Is HD telly a big fat steaming con?
28 July 2008, 04:40 PM
#32
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I can definitely tell the difference between a HD and SD feed. Switch between two Sky movie channels that are displaying the same film and the difference is definitely noticeable. Even when I put a DVD into my Blu Ray player and it is upscaled to 1080p I can notice the difference.
28 July 2008, 05:02 PM
#33
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Bandwidth is a problem for footy if you're watching Sky commoner SD broadcasts.
The footy on Skysports is great, but MOTD on BBC (via the Sky dish) is of a lower quality - I'm assuming its due to the BBC having less bandwith than Skysports.
I must get around to getting a digital ariel on the roof one day
The footy on Skysports is great, but MOTD on BBC (via the Sky dish) is of a lower quality - I'm assuming its due to the BBC having less bandwith than Skysports.
I must get around to getting a digital ariel on the roof one day
28 July 2008, 05:07 PM
#34
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Some people obviously have crap LCD screens (as opposed to the much better plasma), or don't know how to set them up properly. 
My Panny plasma is just awesome in every application, gaming spot on, sport is excellent, football is superb, no panning or aspect issues and all a lot nicer than my previous Panny CRT. It cost less than our CRT did to buy, has a much bigger screen, a smaller physical footprint and is generally a 10/10 purchase (a score given by me AND the mrs!!!)
HD is only really noticable on much bigger screens, so I dont bother with overpriced BR discs as yet, so to the OP, on std screens HD probably is a con but on big screens you can see the difference. Try watching a BR film on a 65" screen!!
My Panny plasma is just awesome in every application, gaming spot on, sport is excellent, football is superb, no panning or aspect issues and all a lot nicer than my previous Panny CRT. It cost less than our CRT did to buy, has a much bigger screen, a smaller physical footprint and is generally a 10/10 purchase (a score given by me AND the mrs!!!)
HD is only really noticable on much bigger screens, so I dont bother with overpriced BR discs as yet, so to the OP, on std screens HD probably is a con but on big screens you can see the difference. Try watching a BR film on a 65" screen!!
28 July 2008, 05:28 PM
#35
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HD TV = dubious value
HD DVD/BluRay = looks stunning when set up properly
HD Gaming = Very, very, very good indeed. Especially when combined with a PC for *proper* HD gaming in your living room.
HD DVD/BluRay = looks stunning when set up properly
HD Gaming = Very, very, very good indeed. Especially when combined with a PC for *proper* HD gaming in your living room.
28 July 2008, 06:42 PM
#39
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The only real time one can take a real noticable advantage of this is when watching a DVD with little or no compression (i.e NOT films). The only places these exist is in the form of a digital camcorder. From which I have obtained picture quality that I thought was never possible with SDTV, or DVD for that matter.
HDMi is a far superior means of transmitting images when compared to an RGB scart (or the dreaded composite or S-video). It is better; no matter how good a HDTV is it can't magically improve a RGB source by any large degree. DVD compression aside, the video interface is one of the main restrictions in image quality.
Last edited by Shark Man; 28 July 2008 at 06:44 PM.
28 July 2008, 06:51 PM
#40
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The only HD plasma I've seen that comes close to me parting with my hard earned cash is the Pioneer Kuro series.... truely stunning.... LCD's are rubbish and good for PC's and PC gaming ONLY...(What they were designed to do anyway)
CRT's are still the best quality..but who wants a 5' deep TV in their living room anymore...
CRT's are still the best quality..but who wants a 5' deep TV in their living room anymore...
28 July 2008, 06:51 PM
#41
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Everyone can watch ultra high def footy without the need for Sky HD. Blu-Ray or HD TV - go and buy a season ticket 
p.s. sky standard def sucks, Sky hig def is cool (ish) but no content worth watching.
If anyone fails to see and hear the difference in quality with HD DVD or blu ray with its associated dolby true hd sound etc - shouldn't have a drivers licence
- go and buy a season ticket p.s. sky standard def sucks, Sky hig def is cool (ish) but no content worth watching.
If anyone fails to see and hear the difference in quality with HD DVD or blu ray with its associated dolby true hd sound etc - shouldn't have a drivers licence
28 July 2008, 08:05 PM
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The only HD plasma I've seen that comes close to me parting with my hard earned cash is the Pioneer Kuro series.... truely stunning.... LCD's are rubbish and good for PC's and PC gaming ONLY...(What they were designed to do anyway)
CRT's are still the best quality..but who wants a 5' deep TV in their living room anymore...
CRT's are still the best quality..but who wants a 5' deep TV in their living room anymore...
