Talk me out of Satellite & HDTV???

[PBMAX]

COOL setup Bob. I'm sure ya'll will enjoy the movie viewing even more with the new cinima you call home. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Plus if you have a PC near by with a TV out option. You should have a high time reading TBN post on that monster monitor... I have been known to do this on my Sony 35" on occasion... I just kick the font size up since it is not HD it can be fuzzy but it's still 1080i. Besides its also a cool way to play freecell or solitaire.... Mery Christmas to You and Yours.

Merry Christmas to all here TBN.... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[EastTexFrank]

Bob, you're a man after my own heart. When you decide to do something, it's first class. The sad part is that we all failed to talk you out of it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif but I'm sure you will all enjoy it and you're right, you will probably spend more time watching it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Have a good Christmas.

 

[avorancher]

Been following the thread with interest... but was not about to talk you out of something that I just purchased myself. Since our move to a new rural home, I went for a year with rabbit ears, receiving one snowy channel on a 13" set. Now I have two HD plasmas, satellite, and sound system, Harmony remote, etc.

My concern was becoming brain dead by watching reality shows. The first month after hooking everything up, I noticed the trend of sitting in front of the big screen for hours and hours each evening... startled by the HD clarity and surround sound. I think my wife and I watched nearly every movie we could find.

Now, every few days, I program the DVR to record events that I want to watch for the week and, other than news, that is about the only content we view.

Although we still watch some movies and occasional football game, the experience is much better and we both feel better about our "time" spend in front of the screens. If we are busy with other things, we don't feel pressured to sit down a "catch" a show anymore. The DVR can certainly change the way you view TV if you take advantage of it.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red"> Bob, you're a man after my own heart. When you decide to do something, it's first class. </font>


Well it is one of those things. . . if you're gonna do it then you might as well do it right! The TV has the best rated picture quality of any TV that I could find, and there are some that cost twice as much. This one wasn't cheap, but I feel it is going to be able to last for years and given that it uses the newest generation chips sets, etc it seems like it is a good investment. The Denon equipment is not their top of the line, but it is some of their better stuff, while not be too complicated to use. I've used Denon audio stuff before, it is better than most of the common brands, and the price premium is not too much more than other brands. I liked the fact that the DVD player will output to 720/1080 so it blows away the "progressive scan" DVD players in picture quality, the sample rate is also faster on the Denon units. Speakers are pretty subjective, but HK makes good stuff, I like it much better than Bose, but that is just a personal preference, then again I am a big fan of DCM Time Windows speakers and will have a hard time giving those up when I hook up the new Harmon Kardons.

I think the thing up for most debate is the fact that I'm going with VOOM for satellite. They are pretty much unknown when compared to Direct TV or Dish Network. I've not signed the contract on that yet, but I hope to actually see it in action today as there is a showroom about a 1/2 mile south of my office that sells their service. All their literature sure seems to blow away the competition when it comes to H.D. transmissions. They do offer few channels, but as I've used to watching only the broadcast stations locally, I will end up with 10x the stations by switching. At this point, I really don't see any downside for me for VOOM satellite as compared to the other services.

Anyway, I would like to THANK everyone on this for pointing out some things I had no clue about. And even though you all failed in talking me out of Satellite & HDTV <font color="green"> (although AndyM gets bonus points for his effort)</font>, I learned a lot and I think it all helped make a much more informed decision.

Merry Christmas to all.

 

[bmac]

Bob,

Well, you had me fooled. Several days ago I began posting a reply to you telling you to consider a compromise in your expectations. That playing the waiting game with technology is a no win proposition as once what you've been waiting for comes along, there will always be something bigger and better on the horizon. But, instead of submitting the post, I decided that, "Hey - he's made up his mind to wait and his decision is none of my business" and just logged off.

Today, I read that you've made a 180 degree turn. Wasn't expecting to see that. I figured the new responses were going to be more support for your decision or maybe a few folks attempting to twist your arm a little to buy something new. You surprised me.

I applaud your decision. Just be sure to get the DVR as soon as ZOOM releases their model. It will truely change your television viewing experience. Enjoy.

 

[riptides]

Agree on the technology thingy.

Buy what you want today. Do not look back. It will change.
So enjoy it, the moment, and the company technology can bring to you!

-Happy Holidays.
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DCRC]

Bob,

I run a satellite business here south of Houston. I sell quite a few DVR's, and HD receivers.

I'll tell you for a fact alot of people are disappointed with the HD and there new big screens. Want proof just watch a few channels of standard definition on a 56" or 65". I've got two people calling on me because there disappointed with there picture in standard definition. These are top of the line tv's Mitshubishi DLP and a Sony, but I see the problem with all models. Part of the problem is a 16:9 tv is 20% larger then a 4:3 tv. When enlarging a picture and then stretching it to fill the screen you are making it grainer like a photograph.

Most projection Tv's are adjusted to be displayed a store on a quality signal such as a DVD, or HD. They do a poor job of reproding standard definition and analog signals.

Check out this site for some help: they do a few mods to the TV to improve picture quality. I disconnect the SVM board and it made a big improvement . Quite a few people remove the glare screen.

http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/index.htm

Be sure to read the portion on ISF calibration.

