HDTV Receiver: Worth it for me?

[timswim78]

Here's my situation:

I have a 35" TV with S-Video inputs. I use it to watch DVD's and broadcast television. I don't have cable or satellite and don't plan to get it. I also don't plan to buy an HDTV, unless my current set blows up or something like that.

So, if I buy and HDTV receiver and hook it up to my current TV, will I be able to get digital broadcasts (at a lower resolution)?

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: timswim78
So, if I buy and HDTV receiver and hook it up to my current TV, will I be able to get digital broadcasts (at a lower resolution)?

That should work, but I'm not sure that it would be worth spending the money to do so with a regular analog TV.

 

[sswingle]

Yea, that would work, but whats the point. Just get a normal digital receiver for less money.

 

[Heisenberg]

Unless your TV does HDTV there's no point in buying an HDTV receiver.

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
Yea, that would work, but whats the point. Just get a normal digital receiver for less money.

OK, so what is a normal digital receiver? I'm a little lost. I'm guessing that it picks up the HDTV / Digital channels, but at a resolution for "regular" TV's? Can you suggest any models or brands?

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
Yea, that would work, but whats the point. Just get a normal digital receiver for less money.

OK, so what is a normal digital receiver? I'm a little lost. I'm guessing that it picks up the HDTV / Digital channels, but at a resolution for "regular" TV's? Can you suggest any models or brands?

OHHH, point taken. I didn't read everything and assumed cable or satelite where they charge you more to get their HDTV receiver vs a digital one.

OTA I have only seen HD capable ones.

So to answer your question again, yes, that would work fine, and things will look much better.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
Yea, that would work, but whats the point. Just get a normal digital receiver for less money.

OK, so what is a normal digital receiver? I'm a little lost. I'm guessing that it picks up the HDTV / Digital channels, but at a resolution for "regular" TV's? Can you suggest any models or brands?

OHHH, point taken. I didn't read everything and assumed cable or satelite where they charge you more to get their HDTV receiver vs a digital one.

OTA I have only seen HD capable ones.

So to answer your question again, yes, that would work fine, and things will look much better.

I don't know necessarily that it would look "much" better. It's going to be scaled down to 480i anyway (and maybe even letterboxed on top of that), so the only thing he'd really get is elimination of noise/picture ghosting/other stuff that affects analog pictures but not digital. Depending on the quality of the analog signals he's already getting, he may not notice much difference at all.

 

[sswingle]

True. Im just used to where I live, where the analog signal is all fuzzy, but you plug in the receiver and get crystal clear HDTV.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
True. Im just used to where I live, where the analog signal is all fuzzy, but you plug in the receiver and get crystal clear HDTV.

Yeah, if you only get crappy analog signals OTA (but live close enough to the towers and/or have a big enough antenna to get the digital signals), then it would indeed be an improvement in that case.

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
Yea, that would work, but whats the point. Just get a normal digital receiver for less money.

OK, so what is a normal digital receiver? I'm a little lost. I'm guessing that it picks up the HDTV / Digital channels, but at a resolution for "regular" TV's? Can you suggest any models or brands?

OHHH, point taken. I didn't read everything and assumed cable or satelite where they charge you more to get their HDTV receiver vs a digital one.

OTA I have only seen HD capable ones.

So to answer your question again, yes, that would work fine, and things will look much better.

I don't know necessarily that it would look "much" better. It's going to be scaled down to 480i anyway (and maybe even letterboxed on top of that), so the only thing he'd really get is elimination of noise/picture ghosting/other stuff that affects analog pictures but not digital. Depending on the quality of the analog signals he's already getting, he may not notice much difference at all.

My VHF signals are currently really good. My UHF signals SUCK big time. This really ticks me off because I like to watch public television, which is UHF. It does broadcast in HDTV, so I just wanted to make sure that I'll be able to pick up that HDTV signal with my current TV and a new receiver.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
Yea, that would work, but whats the point. Just get a normal digital receiver for less money.

OK, so what is a normal digital receiver? I'm a little lost. I'm guessing that it picks up the HDTV / Digital channels, but at a resolution for "regular" TV's? Can you suggest any models or brands?

OHHH, point taken. I didn't read everything and assumed cable or satelite where they charge you more to get their HDTV receiver vs a digital one.

OTA I have only seen HD capable ones.

So to answer your question again, yes, that would work fine, and things will look much better.

I don't know necessarily that it would look "much" better. It's going to be scaled down to 480i anyway (and maybe even letterboxed on top of that), so the only thing he'd really get is elimination of noise/picture ghosting/other stuff that affects analog pictures but not digital. Depending on the quality of the analog signals he's already getting, he may not notice much difference at all.

My VHF signals are currently really good. My UHF signals SUCK big time. This really ticks me off because I like to watch public television, which is UHF. It does broadcast in HDTV, so I just wanted to make sure that I'll be able to pick up that HDTV signal with my current TV and a new receiver.

Yeah, that might be something to look into for you then. Take a look at antennaweb.org to see how far away your towers are from you (for both analog and digital broadcasts). It should be noted however that many (most?) HDTV stations broadcast in the UHF spectrum, so if the tower is really far away (or your antenna doesn't do too well with UHF signals), you may not have a whole lot more luck.