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Need advice on an HDTV widescreen format

812 Views 19 Replies 10 Participants Last post by DonBerg, Nov 22, 2002

grhughes

Discussion Starter · Nov 20, 2002

I want an HDTV widescreen formatted TV. I watch mostly "regular TV" via a cable feed. So far what I'm seeing is "regular TV" looks horrible on HDTV's. I've been looking at the Sony 34XBR800 and I'm just afraid to make the leap and get it home and be disappointed. Are they any HDTVs that do "regular cable" signals well or at least as good as a non HD tv?

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1 - 20 of 20 Posts

hob

· #2 · Nov 20, 2002

I am on our cable companies digital choice programming, what a difference. The cable company also has me on HBO/Cinemax; I requested this package back in July of 2001.

I got it 1 month after buying a RCA F-38310 which has a 19 inch high by 33.25 inches in width viewing area. Want to have your eyes pop out, get your cable companies digital choice, then you'll see the big difference. Make sense to you, call and ask the companies in your area if they have digital capability then request it be installed.

O/T hold tight of your eye balls

drfrank

· #3 · Nov 20, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by grhughes
I've been looking at the Sony 34XBR800 and I'm just afraid to make the leap and get it home and be disappointed.

Have you actually checked it out yourself, in person? No substitute for that.

grhughes

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 20, 2002

Yes, and the TV does endeed look really good with the HD "stuff" but NONE of the retailers in my area have a simple non digital cable feed, so I can't get the feel for what it is going to look like until I get it home.

drfrank

· #5 · Nov 20, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by grhughes
Yes, and the TV does endeed look really good with the HD "stuff" but NONE of the retailers in my area have a simple non digital cable feed, so I can't get the feel for what it is going to look like until I get it home.

Well, digital cable doesn't really look better than a good analog cable signal, anyway. In fact, due to the extremely high levels of compression the cable company typically applies to it's digital signals, it frequently looks worse. Having said that, it's really a different kind of picture corruption than what you get from a bad analog feed. (Crystal clear crap, if you will.) What about over-the-air? Surely there're some local analog TV signals you can pick up?

magic123

· #6 · Nov 20, 2002

For under $2000 buy a Sony 34XBR800 WS..Get a good antenna system and enjoy best HD possible. This is very possible up to distances of 40 miles and, probably, 50 miles..between your home and transmitters.

drfrank

· #7 · Nov 20, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by magic123
For under $2000 buy a Sony 34XBR800 WS..Get a good antenna system and enjoy best HD possible. This is very possible up to distances of 40 miles and, probably, 50 miles..between your home and transmitters.

Well... that's probably a good idea in general, but it doesn't really address his question, does it? I mean, you're not going to find a terrestrial broadcast of most of the cable channels, just your locals.

(And remember that the HDTV tuner adds a couple of hundred bucks.)

Bugs

· #8 · Nov 20, 2002

Probably the only way you'll ever know for sure is to put it in your house and try it. Buy it from a B&M with a no-hassle return policy and send it back if you don't love it after a month.

My 34XBR800 is going to be delivered tomorrow and I have my fingers crossed about PQ in my home. OTA is ify in my deep fringe area, but I do have the DirecTV HD service, so I'll have that at least. And there's always the DVD's.

Good luck!

magic123

· #9 · Nov 21, 2002

Bottom line..at $2000 I feel confident you will not be disappointed in the Sony 34XBR800. In my opinion, at this point in time, there is no better display out there than this Sony for $2000. Feed it with a good source..be it from satellite, OTA, DVD, or cable and you will be looking at a outstanding picture. Of course, feed it with a lousy source and that is what you will see..as on any tv. But you buy one of the finest tvs' and, then, build your source (s) up to that quality.

drfrank

· #10 · Nov 21, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by magic123
In my opinion, at this point in time, there is no better display out there than this Sony

Obviously, I disagree with that point.

Quote:

But you buy one of the finest tvs' and, then, build your source (s) up to that quality.

I'm not sure what that means. How do you "build your source(s) up to that quality" when your source is analog cable? Are you saying he should just stop watching cable? Or that he should buy an external DCDi deinterlacer (for another several hundred dollars)?

Raven_

· #11 · Nov 21, 2002

I bought my 34XBR800 2 weeks ago and I have absolutely no regrets. I've even checked out newer plasma displays and this unit still kicks a plasma's butt in terms of sharpness, quality and color reproduction. Sony worked hard to make this set the new reference for quality displays.

I have standard cable (on normal mode) and watch DVDs. I don't have HDTV yet but thats coming.

I will never look back at 4:3 displays again...16:9 is the way to go. And this is from somebody who wanted to buy the 4:3 sony set instead...hehe...what a mistake that would of been. But then again, to each their own.

Raven

drfrank

· #12 · Nov 21, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Raven_
Sony worked hard to make this set the new reference for quality displays.

. . .

I will never look back at 4:3 displays again...16:9 is the way to go. And this is from somebody who wanted to buy the 4:3 sony set instead...hehe...what a mistake that would of been.

