Ok, what's so great about HDTV?

[AltecXP]

Because they want everyone to own an HDTV. If HDTVs are so great, I really don't understand why they have to force us to get one. It's my life and I can get whatever the hell I want.

How do you not get that HD and Digital are 2 different things?

[Kudos Veteran]

Oh good grief. The amount of incorrect information is enough to make me cry.

1. The transition to digital in 2009 has nothing to do with HD. Every channel is not going HD, just digital.

2. The government is doing this in order to free up room in the spectrum for emergency communications, I believe.

That's exactly what I was thinking, thanks for summing it up for them.

[TruckWEB]

Why HDTV? Simple, better technology (LCD, Plasma), more resolution, standard wide-screen 16:9, better color reproduction.

You can look here for resolution : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard-definition_television

Most progressive scan SDTV can do max 480p : 720x480 NTSC

Going to HDTV 720p : 1280x720

Or better 1080i/p : 1920x1080

More pixels have always mean better image, sharper, more details. You also get better colors. And when you get that with a big screen HDTV, the result is a better immersible experience.

And gaming with a Xbox 360 or PS3 is just god awful on SDTV. You need all the details you can get to enjoy the games.

Try running your PC at 800x600 (or less) and see if you enjoy using it.... And in the end, NOBODY is forcing you to buy into HDTV. So you can stay with your SDTV is your poor and obviously, blind.

[cork1958]

But that's the thing I don't get. Sharpness lets you see the freckles and pores on a person's face more clearly. But like I said, I don't turn on my TV to watch the freckles and pores on a person's face. For some reason, I think people today jump and get excited over the silliest things. HDTV is just a way for companies to take our cash away from us. They just make you think you need that extra sharpness while you really don't. I could see the picture just fine on my good ol' SDTV.

You said it right here, "I think people today jump and get excited over the silliest things."

It's called "keep up with the Jones' ", and I MUST have the latest and greatest of everything first, whether it's sensible or not!

Sounds like you might have a little bit of sense?!

[Cube]

Watch sports on a HD-TV and you'll see the huge difference.

[=NickJ=]

Two words

Planet Earth

I got a 28" Philips HDTV off eBay for ?120 almost two years ago (ex-display model) and have all the Planet Earth episodes in 720p. Its an absolute dream to watch, I put it on sometimes after we get in from a big night out and everyone just stares at it in silent amazement. To be able to see the water droplets running down the seals' backs as they jump out of the water or the sharks teeth, its just incredible.

[Axel]

I just thought I might add - you only get the FULL advantage and HD experience if your watching on a pretty large TV.

As a crappy example:

If I were to make that entire image smaller - you would not notice a difference between the two, hence 'upgrading' to from a 20" SDTV to a 20" HDTV would be relatively pointless as at regular viewing distance you would not notice much of a difference, if any.

If you were sitting watching a 50" SDTV plasma - then upgrading to a 50" HDTV would blow your mind after being glued to a blurry stretched out image for so long!

[MrKuro]

Yeah, but they make you think you need that added sharpness when you really don't. I don't know. To me, HDTVs just seem like another debt to put myself into. I mean, oh wow!! A sharper picture. Like I have such a difficult time seeing on my SDTV. Well, I can see just fine, thank you. They make you feel you need this clearer picture so you run and buy it. Look how many suckers already have!

let me guess you still run windows 98, on an ol' p3 500mhz with 64mb or ram, and dial up. It still works and runs them emails and internetz just fine... why buy new computer technology if the old worked just fine, how much faster do you really need, right? Or a new vehicle... why spend 50 grand when all you need is a old clunker for $500 to get you from point A to B.... (see the point yet?)

HD adds a whole new level of realism to your viewing experience (colors, gradients,shadows, sharpness, text, detail).

Its a much needed advance in technology, at least to many people who want a larger tv it is.. Sd is less than preferable on my 60'' pioneer plasma .. nearly all my viewing is in HD. It just looks better.

