[igreg]

First, my brother gets a 50" DLP HD a couple years ago, and he doesn't realize he is not getting HD because he is still watching the non-HD channels (i.e., channel 10 cable rather than channel 910). Now my sister just purchases a 42"' LCD HDTV and hooks up the HDMI cable and says the picture looks fine and doesn't want to spend an extra $5 a month for HD Access from Comcast because the picture looks fine as it is. How do you argue with this? When I try to explain they just get upset. And they don't like the fact that they have bars on the side of the non-HD channels.


Seems like I recall where over 50% of households with HDTV's are not actually receiving HDTV on them. Part of the problem is with the HD source, and part of it is the households. I'm not sure which party is more culpable. Others' experiences?

 

[Rammitinski]

Please don't tell me she bought a Monster HDMI cable. If so, she could've just got one from Monoprice and paid for HD for a year and a half instead.

 

[igreg]



Please don't tell me she bought a Monster HDMI cable. If so, she could've just got one from Monoprice and paid for HD



Curious you should say that. She just called me this afternoon where the saleswoman at CC was trying to sell her a $150 Monster cable so she could have 120hz. I referred her to this forum via a link for a discussion of HDMI cables, but since the discussion was a few years old she didn't know whether she could rely on the fact that members here said that such a cable was not needed. Nevertheless, I did convince her to purchase a "normal" HDMI cable for around $35 instead....but now she is hesitant to spend $5 a month for HD access to Comcast in Denver. She says the networks look fine; the rest of the HD channels she can not receive (a message appears that she is not authorized). I called a Comcast rep who told me that if she does not have HD access then she is not receiving HD on the locals even if she is seeing them on the HD channels. Since I am not there I can not be sure whether this is true or not. So I try to convince her to at least spring for $5 to see if the picture quality improves (and to get the other HD channels) for at least a month, but it's like pulling teeth, and she says they will think about it, but my guess is that with the husband's reluctance they are not going to shell out the money.


Since I have DirecTV, could those who have HD via cable tell me whether you need to pay for HD access to receive the local channles in HD? Thanks!

 

[pnrgi]

I going to try and find the article but I read, but it was a study that found that some 15% of people could not tell the difference between HD and SD signals when looking at them side-by-side. So with that said, I am sure it is probably way more then double that number. People have no idea at all what HD is, i mean come on, they can't even understand the digital transition.

 

[nickdawg]



Quote:
Originally Posted by igreg /forum/post/15478892


Since I have DirecTV, could those who have HD via cable tell me whether you need to pay for HD access to receive the local channles in HD? Thanks!

Either Comcast is completely different(I doubt it), or that person on the phone is a liar or clueless(most likely this).


On TWC, all you have to have is a HDTV cable box(SA 8300HD, 4250HD, 3100HD) to get local HD channels. Also included are regular "basic cable" channels like ESPN/2, TNT, TBS, Food, HGTV, History, A&E, Discovery HDT. The only channels you have to pay for "HD Access" is the HDTV Tier that consists of UHD, HD Net/HDN Movies and MGM HD(used to be Mojo).

 

[pnrgi]

 http://williambryson.blogspot.com/20...ifference.html


Here's that article.. well a blog.... with a link!

 

[dcowboy7]

most people are just stupid....im numb to it at this point.

 

[LCDSpazz]



Quote:
Originally Posted by igreg /forum/post/15478801


First, my brother gets a 50" DLP HD a couple years ago, and he doesn't realize he is not getting HD because he is still watching the non-HD channels (i.e., channel 10 cable rather than channel 910). Now my sister just purchases a 42"' LCD HDTV and hooks up the HDMI cable and says the picture looks fine and doesn't want to spend an extra $5 a month for HD Access from Comcast because the picture looks fine as it is. How do you argue with this? When I try to explain they just get upset. And they don't like the fact that they have bars on the side of the non-HD channels.

This is why Stretch-o-vision exists on so many channels.

