Standard content on HD TV

[jrmwillis@gmail.com]

A lot of people have told me that regular content (out of my non HD
cable box, or my non HD Windows Media Center [PVR]looks a lot
worse on a HD unit. As much as I would like to take advantage of all
the HD content out there, my Media Center cannot record HD content, and
I'm not ready to change that at the moment. How bad does non HD content
look. I am thinking about a 32" LCD screen if that makes a difference.

[John T]

jrmwillis@gmail.com wrote:
>
> A lot of people have told me that regular content (out of my non HD
> cable box, or my non HD Windows Media Center [PVR]looks a lot
> worse on a HD unit. As much as I would like to take advantage of all
> the HD content out there, my Media Center cannot record HD content,
> and I'm not ready to change that at the moment. How bad does non HD
> content look. I am thinking about a 32" LCD screen if that makes a
> difference.

Having recently upgraded to HD, my opinion is you notice the deficiencies of
SD programming much more on the HD monitor than on an SD unit.

In my case, I have an HD projector using DishNetwork. Switching among the
SD programming can provide a rather "fuzzy" picture that looks just fine on
my SD television. However, switching to HD programming (using SD S-video
and coax outputs from the receiver) the images look much better on the
projector and no different on the television. Switching the receiver to HD
outputs (Y, Pb, Pr component video) improves the picture significantly.

It's kinda like going to the optometrist for the first time (needing
eyeglasses). The eye chart hasn't changed, but the picture quality is sure
improved after getting your new lenses.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
____________________

[Lucas Tam]

jrmwillis@gmail.com wrote in news:1107967680.307839.311380
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

> A lot of people have told me that regular content (out of my non HD
> cable box, or my non HD Windows Media Center [PVR]looks a lot
> worse on a HD unit. As much as I would like to take advantage of all
> the HD content out there, my Media Center cannot record HD content, and
> I'm not ready to change that at the moment. How bad does non HD content
> look. I am thinking about a 32" LCD screen if that makes a difference.

It looks bad only because HDTV looks SO good. HD monitors are so high
resolution that flaws in SD programming become very apparent.

However, if you calibrate your TV correctly (particularly
sharpenss/contrast) SD TV is tolerable ; )

--
Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

[larrylook]

<jrmwillis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1107967680.307839.311380@o13g2000cwo.googlegr oups.com...
> A lot of people have told me that regular content (out of my non HD
> cable box, or my non HD Windows Media Center [PVR]looks a lot
> worse on a HD unit. As much as I would like to take advantage of all
> the HD content out there, my Media Center cannot record HD content, and
> I'm not ready to change that at the moment. How bad does non HD content
> look. I am thinking about a 32" LCD screen if that makes a difference.


My feeling is that when you go HD you have to get out out of the "how do I
get SD to look as good as possible frame of mind" and don't get depressed
with the SD appearance. It's a transition. You try to appreciate the
wonderful HD picture and beg for more HD content. You can drive yourself
crazy trying to make the SD content look good. These sets are optimized for
HD. Maybe an analogy is, you buy a race car to enjoy riding on the track
and have a great time, but get upset about the way it drives on bumpier
roads. It's not what it's built for. Some will tell you their HD tv set
gets a great SD picture - but I don't think that's how you pick out an HD
set IMHO.

[neilnewsgroups@hotmail.com]

In recent reviews, I've noticed that Consumer Reports has noted that a
surprisingly large number of new TVs don't produce very good images
with standard, analog TV broadcasts. I don't think the problem is
simply that standard TV "looks bad only because HDTV looks SO good."
The problem is that many new TVs will look good with digital content,
but not plain old standard, analog broadcasts, because many TVs have a
problem in that area. I'm guessing that many of the newer types of TVs
(such as LCD and plasma) are basically digital hardware and they
struggle with standard broadcast TV.

Actually, about all I watch is standard, analog TV broadcasts. For a
few months recently, I had a new LCD TV here at home, but sold it when
I realized how poor the standard, analog broadcast TV images looked.
The LCD TV did look very good with DVDs, but I switched back to a CRT
TV because I mostly watch standard, analog TV shows, not digital TV.

Anyway, if you look at reviews of TVs in Consumer Reports, such as the
reviews in current issues, you'll notice that CR has a column in their
tables where TVs are graded on their performance with standard, analog
TV signals, and you'll also notice many TVs don't do very well with
those TV signals. Generally speaking, I notice that the conventional
CRT TVs do well with standard, analog TV shows, while the newer types
of TVs (LCD, plasma, etc.) struggle in that area.

Of course, for viewers who watch only digital formats (DVD, HDTV,
etc.), this isn't a problem.

"Lucas Tam" <REMOVEnntp@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:Xns95F8E15048497nntprogerscom@140.99.99.130.. .
> jrmwillis@gmail.com wrote in news:1107967680.307839.311380
> @o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:
>
> > A lot of people have told me that regular content (out of my non HD
> > cable box, or my non HD Windows Media Center [PVR]looks a lot
> > worse on a HD unit. As much as I would like to take advantage of all
> > the HD content out there, my Media Center cannot record HD content, and
> > I'm not ready to change that at the moment. How bad does non HD content
> > look. I am thinking about a 32" LCD screen if that makes a difference.
>
> It looks bad only because HDTV looks SO good. HD monitors are so high
> resolution that flaws in SD programming become very apparent.
>
> However, if you calibrate your TV correctly (particularly
> sharpenss/contrast) SD TV is tolerable ; )
Another thing to remember is that in order to watch standard def you usually
have an onboard deinterlacer that converts it to 480p, and most companies
use one in their tv that is cheap as dirt and works about as well
>
> --
> Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
> Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
> http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/