"Hi-scan" tvs ?

[rh71]

Looking at this Sony page for a 51" and larger tv to buy for our new house... the "61-inch Big Screen" is the same price as the "53-inch Hi-scan Big Screen" ...

Is Hi-Scan really that good ?! What's the difference? BTW, we don't want a wide-screen because we don't like how it flattens the picture (we don't watch many DVD movies anyway)... why is wide-screen so popular ?

 

[esso]

Hi-Scan is Sony's term for being able to display progressive scan and high definition images.

There is a world of difference between a regular interlaced picture and a progressive scan picture, so I suggest you get a Hi-Scan television.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: esso
Hi-Scan is Sony's term for being able to display progressive scan and high definition images.

There is a world of difference between a regular interlaced picture and a progressive scan picture, so I suggest you get a Hi-Scan television.

Yes, he is correct. With a Hi-Scan or Progressive Scan or HDTV-capable (all mean the same thing) TV, you can hook up a progresive scan DVD player or an HDTV converter box. The difference in picture quality is very noticeble.

I've been looking at new TVs myself. I don't have the room for a projection TV, so I'm lookning at 36" sets. Two 36" Sony Wegas; the non-HDTV set is $1300. The HDTV set is $2200. Big difference in price, but the more expensive TV won't be obsolete in 5 years.

I wouldn't buy an non-progressive/Hi-scan TV these days...unless you're looking at like, a 19" TV for the kids' room or something.

 

[esso]

why is wide-screen so popular

Because more and more people want to watch their DVDs in the OAR (original aspect ratio), full-size, and at full resolution. High definition programming is also in widescreen. 90% of the people I know who have recently bought or are going to buy a big screen television are opting for the widescreen televisions. The "flattening" you are talking about is displaying a movie in it's original aspect ratio. I hate to be blunt, but you are totally missing the big picture if you are watching movies in Pan&Scan or 4:3 mode. I'd rather eat grilled raccoon turds than watch a movie in 4:3.

EDIT: Another way of thinking about it (after I viewed your website): Buying a big screen and watching movies in 4:3 mode is akin to my grandmother buying a Macromedia DEV kit so she can make a geocities webpage about herself.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: rh71
Looking at this Sony page for a 51" and larger tv to buy for our new house... the "61-inch Big Screen" is the same price as the "53-inch Hi-scan Big Screen" ...

Is Hi-Scan really that good ?! What's the difference? BTW, we don't want a wide-screen because we don't like how it flattens the picture (we don't watch many DVD movies anyway)... why is wide-screen so popular ?

You don't like how it "flattens" the picture?

What exactly are you talking about?

Widescreen is popular because it allows you to watch movies as they were intended to be seen - in their original aspect ratio - without sacrificing a large portion of your screen real estate to black bars.

Viper GTS

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: rh71
Looking at this Sony page for a 51" and larger tv to buy for our new house... the "61-inch Big Screen" is the same price as the "53-inch Hi-scan Big Screen" ...

Is Hi-Scan really that good ?! What's the difference? BTW, we don't want a wide-screen because we don't like how it flattens the picture (we don't watch many DVD movies anyway)... why is wide-screen so popular ?

You don't like how it "flattens" the picture?

What exactly are you talking about?

Widescreen is popular because it allows you to watch movies as they were intended to be seen - in their original aspect ratio - without sacrificing a large portion of your screen real estate to black bars.

Viper GTS

Most 16.9 TVs have a "stretch" feature that takes a regular 4.3 TV show picture and stretches it to fit the 16.9 space. It looks goofy...some sets do it much better than others, but it still looks pretty sad.

 

[spidey07]

The stretch modes are pretty decent on 16x9 TVs. Not to mention the cool factor.

If you're looking at RPTVs then stay away from the sony's. Lots of trouble with them and overpriced. Mitsubishi and Hitachi are at the top of the game right now.

 

[esso]

Originally posted by: spidey07
The stretch modes are pretty decent on 16x9 TVs. Not to mention the cool factor.

If you're looking at RPTVs then stay away from the sony's. Lots of trouble with them and overpriced. Mitsubishi and Hitachi are at the top of the game right now.

Sony's are right up there with Mitsubishi and Toshiba on most A/V forums. I don't hear much at all about troubles with them, and my local Fry's had their 57" 16:9 for ~$2000.

You would do fine with a Sony, Toshiba, or Mitsu; Pioneer (their non-Elite and Elite series) are still the best RPTV's, although they carry a $1000 premium.

 

[rh71]

Thx guys... all points taken into consideration. We'll be getting a Sony through my aunt's employee discount so price isn't a huge factor. My parents just bought a 57" wide-screen and it's perfectly fine for DVDs, but not for my XBOX or regular programming (which my fiance and I will be watching more of than DVDs). That's the truth, and we're not about to buy a regular 27" for that room we have in mind. Anyway, the stretch mode that attempts to correct the pic on this widescreen is pretty poor at doing so. People are too short and stocky for our taste.

 

[rh71]

One more question... since the hi-scan tvs are basically HDTV-capable... I assume I can use the HD AV Pack for my XBOX to hook up to it ?