Yes you can watch any video signal HD or NOn-HD (called SD) on an LCD TV.
however if you are going to primarily watch SD on an LCD TV, be careful of the size of the TV. The large the size the worse the image looks because scaling a SD image does not look too good. Btw as Meghal says SD and DVD quality should be the same, however in practice the SD from cable is compressed and rarely matches up to DVD quality (from my experience).
Also the same for HD. HD is MEANT to be the same as Blue-ray quality, but Rogers/Bell HD rarely matches up to blue-ray because of compression. Certain events are not compressed like the Olympics .. so that was crystal clear.
Blue, like the previous poster mentioned size is a big factor in watching SD channels. I read somewhere that screen size greater that 42 inch will show the imperfections very clearly. If you get a tv of a bigger size, you will have to sit very far to avoid those imperfections.
In my experience plasma tv shows SD well. If you go with Panny, Samsung, or lg plasma, you cant go wrong. If you are considering lcd, make sure to go to a big box store and have them switch the input from blue ray to regular digital box. Depending on the sales rep you speak to, you may get conflicting answers, but eventually you will get a rep who will switch the feed so that you can compare. Good luck.
I have a Panasonic plasma and I highly recommend it.
Quote:
Originally posted by wall-E
Also the same for HD. HD is MEANT to be the same as Blue-ray quality, but Rogers/Bell HD rarely matches up to blue-ray because of compression. Certain events are not compressed like the Olympics .. so that was crystal clear.
Interesting information. Indeed watching Olympics (both summer and winter) on HD was a real treat. But wasn't aware about the compression. Is it provider that compresses the signals or is it the station itself?
With CBC national, the studio has HD camera but all their outdoors cameras are still non-HD, including one used at Vancouver. CTV only recently started HD programming for their news. GlobalTV still uses regular broadcast even though it is HD global. Only american programs (24, Simpsons) are broadcast in HD.
Has anybody noticed the difference between quality of HD programming of US v/s Canada? I think US channels carry a much sharper picture. Try comparing CNN to CBC. The only HD programming quality at par with US is CityTV news. When I was in US, I was amazed at the quality of HD channels they receive.
Sorry for the digression.
Location: Brampton, Ont, Canada
Posted on: 04-03-10 09:30:16
So , if i am not going to watch lot of HD then Plasma seems good option.
Any major difference on 60-120-240 HERTZ ( by visual effects) ? can normal ppl see the different quality using higher hertz ?
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'Some goals are so worthy, it's glorious even to fail.' (Param Vir Chakra awardee Lt. Manoj Pandey)
ok more about HD TVs .. (I am not an expert but here goes)
- The frequencies are for people who watch fast action sports or play games. I personally don't think they make a difference
- Plasma is good for fast action compared to LCD. But plasma's are not as bright hence you need a darker room. Not good for rooms with lots of sunlight. That is why all Plasmas are kept in the darkest spots in best buy or future shop. I am more in favour of LCD.
- I don't know difference b/w LED and LCD
- Important things to get in a HD TV - HDMI (duh!), ASTC tuner (for OTA HD channels), Good response time (<= 5ms), VGA if plan to use with PC (not necessary but preferred) and I would suggest getting a 1080p rather than a 720p (just to be more future proof).
- regarding HD compression .. I think it is done by the carrier. e.g. CBC HD is crystal clear via an OTA HD antennae, but may not be as clear if carrier by rogers/bell.
Quote:
Originally posted by wall-E
- Plasma is good for fast action compared to LCD. But plasma's are not as bright hence you need a darker room. Not good for rooms with lots of sunlight. That is why all Plasmas are kept in the darkest spots in best buy or future shop. I am more in favour of LCD.
- I don't know difference b/w LED and LCD
- Important things to get in a HD TV - HDMI (duh!), ASTC tuner (for OTA HD channels), Good response time (<= 5ms), VGA if plan to use with PC (not necessary but preferred) and I would suggest getting a 1080p rather than a 720p (just to be more future proof).
- regarding HD compression .. I think it is done by the carrier. e.g. CBC HD is crystal clear via an OTA HD antennae, but may not be as clear if carrier by rogers/bell.