The only technical difference between the 34XBR800 and the 36XBR800 (other than the aspect ratio and size) is that the 34XBR800 has an anti-reflective coating on the screen. Otherwise, the components are all identical. So if you're saying that you see a better picture quality on the 34XBR800, I find that hard to believe.

DonBerg

· #13 · Nov 21, 2002

It appears you are outvoted on this issue Dr. Frank. Since you have been proven wrong before, its not unbelievable here either. Your vision is indeed suspect.

Alan Gouger

· #14 · Nov 22, 2002

Lets tone down the flaming.

jeff lam

· #15 · Nov 22, 2002

The best direct view TV is the Loewe Aconda. It's more than $2K though.

Bugs

· #16 · Nov 22, 2002

My 34XBR800 arrived today. Words fail me. The beauty and clarity of the picture is much better than I expected. I'm using a Sony HD200 STB and a Sony NS715P DVD player with it.

I'll give a quick, very non-technical review of the 34XBR800 with the sources I'm using.

OTA analog: much better PQ than my previous RCA analog.

OTA digital: very crisp, much better than OTA analog on this TV.

Sat SD: much better than with the RCA analog

SAT HD: This is where I can't find adequate words. The every-pore-on-the-face close-ups are stunning. There is a 3-D quality to the panoramic scenes that I didn't expect.

DVD: Nearly equal to the SAT HD.

I've only got about 3 hours on the set, so I haven't run AVIA yet, but the out-of-the-box PQ looks very, very good. The sound is another surprise; once again, it is much better than I expected. The distortion on the 'wide zoom' mode for 4:3 material is hardly notable to me. I'm sure that I'll use this mode for most of my viewing of 4:3 material.

I am so happy that I bought this TV. Even my wife, the HD skeptic, is really impressed.

grhughes, I don't know if this subjective, non-technical review helps you or not. I do not have analog cable, so I can't comment on that. I do think that it would be worth trying the 34XBR800 as long as you get it from a place with a no-hassle return policy. You didn't say what you have now, but if it is an analog set, I would be very surprised if you didn't see a great improvement.

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magic123

· #17 · Nov 22, 2002

Bottom line..with Sony 34XBR800..I have great pictures with Directv, OTA, and lesser quality pictures with cable..analog. I am sure if a person had digital cable (and a line amp from cable company within 50 feet of his location) both regular and HD programming would both look great. Begin with a fine display set like the Sony and try to built your sources up to that level. The Sony $200 DVD player looks great played thru the Sony XBR.

dt_dc

· #18 · Nov 22, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by grhughes
NONE of the retailers in my area have a simple non digital cable feed, so I can't get the feel for what it is going to look like until I get it home.

Do you have a VCR at home? Record something from your cable onto (gasp) tape and bring it in to a retailer. Have them hook up a VCR and play the tape. That should be just about the worst signal the TV will ever have to deal with. Judge how it handles it.

Raven_

· #19 · Nov 22, 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Lincoln Soule
My 34XBR800 arrived today. Words fail me. The beauty and clarity of the picture is much better than I expected. I'm using a Sony HD200 STB and a Sony NS715P DVD player with it.

I'll give a quick, very non-technical review of the 34XBR800 with the sources I'm using.

OTA analog: much better PQ than my previous RCA analog.

OTA digital: very crisp, much better than OTA analog on this TV.

Sat SD: much better than with the RCA analog

SAT HD: This is where I can't find adequate words. The every-pore-on-the-face close-ups are stunning. There is a 3-D quality to the panoramic scenes that I didn't expect.

DVD: Nearly equal to the SAT HD.

I've only got about 3 hours on the set, so I haven't run AVIA yet, but the out-of-the-box PQ looks very, very good. The sound is another surprise; once again, it is much better than I expected. The distortion on the 'wide zoom' mode for 4:3 material is hardly notable to me. I'm sure that I'll use this mode for most of my viewing of 4:3 material.

I am so happy that I bought this TV. Even my wife, the HD skeptic, is really impressed.

grhughes, I don't know if this subjective, non-technical review helps you or not. I do not have analog cable, so I can't comment on that. I do think that it would be worth trying the 34XBR800 as long as you get it from a place with a no-hassle return policy. You didn't say what you have now, but if it is an analog set, I would be very surprised if you didn't see a great improvement.

Congrats Lincoln!

I also got the same unit and DVD player about 2 weeks ago and I was blown away at the quality of the image. I find this unit even better than plasma displays. Sony really worked hard on this model to make it such an admirable performer. my GF was also very impressed with the unit. Looks just as good off and it does on

Enjoy your weekend!

Raven

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DonBerg

· #20 · Nov 22, 2002

Congratulations to all you new Sony 34XBR800 owners! Welcome to the proud growing clan of WIDESCREEN HDTV owners, you are all truly intelligent and future-thinking individuals for wisely choosing a modern 16:9 set.

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