HDTV initial dissapointment

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 7th, 2007 in News and weather, Technology and Music | 2 comments

Well,  the new TV came in today.  We unhooked the 27 in flatscreen and hooked up the 50 inch DLP job in it’s place.

The initial reaction was definately not WOW! 

Given, we don’t have an HDTV feed,  but the regular satelitte feed is digital and is crystal clear on the 27 inch non-HDTV set.  On the new HD job,  it’s fuzzy,  no definition.   Looking at a brick building, behind an actor,  you can’t really tell it’s a brick building.  Car antenae look like faint fuzzy sticks. 

Ok, so maybe it’s something weird with the satellite signal,  so I hooked up the DVD player.  Again,  it’s not one of the new progressive scan jobs,  but it is crystal clear on the 27 inch analog set.  The HD picture sucks,  it’s not clear,  and has ghosts on fast moving objects.

I’m not sure what my next move will be?  I suppose I should try to find some way to get an HD signal to it,  (won’t be easy),  but it’s hard to believe anything that shows my current signals this badly,  would be that great  with a different signal.  And,  if it’s the DVD signal that’s not good enough for the durned thing, does that mean I need to ditch all my DVD’s and start over?

BTW,  the built in set up screens on the thing are awesome.

 ~~GB

HDTV coming soon.

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 2nd, 2007 in Technology and Music | 0 comments

Ok,  I finally gotten over the fence.  I have officially ordered the 50 inch Samsung DLP HDTV set. 

I’ve been informed that analog TV is now set to be turned off, (by the FCC), in Feb. of 2009.  I have also been informed that this applies to broadcast TV only.  The Satelite and Cable providers will not be bound by this ruling.  HMMM,  I wonder if this ruling has anything to do with making more airwaves available for Cell phone and wireless providers.

Since we don’t get any broadcast TV up here in the great mid-north and I don’t have a cell phone,  I don’t suppose the FCC’s slightly tainted ruling will have a lot of effect on me.  (Other than somehow managing to make my bill for Satellite TV go UP!)

Bottom line,  hopefully the standard Satellite feed will look good on the big 16×9 screen and (I’ve been told) the standard DVD movies we watch,  will look better also. 

Mini – Point Lookout weather report:  At five pm today the temperature started dropping,  it dropped a couple of degrees an hour from 24 degree’s to the current 11pm, 8.5 degrees.  To top it off,  there’s a stiff breeze blowing.  The best weather in these parts tonight,  is INDOORS!

~~GB

Und speakin uf dat Vista thingie…

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 2nd, 2007 in Technology and Music | 0 comments

Check out “The 16th minute”.

HDTV?

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 1st, 2007 in Technology and Music | Comments Off

Referring back to yesterday:  Today,  I hooked up and old PC I had sitting around to our 27 in. standard format digital TV,  through an S-video cable.  (The old PC just happened to have an old G-Force card with S-video output).  The result was a computer screen displayed on a TV set,  but, it wasn’t really very pretty!  The best resolution I could set it for was 600×800 and that didn’t use the whole TV screen.

I took the conglomeration to 24’s web site and tried to load a video,  but quickly found out that the software they are using doesn’t support Win98 OR Windows Vista.

From what I could determine by browsing around the “24″ web site,  moving the web video to a TV screen,  probably isn’t that good of an idea. 

I’m still considering the Samsung.  The price is good,  and it sounds like a good machine,  I just haven’t been able to get off that fence yet.

~~GB

New TV??

Posted by Greybeard on Jan 31st, 2007 in Technology and Music | 2 comments

We’re in the “consideration” stage of a new TV set.  We’re watching the prices and waiting for some kind of decent sale.  Problem:  I really don’t know enough about the new sets to make  a good decision.   I’m currently leaning toward a Samsung HL-S 5086 50″ DLP set,, priced at $1159 at Amazon.com.  It’s a 50 inch DLP machine,  with the 1280×720 resolution.  HELP!  A search for “Samsung HL-S5086W 50″ DLP HDTV “  at Amazon.com will get you all the details.

We don’t get HDTV over the air broadcast,  and our Satelitte signal isn’t in HDTV either.  So most of the high def. viewing would be DVD’s.  I’d also like to be able to dump my computer screen to the big screen,  so I could use it to watch some of the Internet broadcasts.  This Samsung, does have the “PC: 1 D-Sub-15 input”  so I’m guessing it would work. 

Your input will be greatly appreciated. 

~~GB