(I am a commercial TV producer and broadcast engineer. We produce a lot of HD content, and this plus my experience serves the basis for my opinion.)
In my opinion, playing the numbers game with hardware is really just nit picking. Every HD screen of decent manufacture which has been properly set up (brightness/contrast/color adjusted for the viewing environment) will deliver the end user a great viewing experience. That is what the manufacturers are counting on. (Granted there are always some manufacturers that will sell subpar equipment and try to play off equipment as HD when it really isn't.)
WHAT SHOULD REALLY CONCERN CONSUMERS IS THIS:
If you are paying for HD service (cable/satellite), these providers are the guys who are truly robbing you of resolution. (NOT the manufacturers.)
"Huh?" You may ask.
Quick tech explanation: The signals are so compressed (often 87:1) that they are but a mere shaodow of their HD glory.
Quick Non-tech explanation: When we edit HD content it has a lot of data which requires a HUGE pipeline. Visualize a TRAIN TUNNEL.
When the cable and satellite providers send you this data, for purely financial reasons (its expensive to send large amounts of data!), they shove that same signal through a garden hose. Or in some cases...even a cocktail straw.
The difference between what leaves the provider, and what you receive at home is AMAZING. The original pictures are STUNNING. By comparison, what you receive at home is utter junk.
If you don't believe me, just wait until HD-DVD and BLU-RAY discs receive wide distribution over the next year. Once you start watching movies in these formats...you will understand what I am saying. You will see how BAD the current HD broadcast signals are.
Again, don't take my word for it. See for yourself. HD Broadcasts are the current limitation. True HD TV sets are not the limitation. To those of you who spend your days counting pixels on your new HD tv set...you need a new hobby.
Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"I need help! I want a small pocket camcorder but I'm not sure which one to get. I don't want to fall into the hype of the Flip because I worry two hours won't be enough. What should I be looking for when considering a small camcorder and where can I get a good quality one with expandable memory? Thanks!"
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(I am a commercial TV producer and broadcast engineer. We produce a lot of HD content, and this plus my experience serves the basis for my opinion.)
In my opinion, playing the numbers game with hardware is really just nit picking. Every HD screen of decent manufacture which has been properly set up (brightness/contrast/color adjusted for the viewing environment) will deliver the end user a great viewing experience. That is what the manufacturers are counting on.
(Granted there are always some manufacturers that will sell subpar equipment and try to play off equipment as HD when it really isn't.)
WHAT SHOULD REALLY CONCERN CONSUMERS IS THIS:
If you are paying for HD service (cable/satellite), these providers are the guys who are truly robbing you of resolution. (NOT the manufacturers.)
"Huh?" You may ask.
Quick tech explanation: The signals are so compressed (often 87:1) that they are but a mere shaodow of their HD glory.
Quick Non-tech explanation: When we edit HD content it has a lot of data which requires a HUGE pipeline. Visualize a TRAIN TUNNEL.
When the cable and satellite providers send you this data, for purely financial reasons (its expensive to send large amounts of data!), they shove that same signal through a garden hose. Or in some cases...even a cocktail straw.
The difference between what leaves the provider, and what you receive at home is AMAZING. The original pictures are STUNNING. By comparison, what you receive at home is utter junk.
If you don't believe me, just wait until HD-DVD and BLU-RAY discs receive wide distribution over the next year. Once you start watching movies in these formats...you will understand what I am saying. You will see how BAD the current HD broadcast signals are.
Again, don't take my word for it. See for yourself.
HD Broadcasts are the current limitation. True HD TV sets are not the limitation. To those of you who spend your days counting pixels on your new HD tv set...you need a new hobby.