Questions on Hitachi 51F59

EW is a personal decision. I get them for big ticket items.
If the TV has an ATSC tuner, you can over the air HD programming without a cable box. If it has a QAM tuner, you can get unencrypted HD from your cable company without the box.

If you use the cable box, use either Component, DVI or HDMI cable to the TV.

Can't answer your question about the EW from HH Gregg. Hitachi is supposed to have an excellent EW program, but not cheap.

As for cable, You will want to upgrade your digital cable box to the HDTV version. This TV does not have a QAM tuner, so you cannot get the digital channels from plugging the cable straight into the tuner.

When you do get the HDTV cable box, connect it to the TV using either HDMI or component cable connections (The RED, BLUE, GREEN cables), plus the audio (RED, WHITE) cables. If you have a surround system, the digital audio should go to the surround receiver.

It'll just be a single box for HD, digital, analog. The only way to not have to use a box and still get encrypted HD programs is a cable card which is probably not supported on that set.

Do yourself the favor of getting the HD-DVR box from Comcast. Since the rate increase (did your Comcast bill go up too?), I beleive that the monthy fee for the HD-DVR is $11.95 (in central CA). I know that on my bill that total includes both the DVR fee and the HD package fee. And it's the only box you will have to use.

Totally worth it, I think. The ability to record/pause/rew/ff/ HD programming is so choice! Most of what gets watched in my house are primetime network series (no reality shows!!!). Virtually all the evening dramas and sitcoms are now shown in HD. And we can watch 'em whenever we want in HD. Very Nice!!! And it's dual-tuner so you can record up to 2 things @ the same time.

is the ability to record a show and then fast forward over all the commercials. it's kind of sad when you think about it a half hour show is really only about 20 minutes. my wife and i love the hd-dvr

Also nice is the ability to start a show that's still recording. Often can't wait to see 24 or LOST (when it comes back). Usually start those shows about 20-30 minutes after they start broadcasting. Get to see 'em the night they air, but still get to ff all the commercials.

check and see if comcast has a list of channels on there website or just look at your guide for your cable. it should list which channels are hd and which are not. also if you hit info ( at least on time warner cable) it will say if it's hd also all of the hd channels from time warner are in the 700 range and i would think comcast is similar to twc with all the hd channels listed next to each other. hope this helps.

Well I'm a new user of the 65" HItachi, same series as your 51 incher, and have Comcast, Nor Cal area.

Sports: Anything on FoxSportsBayArea channel 37is also on HD, but on another channel (920 I think), e.g. SJ Sharks Hockey, GS Warriors, Berkely/Standford College football, basketball, SF Giants, Oakland A's.

Anything on Comcast 34 (Sacto Kings) is also on another HD channel.

Anything on .VS 35 (Hockey, Tour deFrance, is on another HD channel.

Anything on FoxBayArea+Plus will not be in HD.

Any roundball game on the NBA channel in SD (normally an extra pay subscription) is simulcaast entirely free on INHD channel in HD, even without paying the subscription <====== !!!


HD box is $5, HDDVR box is $12.

I do NOT use brightness, or contrast over 30 on the Hitachi remote (see screen burn sticky thread).

I do NOT use grey nor black bars, insteaad Expanded 4:3 for the same reason. Except when the widescreen DVD movie is not exactly 16:9.

Cernter Ice (subscription NHL hockey) is all SD, NBA league pass has some SD and some HD, depending on which local network they steal it from.

Nary a problem with my TV, no artifacts or misconvergences so far.