Archive

Are HDTVs over rated?

  • wes_mantooth
    HDTVs are overrated.....I will stick with playing my colecovision on my 13" black and white.
  • I Wear Pants
    gut wrote:
    brutus161 wrote: I have both a plasma and a LCD, I prefer my plasma. My next TV purchase will be a Samsung LED.
    An LED? Haven't heard much about them.

    People say plasma is better than LCD. I have a plasma, but I don't know. The higher brightness of an LCD just seems to be a bit better picture, IMO.
    The new Samsung LED tvs aren't really LED tvs but LED backlit tvs.

    By the way, don't pay for the expensive HDMI cables at Best Buy or wherever. It's unnecessary as a digital signal will either get there or not, unlike analog signals which can be affected by the quality of cable and such.

    Monoprice.com has wonderful prices on quality cables.
  • gut
    HDMI cables??? Why do people spend all this money on a big screen plasma/LCD and even bother with the speakers on the tv? I have just a monitor, which is GREAT as I'm running 5.1 through a surround sound system. I have just component cables plugged into my monitor. Now, I've had the debate of plugging in a DVI cable, or I guess I could also use an HDMI (just nowhere for the sound output to go), but I've heard the picture doesn't really improve, at least with cable, because component is about the quality of incoming digital cable. I suppose from my Blu Ray player I would notice a difference, but then again I have an older 720p plasma.
  • gut
    Noticed some of these new tv's are wifi capable. Got to be very close (if not there already) to a stereo receiver that connects to the tv via bluetooth/wifi and NO WIRES!!!

    I do see there's a couple of things out that already do this ($600 is pretty steep, though, but might beat paying someone to run wires and being permanently stuck with that set-up), although you have to hide a little adapter behind the tv and run an HDMI from it into the set.
  • 49erfan
    gut wrote: HDMI cables??? Why do people spend all this money on a big screen plasma/LCD and even bother with the speakers on the tv? I have just a monitor, which is GREAT as I'm running 5.1 through a surround sound system. I have just component cables plugged into my monitor. Now, I've had the debate of plugging in a DVI cable, or I guess I could also use an HDMI (just nowhere for the sound output to go), but I've heard the picture doesn't really improve, at least with cable, because component is about the quality of incoming digital cable. I suppose from my Blu Ray player I would notice a difference, but then again I have an older 720p plasma.
    Assuming I am reading this correctly, you can plug an HDMI cable in to your monitor/TV and, either coaxial or optical digital cable into an audio reciever. Then you can set your audio output to come from those cables instead of the HDMI. This way you can still use HDMI for video and the other for audio.
  • 49erfan
    I Wear Pants wrote:
    gut wrote:
    brutus161 wrote: I have both a plasma and a LCD, I prefer my plasma. My next TV purchase will be a Samsung LED.
    An LED? Haven't heard much about them.

    People say plasma is better than LCD. I have a plasma, but I don't know. The higher brightness of an LCD just seems to be a bit better picture, IMO.
    The new Samsung LED tvs aren't really LED tvs but LED backlit tvs.

    By the way, don't pay for the expensive HDMI cables at Best Buy or wherever. It's unnecessary as a digital signal will either get there or not, unlike analog signals which can be affected by the quality of cable and such.

    Monoprice.com has wonderful prices on quality cables.
    All LED TVs are LED backlit, not just Samsung. LED is not a newer TV format. They are all LCDs.
  • BCBulldog
    Here's a quick run-down on HDTV vs. SDTV and Plasma vs. LCD vs. LED backlit.

    SDTV v. HDTV
    Your old TV is standard definition and can display a maximum of 480p lines. HDTVs must be able to display either a minimum of 720p or 1080i lines to be considered HD. Many now can display 1080p to accomodate Blu-Ray discs maximum output.

    What this means to you is that nearly twice (and in most practical applications, much more than that) the video data is displayed on a HD set vs. a SD set. Of course you must have the HD source and connections for this to matter, but only a fool buys a HDTV and doesn't hook up the HD.

    Plasma vs. LCD vs. LED backlit
    Most old arguments about plasma burn-in or LCD washout in a bright room don't apply to the sets in stores today, so ignore anyone that tells you otherwise unless they are willing to back up their claim with current test results.
    The truth is, both plasma and LCD are very similar in their display capabilities. The difference is that plasmas are slightly cheaper to purchase, but typically cost more to operate because the consume more energy. LED is the most expensive, but consumes considerable less than either plasma or LCD. Also, they can be even thinner than plasma or LCD which may or may not matter to you.
    What this means to you, is that you will either pay less up front, but lose your savings in energy costs when you go with plasma over LCD over LED. LEDs are likely the future of TVs, but no matter what you choose, they can all display HDTV with a HD source and proper connections.

    Of course there are many other details that I left out, but this will get you started.
  • Thunder70
    HDMI carries both audio and visual signals.

    Monoprice.com...FTW...
  • Stiffman
    Rotinaj wrote:
    MANAZE wrote: my tvs are on for a good 20 hours a day. I sleep with them on. Would HDTVs be ok for something like that?
    Well, you could always put the sleep timer on so you dont have to leave it on all night.
    Or get a job! :D
  • I Wear Pants
    gut wrote: HDMI cables??? Why do people spend all this money on a big screen plasma/LCD and even bother with the speakers on the tv? I have just a monitor, which is GREAT as I'm running 5.1 through a surround sound system. I have just component cables plugged into my monitor. Now, I've had the debate of plugging in a DVI cable, or I guess I could also use an HDMI (just nowhere for the sound output to go), but I've heard the picture doesn't really improve, at least with cable, because component is about the quality of incoming digital cable. I suppose from my Blu Ray player I would notice a difference, but then again I have an older 720p plasma.
    Most newish surround receivers have HDMI inputs. So you can either put HDMI to your tv and then audio out to the receiver or HDMI to the receiver and then HDMI from there to the tv,
  • gut
    I Wear Pants wrote: Most newish surround receivers have HDMI inputs. So you can either put HDMI to your tv and then audio out to the receiver or HDMI to the receiver and then HDMI from there to the tv,
    Yeah, but everything goes into and out of my receiver. I have an optical cable from my blue ray to the receiver for sound, and component for video (this is where I might get SOME gain from component vs. HDMI). Cable goes into my receiver. Component to the tv - component is as good if not better than your cable in so my understanding is there is nothing to gain from HDMI/DVI to the tv (unless you're playing the blu ray, perhaps).

    In doing some quick googling, it seems there is no noticeable video gain with HDMI over component, period. However, it appears the sound quality may be a little better (i.e. Dolby Tru Hi-Def) as some of the newer audio can't be transmitted via component. Of course, if you have an older receiver to begin with then you probably gain nothing with HDMI except fewer wires.