at the left and right, or would the TV somehow stretch the 4:3 picture?

[lynx]

It depends on the tv. Some will give you black bars, others will stretch the picture. AFAIK all plasma screens will stretch the picture since they don't work well with areas that are static for long periods (such as the side bars).

But very often they don't stretch the picture uniformly. You'll often find that the further you get from the centre line the more the picture is stretched. This occasionally gives some very strange effects, but if it is combined with pan-scan technology then the most stretching occurs at the points furthest from the action, so you don't notice the effect too much.

BTW, this is true for any widescreen tv, not just HDTV.

[silent h3ro]

If you can get a good telivision then you can either stretch it or put it in standard 4:3 picture. The CRT I'm returning to newegg had 4 widescreen zoom options and the option to have 4:3 mode (with gray bars :frusty: ). Luckily I'm getting a Philips LCD which supposedly has 7 widescreen options and a 4:3 option which all widescreen hi-def telivisions should have. Just depends on the television but most I've seen have the option (actually haven't seen one w/o it).