bad to buy non-HDTV-compatible TV?

[wpeng]

I'm thinking about buying a cheap CRT TV on black friday. I was wondering if it was a bad idea to buy one that is not HDTV compatible. I heard HDTV would be required or something sometime soon.

Thanks

 

[darkswordsman17]

Originally posted by: wpeng
I'm thinking about buying a cheap CRT TV on black friday. I was wondering if it was a bad idea to buy one that is not HDTV compatible. I heard HDTV would be required or something sometime soon.

Thanks

If its a very good deal then no its not bad. I wouldn't spend more than $250 on any non HD TV though.

Well, supposedly the government is going to make the networks broadcast entirely in HD by the start of 2008, but they keep pushing it back, so it might not happen for years after that.

 

[Robor]

If you do get an HDTV I'd look for one with HDMI inputs as well. Correct me if I'm wrong but you need HDMI inputs to do the crap HDCP handshake.

And yes, my 50" Sony LCD that I picked up less than 18 months ago does not have HDMI inputs. I'm gonna be uber-pissed if I can't watch HighDef DVD on it. :|

 

[Keeir]

prepare to be Uber-pissed


Although make sure you LCD doesn't have HDCP-DVI

HDCP-DVI works just like HDCP-HDMI

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Well, supposedly the government is going to make the networks broadcast entirely in HD by the start of 2008, but they keep pushing it back, so it might not happen for years after that.

That is just the analog cutoff which will mark the switch to all digital, we still have a long way to go before it is all HD.

 

[xtknight]

What is an "HDTV compatible" TV?

Can the screen support 480 resolution?
Can the screen support 720 resolution?
Can the screen support 1080 resolution?
Progressive or interlaced?
Must it have a digital demodulator?
Must it support the digital type of connections required to transmit HDTV at its max?
Does it support CableCard?

There's a lot that could be considered "HDTV compatible" so you'll have to be more specific here. I recommend you at least get a TV with the ability to show at least 480i and 480p, and preferably with a built-in digital over-the-air tuner.

Over-the-air is something you may want to consider if you can't afford digital cable at the moment. Just use a UHF antenna, hook it up to your TV's digital tuner (or digital tuner STB), adjust it, and you're ready to go. The quality does not degrade or get fuzzy like analog, so as long as your signal bar is 80% or so, you'll get a great picture with no cut-outs, at least in my experience. With less you will start getting blockiness and pauses.

As far as digital TV goes, the mandates are only for over the air broadcasts so far AFAIK so you will still be safe with analog cable for the time being.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: Keeir
prepare to be Uber-pissed


Although make sure you LCD doesn't have HDCP-DVI

HDCP-DVI works just like HDCP-HDMI

Are you sure there's HDCP compatible DVI inputs? I have to admit I'm not an expert in home theater. I'm just going by an article a friend Emailed me saying you needed HDMI to do that HDCP handshake. We both have only DVI and component inputs on our sets.

To the OP: If you're getting an HDTV make sure it is HDCP compatible so you're not potentially uber-pissed.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: Keeir
prepare to be Uber-pissed


Although make sure you LCD doesn't have HDCP-DVI

HDCP-DVI works just like HDCP-HDMI

Are you sure there's HDCP compatible DVI inputs? I have to admit I'm not an expert in home theater. I'm just going by an article a friend Emailed me saying you needed HDMI to do that HDCP handshake. We both have only DVI and component inputs on our sets.

To the OP: If you're getting an HDTV make sure it is HDCP compatible so you're not potentially uber-pissed.

Yes, DVI slots can accomodate HDCP. Not all DVI connectors are hooked up to HDCP though. Just because you have DVI does not mean you have HDCP support. Component inputs will definitely not work with it.

 

[Keeir]

Yes, I am sure

But it needs to be specifically stated as HDCP

Usually it says HDCP right on the LCD
Sometimes it may only be on the specifications availble from Sony

There are a significant number of TVs without HDCP-DVI which have plain old DVI

 

[Keeir]

To the OP:

You won't NEED a HDTV for several years up to maybe a decade or more.
Unless you have some use for an HDTV, you could be throwing money away by buying one due to a few pitfalls:

#1. Not all "HDTVs" support all HD resolutions. For example some don't support 720p resolution, the resolution of the xbox 360.

#2. Not all "HDTVs" support HDCP. HDCP will be required for getting content onto the TV from advanced video players and potentially satellite/cable providers in the future.

#3. New technology such as Plasma, LCD, Rear-Projection, and SED are progressing fairly quickly and a 1000 dollar HD set a year from now may be significantly better than a 1000 dollar HD set this year.


Personally, as noted earlier in this thread, I wouldn't be throwing down alot of money for a standard (480i to 480p) TV as I believe in a few years that there will be (desirable) HD content availble.

 

[xtknight]

I have no idea what the price will be (all depends on size of TV, sale, etc), but if you get a 480p/OTA tuner TV now and come out really cheap (<$300?) then that's the best idea IMO. That way you can enjoy pseudo-HD at 480p for now. If not, then just get a good old TV.

 

[Robor]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll definitely be checking to see if my set is HDCP compatible later tonight. Hopefully I'll be and not :|

 

[JBT]

Pretty sure like some one already said. The standard is NOT going to HDTV its just going to digital. So you will just need a digital cable or satellite box infront of your TV.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: JBT
Pretty sure like some one already said. The standard is NOT going to HDTV its just going to digital. So you will just need a digital cable or satellite box infront of your TV.

You mean not HDTV but digital as in just a MPEG-2 480i/p stream (as opposed to 720 or 1080)?

 

[wpeng]

Oh ok. I don't need HDTV or whatever. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to use the TV in a couple of years because stations were switching over to digital. I know virtually nothing about TV standards. It seems to me that HDTV technology standards are way too unstable to determine what to buy because the standards may switch at any moment.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

Originally posted by: wpeng
Oh ok. I don't need HDTV or whatever. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to use the TV in a couple of years because stations were switching over to digital. I know virtually nothing about TV standards. It seems to me that HDTV technology standards are way too unstable to determine what to buy because the standards may switch at any moment.

if you have cable or sat it wont bother you anyways. people that still use antennas will have to get a digital tuner.