28 July 2008, 10:04 PM
#44
hd tv is utter class, got full sky hd package and hd-dvd player, use it with my Onkyo605 receiver and its superb.
i have a panny th42pw7 and it looks pure quality on that screen so ur must be set up worng
i have a panny th42pw7 and it looks pure quality on that screen so ur must be set up worng
29 July 2008, 09:46 AM
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Having previously worked for Philips, I was fortunate to see an HD panel plus Blu-Ray mock-up whilst it was still in development in the research labs, and with a *professionally* mastered source, it was truly awesome - the guys demonstrating it had to move people on as they just stood there watching! The point is very much that it depends on the source quality and any compression: a source that has been fully mastered in HD plus a nice high bitrate is key; lower-quality mastering plus a low birate/high compression (e.g. over some broadcast channels) will make all the difference.
Also, all telly's must have scalers inside in order to drive all the pixels in their panels. As panels are not scanned devices, this is quite a complex job to eliminate motion judder etc, and this is where paying more for the latest greatest scaler chips in your telly makes a big difference; they are still improving each generation.
As has been noted, plasma's still have a 'better' colour space than LCD's, i.e. better range of colour saturation, including the oft-mentioned blacks, as plasma's _generate_ light for each pixel, whereas LCD's have to block the backlight. New technologies like OLED work similarly to plasma (i.e. emissive displays) and should be as good but with lower power.
Also, all telly's must have scalers inside in order to drive all the pixels in their panels. As panels are not scanned devices, this is quite a complex job to eliminate motion judder etc, and this is where paying more for the latest greatest scaler chips in your telly makes a big difference; they are still improving each generation.
As has been noted, plasma's still have a 'better' colour space than LCD's, i.e. better range of colour saturation, including the oft-mentioned blacks, as plasma's _generate_ light for each pixel, whereas LCD's have to block the backlight. New technologies like OLED work similarly to plasma (i.e. emissive displays) and should be as good but with lower power.
29 July 2008, 10:07 AM
#51
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Do any of you lot ever go outside and look at the nice trees and blue skies and smell the fresh air or read a book?
(ok I admit to watching the news for a bit and Top Gear neither of which merit an 8'x6' telly ,200 tons of cable,Joddrell bank on the roof and 30 remote controls
)
(ok I admit to watching the news for a bit and Top Gear neither of which merit an 8'x6' telly ,200 tons of cable,Joddrell bank on the roof and 30 remote controls
)
29 July 2008, 10:09 AM
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29 July 2008, 12:40 PM
#53
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I was in a shop that sells televisions to look at and they had a sony something or other with HD on. It made me stop in my tracks and stand there and stare it was so good...
As and when there are HD equivalents to every single channel I currently subscribe to on my top notch Sky digital package I will most certainly invest.
Until then, I fear my £10 will serve little more purpose than to make my friends think I am a pretentious git
As and when there are HD equivalents to every single channel I currently subscribe to on my top notch Sky digital package I will most certainly invest.
Until then, I fear my £10 will serve little more purpose than to make my friends think I am a pretentious git
29 July 2008, 01:46 PM
#54
I have been blown away with my Panasonic Plasma! 
The quality of the picture with Blu-ray is absolutely stunning!
Gaming (via my PS3) is stunning!
Even normal Sky tv through a dish is better than my old CRT. (which was also a Panasonic, with 100Hz)
I love it and wouldn't go back!
The quality of the picture with Blu-ray is absolutely stunning!
Gaming (via my PS3) is stunning!
Even normal Sky tv through a dish is better than my old CRT. (which was also a Panasonic, with 100Hz)
I love it and wouldn't go back!
29 July 2008, 02:44 PM
#55
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Originally Posted by Abdabz
...I was in a shop that sells televisions to look at and they had a sony something or other with HD on. It made me stop in my tracks and stand there and stare it was so good...
29 July 2008, 03:05 PM
#56
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29 July 2008, 03:20 PM
#57
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Now my current 42PW7 pani is great for normal TV and with my A1 DVD it performs great with interlaced and progressive DVD play... but it's totally eclipsed by the 8th gen KURO Pioneers...
seen these puppys now as low as £2k
29 July 2008, 03:52 PM
#58
I havent read anything other than the first couple of replies cos quite blatantly you have problems with your setup/eyes. In 1080i you should see a MASSIVE difference and if you cant, theres something wrong. End of. No point saying anymore really. Apologies if the replies i havent read say the same thing and you have realised your TV was infact a new microwave.
29 July 2008, 03:59 PM
#60
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HD is just a screen res higher then normal domestic TV, i have been "HD gaming" scince i first set my monitor to 800x600 res as technically, thats higher def then my amiga could play on my TV.