Lkr's Guide to HD

[Lkr]

I see confusion all over the place, just thought I'd post some clarifications in here for those of you unsure about things. I'd like to start off with the biggest scam in the industry-

CABLES

If you are buying an HDTV, you are going to need to pick up cables to hook up your peripherals to the TV. There are two types of cables - digital and analog. Digital comes in the form of HDMI and analog in the form of Component. There is absolutely no difference in picture quality between Component and HDMI - the big difference comes with audio. HDMI can carry video AND audio through one cable. Component needs RCA cables or an optical cable in addition to hook up audio. HDMI is also the only way to use Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio formats(uncompressed audio, only found on Blu Ray and HD DVD).

There is no difference between cable brands. If you go to a big name store, you will be pressured into purchasing a HDMI cable produced by Monster Cable that is very expensive. This cable is exactly the same as any other. I'd recommend buying a cable online as they are very cheap on several sites including Amazon, Monoprice, and more. Digital is digital, there is no difference in quality as long as both are plugged in and there is no damage to the cable(unless it is defective).

 

SOURCES

If you hook up your TV to the wall, you are not receiving HD content necessarily. You could be receiving standard def content that is either in 4:3 mode(with black bars on the left and right) or stretched. All new HDTVs come with a QAM tuner that allows you to receive local stations in HD depending on who you subscribe to for cable. Another option for local channels is to install an antenna. If you want more channels in HD or have an older model you will need an HD receiver from your current cable or satellite provider. Adding HD will also more than likely increase your monthly bill depending on provider.

The providers with the most channels in order:

DirecTV

Dish

Verizon FiOS

AT&T U-verse

 

Cable companies vary in area, although none of them will match DirecTV or Dish.

 

The highest quality provider is Verizon FiOS, being the only provider to pass along content without degrading the quality of the signal. Other providers worsen the signal in order to add more channels.

Picture Quality Ratings:

Verizon FiOS

DirecTV

Dish

AT&T U-Verse

 

Cable companies will vary in area, although consensus shows that most will be somewhere between Dish and U-Verse.

 

TELEVISIONS

The best quality HD set you can get would be a CRT TV. Unfortunately, these are no longer produced. If you are purchasing a new TV, the best is Plasma, followed by LED, and LCD in last. Older Plasmas suffered from burn-in symptoms, but these are no longer a big issue. Plasmas are also generally cheaper than LCDs, but can consume more power.

 

No TV will look good out of the box. The settings need to be adjusted. You can either pay for professional calibration or get a test pattern(can be found on many DVDs that say THX Optimized) to adjust settings to your liking. A rule of thumb on flat panel displays is to set sharpness to zero.

 

 

 

If you have any questions/comments/concerns, please post and I'll get back to you

[Jammin]

Nice guide, for real. If I didn't already have a plasma and HDMI set up I would be using this for sure.

 

+1

[Lkr]

Nice guide, for real. If I didn't already have a plasma and HDMI set up I would be using this for sure.

 

+1

ily too Ben

 

you need to get on AIM sometime and talk to me. I haven't annoyed you in ages

[Guru]

Great guide, it will definitely help a lot of people.