EddScott

I've got a Panasonic TV which is HD (it will do 1080i)

I bought an expensive amplifier which does all this HD upscaling malarky.

I got a PS3 and some Gay-Ray DVDs to embrace this new viewing media.

Can I really see any discernable difference? Well no, not particularly.



The only noticeable thing is that peoples faces look a bit more textured. I'm not stunned by a wealth of colour I didn't see before. I'm not blinded by all the little things I failed to see watching old fashioned telly.

I'm not convinced. I think we're being had.

Tobisausage

Either of the following...

a) Your TV is ****
b) You have set it up wrong
c) You are being an idiot

I have a 1080p Samsung tv and kingdom of heaven absolutely stunning on it. Normal DVDs on upscale look cr*p in comparison.

Jaybird-UK

if you study the image then sure its better, but come on, when you get engrossed in a movie do you really think it adds anything to the experience??

hype > benefit

Simon C

Watching the opening credits and Starfury sequences on Babylon 5 knocked my socks off in HD (upscaled).

Turbo2

Forget new-fangled HD, I'm yet to be convinced that the distorted short fat people we now have to watch on wide-screen TV's are an improvement over the normally proportioned people I watch on my old normal screen CRT telly.

And don't get me started on Digital! I'd rather watch the smooth flow and sharp image of a TV progamme via the analogue signal, than the same show in the pixelated staccato rubbish we get these days on Freeview digital. Sometimes Freeview struggles to provide a signal at all! God knows how the old ladies are going to cope when they turn off analogue for good: more knitting of xmas jumpers perhaps?

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Who is Gay Ray and what does he do in the DVD's ?

EddScott

TV is a 42PX70 so not 1080p. Receiver is Harmon/Kardon AVR255 and Quad L-ites speakers.

I just don't see its that different. Transformers on Blu-Ray will be out shortly and I'm going to do back to back testing on SD and HD. Personally I remain unconvinced its all worth it.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Your TV is set up wrong, the proportions should be absolutely fine. You're watching a 4:3 picture stretched horizontally to fit the 16:9 screen - you should instead have black bars to the left and right, or zoom in to lose the black bars that many programmes have at the top and bottom. Check your TV's menus for zoom options, there's no reason to watch a distorted picture.

Turbo2

My own CRT TV's set-up fine thanks. My local boozer recently got a big new flat wide-screen TV: they were showing Wimbledon (via Satellite dish I think) and I couldn't believe how distorted everything was: stumpy players and an inordinately short and wide playing surface! Completely different to the real perspective your naked eye would give you if you were lucky enough to be at one end of centre court. Is their set-up wrong or is it just to make the obese people of the world feel better about themselves?

47 NAT

Maybe its good for the bragging factor but I don't think its all that either

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

It's in the wrong aspect which is nothing to do with the telly but everything to do with the numptiness of the TV's owner

Guess what my number one pet hate is? People who watch widescreen TVs in the wrong aspect, it drives me mad

PeteBrant

HD is stunningly good. I cannot see how anyone can fial to see the improvment.

Get your eyes cleaned

RRH

We've had sky hi-duf since it came out. Looks a bit better, but suspect its my eyes that need an upgrade...

finchyboy

The have sky hd but without the movie package and it is a complete con unless your into prem football not a lot of sport is broadcast in H.D.
British Superbike's , World Superbike's and the Moto Gp are all standard def make's me wonder if it is worth the extra tenner a month !!!

EddScott

I was planning on HD upgrade for F1 next year when its on BBC. Not sure now.

I mean clearly the faces of people are clearly more textured but I can't see anything over being able to count the blackheads of the actors.

Just going to try back to back testing with various settings.

Shark Man

My pet hate is broadcasters who dont transmit the correct aspect ratio header signal, so the TV doesn't self correct properly (most decent TVs have this ability - or should do):

Virgin was one curlprit for a hefty period; some channels were ok, others were foobarred.

Daft Lad

Yes, it is a complete con. If you therefore wish to donate your 1080 HD TV to a good home then that would be greatly appreciated

Shark Man

Large LCD TVs: now thats the "real" con IMO

Whoever said grey was an acceptable alternative to black?

Also pushing digital technology which has still yet to be able to fully and seamlessly process panning or sideways scrolling images properly (both HD and SD ).

Turbo2

Is that why when a goalkeeper takes a goalkick in a football match viewed on a digital channel, the image of the ball seems to jerk weirdly across the screen until it lands on the defender/striker's head? Jeez, if they can't even sort that out yet????

MJW

I'd say at the moment HD is a big con : the only way to get HD programmes is to pay extra for a pitiful handful of channels, or buy your entire DVD collection again on Blue Ray Discs. I don't know how film companies have the cheek to moan about piracy when most of us will have paid three times for the same film (VHS video, dvd then hi def).
Having said all that I have a hi def TV that use for the Xbox 360

TelBoy

Totally agree. Football is a disaster on digital, though i've not seen the HD version. Hell, even my old 1987 Trinitron had a better picture than the digital on my brand new Bravia, and no eye tests would be needed to confirm that!

Shark Man

Possibly, Other issue with live football is the bandwidth is too small; the image is so compressed that any fast motion is a blur of blocks.

Seem things have gone in circle; back when we had pure analogue from source to TV, I could easily make out the backs of player ****s from a wide angle.

Switch to SD digital and its resolution is too low to clealy make it out the player's names. The cure of such issues is to get HD and watch a HD broadcast (image motion remains debatable though).

PeteBrant

I think I have 20 HD channels on my SkyHD box can't remember if its more.


I think you'll find that when I bought my BluRay player is was not contractually obliged to "rebuy" my entire collection

Seeing as my player upscales very nicely, you get good result with plain old DVDs.
Most of us? I think I have rebought a film I already owned about twice.

PeteBrant

No it isn't - It's great.

HD footy is absolutely belting.

Bloody luddites

dave247

I noticed a massive difference on mine when i plugged my xbox 360 through the hdmi lead.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

HD on the 360 is 100 times better than normal !! thats all I know

Shark Man

Pete, quote the whole post:

TelBoy

What sort of reception area are you in, Pete? A strong one? And do you have an externally mounted aerial, and is it anything out of the ordinary in terms of quality? I yearn for a great TV picture but just don't think digital can deliver it.

Spoon

I don't get excited enough about watching TV so can't comment either way.

Top Gear would be fine on radio for me.

PeteBrant

It's not through an Aerial, its a satellite dish. SkyHD

Obviously the other option if Virgin for HD, but thier content really is lacking.