HDTV....HDTV Ready?

I am in search of purchasing a HDTV, and I was wondering, what is the differenct between HDTV and a HD ready TV? DO I need special cables for HD ready TVs?

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

I am in search of purchasing a HDTV, and I was wondering, what is the differenct between HDTV and a HD ready TV? DO I need special cables for HD ready TVs?

There are two types of HDTVs, HD Ready and HD Built-In. HD Ready are the cheaper and altogether better option for TVs. HD Built-In have the HDTV tuner built in to the TV, allowing it to recieve HD content with just a normal Digital Cable box.

So with HD Ready TVs, you have to get a HD box to put on top of your TV, similar to a digital cable box. The thing is, both Comcast and DirectTV offer a special HD+Digital Cable reciever all-in-one box. These will either give you one less box, (over purchasing your own HD Reciever, which run around $300), and/or unique other features that are unique from your cable provider. However, Comcast's HD Reciever is $5 a month. Plus, a lot of the HD Recievers sold at most electronic stores such as Best Buy are low end, tech wise.

Oh, and some other advice: I recommend a TV that has either a DVI or, even better, a HDMI port, so that the TV is capable of recieve pure digital content. And make sure your TV can display 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i. You're spending so much money on a TV, and you don't want to take it home just to find out it can't do Progressive Scaning (all ###p in general.)

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

Well I have Digital Cable, so I couldn't get Direct TV for the box. I've never heard of Comcast. Should I just get a TV with HD bulit in?

Who is your Digital Cable Provider?

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

I have adelphia and I'm getting a Digital Video Recorder this weekend. I don't know if that does anything...

Check Here Then To See If Your Provider Overs Coverage In Your Area

If they do, then once you get your TV, you will need to get them to give you an HD Reciever Box for your new HDTV.

Oh, and you may want to hold off on the DVR until you get an HDTV, because once you have HD, you may want an HD-DVR to record all your programming in HD. The only problem is, if you want to view content on another normal TV off a HD-DVR, you may need to record both the regular channel and the HD channel. I don't know. I would look in to this in some place such as Wikipedia.org or Google.

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

It's a bit late for that, they're coming on Saturday. It says I need a box for aditional HD service, when I get the TV i guess I'll have them come and set it up. Hopefully it won't be too expensive >.>

No. It won't. Installing the box is as simple as replacing your old Digital Cable box. Oh, and make sure the box has the best type of cable port your TV has. You don't want to get the shaft. For example, if the best input your TV has is Component, then you'll definately have Component ports, because those come standard with an HD box. However, if your TV you pick out has a HDMI, DVI, Firewire, Optical Audio, or Coxail Audio port, make sure you get a box that has the which ever you have on the TV. This happened to me and really POed me. My current HDTV has a DVI port, but my HD Box's place for the DVI cable to go is blocked off. I hate it. Each box they gave me in my house have different inputs and outputs. So annoying.

From best to worst: HD Video Connections
Best: HDMI (Digital Audio and Video)
Better: DVI (Digital)
Good: Firewire (Digital)
Bad: Component (Analog)

From best to worst: HD Audio Connections
Best: HDMI (Digital Audio and Video in one cable)
Better: Optical Audio Cable (Transfers Digital signal as light. Talk about space age)
Good: Digital Coxail Cable (Digital)
Bad: Standard Red and White (Analog) Sound Wires

Digital Sound is awesome. You'll really notice a HUGE HUGE differance if you have surround sound.

And while the "Bad" option for Video isn't really that bad, you may want to consider a better option. TV's with DVI ports aren't much more expensive than normal HDTVs these days, unlike HDMI, which raises the price $50 or so (aproximetly).

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

So an HD reciever like: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1117178265456

Gives HD visuals correct? Is that just for pre ordered HD channels or something, or will every channel look better?

HD channels are different than their normal channels. For example, my ABC is channel 7, but in HD, 187. Only certain channels are in HD at this time.

That box will give you local channels in HD, but I don't know about the channels from your Cable Provider. I would ask them yourself.

I think my provider install a box and I pay a monthly fee for HD, I guess I'll call when I get a HD ready TV. How much do you pay for your HD service, just so I'll have an estimate before I call.

Also, do you know if an Xbox 360 would look just as good on a HD TV as on a HD ready, or until I got the tuner would it look the same as a standard TV?

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

I think my provider install a box and I pay a monthly fee for HD, I guess I'll call when I get a HD ready TV. How much do you pay for your HD service, just so I'll have an estimate before I call.

