Bought an HDTV...kinda regret it.

[chrisgraff]

Bought a Sony Bravia 32" 1080p, etc.

Some shows look incredible...ESPN, Discovery, etc.

What I don't like are shows with actors/newscasters. In HD, you see all the flaws: too much make-up, bad lighting, etc.

Anybody else not in love with HDTV?

[mge80]

Anybody else not in love with HDTV?

Absolutely not. I can't imagine NOT having it, at this point.

Give it time. I can almost guarantee you'll feel the same way.:)

[Lawn Jockey]

Absolutely not. I can't imagine NOT having it, at this point.

Give it time. I can almost guarantee you'll feel the same way.:)



:agree


I can't hardly watch a show now that is NOT in HD.

:BEER

[scottlr]

Yea, you get used to it, and then you see shows that aren't HD and wish they were.

[Bones]

I brought mine back after a week, yes sports and nature shows filmed in HD look incredible, but the pixelation on the stuff that was not originally HD or digital is troublesome to me. Maybe it's my cable company, maybe it's me, but I was less than impressed with the majority of shows I like to watch, plus the sidebars on stuff that was not filmed in widescreen, drove me nuts

[c94123]

absolutely not. I can't imagine not having it, at this point.

Give it time. I can almost guarantee you'll feel the same way.:)

+2.

[kovachian]

Anybody else not in love with HDTV?Nope, just you buddy. Sorry.

[Ldavey]

As has been said, it's hard for me, too, to watch that which is not HDTV anymore after more than a year of HD.

[lfio710]

I almost brought mine back when I first got it - it takes a little while to adjust, but once you do there is no going back!

[geetarboy]

Sports in HD are the best. I don't really watch any of the non-HD channels.

[BMF Effects]

I almost brought mine back when I first got it - it takes a little while to adjust, but once you do there is no going back!

+1. First few weeks were a little tough.

[Structo]

Like Scott said, it really makes you appreciate HD when you go to a non HD channel.

Some crop down the picture to 4:3 with the wide bars on the sides, which is not good for most tv's as it can cause burn in.

I have Comcast Cable and they have quite a few HD channels but not enough in my opinion.

I'm not really a sports fan other than NASCAR so a lot of those channels are wasted on me.....

[dankayaker]

I would not buy n HDTV to watch cable/satellite "HD". Though it looks better than standard def stuff, they still use a ton of compression and it takes a serious quality hit.

[Drew68]

What I don't like are shows with actors/newscasters. In HD, you see all the flaws: too much make-up, bad lighting, etc.


That's because they haven't properly adapted to HDTV. That was an early concern when HDTV first came on the scene. Pancake makeup would be too obvious. Thanks to HDTV I've also noticed that a lot more people in showbiz have bad acne and cellulite.

[mge80]

Some crop down the picture to 4:3 with the wide bars on the sides, which is not good for most tv's as it can cause burn in.


My HD box (DirecTV) allows me to adjust the picture in several ways, one of which is to show non-HD programming in a "full screen" mode.

[Bones]

My HD box (DirecTV) allows me to adjust the picture in several ways, one of which is to show non-HD programming in a "full screen" mode.


doesn't that make it all distorted? That was my experience.

[mge80]

doesn't that make it all distorted? That was my experience.

I don't really use it in that fashion, so I couldn't say. But yeah..it does "stretch" it somewhat.

I was just pointing out that there are alternatives to the bars on the side. IMO, it is not a better alternative, but an alternative nonetheless. As a matter of fact, I very rarely watch a non-HD program on an HD channel. If I want to watch "Seinfeld" on TBS, I will watch on the non-HD version of TBS. As with most networks or channels, both are available on my service.

With so much HD programming available these days, and more and more becoming available all the time, I just couldn't see going back. The old shows that are not available in HD...or are not broadcast on an HD channel, like TV Land, are really not an issue to me, either.

[loudboy]

Try the Sunday night double-whammy of "Nature" on PBS, and "Desperate Housewives" on ABC and get back to us...

That is some good-lookin' telly-bisshun. <g>

[JeffG.]

Love mine, seeing non-HD channels is a let down now.