Advances in technology .... buy it or don't, nobody is pushing it on you. Some of us like to have a better experience, and can afford these luxuries

for the $600 you were looking at spending, you probably would not get a very big or high end HD display anyways ... further detracting from the reasons to go HD ... you really don't get a that immersive high definition experience from small low-end sets. (dont get me wrong you can get some great 32-42'' tv's for a grand and up), but the larger display you get (50'' & up) the more reason for having high definition)

Edited May 20, 2008 by WolfDV

[Axel]

I'd also like to add that HDTV IS better quality than real life!

It brings onto a flat surface many of the details you wouldn't be able to catch with the naked eye.

[backdrifter]

While not entirely linked to this thread topic, I must add a lot of people pay some serious money for HDTVs for no reason. Here, the only option for HDTV broadcasting is a digital box which is ridiculously expensive, (and no HD versions of national channels as far as I know only some international ones) and people still go buy HDTVs everyday. And SD, 4:3 broadcasts like everyone has looks a lot worse than they appear on older TVs. The whole thing is very misleading because people see these awesome crystal clear demo videos on tech stores and buy the set for a load of money just to see some stretched, pixelated picture when they get home.

[AJR1]

Pointless Topic

High Definition TV is great because it offers TV in .... guess what .... High Definition.

High Definition = Clearer, Sharper Pictures.

Im assuming that its due to a very limited intelligence why you posted this topic in the first place, you could clearly have researched this elsewhere, instead you have hundreds of people replying with the same answer.

I think this thread should be closed, If you dont like HDTV, that is absolutely fine, you dont have to buy one .... ever.

Im afraid to say though, that TV is only going to get even more clearer and better in quality as technology advances further in the coming years.

[TruckWEB]

While not entirely linked to this thread topic, I must add a lot of people pay some serious money for HDTVs for no reason. Here, the only option for HDTV broadcasting is a digital box which is ridiculously expensive, (and no HD versions of national channels as far as I know only some international ones) and people still go buy HDTVs everyday.

You don't need HDTV broadcasting to enjoy HDTV. You could play your Xbox360/PS3 games on HDTV and watch Blu-Ray/HD-DVD movies.

Unless you don't know/care about Hi-Def movies or you don't game (or own the original Xbox or PS2).

[backdrifter]

You don't need HDTV broadcasting to enjoy HDTV. You could play your Xbox360/PS3 games on HDTV and watch Blu-Ray/HD-DVD movies.

Unless you don't know/care about Hi-Def movies or you don't game (or own the original Xbox or PS2).

That's true but my point is, SD broadcasts look worse on large HD panels. (at least the ones I saw) And I doubt people here watch Bluray movies or play HD console games more than they watch casual television shows. They just fall for the marketing.

[Prince Charming]

This thread fails. OP, what's great about HDTV is that its HIGH-DEFINITION television. That's kind of the point right there. You get definition that lets you see more details. You don't want to see the details, don't buy one. I don't see why there's a question here, it looks like a pretty simple decision.

[DaDude]

You said it right here, "I think people today jump and get excited over the silliest things."

It's called "keep up with the Jones' ", and I MUST have the latest and greatest of everything first, whether it's sensible or not!

Sounds like you might have a little bit of sense?!

Well, it's about time I got a sensible response.

[DaDude]

I just thought I might add - you only get the FULL advantage and HD experience if your watching on a pretty large TV.

As a crappy example:

That is a crappy example. MY SDTV is nowhere near as blurry as the left image.

While not entirely linked to this thread topic, I must add a lot of people pay some serious money for HDTVs for no reason. Here, the only option for HDTV broadcasting is a digital box which is ridiculously expensive, (and no HD versions of national channels as far as I know only some international ones) and people still go buy HDTVs everyday. And SD, 4:3 broadcasts like everyone has looks a lot worse than they appear on older TVs. The whole thing is very misleading because people see these awesome crystal clear demo videos on tech stores and buy the set for a load of money just to see some stretched, pixelated picture when they get home.

That's true but my point is, SD broadcasts look worse on large HD panels. (at least the ones I saw) And I doubt people here watch Bluray movies or play HD console games more than they watch casual television shows. They just fall for the marketing.

