Video Asylum

Posted by justincouch1@msn.com (D) on July 22, 2003 at 01:53:20

In Reply to: My wife bought the Gateway plasma last week... posted by Newbie to HT on June 30, 2003 at 08:11:51:

I'm glad to hear you got a Gateway Plasma TV. As you know, it is a great value. To be able to get a Plasma TV for $3000.00 is an incredible deal.

As for the HDTV confusion, Gateway has never stated their TV is HDTV. The other reader was correct in saying the Gateway TV does not display true HDTV. That is correct. What happens is, it takes the HDTV signal (720P or 1080i) and down converts it to a 480P (progressive scan) display.

Now, if you were watching an HDTV channel or movie on a Gateway Plama TV and had it next to a true HDTV plama TV, like the Sony 42in HDTV Plasma display, you could see the difference, of course. But, if they were in separate rooms, I bet you couldn't tell the difference.

Sure, the quality of the TV is not going to be as good as the Sony. But, the price tag is also the difference. Sony has a price tag of just under $7000. You could by two Gateway TVs and a Bose 3-2-1 surround system for that price.

However, not very many channels are HDTV and those neat little DVDs that we all have to have can only display a 480p signal at best. So, why spend the extra money on getting a true HDTV when there isn't anything thing out there to watch that is actually HDTV?

To get the best picture with your whichever Plasma TV you own, make sure you are not using the standard RCA jacks. You will want to use the Component connections. Just remember, you get what you pay for. Paying $3000 for a TV but wanting it to perform like the $10,000 TV would be like buying a Chevy Cavalier and complaing because it doesn't perform like a Porsche.

That is all.