Price of HDTV Falls From 'Yikes!' Level
Another sign that HDTV may be starting to go mainstream: At HDTV-enthusiast Web sites, moderators are starting to notice a difference in the types of folks logging on.
"Up until six to 12 months ago, most of the people were hobbyists and early adopters, like in the old days when people were really into ham radio or hi-fi," said Ken Holsgrove, a moderator at the AVS Forum site. These days, he said, a lot more people don't care about the finer points of technology and just talk about which shows to watch.
Alexandria resident Mike Ferrara hasn't gotten the benefit of any of these price cuts. He shelled out around $10,000 for a digital TV in 1998, when WETA was just about the only HDTV broadcaster in the area. But he says he has no regrets about the expenditure: Now he's got a pick of shows to watch every night, between CBS's over-the-air content and HBO and Showtime via his Dish Network receiver.
Ferrara had some friends over a while back to watch a Bruce Springsteen concert on HBO. "It was like sitting in the front row of Madison Square Garden -- I almost charged admission," he said.
He figures he's been responsible for the sale of at least half a dozen of the high-end TVs over the years to friends and colleagues who have seen his setup and found themselves reaching for their wallets.
"Once you see it, you want it. Period," he said.
Another sign that HDTV may be starting to go mainstream: At HDTV-enthusiast Web sites, moderators are starting to notice a difference in the types of folks logging on.
"Up until six to 12 months ago, most of the people were hobbyists and early adopters, like in the old days when people were really into ham radio or hi-fi," said Ken Holsgrove, a moderator at the AVS Forum site. These days, he said, a lot more people don't care about the finer points of technology and just talk about which shows to watch.
Alexandria resident Mike Ferrara hasn't gotten the benefit of any of these price cuts. He shelled out around $10,000 for a digital TV in 1998, when WETA was just about the only HDTV broadcaster in the area. But he says he has no regrets about the expenditure: Now he's got a pick of shows to watch every night, between CBS's over-the-air content and HBO and Showtime via his Dish Network receiver.
Ferrara had some friends over a while back to watch a Bruce Springsteen concert on HBO. "It was like sitting in the front row of Madison Square Garden -- I almost charged admission," he said.
He figures he's been responsible for the sale of at least half a dozen of the high-end TVs over the years to friends and colleagues who have seen his setup and found themselves reaching for their wallets.
"Once you see it, you want it. Period," he said.