Do I buy a HD TV ????

Mike · 05-02-2006, 14:41

Hi all

Well I went............. to buy a widescreen Panasonic TX28PM12 TV costing Ã‚Â£319.00 but came away feeling confused ! They did not have one in stock but I really liked the look of the HD TVs. I think when HD TVs starts to be shown I will buy a HD TV but should I buy the Panasonic in the interim to replace my crapy panasonic 25" 4:9 or hold off..........what would people do ?

Mike

TheBlueRaja · 05-02-2006, 15:16

I think it depends, there are no HD channels you can get just now and unless your planning on getting SKy HD or upgrading there is probably no point for the next couple of years.

At that price, you could have a really good telly for a couple of years then change it out to an HD one when there are lots of option available.

mike24 · 05-02-2006, 19:27

I would not rush to buy, i remember a few years ago, that the European Spec ie number of lines was different than the Japanese & dont know if this has changed!
It would be a good idea to hold off, due to the fact that the price will come down JVC is the make i would buy & not the make you have been looking at.

Neil · 06-02-2006, 11:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

Well I went............. to buy a widescreen Panasonic TX28PM12 TV costing Ã‚Â£319.00 but came away feeling confused ! They did not have one in stock but I really liked the look of the HD TVs. I think when HD TVs starts to be shown I will buy a HD TV but should I buy the Panasonic in the interim to replace my crapy panasonic 25" 4:9 or hold off..........what would people do ?

Mike

That TV is not HD Ready.

kobuskint · 06-02-2006, 11:58

I would say that if you are spending money on a TV that you want to last for a few years, definitely buy HD ready. The services in the US have come in very quickly and will here.

HD is fantastic and to miss out and have to buy a new TV would be very annoying.

KK

banjo · 06-02-2006, 12:15

I agree, wait a minimum of 1 year and let things settle, prices will drop and spec will go up.

Tuftus · 08-02-2006, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

I think it depends, there are no HD channels you can get just now and unless your planning on getting SKy HD or upgrading there is probably no point for the next couple of years.

At that price, you could have a really good telly for a couple of years then change it out to an HD one when there are lots of option available.

Exactly what I thought, especially as there are rumours on digitalspy that the sky HD boxes are going to be Ã‚Â£400+

I would wait for it all to settle and become cheaper as the technology matures.

Hom3r · 08-02-2006, 22:16

Unless your current TV is on its last legs and is about to give up the goat, then you should consider buying a HDTV.

But becareful on what you buy some say thay are HD ready when they cannot handle HD.

HD TVs should have:

HDCP - High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Copy-protection scheme developed by Intel to be used in conjunction with DVI and HDMI connections.

HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface. USB-like digital video connectivity standard designed as a successor to DVI; can transmit both uncompressed digital audio and video signals; protected by HDCP digital copy protection

danielf · 09-02-2006, 00:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

That TV is not HD Ready.

I think that is why he is asking if he should buy a HD TV instead

Slyder · 09-02-2006, 22:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

Well I went............. to buy a widescreen Panasonic TX28PM12 TV costing Ã‚Â£319.00 but came away feeling confused ! They did not have one in stock but I really liked the look of the HD TVs. I think when HD TVs starts to be shown I will buy a HD TV but should I buy the Panasonic in the interim to replace my crapy panasonic 25" 4:9 or hold off..........what would people do ?

Mike

Me and the misses recently bought a new Samsung HDTV. Given the fact the only HD content I have is the Xbox360, the difference between a HD picture to something like S-Video or composit, HD blows them away.

**Graham M** · 09-02-2006, 22:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielf

I think that is why he is asking if he should buy a HD TV instead

Thats certainly how I read it.

Downloads · 09-02-2006, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by david.ewles

Unless your current TV is on its last legs and is about to give up the goat, then you should consider buying a HDTV.

But becareful on what you buy some say thay are HD ready when they cannot handle HD.

HD TVs should have:

HDCP - High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. Copy-protection scheme developed by Intel to be used in conjunction with DVI and HDMI connections.

HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface. USB-like digital video connectivity standard designed as a successor to DVI; can transmit both uncompressed digital audio and video signals; protected by HDCP digital copy protection

I'm pretty sure that you don't have to have HDMI and you can have DVI? I've read in more than one place that HDCP over DVI is HD Ready. Correct me if i am wrong of course.

Edit: Just checked and i am correct, you don't have to have an HDMI connection. HDCP over DVI is fine.
http://www.eicta.org/files/PressRelease1-115438A.pdf

keithwalton · 10-02-2006, 00:16

Most 'HD Ready' tv's are not much more than a bog standard lcd / plasma panel with the american standard input connector on them. Very few tv's avaliable in this country can fully display 1080i the top hdtv standard which is 1920x1080 interlaced resolution, in terms of pure pixel pushing that would also get near the limits of dvi which can handle 1600x1200 @ 60hz (1.92MP)max.

most of the tv's even strugle to show the more common 720i/p hdtv (1280x720)
As those with desktop lcd's running at non natural resolutions look ugly!