http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/ Engadget HD Comments for Best Buy's survey says, 90% still don't understand HDTV http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
I argued with a guy in the HDTV department for 10 minutes about how he said that you can tell the difference of 1080p on any set 50" and larger, no matter how far away you are. I explained to him that the screen size, resolution and viewing distance are all dependent on each other. He (essentially) told him me I was an idiot and insisted he could tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on the wall of 50" plasmas that we stood 50 feet from.]]>Sep 25th 2007 12:19PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/However the image quality of those digital channels will vary from cable company to cable company. All cable companies are compressing the digital & digital hd channles they send to their customers and many of them are sending a blend of analog and digital together, few subscribers realize this.

The cleanest digital image quality one can find is Over-The Air using a tradtional UHF antenna mounted outside your home.]]>Sep 25th 2007 2:36PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 12:40PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
"QAM" is basically the digital version of that "cable" setting. If you connect your new digital TV to a cable line, you have to set it to "QAM" in order to receive your cable channels.]]>Sep 25th 2007 2:39PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 12:44PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 12:44PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 1:18PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/TRU DAT!!
]]>Sep 25th 2007 2:31PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 12:53PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 12:55PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 12:48PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 1:04PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
I have heard before that some providers use 8VSB instead of QAM for broadcast channels. But my understanding was that it's very rare.]]>Sep 25th 2007 1:15PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
Something a lot more like VCRplus. One remote, some bar codes and you're done.]]>Sep 25th 2007 2:21PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
1) Play a Blu_ray disc in a standard def DVD player
2) Play a Blu-Ray disc in an HD-DVD player, and then
3) Play an HD-DVD in a Blu-Ray player

all within the span of 30 minutes. I finally had to set him straight.]]>Sep 25th 2007 2:03PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/They have this it's called CableCARD and it failed miserably. Hopefully OCAP will offer some relief, but not anytime soon.

HDMI-CEC is also supposed to help resolve this, but good luck getting the STB manufacturers to support it.

Big cable simply does not play well with others.]]>Sep 25th 2007 3:12PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
Joe Consumer does not get it. they won't EVER get it. they don't WANT to get it. if you EXPECT them to get it you're part of the PROBLEM. Standards needs to be set, paired down, and made stupid proof. I still have friends who call me and wonder why a composite cable from their cable box gives them a bad picture on their HDTV (probably a fracking Sharp. gag).... and then they want to know how to stretch it out so it fills the whole screen. ]]>Sep 25th 2007 2:30PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
For the person that asked about QAM, all you need to do is hook your TV up to your cable as described above, then have it automatically scan for channels. When you start getting channels such as 135.3, chances are that is a digital channel (HDTV, music, etc...)]]>Sep 25th 2007 3:09PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/"They have this it's called CableCARD and it failed miserably. Hopefully OCAP will offer some relief, but not anytime soon."

CableCard works fine now that cable companies have learned how to support it. Most lower cost HDTV's no longer offer it to compete on price. It's still available on Hitachi Ultravision models and other manufacturers higher end HDTV's.
]]>Sep 25th 2007 6:45PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
Wow, that was a bone-brained comment if ever there was one. 720 exists because 1080 is still not affordable when it comes to some technologies, Plasma for example. I'm a big fan of plasma and won't accept anything else when it comes to my TV right now. LCD is a close second, but I wouldn't be caught dead owning a RPTV.

Anyway, a 1080 plasma, even though it's getting better, is still very expensive compared to 720, and with a 50" sitting 12 feet away, who cares about 1080. It's not a matter of someone actively choosing 720 over 1080, it's a matter of technological advancements that drive down price. If a 1080 were the same price as a 720 panel, it would be a no brainer, but they're just not. Some day all TVs will be 1080, or whatever is the standard in the future, but for now we all can't afford $5000 1080p 60" plasmas can we?

And obviously if I wanted to settle for a RPTV (not saying they're bad, i just can't stand them), a 1080 would be the easy choice as they're much cheaper.]]>Sep 25th 2007 3:45PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 4:10PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 4:33PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 4:47PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 4:51PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 7:21PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Sep 25th 2007 6:47PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
This is true! A lot of peeps think you buy a 2500.00 HDTV because some sells guy told him so and thats it!

They dont mention if you're using cable or satellite you need to ensure that you have Hi Def equipment(boxes and dishes) not to mention if you purchase an "HD Monitor" aka tubed HDTV you need either an HD antenna or set top tuner. A lot of people buy HDTVs and have no idea how to set things up correctly.

My best friend use to be a contractor for Directv and he told me a story about how a guy argued that he wanted to use his 80.00 monster cables because "the resolution looks better with them" ROFL! You know how dumb that is? The cables would at least have to be gold plated to barley improve the image quality to a point where a human eye couldnt even tell. Its funny how people just want to feel trendy and have no clue what they're doing and end up being over charged in accessories and useless crap to still not even have a proper set up. However we live in a world where people pay socalled "techsperts" to install Windows on their home PCs.

Dont even get me started on 720p 1080i and 1080p ]]>Sep 25th 2007 7:23PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
I don't even try to talk to them anymore. Do research online, do in-store pick up. Then you don't have to say no to extended warranties, overpriced accessories, credit card offers and magazine subscriptions! ]]>Sep 26th 2007 2:04AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
As for Best Buy employees, most don't even know what a QAM tuner is - especially if you ask which tuners have QAM tuners. I've even had employees @ Best Buy tell me none of the HDTV's have QAM tuners - even those with cable card slots!

Finally, as late as last week, certain tech support people at Dish told me point blank they didn't know what 1080i or 720p was, why should we be shocked that the public has no idea either?]]>Sep 26th 2007 2:23AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/
-dad]]>Sep 26th 2007 5:14PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Oct 17th 2007 10:54PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Oct 12th 2007 7:47PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/09/25/best-buys-survey-says-90-still-dont-understand-hdtv/Oct 15th 2007 2:56AM