There is also an burn-out issue with plasma TVs - black spots if you watch too much those 70mm movies. I do not know if this issue has been fixed in modern TVs. But as a thumb rule, plasma TV look better than LCD but are more expensive.
In case you plan to watch lots of HD programming, you might also want to invest in a good audio system, as most of HD programming is 5.1. However, be future proof (I like that word!!) and buy a 7.1 system with HDMI connectivity, the standard for new blu-ray DVDs. However, 7.1 receivers are still pretty pricey, in $500-700 range for lower end receivers.
Quote:
Originally posted by wall-E
ok more about HD TVs .. (I am not an expert but here goes)
- The frequencies are for people who watch fast action sports or play games. I personally don't think they make a difference
- Plasma is good for fast action compared to LCD. But plasma's are not as bright hence you need a darker room. Not good for rooms with lots of sunlight. That is why all Plasmas are kept in the darkest spots in best buy or future shop. I am more in favour of LCD.
This is true. Generally, the plasma brightness is less compared to lcd. If you visit any store, you will see the difference. But you dont need too much brightness to view at home. Also note that the stores are very well lit, so you get the feeling that plasma brightness is less adequate.
Quote:
Originally posted by wall-E
- I don't know difference b/w LED and LCD
led has newer technology and costs more than lcd..thats all in know
Quote:
Originally posted by wall-E
- Important things to get in a HD TV - HDMI (duh!), ASTC tuner (for OTA HD channels), Good response time (<= 5ms), VGA if plan to use with PC (not necessary but preferred) and I would suggest getting a 1080p rather than a 720p (just to be more future proof).
Good point. Almost all new hdtv's come with tuner, will help you in getting OTA channels by pointing the antenna towards CN tower. You will get more channels if you live closer to the tower.
The TV I bought doesnt have vga input, so I am not getting a good connectivity with the laptop. Again it depends on the graphics card & output connectivity you have on the laptop/pc. Some of the latest laptops have hdmi outs, I believe it will help if you wish to use your tv as a monitor. LCD will be a better option if you plan to use the hdtv as a monitor. Maybe other members can share their view on this.
Quote:
Originally posted by wall-E
- regarding HD compression .. I think it is done by the carrier. e.g. CBC HD is crystal clear via an OTA HD antennae, but may not be as clear if carrier by rogers/bell.
True, I enjoyed watching Olympics on CTV channel from an OTA (Over-the-air) antenna.
Quote:
Originally posted by meghal
There is also an burn-out issue with plasma TVs - black spots if you watch too much those 70mm movies. I do not know if this issue has been fixed in modern TVs. But as a thumb rule, plasma TV look better than LCD but are more expensive.
Most of the latest plasmas doesnt have burn in due to advancement in Technology. But the image retention (IR) issue is still around (do you research).You will only notice the burn in if you change the channel to a blank input and watch it really closely in a dark room. I should say that it doesnt affect me. My panny has couple to tools to remove the IR (pixel orbiter and scrolling bar).
These days, entry level plasmas costs less than lcd.
Quote:
Originally posted by meghal
In case you plan to watch lots of HD programming, you might also want to invest in a good audio system, as most of HD programming is 5.1. However, be future proof (I like that word!!) and buy a 7.1 system with HDMI connectivity, the standard for new blu-ray DVDs. However, 7.1 receivers are still pretty pricey, in $500-700 range for lower end receivers.
The 42 inch 720p Panasonic I bought cost me 599 + tax at Costco during a pre-boxing day online sale. I originally wanted 50 inch. When I saw this for 599, I went for it. So price was the main factor to own this TV. After installing it at home, I realized that it is more that adequate as my room size is not very big.
It has an okay set of speakers. I didnt get the audio system yet especially since most of the audio systems are in the $ 200 + range. It will be a good add on to make a complete home theater system. Please let us know if you have a good recommendation on audio systems.
Do your research and make the decision especially if you are planning to spend lots of moolah on your TV. AVS forum will give you model specific threads with lots of info and CNET will have most the TV reviews.