Nice response. I agree with you 100%.

Well I'm glad I'm getting decent responses now as opposed to: "HDTV is so clear and lifelike, you just gotta get one because if you don't get one, living life the next few days is just so physically impossible." And don't act like none of you think this way because a lot of my friends do. They act like HDTV is the end of the world.

[Rudy]

:rofl:

[backdrifter]

:rofl:

LOL! Exactly!

[jerzdawg]

Well, it's about time I got a sensible response.

I dont get it.. at first you seemed like you were only against HDTV because you had the incorrect assumption that you were being forced to purchase one before the switch in Feb 09. But now that you have been corrected... you are only responding to the posts where people agree with you. The part that you are missing is that people enjoy watching HDTVs, can you really say that when you look at a 50" hdtv with a 1080i/p or 720p source that you cannot say that it is a better picture then your current one? If you cant.. then you are just ignorant. however... if you do not have the money to upgrade your tv... or you just cannot justify the price vs the picture difference... then .. no problem... I just do not see what your issue is with what other people do with their $$

[acies]

I'd also like to add that HDTV IS better quality than real life!

It brings onto a flat surface many of the details you wouldn't be able to catch with the naked eye.

Maybe you need glasses?? Seriously I put on my glasses, and o my god I can see the detail on the carpets and the walls!! Though I don't own a HD TV so I don't know...

[DaDude]

I dont get it.. at first you seemed like you were only against HDTV because you had the incorrect assumption that you were being forced to purchase one before the switch in Feb 09. But now that you have been corrected... you are only responding to the posts where people agree with you. The part that you are missing is that people enjoy watching HDTVs, can you really say that when you look at a 50" hdtv with a 1080i/p or 720p source that you cannot say that it is a better picture then your current one? If you cant.. then you are just ignorant. however... if you do not have the money to upgrade your tv... or you just cannot justify the price vs the picture difference... then .. no problem... I just do not see what your issue is with what other people do with their $$

Yes, I do see a difference. I see a big difference, but that doesn't mean that I can't see just fine on my regular SDTV. I don't need any extra detail when I watch. Heck! I even have myopia and I can still see the picture fine on my SDTV. Besides, working 40 hours a week, there's really not that much time to watch tv anyway.

:rofl:

I repeat. You people must have pretty bad SDTVs because mine aren't that blurry.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

Yeah, but they make you think you need that added sharpness when you really don't. I don't know. To me, HDTVs just seem like another debt to put myself into. I mean, oh wow!! A sharper picture. Like I have such a difficult time seeing on my SDTV. Well, I can see just fine, thank you. They make you feel you need this clearer picture so you run and buy it. Look how many suckers already have!

if you dont want to have another debt then no one is forcing you to buy one... i dont get your logic. yeah, you can see News reporters pores and freckles... but what about nature programs and sports?! amazing.

Blu-ray, HD DVDs, HD gaming all look f*cking tatters on an HDTV (Y)

[ViperAFK]

This is pointless. You will NOT need to upgrade to HD in 2009, your old tv's will work fine. If you don't want an HD tv don't ****ing get one. Simple as that.

Digital != HD

[DaDude]

This is pointless. You will NOT need to upgrade to HD in 2009, your old tv's will work fine. If you don't want an HD tv don't ****ing get one. Simple as that.

Digital != HD

Good to hear that it's so simple. The main point of this thread was to find out what the fuss is about.

BTW, no one here failed to mention the problems HDTVs have. My uncle bought one 5 months ago and ever since then, he's had nothing but problems. Sometimes, he gets picture with no sound or sound with no picture. And very frequently, his HD cable freezes. He's been whining about the hassle for so long. Looks to me like a lot of trouble.

[Sethos]

BTW, no one here failed to mention the problems HDTVs have. My uncle bought one 5 months ago and ever since then, he's had nothing but problems. Sometimes, he gets picture with no sound or sound with no picture. And very frequently, his HD cable freezes. He's been whining about the hassle for so long. Looks to me like a lot of trouble.

Ermm .. Never ever heard about those problems?