Talk me out of Satellite & HDTV???

Bird · Dec 16, 2004

From the Dallas Morning News this morning:

( Comcast Corp. plans to introduce today a service to the Dallas area that lets viewers select movies and TV programs for instant viewing around the clock.

The service, called video on demand )

We're supposed to have this today, but I don't know much about it yet.

Bob_Skurka · Dec 16, 2004

Bird, are you trying to really mess with me? The entire concept of adding another box and remote to the TV that currently goes unused is already painful enough, now you are talking about movies on demand!!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif When does this stuff start to take over our lives?

As it is now, we have our furniture set up so that we gather around the fireplace, the TV is in the corner of the room. I am really beginning to wonder if we are just too unusual to even own a HDTV because we don't live our lives around the vidiot-box.

ronjhall · Dec 16, 2004

On Demand is already here in Southeast Michigan. It is great. But I would prefer the DVR that I had on Dish Network. The programs and movies can only be restarted within a 12 to 24 hour period on ON Demand. I liked to pause regular programs and jump over commercials with the DVR. Recordings on a DVR can stay on the DVR until it is deleted or hard disk is filled.
At this time the only HD programs on On Demand are pay per view.
Recording HD programs on a DVR will use up disk space at about 3 times digital broadcast.
In some areas of the country, Comcast offers a DVR.

AndyM · Dec 16, 2004

A ten year old 20" in the bedroom and a 27" in the living room. 

Wow! Bird and Don have big screens! We have a 19 inch television in our family room and a 13 inch television in our bedroom (Montgomery Ward brand).

We turn the television in the bedroom on every morning before we leave for work, because someone once told us that the dog doesn't get lonely if she hears voices in the house when we're not home. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif She lays on our bed the entire time we're gone, waiting for us to come home. She has a view of the driveway from our bed. She runs downstairs as soon as she hears the garage door opener.

GerardC · Dec 16, 2004

There is no TV in our bedroom -- we still haven't gotten around to watching TV in there.


/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. G

v8dave · Dec 17, 2004

Regarding PVRs "tied" to the service provider.

There is one really great advantage to a tied PVR. It can decode the service providers on-screen programming mode. You use this on screen guide to select the programs to record. A rolling week or two's worth of on-screen TV guide. It's more than a week's worth, I've just never searched much beyond a week. No channel translation, no day of week issues, no through midnight translations, no length of run time concerns. Just select the tv-guide program on the screen and decide if you want a repeating recording or a one-time recording. Quick and simple, my wife has figured it out without my help.

bmac · Dec 17, 2004

In addition to the very significant points V8 made, if you go from a satellite receiver to a seperate DVR, my understanding is that you get some loss in picture quality due to the digital-to-analog-to-digital conversions that take place. All in all, not a good solution for satellite customers.

Bob_Skurka · Dec 22, 2004

Well the family went to a party and saw a 61" widescreen TV and that was the end of the topic. AndyM, sorry, but since the shrill cry of the lovely Mrs_Bob could scare a T-Rex into extinction, I have to succumb to the pressure and go high tech in the living room.

So now I have a new system on order:
Samsung HLP 5685W (56" widescreen HDTV)
Denon AVR685 surround sound receiver
Denon DVD755 DVD player
Harmon Kardon HKTS14 speaker system
VOOM H.D. satellite system (with almost 30 HD channels)
H.D. terrestrial antenna

All that is now a done deal. Our 9 year old daughter, Jr.Miss_Bob, will still be limited to a maximum of 1 hour of TV each day, but somehow I think I may end up watching more TV in the evenings.

btolle · Dec 22, 2004

Good grief Bob_Skurka, just open your front door, turn the volume up a little and I can watch it with you from my place in East Texas /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bill Tolle

AndyM · Dec 22, 2004

AndyM, sorry, but since the shrill cry of the lovely Mrs_Bob could scare a T-Rex into extinction, I have to succumb to the pressure and go high tech in the living room.


Well, the title of the thread was "Talk me out of Satellite & HDTV???"

I have failed. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Since I'll be out of town for the next several days, MERRY CHRISTMAS