You have to be very careful on burning your screen. The new channels FOX, and CNN with the logos staying on all the time will ruin your TV, same for video games, programming logos, etc...

On tv brands. I think a lot of people will agree that the Mitshubishi makes the best projection TV.

Myth or misperception #1 : Everything will eventually go high definition.

The only thing that the FCC has mandated is that over the air broadcasters swith from an analog signal to a digital signal. With the digital signal they will have the capability to broadcast in High definition. That doesn't mean that every show and channel will be in High def.

You think reruns are bad on regular TV. Just wait to you get VOOM. be prepaired to watch the same thing every few days. The other down side of Voom is no DVR.

If I only had a choice of a DVR or HD box. I would take DVR everytime. When you don't watch much TV it is nice to watch what you want when you do.

The problem is that the TV manufactures and technology are ahead of the wide spread availablitity of high definition programing. The TV's stores want to sell you a high profit TV they never tell customers the whole story.

If your only wanting to spend $30-$40 a month I feel your wasting your time looking at HD.

for the post above DVR recievers are availabe with over 250 hours of recording.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Daryl,

Thanks for the information, but I stopped off at the local home theater store that sells both VOOM and DirectTV. I was able to watch both on a wall size HDTV. I'll take the VOOM, even if it has reruns.

As for prices, they are similar, DirectTV is a bit cheaper, but by the time you add the HD options, the price difference begins to evaporate. DTV is still a bit cheaper, but overall I liked the VOOM better. And VOOM comes with a terrestrial antenna which is an added cost with DTV.

As for programming, no question that DTV has more choices than VOOM. But as I am coming from broadcast only, VOOM is going to give me exponentially more choices than I currently have.

I was aware that DTV and HDTV are different, and I was aware that HDTV is very limited which is why I first considered VOOOM because it didn't make a lot of sense to me to drop mega bucks on an idiot box in the corner of the room and not be able to use it to its full capabilities. What I found funny was that the guys who delivered the TV and set it up wanted to re-arrange my furniture in the room. Apparently they are not used to rooms that don't have all the furniture facing the TV set. Well I might now have the brand new HDTV, but it doesn't mean that I intend to change my entire life and live life through a box in the corner of the room; nor does it mean that I want to rearrange my furniture. Some of it faces the TV, some faces away from it. The living room also has a grand piano and a music area for violin and cello and I don't rearrange my furiture to hear recitals on that end of hte room. There is even a reading corner that is opposite of the TV corner. Its a big room (about the size of a 2.5 car garage), we use it for a lot of different activities. The HDTV will just be one of those things.

As for the DVR, yea, I want one of those. Voom currently does not have one. But they are introducing one (at least they promised me they would have it soon) and they are coming out with a way to broadcast from the DVR to the other VOOM control boxes so I could have the DVR in the bedroom and watch it on the HDTV in the living room.

I was also careful to buy a HDTV that uses 720p rather than 1080i because the "interlacing" technology used by the 1080 standard does not produce as smooth a picture as the 720p progressive technology, especially in action scenes or where there is rapid movement.

I think much of what we will use the HDTV for is going to be watching DVDs because that is what we used our old TV for. Consequently I purchased a scaling DVD player that upscales to 720p/1080i instead of being limited to standard 480p. Regular progressive scan DVD players are great for watching DVDs on a regular TV and even better on an EDTV (I have one of those in the bedroom), but they are not as good as the scaling players that advantage of HDTV. For the slight added cost over a premium progressive scan DVD player, the upscaling units are worth the money if you have HDTV and while my new player will not be delivered until Wednesday, I saw the same unit in action at the home theatre store. The difference in quality is worth the extra $100.

 

[DCRC]

Bob,

You said "talk me out of Satellite & HDTV"

I tried, but I was a little to late.

Sounds like you did your homework, though.

If your big into DVD's than you will really love the TV.

That's my biggest complaint with customers. They by the TV first and then start asking all the questions. You would be suprised at the number of people who by 16:9 tv and still go with regular satellite.

If your big into DVD's than you will really love the TV


Did you get your system for free ? I thought they were now giving Zoom systems away for free becuase they were not able to sell them, when DISH and Directv are given there systems away for free.

I sell DISH and we give the 811's HD boxes for free with are promotions. The 921 HD/DVR we sell out right for $549.

Is your TV a projection, or DLP?

If it's projection there is a lot of fine tuning that can be done. Don't settle for out of the box because it can be so much better. Gray Scale, dirty mirrors, and lens (yes, even on new tv's), manual focus, electronic focus, service convergence, etc... The DLP's can be fine tuned as well. Just be careful if you venture into the service menu's .

Just do some reading on the site I mentioned above and you will see.

Enjoy.

 

[sneaky_pete]

On a vaguely related note to this thread, my wife gave me a satellite radio receiver, docking station, antenna, and subscription for Christmas. I installed it in the shop - it is the greatest thing ever - words can hardly express how much I like it. Great music, great variety, never any commercials or annoying idiotic DJ's.

We live far enough from a major city to not get many FM radio stations, and it is a pain to swap CD's when you're in the middle of a project. As an added bonus, I got enough Best Buy gift cards to mostly buy a cheap powered sub-woofer on sale, so now the shop sounds even better!

Anyway, if you like music, you'll love satellite radio.

Pete