Also, do you know if an Xbox 360 would look just as good on a HD TV as on a HD ready, or until I got the tuner would it look the same as a standard TV?

No no. You don't understand. An HDTV is an HD Ready or HD Built In TV. And the picture quality is no differant between the two. Built In's can just recieve HD local channels over the air. That's the ONLY differance. And for Comcast, the HD box is $5 a month.

Okay I think I'm following. HD bulit in TV's gat local non cable channels in HD, but not cable channels? HD ready TV's get no HD until the box is bought for it, right? I'm really sorry for asking ignorant questions, but ignorance leads to that...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3649950

Would this be worth the money? I can't find a TV with HDMI, but it seems to be competent.

Also, do you know what I would need to hook up the TV to my computer to use it as a monitor.

You've been very helpful, and I appreciate it, thank you.

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

Okay I think I'm following. HD bulit in TV's gat local non cable channels in HD, but not cable channels? HD ready TV's get no HD until the box is bought for it, right? I'm really sorry for asking ignorant questions, but ignorance leads to that...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3649950

Would this be worth the money? I can't find a TV with HDMI, but it seems to be competent.

Also, do you know what I would need to hook up the TV to my computer to use it as a monitor.

You've been very helpful, and I appreciate it, thank you.

Yeah. That TV is pretty good. The Contrast Ratio is really bad though. That means it will be hard to see dark areas of games and Video footage. (Mostly games). You might want to look for a TV with 800:1 Contrast Ratio.

And unfortunately, I'm on a dial Up connection in Florida right now, so I don't have the time to search for this. That TV didn't list in it's specs the refresh rate of the TV. That's really important on LCD TVs, and the fact that they didn't even list what it is make me think it must have a pretty crappy one. So what you should do is go to HYUNDAI's website and find your TV. Look for Response time. You want 12ms or lower. 12ms is ok, but you may experiance ghosting in action games or movies.

And for Computer hook up, most LCD televisions will list the support in their Specs. And if all else fails, you can always get a VGA to Component video wire, though there may be a small loss of picture quality.

Another thing about that TV is the resolution. Once TV's hit about 26", they kick the resolution up a notch, to like 1360x768 or something like that.

While your looking for TVs, I recommend NOT going to sites like Wal-Mart or Bestbuy.com. Go to the actual TV manufacturer's website, where you'll be sure to find the TV's complete specs. Then, once you've found a TV you like, you can order it directly from the manufacturer, or bargain hunt online (which isn't a good idea for LCD TVs, because the "Bargain" sites with the cheap price at what ever TV you're looking at is usually selling a dud model with a good amount of dead pixals).

Good brands for LCDs incluide Dell, Sharp, Sony, Viewport, Toshiba, and Philips. And be careful. One of those, I don't remember which, only has TVs that are capable displaying at 540p and 1080i, and always automatically upconverts video. That isn't that bad of a thing though. The only problem is, with those TVs, you miss out on having the option of 720p.

Problem is, I can't buy a TV online in most circumstances. My parents don't trust bill me later features, so the only way I can do it online is with gift cards >.> I'll see what I can find though.

A good thing, my DVR came with instructions to turn it into a HD reciever, so I won't have to worry once I get the TV, yay.

I don't know, this TV seems better, but I am ignorant :\

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...A3996%3A447913

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

Problem is, I can't buy a TV online in most circumstances. My parents don't trust bill me later features, so the only way I can do it online is with gift cards >.> I'll see what I can find though.

A good thing, my DVR came with instructions to turn it into a HD reciever, so I won't have to worry once I get the TV, yay.

I don't know, this TV seems better, but I am ignorant :\

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...A3996%3A447913

No. That TV doesn' t have a good response time at all. Though the 30" model does.
Click Here

It has a 10ms response time, and unlike the 27" version, the DVI port is HDCP. (If a TV has a DVI or HDMI port that isn't HDCP, the picture will actually look worse than what it would look like with component video cables.

The only bad thing about the 30" TV is the Contrast Ratio. 600:1 isn't too bad though. You'll survive for the most part. And you can't beat the price. I say go for it.

Originally Posted by Steve The Queen

Yeah, I saw that and was thinking of purchasing of it. Though that means another 100 in saving, oh well. I'll eventually have enough, and then I'll be in HD heaven...only 350 more dollars :3

Hah.
Yeah. And I only have $160 right now saved up for that beut. Boo for no job.