HDTV question

d_b · Post by **d_b** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 1:16 pm

Do you need a HDTV receiver with a HDTV? I've been looking at them but am a little confused. Or do you need the receiver with a HDTV monitor only, not a regular HDTV.

thanks

rogue · Post by **rogue** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 1:54 pm

Most likely you DO need an hdtv receiver if you wish to watch HDTV. Very few HDTV's have integrated HDTV receivers/tuners. Usually the TV's without a receiver say "HDTV ready", but not always. If youre not gonna watch HDTV (just DVD's and regular broadcast stuff), a receiver isn't necessary.

Hipnotic_Tranz · Post by **Hipnotic_Tranz** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 3:15 pm

Aww now, you didn't actually have to get me a new <a href="http://www.pcabusers.net/forums/showthr ... adid=24202" target="_NEW">T.V.</a> Dan!

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 4:39 pm

If you decide to buy an HD-ready TV make sure that it has plenty of connections (such as DVI, firewire, component, VGA) so that once a standard is agreed upon, your TV will support it. Then when the switch to digital becomes mandated you won't have to shell out more money for a new TV or an adapter.

BTW you can get HD programming from a UHF over-the-air antenna for free. Right now I am enjoying the NFL playoffs, CSI, Jay Leno, Everybody Loves Raymond, and the King of Queens in high-def for no cost. These are just a few of the many shows available in high-definition. Pretty much all prime-time TV now is in HD.

d_b · Post by **d_b** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 5:33 pm

So, if I don't get a receiver/tuner right off the bat, will I still be able to watch shows? I have direct tv, and the bunny ears for local broadcasts. I will get the HDTV in the near future. For now I need the get a new A/V receiver. My Kenwood has blown the rear channel of the surround part. Got my eye on the Harmon-Kardon HK AVR125. Probably get that next month.

Here is my wish list, which I hope to have by the middle of the summer.

HK AVR 125 receiver
Infinity ALPHA40 speakers for the front.
My Bose 201's for the rear.
MTX 100 watt sub

Not sure on the TV yet.

And Nate, I think you misunderstood me....I want you to by me the TV

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 5:59 pm

yes, you can do that. Thats what I do.

Greg

Pikachu · Post by **Pikachu** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 8:35 pm

Firewire is on tv's now of days.... never seen that...

Oh and we just hooked up a sweet audio/video system at our house... i'll post the secs after i get done designing my new computer... Lata folks

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 9:29 pm

I have usb on my tv, no fire wire.

Greg

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 10:35 pm

One thing you might consider with the receiver is video I/O. My current TV has 5 video inputs as follows:

Video 1: DVI, Component
Video 2: Component
Video 3: S-video, composite
Video 4: S-video, composite
Video 5: S-video, composite

You cannot use 2 types of video at the same time. For example I cannot use both DVI and component on Video 1. My satellite uses DVI on Vid1, the DVD player uses component on Vid2, and the on-screen menu of the receiver uses the S-video of Vid3. That only leaves 2 video connections. If I were to add an X-Box, for example, I would have to use either S-video or composite inputs when I'd much rather use the HD-capable component connection for X-Box. Having the extra component I/Os on the receiver would allow me to do just that.

Slugbait · Post by **Slugbait** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:32 am

Remember Dolby Digital-ready receivers? They weren't around very long, a couple of years at most. Many of the first-generation DVD players had built-in decoders, and you can still pay a premium $100 extra for a DVD player with DD-decoder...primarily they're still made and sold because people still own working DD-ready receivers out there. Then there are the numb-nutz who THINK they need a decoder in their player when their receiver can already handle it

There is still a lot of FUD about how this is all going to work out. Last month, the TV manufacturers and the cable companies reached an agreement to pipe in HD signals without forcing people to buy a set-top decoder box. But in August, the FCC mandated that all but the smallest HDTV's sold must have a receiver built in, primarily for over-the-air reception. Then you can also factor in DirectTV receivers...it gets messy.

But what about MPEG-4? Will it become a standard? And will encoder personnel have the same issues first-gen encoders had with MPEG-2 (gawd, some of those movies looked awful). And what about cable companies getting greedy and splitting bandwidth to give you a degraded not-quite-high definition signal? (you know AT&T will do this).

Bottom line: if you're ready for HDTV, and you got the cash, go for it. Get a progressive scan DVD player, and enjoy the picture. The government screwed us on HDTV back in the 1950's, they probably won't get it right again 50 years later...they don't understand technology. By the time this is all hammered out, it will likely be well past the 2006 deadline.

Augix · Post by **Augix** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 3:55 am

I'm still having a 13'' B/W is a special an new tech model : PDTV "patetic definition television"

d_b · Post by **d_b** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 5:05 am

Man this is getting confusing. maybe I'll stick with AM radio.

Hipnotic_Tranz · Post by **Hipnotic_Tranz** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:38 am

Originally posted by d_b
Man this is getting confusing. maybe I'll stick with AM radio.

Sweet, I can afford that

d_b · Post by **d_b** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 12:16 pm

When I get it all together you can come up and look at it any time you want. I might even turn it on for you.

MK888 · Post by **MK888** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:21 pm

Whatever you do, do not buy a TV with a built in HD tuner. Yes right now you will be able to see a few shows in HD, however, down the road a piece what you will see is TV stations sending an HD trasport stream on an RF carrier. What that is, is a digital picture over an RF carrier. Very simmilar to what your cable modem does. An HD tuner will not be able to do anything with a transport stream, as it is not video.

I would say, get a price point, and get the best display you can, without the Tuner in it. Yeah a tuner will cost you down the road, but honestly, even though HD is here, it is not quite here yet if you know what I mean.

As for Mpeg-4 I think you will see that very soon.....Actually you can see the microsoft version of it in the Windows media 9 encoder.

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