[chrisgraff]

Here's a dirty little secret: many networks are choosing not to produce shows in HD, because of costs. You might be paying for HD programming, but not getting it 100% of the time.

[Suproman77]

If you don't love it now, you will soon and then you'll be wondering what you ever did without it. I love HD.

[Suproman77]

Here's a dirty little secret: many networks are choosing not to produce shows in HD, because of costs. You might be paying for HD programming, but not getting it 100% of the time.

No kidding. That's no secret, man...

[Flavum]

Some crop down the picture to 4:3 with the wide bars on the sides, which is not good for most tv's [sic] as it can cause burn in.

Most HD TVs use an LCD display which does not suffer from burn-in. Not sure where your info comes from?

[RonH]

:agree


I can't hardly watch a show now that is NOT in HD.

:BEER

Same here and I only watch tv on a 92" screen. HDTV and projectors are the way to go for me! When you use a large screen, HDTV is definitely a must. It does suck when you have to watch college football on a non-HD station. I mean come on already, everything should be HD by now!

Ron

[Rik]

HD is sometimes scary.. the definition really shows the human side too much. Like a close up shot of a person on a 52" etc, you now see all those imperfections under a microscope! We are used to seeing perfect people ( or as close as the studios can make them). Now they are not perfect.

So I agree. The overall scenes are amazing, I especially like scenes with water or fire.

[devilrob1979]

Most HD TVs use an LCD display which does not suffer from burn-in. Not sure where your info comes from?

Burn in can occur on plasma, projection and DLP tvs. It's not so much an issue on LCD. I've had HD for four years now and could never go back to anything else. I suffer through shows that aren't in HD but you owe it to yourself to see Planet Earth or Blue Planet in HD. Into the Blue's another awesome one. Cable and Satellite compress quite a bit and practically nobody's broadcasting in 1080p yet. Watch a Bluray if you want to see what your tv is truly capable of. Just make sure your other blue movies are standard definition :).

[TwoTubMan]

And a year from now they'll be touting SUPER HDTV!!!...

and we'll all be chasing our tails once again.

[devilrob1979]

And a year from now they'll be touting SUPER HDTV!!!...

and we'll all be chasing our tails once again.

Actually I doubt that. Maybe there'll be some super high-def deal with movies (although Bluray is pretty amazing) but I doubt it. Also, broadcasters will not be willing to keep changing equipment. The deadline for digital broacasts is 02/09 and the broadcasters aren't even at 1080p yet so I wouldn't worry too much.

[shihanderek]

I don't particularly like it. Everything is sharper, no doubt, but it also makes stuff look kinda plastic to me.

[Seditious]

Everything looks very close to real life in HD. Maybe you don't like real life? :bong

I won't watch any show that's not in HD. They just look SOOO horrible.

[drgonzoguitar]

Do you think that standard definition vs. high definition TVs will be viewed the same as tube vs. solid-state amps? I mean....I sort of like the softer image of a standard definition signal in a decent tube television versus a cold digital signal on my flat screen.

With exception to football and baseball, does it really make that much of a difference?

:dunno

[devilrob1979]

Do you think that standard definition vs. high definition TVs will be viewed the same as tube vs. solid-state amps? I mean....I sort of like the softer image of a standard definition signal in a decent tube television versus a cold digital signal on my flat screen.

With exception to football and baseball, does it really make that much of a difference?

:dunno

It makes an enormous difference. EVERYTHING looks better in HD (with the exception of the afore-metnioned blue movies).

[FlyingDutchman]

Ive really become accustomed to watching HD TV. I would never want to go back to standard def. I do want to get an OTA to see what I can pull in for free. Could be another reason to get the cable company out of my life once and for all.

[devilrob1979]

Here're some sample screen shots. If you hate the idea of HD (it's the new standard whether you want it to be or not) just get some special tv watching glasses with out of focus lenses.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c381/semperrob/HD_Split_01.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c381/semperrob/HD_Split_02.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c381/semperrob/bilbo.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c381/semperrob/capnjack.png
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c381/semperrob/sd-hd.jpg

[Suproman77]

Do you think that standard definition vs. high definition TVs will be viewed the same as tube vs. solid-state amps?