 

[jb4647]



Quote:
Originally Posted by igreg /forum/post/15478801


First, my brother gets a 50" DLP HD a couple years ago, and he doesn't realize he is not getting HD because he is still watching the non-HD channels (i.e., channel 10 cable rather than channel 910). Now my sister just purchases a 42"' LCD HDTV and hooks up the HDMI cable and says the picture looks fine and doesn't want to spend an extra $5 a month for HD Access from Comcast because the picture looks fine as it is. How do you argue with this? When I try to explain they just get upset. And they don't like the fact that they have bars on the side of the non-HD channels.


Seems like I recall where over 50% of households with HDTV's are not actually receiving HDTV on them. Part of the problem is with the HD source, and part of it is the households. I'm not sure which party is more culpable. Others' experiences?

My brother and other family members have done the same thing and we've had the same arguments. Hell, even though they have a Widescreen rear-projection TV, they still purchase the FULLSCREEN 4:3 versions of DVD movies and stretch it to make it fit! Don't like the black bars they say!


I've given up arguing and our family gatherings have gotten easier. They still ask me why I don't ever come over for movie night to watch crappy stretched movies!

 

[ftaok]



Quote:
Originally Posted by igreg /forum/post/15478892


Curious you should say that. She just called me this afternoon where the saleswoman at CC was trying to sell her a $150 Monster cable so she could have 120hz. I referred her to this forum via a link for a discussion of HDMI cables, but since the discussion was a few years old she didn't know whether she could rely on the fact that members here said that such a cable was not needed. Nevertheless, I did convince her to purchase a "normal" HDMI cable for around $35 instead....but now she is hesitant to spend $5 a month for HD access to Comcast in Denver. She says the networks look fine; the rest of the HD channels she can not receive (a message appears that she is not authorized). I called a Comcast rep who told me that if she does not have HD access then she is not receiving HD on the locals even if she is seeing them on the HD channels. Since I am not there I can not be sure whether this is true or not. So I try to convince her to at least spring for $5 to see if the picture quality improves (and to get the other HD channels) for at least a month, but it's like pulling teeth, and she says they will think about it, but my guess is that with the husband's reluctance they are not going to shell out the money.

I'm confused by this whole thing. If she's buying an HDMI cable (presumably to connect her Comcast STB to the TV), then shouldn't she have access to the HD channels? The SD STBs don't have HDMI, only the HD STBs. She should be getting at least the HD Locals in HD if she's not paying for a higher HD Tier.


I realize that it's difficult to help her since she's in another state, but if you really want to help her, you could download the channel listing for her area and haver her tune to an HD-local channel during primetime. Ask her questions like "where do you see the network logo?" and if a sports event is on, ask "is the score on the top of the screen all the way to the left or closer to the middle?" If she answers "middle" for both questions, then she's watching HD. NOTE - just make sure she has the right picture setting for both the STB and the TV.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jb4647 /forum/post/15479465


I've given up arguing and our family gatherings have gotten easier. They still ask me why I don't ever come over for movie night to watch crappy stretched movies!

Don't do it. You have to fight the good fight. Keep working on them and it'll get easier, I promise. Eventually, when all the channels go HD and widescreen, you'll be the winner.


I converted both of my BILs to HDTV and they are now very astute viewers (well at least one of them is) and can spot HD from SD.


The next time you go over, bring your BD player and the some movies (preferably the same ones they have on FullScreen DVD) and shove it in their faces.


ft

 

[barth2k]

if they don't want to shell out $5 a month for the box, what did they spend 7 months worth of rental on a hdmi cable for? they should return it and make comcast give them a hdmi or component cable (frankly, not a whole lot different PQ wise).

 

[richiephx]

The same people who buy HD tv's without paying for HD service and think they are watching HD are the same people who vote in this country. God help us

 

[Nimo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jb4647 /forum/post/15479465


My brother and other family members have done the same thing and we've had the same arguments. Hell, even though they have a Widescreen rear-projection TV, they still purchase the FULLSCREEN 4:3 versions of DVD movies and stretch it to make it fit! Don't like the black bars they say!


