Something Cool To Do With The TV...

[JoeChartreuse]

Though I have cable, I went ahead and sent for 2 rebate cards for DTV boxes, and bought them last summer. Total one time cost: $12 per. My intention is to use them if cable ever goes out.

Even though the switchover has yet to happen, I put an A/B switch on the TV, with cable running to one side, and antennae / DTV to the other.

Get this: Although we are still waiting for the complete switchover, I get about 35 channels in my area ( instead of just 2,4,5,7,9,11, and 13). Of these many are NOT INCLUDED WITH MY CABLE. New Channels! FREE. The boxes also provide the descriptions that you normally find with cable. You can also freeze frame and other things- with over the air TV! I highly recommend getting the boxes and the A/B. A nifty surprise.

I can hardly wait for the full switchover.

Of course, it's digital, so prepare for some breakups and de-rezzing.... But hey, just switch back if it annoys you.

 

[ahoustondj]

Though I have cable, I went ahead and sent for 2 rebate cards for DTV boxes, and bought them last summer. Total one time cost: $12 per. My intention is to use them if cable ever goes out.

Even though the switchover has yet to happen, I put an A/B switch on the TV, with cable running to one side, and antennae / DTV to the other.

Get this: Although we are still waiting for the complete switchover, I get about 35 channels in my area ( instead of just 2,4,5,7,9,11, and 13). Of these many are NOT INCLUDED WITH MY CABLE. New Channels! FREE. The boxes also provide the descriptions that you normally find with cable. You can also freeze frame and other things- with over the air TV! I highly recommend getting the boxes and the A/B. A nifty surprise.

I can hardly wait for the full switchover.

Of course, it's digital, so prepare for some breakups and de-rezzing.... But hey, just switch back if it annoys you.

When they first came out last year I went and got two. You are correct about the extra channels.

 

[Papa Deuce]

My mom gets those extra sub channels... honestly, they aren't worth watching... at least the ones she gets. Most are just local weather channels.

 

[SoftJock Rick]

Here I thought ya was talking about this...

YouTube - Bruce Springsteen - 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) Acoustic

 

[JoeChartreuse]

My mom gets those extra sub channels... honestly, they aren't worth watching... at least the ones she gets. Most are just local weather channels.

Papa, remember that these channels are broadcast, and are proprietary to their locale. The channels a person gets in, say. Smithfield, Va. will be different from those I receive in northern NJ. There will also be a different AMOUNT of receivable channels.

In my case I pick up several channels of of the type I enjoy, as well as some that consider blah. Also, keep in mind that what is dreck to one is treasure to another. I have a couple of new movie channels some science channels that are not the same as the big names on cable ( I love science and nature), a VERY local weather channel, a couple of original program channels, another food channel (The Goddess is a top end chef), as well as my regular local broadcast channels. all of this as of NOW.

Again, the main switchover hasn't happened yet, and when it does, I'm confident that there will be enough new channels to have something for everyone, and make it worth while to use the boxes as an additional option.

Also, my local channels ( 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11,13) come in MORE CLEARLY ( especially the lower ones) than they do on cable.

 

[Papa Deuce]

...

Also, my local channels ( 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11,13) come in MORE CLEARLY ( especially the lower ones) than they do on cable.

I agree with you there.

 

[Dan The Man]

I got an HD TV for my b-day, first TV in the house with a digital tuner. I tried it without my cable box, but ran the cable line in, and got most of my cable channels. Even on the SD channels the picture quality is stunning compared to the old tube TVs.

HD is a big farce, I get about 10-15 'free' HD channels with my cable package half of the shows don't even broadcast in HD. The shows that do broadcast in HD, when they show clips (like news shows do) it's in 4:3 the rest of the screen is just a background graphic. Then when they show commercials, not that I watch them anyway but it gets letterboxed because it's broadcasting in SD.

I suppose sooner or later everything will be HD but right now the cable companies are advertising it like it's the holy grail when it looks just plain slapped together.

The TV has 10 'picture modes', the manual doesn't explain them but it looks like basically one stretches a 4:3 picture to 16:9 and the rest zoom the picture in some way. My cable box even though the software and UI us garbage has a nice approach one button stretches the pic (4:3 to 16:9), press it again and it goes back. I leave my TV on 16:9 all the time and manage the up scaling and down scaling via the cable box which is actually pretty decent.

 

[JoeChartreuse]

Don't know if HD is a big farce ( though a lot of so-called HD shows aren't really all that quality enhanced- more on that later).

The farce is SD broadcast on HD TVs - ick. Also, if it's an LCD ( which I was given as a present) and the viewing angle is off- double ick.

Now, back to "not-so-great" HD. SOME of the shows advertised as "HD" really aren't. They are actually processed through something I co-invented in the 70's for the medical imaging field- the AIM circuit. This is an automated interlace module. Instead of adding MORE video information as true HD does, it merely oscillates the standard number of lines ( "line doubling")to fool the eye by filling in the spaces. No new information is added, so technically it is not HD. While it was helpful for doctors reading scans by adding definition to irregularities, it does NOT add detail as true HD would.

Since pre-taped and filmed shows and movies were not made in Hi-Def, this is the best that can be done right now.

Low budget stations also use this technique.

 

[Dan The Man]

I get that like watching Nick-at-night the Cosby show obviously isn't going to be HD because it's so old but some of the new shows like for instance Family Guy isn't even broadcast in HD. The news programs look awesome in HD though, I have to say that. ESPN seems to the the only channel that is always in HD but I don't watch sports so no go for me.

Using the AIM trick is just plain misleading to consumers, IMHO.

 

[JoeChartreuse]

I get that like watching Nick-at-night the Cosby show obviously isn't going to be HD because it's so old but some of the new shows like for instance Family Guy isn't even broadcast in HD. The news programs look awesome in HD though, I have to say that. ESPN seems to the the only channel that is always in HD but I don't watch sports so no go for me.

Using the AIM trick is just plain misleading to consumers, IMHO.

Well, for older shows and films there's not much else that you can do. It's the only way to broadcast them to an HD TV, or on an HD station,without having them look like complete crap on the receiver. The only other alternative is to trashcan all non HD products, which isn't going to happen. Except for the low budget stations, the rest of the stuff like sports ( which, except for fighting) and other live shows should be in true HD.

 

[JoeChartreuse]

My mom gets those extra sub channels... honestly, they aren't worth watching... at least the ones she gets. Most are just local weather channels.

I just re-read this and got to thinking.... I have 1000 channels on my cable system, of which I find POSSIBLY 3% ( 30 channels) useful. Just sayin'....