HD satellite TV on non-HD TVs

paulxcook

Diamond Member
May 1, 2005
4,277
1
0
I have a 51" HDTV and 2 smaller non HD tvs. I have non-HD satellite service, as the HD TV is pretty new. Our contract for the satellite expires in a few days, and I'm moving a few days after that, so I'd like to just start up a new contract with new HD service (right now I only get HD through an OTA antenna, which looks good, but only gives me locals).

So if I get HD satellite service, will it work on my other non-HD TVs? Will it look like crap? I can't/don't want to afford to buy new HD tvs for the whole house right now.
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
0
0
my tuner box downscale hd signals to fit nonhd display. it doesnt look bad. it uatomatically letterboxes the widescreen signal so i still get correct aspect
 

nycxandy

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2001
3,731
0
76
Only 10-15 channels will be in HD. Also, the programming on most of the HD channels will also be broadcasted on SD channels. You will be fine except that you won't have access to HD channels on your regular televisions.
 

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
The Dish 622 DVR will hook up to one HDTV and one SDTV. It will downscale and letterbox the HD signals as needed for the SDTV. Pretty neat. I'm getting the system this coming weekend...so I'll report in how well it works...but sounds promising.
 

paulxcook

Diamond Member
May 1, 2005
4,277
1
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Originally posted by: torpid
What stations do you want in HD that you can't get with an antenna?

Mainly ESPN stations and Discovery. Plus tuning with the antenna can be spotty, and if the signal goes out for a second my wife gets all huffy and complains that HD sucks.