I've given up arguing and our family gatherings have gotten easier. They still ask me why I don't ever come over for movie night to watch crappy stretched movies!

Lol, ya know in some cases ignorance is bliss... I think it's even funnier when your arguing over TV.

 

[Nimo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by nickdawg /forum/post/15479003


Either Comcast is completely different(I doubt it), or that person on the phone is a liar or clueless(most likely this).


On TWC, all you have to have is a HDTV cable box(SA 8300HD, 4250HD, 3100HD) to get local HD channels. Also included are regular "basic cable" channels like ESPN/2, TNT, TBS, Food, HGTV, History, A&E, Discovery HDT. The only channels you have to pay for "HD Access" is the HDTV Tier that consists of UHD, HD Net/HDN Movies and MGM HD(used to be Mojo).

If you have a QAM capable TV you do not need a cable box to get retrans local broadcasting through TWC at least here in WLA. You get a ton of digital tiers as well as the local/PBS HD retrans.

 

[cgh3rd]

From my own personal experience, I think the average joe is coming around but it doesn't help the technology keeps changing from component to hdmi for example.

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by igreg /forum/post/15478801


First, my brother gets a 50" DLP HD a couple years ago, and he doesn't realize he is not getting HD because he is still watching the non-HD channels (i.e., channel 10 cable rather than channel 910). Now my sister just purchases a 42"' LCD HDTV and hooks up the HDMI cable and says the picture looks fine and doesn't want to spend an extra $5 a month for HD Access from Comcast because the picture looks fine as it is. How do you argue with this? When I try to explain they just get upset. And they don't like the fact that they have bars on the side of the non-HD channels.

Simple for you, get new relatives.


Seriously, it's been well known for quite some time many HDTV owners don't know they aren't watching HD. Sad but true.


Here's a recent article, but I'd bet the real number is a lot higher than what it claims. http://reviews.cnet.com/8300-18438_7...+watching+HDTV

 

[gjvrieze]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dcowboy7 /forum/post/15479126


most people are just stupid....im numb to it at this point.

Yes, Dr. House!! LOL, seriously, I agree.....

 

[jb4647]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ftaok /forum/post/15479800



Don't do it. You have to fight the good fight. Keep working on them and it'll get easier, I promise. Eventually, when all the channels go HD and widescreen, you'll be the winner.


I converted both of my BILs to HDTV and they are now very astute viewers (well at least one of them is) and can spot HD from SD.


The next time you go over, bring your BD player and the some movies (preferably the same ones they have on FullScreen DVD) and shove it in their faces.


ft

Screw it. I've been work'in on 'em five years. Perhaps I will take you up on the idea of inviting THEM over for Blu-Ray night on my 52" Samsung LCD (beats the crap out of his faded rear-projection Magnavox) and show them what a real HD can do....as soon as I purchase the Blu-Ray player...waiting for the price to come down on the Samsung 2500 with Netflix streaming....

 

[jpr281]

Didn't want to make a new thread for this, so I guess I'll post it here.


Long story short, went to my cousin's family's house for Christmas/New Year's. They have D* with a new 47" LCD, I was getting excited. My cousin (the wife) said it'll be great because they got a brand new hi-def tv, and they had NFL Sunday Ticket. I get there, SD box, tv connected via coax, the husband and their two children, 6 and 4, kept saying "Isn't HD great?!" I had the hardest time biting my tongue. After a long, quiet conversation alone, I reluctantly get the husband to order a new install for the HD package, after telling him what he thinks he's watching in HD, isn't really HD. I'll check back with them in a couple of weeks and see if he did anything.


And of course they didn't have Super Fan either.

 

[joed32]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dcowboy7 /forum/post/15479126


most people are just stupid....im numb to it at this point.

Not stupid, just ignorant. Maybe if the salesmen selling HDTVs actually owned one they could advise their customers about how to get the most out of their purchase. Some people think that the difference in PQ isn't worth the extra money and nothing can be done to change their minds, as long as they are happy who cares. I agree with you.