Who has a 16.9 bigscreen HDTV ?

[biscuit]

Ok, this doesnt have much to do with dvdr reproduction, but im curious-

Who here has shelled out the cash for a big 16.9 ratio hdtv. A friend of mine recently got one, but is having a hell of a time getting the hd signal work.

Would like to hear from people that have gotten into hdtv, and how much you paid, etc... How do you dvds look on it, etc...

[padre]

biscuit,

I have a 53" High Definition Widescreen Projection TV. Its a Pioneer. Works like a champ. I have it hooked up to a Toshiba DTS-3000 High Definition Receiver for DirecTV (and off-the-air). I currently only get HBO in High Definition, but can also use my Apex 3201 to drive the HDTV in Progressive Scan mode. Looks like you in a freaking theater!! There's also HDNet, which has some sports and theater in HDTV. Lastly, Showtime is now available in HDTV via DirecTV, but you need another LNB on your dish, and I haven't done that upgrade yet.

The HDTV cost me about $2300 for the HDTV and another $450 for the receiver.

Some of the new HDTV's have an integrated receiver. As I said, it can also do HDTV off-the-air via aerial, but I live too far from the broadcast stations, so I can't get the signal without putting one of the big ass ugly antenna on the roof.

Standard DVD players without progressive scan look kinda crappy on the HDTV. That's why you need a progressive scan, to double the output of the player.

[wakebrder]

biscuit,

I've had the 38" 16:9 RCA (please don't bash) 38310 @ $1900. While I wasn't crazy about purchasing a RCA, it was (and I think still is) the largest 16:9 direct view set. Another bonus is it has the HD receiver built in. As Padre said, 1080i HD signals are stunning to say the least. DVDs @ 480P look pretty good going through my prog scan JVC. The Onkyo/Atlantic Technology 7.1 audio doesn't hurt either.:D IMHO regular Directv signals don't look all that great, but then again you tend to become spoiled with HD & DVDs. One of the reasons I got into DVD copying/authoring so early is SVCDs just weren't cutting it anymore. It's kinda like watching TV through a magnifing glass. When there is a flaw (crappy DVD transfer, bad signal etc) you REALLY notice it. But, when everything is perfect, it makes it all worth it.
In addition to getting HD via Directv, locally (yes with a $35 radioshack antenna) I get CBS, ABC, NBC, & FOX in HD. Fox is only 480p, but it's not bad. I believe ABC is 720P & CBS/NBC are 1080i. Some good sites to check are
www.hdtvgalaxy.com (http://www.hdtvgalaxy.com) and this forum (http://http://www.hometheaterspot.com). Go ahead, take the plunge!

[RadicalEd]

Heh, my friend's got a real nice 16:9 projection TV (dunno the size or model off the top of my head) it goes unsaid that I use her house for most of my movie needs. Only problem is that for some reason the DVD player won't allow switching of the TV's aspect ratios (strange that it can do such a thing), its locked on wide.

On that note, why buy anything but a 16:9 hdtv? I often wander around bestbuy looking at people buying 4:3 HD sets and all I can ever think is "stooopid" the guys working there dont seem to do a good job conveying the point that HD broadcasts are all widescreen. Ah well, I guess the only reason companies are producing 4:3 HD sets and consumers are buying them is because of the confusion about NTSC cutoff. If the FCC had any real power this estuary of NTSC and HD would have washed away already.

[trbarry]

On that note, why buy anything but a 16:9 hdtv?

The reason I bought a 55" Toshiba 4:3 ratio HDTV set a couple years ago is because the 4:3's were about a thousand dollars cheaper than the equivalent size screen in a 16:9.

I've used a variety of PCHD cards in my PC to drive it. Most give a beautiful picture. But even though I get 7 (H)DTV stations where I live I probably still spend an equal amount of time watching NTSC TV on my Tivo. Almost all of that is still in a 4:3 ratio and I suspect this may outlast the life of my TV.

But the price difference is coming down and my next one (years away) will probably be 16:9.

- Tom

[RadicalEd]

I feel all warm inside now, I was just at circuit city being a geek and staring at the hdtvs right, well some couple with kids was looking at this 4:3 direct view vs a 16:9 direct view and they were like hmm... i like this one, no this one, no wait, no... and i wuz like 'i dun mean to barge in but u'd be better off getting the 16:9 set since all hd programming is gunna be widescreen' i was more useful than the damn service guy and i just got circuit city about 1000 bux more, I should work there, yeesh.
The guy thanked me and I was like yepp, I've saved another ignorant family from buying a 4:3 set, my work here is done. It was kinda fulfilling at least. (no offense barry, you get full credit cuz u chose knowing the difference, most people are just ignorant)

[biscuit]

I do admit, when i first saw a 16:9 size tv, i thought it was stupid. then i realized... , that.... oh my god, you mean, ive been missing 15% of the movie on the left and right sides of my 4:3 TV all these years?

that sorta makes you want to buy one. As soon as i save up 2999.99, i will get the 60" panasonic. ha yeh right

[RadicalEd]

that reminds me, I was also in Boscovs and I was standing there staring at this 65" widescreen, they were playing some show that was flying over cityscapes and deserts and things, and when it zoomed in I felt like I was gunna fall over. I want one :cool:

[padre]

Yeah, it's amazing. On HDNet they play some stuff from National Geographic. There's a scene where they are watching some canoes and I swear I was going to get wet! And live sports are just unreal. It's like watching it from a box seat at the game.

My only request is that they have more channels available. I get HBO East and HDNet via DirecTV. I just ordered my C-Sat upgrade to get Showtime East in HD. But DirecTV doesn't offer local channels in HD. I priced how much Comcast cable would charge me to get HD from them (I live near Philly, and that's one of the areas it's available). They want $10 bucks for the service, plus $15 for the HD reciever, plus HBO/Showtime and Digital channel package - I was up to $110!!! The heck with that!!

If I can figure out where to mount an antenna without my neighbors bitching, I could get the local channels in SD or HD. May have to put one up and make it look like a tree!!

Padre

[RadicalEd]

:O philly?
sweet, I'm in Reading :cool:

[biscuit]

can you use a 16:9 HDTV as a monitor for your computer? Anyone done this? I was just wiping off the drool on my chin, sorry... (was thinking about half life on a 50" HDTV)

[benedict]

I ran into one of those 65" models at a store the other day: flat-panel wall-mount! Had a NASCAR race on DVD for the demo. Crystal clear. Thought I was going to get run over!

Now if I can just figure out where to get the $30,000 from.