It's nothing like that because tube amps and solid state amps have different tones that can be utilized for different things. Standard definition, however, is pratically useless now that HD is here.

A better comparison would be like using an outhouse where indoor plumbing is available.


I mean....I sort of like the softer image of a standard definition signal in a decent tube television versus a cold digital signal on my flat screen.

You won't miss it after too long...trust me on that.


With exception to football and baseball, does it really make that much of a difference?

:dunno

Hell yeah. The difference is pretty unbelievable and you'll never quite appreciate it until you see one in your own home. It's breathtaking the first couple of weeks...sometimes it still gets me.

[Darth Tater]

HD is the only way to go and I can't wait until they pull the plug on all standard def crap. I can't even watch standard anymore.

[JLaps]

Bought a Sony Bravia 32" 1080p, etc.

Some shows look incredible...ESPN, Discovery, etc.

What I don't like are shows with actors/newscasters. In HD, you see all the flaws: too much make-up, bad lighting, etc.

Anybody else not in love with HDTV?

I have the same exact TV. I'm not regretting the quality but I am kind of regretting getting it because I don't watch it too much. I got it as a gift though so I guess I can't complain.

[live-I-evil]

Planet Earth in HD changed my mind on everything. Not just HD TV but literally everything in my life. Shark week's pretty f'n rad to.

[tildeslash]

Try watching porn in HD.

[Boomer]

Try watching porn in HD.

Ew! :eek:

[tildeslash]

I meant good porn.

[Seditious]

Try watching porn in HD.

They have THAT? :crazyguy

[tildeslash]

Yes - lots of it.

[Craig Walker]

What I don't like are shows with actors/newscasters. In HD, you see all the flaws: too much make-up, bad lighting, etc.

Anybody else not in love with HDTV?



Only watch HD stuff. Everything else pales.


But I do know what you're talking about. You see all these talking heads imperfections, that 'soft lenses' and lighting fixed previously. I think it's a good thing, in this 'nip & tuck' world we live in today.

Now THAT'S Reality TV. :AOK

[gwr]

all these responses and nobody has asked if you had your set calibrated? Not that it would make a difference if your not used to hd,but in time you will,I have to agree some programs like my local news you can see all the imperfections but watch sports or a movie and it's a big difference,but you should check into having your set calibrated so the colors and sharpness,etc. are true and once again you will see a difference.

[stratzrus]

What I don't like are shows with actors/newscasters. In HD, you see all the flaws: too much make-up, bad lighting, etc.
HD is sometimes scary.. the definition really shows the human side too much. Like a close up shot of a person on a 52" etc, you now see all those imperfections under a microscope! We are used to seeing perfect people ( or as close as the studios can make them). Now they are not perfect.

:agree

As a person with a background in TV production, to me the biggest "downside" of HD can be seeing the flaws in people's faces during newscasts that we didn't notice before.

In addition, like the OP said, enough makeup to cover flaws becomes really obvious. One area where you can sometimes see this is the line on the neck where makeup often ends and uncovered skin begins.

I'm sure you could get used to it, but there is a point where you might say "too much information".

[TwoTubMan]

Maybe an unexpected benefit will be a return to actual journalists delivering the news instead of modeling school dropouts.

[rhinocaster]

I find it ironic that the industry makes to big move to HD at the same time my eyes are less HD than they've ever been.

I expect that for me this is going to be a wash. Sharper images into older eyes. It will probably look like regular old TV to me!:o

[moody07747]

Absolutely not. I can't imagine NOT having it, at this point.

Give it time. I can almost guarantee you'll feel the same way.:)

+1
We have two DH sets, one is a very large 52" DLP and although the bulb burns out every year for us, (it's on almost all the time) it's an outstanding set.

We talked with Verizon for a few hours and got their prices down enough for a DVR box and two standard HD boxes for the other TVs.
We also have the internet and phone through optics now and the internet is SO much faster now, I really enjoy that part.

[TBoneDeluxe]

I saw some programming in HD a few years ago at a friend's house. It was nice...but not nice enough for me to drop that kind of money on it. I'll stick with the regular old television sets till mine quit working.