Video Asylum

Posted by johnvb (A) on February 24, 2005 at 04:40:01

In Reply to: Re: Doesn't EDTV have a resolution of 480p posted by AbeCollins on February 23, 2005 at 20:14:41:

applies to video as well as audio.

One and a half years ago I went with a bulky CRT based HD-RPTV because it gave the biggest HD picture for the $$$. The only issue I have to worry about is burn-in, so I am limited to the amount of digital 4:3 material I watch over the air. I can stretch whatever non-digital signal that comes out of the cable box, but that's a compromise. I would consider the burn-in issue with my next TV purchase. Even after the so-called “analog shutoff”, most broadcast programming will still be 4:3, with bars added.

I've read talk of 1080p sets coming available, and there are more upconverting DVD player options. I'm thinking about trying one of those inexpensive NeuNeo DVD players myself. I wouldn't be surprised if HD-DVD players came out within the next year or so. And there is a ton more HD programming now than there was just a year ago.

One observation about TV shopping. This last Christmas I was shopping for a cheap 27" HDTV set for my son's Xbox setup. I noticed a large difference in picture quality of the same set, at different locations of the same big box store. I've even read of store personal "tweaking" certain sets to push sales toward a different model.