[yoomit]

even after reading the many posts about HD, i'm still confused about which hardware i'll need in order to view HD.


if i get the hd200, will i need any additional hardware (boxes) to view HD programming?


if i get an oval sat dish, will i need a separate sat receiver to connect to the hd200...or does the 200 act as both sat receiver AND HD converter?


for OTA signals, do i need a special antenna? and would i then connect this antenna to the hd200...thereby having both the OTA antenna AND the separate (if i need one) sat receiver?


sony makes a standard sat receiver with a tivo combo...but they don't seem to have one for the hd200...is that correct? does this mean if i want tivo i'd have to get a separate box?


lastly, does anyone have this unit connected to a Panny TH-42PWD5UY (not the HD version)? i'd like to know if the PQ of an HD signal going thru this unit is worth spending the xtra 1k in equipment (vs. normal SD signal). haven't been able to find a display unit playing HD programming.


thanks in advance for your help!

 

[iceman143]

Here are some of the answers:

You will not need any other "boxes" other than the HD200,

The HD200 receives the DirecTV satellite signal and converts it too.


For OTA you might need a different type antenna either inside or outside depending upon location and signal strength. Go to www.antennaweb.org or www.100000watts.com to obtain your area info regarding OTA broadcasts and reception matters. Most digital stations are UHF but not all.


I'm no help with the Tivo issue as I don't have one.


I have the Panasonic 4uy and yes to me the HD picture is great and worth it. I only wish there was more of it but more seems to be coming slowly. www.titantv.com is a good site to find your local HD OTA material. DirecTV is HDnet, HBOH and ShowtimeH.

 

[yoomit]

would you happen to know if i can receive local HD stations through my directv?


currently, i've completely given up OTA local stations and opted to receive them solely through my dish.


thanks!

 

[rgathright]

You cannot get HD local channels from Directv. The only way to the local

OTA HD is with an antenna.

 

[iceman143]

yoomit,


Why have you given up on OTA HD? It is great to receive this "stuff" for free OTA.

 

[yoomit]

iceman,


not given up, really...just new to the game and wanted to know more about what options are available to me.


i think i'd actually prefer having my local signal come thru the sat, as the PQ is much clearer (at least from my current experience).


i'm still exploring all my options,though. looks like i can do an indoor antenna, but don't know if that gives me the best reception. i'll be moving to our new apartment in brooklyn at the end of Jan, and i want to have my plan completely worked out by then.


here's what i'm thinking...


Panny th-42pwd (replacing my current toshiba tw40x81)

sat-hd200

channel master cm3010 outdoor atenna (anyone have experience with these?)


if i'm convinced about foregoing the HD thing, i'll end up with the SAS-T60 sat receiver (w/tivo) - still debating if the xtra $ on the HD equipment is going to be worth it.


of course, this is pending my co-op board allowing me to mount the panny on the wall...otherwise, this is all awash

 

[BSpielbauer]

Quote:

Originally posted by yoomit iceman, i think i'd actually prefer having my local signal come thru the sat, as the PQ is much clearer (at least from my current experience). (

I think you will find that the picture quality coming in over the air (with a proper antenna) is far, far superior to most of the picture quality you can get from DirecTV or from Dish Network. This is because both of the satellite services compress the stations, and this compression often visibly hurts the signal you finally see.


I have DirectTV. I also have an HDTV set top box, and I watch on a 65" Mistubishi which has been tweaked and self-calibrated. I also have a Winegard antenna on my roof, and I am 30 to 35 miles from the actual broadcasting towers.


My experience:

HDTV -- The very clearest picture is typically on HDNet, coming in through Direct TV. That is probably because MOST of their stuff was actually shot using high def cameras, and not "converted" from film, or from a video source. It is not because it is coming in through satellite. Right behind this in quality, running a very close second, would be: over the air digital signals, especially from NBC (Jay Leno, for example), or from CBS (their primetime line-up.) Then, right behind that, are ABC coming from my antenna, UPN coming from my antenna, WB coming from my antenna, all other digital stations from my antenna, Right behind this, would be HBO's high definition signal from DirectTV (which is usually a film transferred to high definition). For some reason, DirectTv does not compress the HBO high def feed too much (thankfully). Next, would probably be FOX (which is not even true high defintion) coming in from the antenna. Last, would be Showtime high definition, coming from Direct TV.


Standard definition -- ALL of the standard defintion stuff I get from my antenna up on my roof looks superior to all of the DirectTV standard definition stuff. No exceptions. It also (obviously) looks superior to the quality I saw on Cable TV. Why? There is no compression on the antenna signal. My antenna is sufficient to pick them up and receive a solid lock, both for the digital and the analog versions of the local channels.


If the picture quality were not as good, then I would suggest there is either an antenna which is NOT up the challenge, or there is some cabling problem. There are people who live 50 miles out, and try to use an antenna which is really only made for the suburbs. In those cases, they typically would get lousy picture (ghosting, artifacts, snow, distortion) on the standard analog channels. And, they would often get no signal on the digital (high definition) channels. The problem is not with their choice of medium (antenna versus satellite). Their problem was choosing which model of antenna to try.


Again, DirectTV and Dish both compress their stuff, more on some channels than on others. Cable TV does this, too. Off air antenna does not. (And, the price is right).


-Bruce in Chi-Town

 

[Dreamwriter]

"for OTA signals, do i need a special antenna? and would i then connect this antenna to the hd200...thereby having both the OTA antenna AND the separate (if i need one) sat receiver? "


You need a UHF antenna (there are really only a couple places in the US that currently use VHF for HD) - I have a little set-top UHF antenna I got from Radio Shack, works great, I get all my local stations (the HD200 has great reception, even better than my old Samsung T-151). And yes, you connect this antenna to the hd200, it has ports for both satellite and external antenna (and cable).


"i think i'd actually prefer having my local signal come thru the sat, as the PQ is much clearer (at least from my current experience). "


Now, are you talking about HD PQ? Because OTA HD is perfectly clear, as it is a digital signal, so there will not be any ghosting, snow, or anything - you either get a perfect picture, or no picture at all.


As for TIVO, you are correct - there are no TIVO/HD receivers, you currently have to choose one or the other.