Hi-Def cable

[Inspector1]

I'm so excited, I am having my Hi-Def cable hooked up Friday...
It's about time... I have been riding Adelphia for 4 months for set-up....... Just in time for Final 4 and Baseball season to start........
I'll follow up with results.......

I1:)

[uvman]

Thats cool, but I hope you realize you can probably get the locals in HD over the air with a cheap rad shack antenna..... Thats the option I went with, and I have been really happy with it so far. Most of the HD programing is awsome. I can't figure out how I tolerated analog tv.

-Dan

[Inspector1]

Yes I did realize that but to purchase over the air converter box is 300-400 bucks and the cable company is 2 bucks a month for the local programming and they provide converter box....
Unfortunately they do not have Discovery or Espn in HD yet...just Showtime and Starz??
We will see how theirs works.... I purchased a Toshiba 34" direct
view.. I did that so I could move TV to Living or bedroom when technology catches up and prices come down before going to projector and 100" screen in Theater Room..

I1:)

My yard is full of 70ft trees to south so SAT is not an option:(

[uvman]

Wow, where did you see a box for that price. I got mine for $150 from walmart.com. I did not have the hd over cable option where I am living, so it was over the air, sat or nothing. I went with over the air, the initial equipment cost was the only thing, about 150 for the reciever and 40 for the antenna, cable, and a mast from radioshack. The rest was time setting the antenna up in the attic, and aiming it at the tv stations. I am using a 51 inch Sony projection tv. I like it, I have had it for about a year and a half. As far as channels recieved, I get 2 NBCs, PAX, ABC, CBS, UPN/WB (depending on time of day), and 5 PBS channels. Fox is not transmitting full power yet. I don't get any premiums, because it is over the air, but most of the stuff I watch is broadcast stuff.

-Dan

[Inspector1]

Wow is right 150.00 thats dirt cheap ... What brand did you get?
I've been looking at Samsung SIR-T151......
I hopped onto Walmart.com only show one set top and it's out of stock..$398
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2181630&cat=115061&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3987%3A77622%3A121791%3A115061

Some people have all the Luck....... I guess I used up mine when I bought wing spoiler for 149 bucks...haha.....
Thanks for the input.........

I1:)

[uvman]

Thats the one I have the Sammy SIR T-151. I looked at the walmart site, and I saw they only had the one. Yeah, I am glad I got mine when I did, maybe they were trying to get rid of them. I think HH gregg, and circuit city both carry the samsung recievers. There is one annoying thing that it does though. I have had 2 the first one went back, and I have the same issue with the second. It makes a slight noise when it is off. I tried a Panasonic and a Zenith one too. the Panasonic was ok, but the Zenith had some issues. Everything I watched on the zenith looked jumpy or choppy.

-Dan

[Inspector1]

Hey Dan,
Are you connected with DVI interface or component Vid?
I heard they had some problems with early versions of the SIR-151..and several others also.. The Sammy's are rated very high for actual picture and tuner qualities..
Have you heard anything about Voom satellite service??
39 HDTV channels 21 are exclusive to them.....

http://www.voom.com/index.jsp

Makes me want to pull out chainsaw and clear a signal path..haha

What part of the state are you in??

I1:)

[uvman]

I am using Comp. Vid. to my tv, works great! I have played with 1080i and 720 p Both look great. As far as problems, I think there was a firmware upgrade for the previous model the t150, but I have had no problems. The only thing I do not like is the program guide is kind of slow.

If you really want the 151, you should search ebay, I found one really cheap there yesterday.

I have thought about getting Dish or Voom, but...... I have been really happy with the stuff I get over the air NBC, ABC, CBS, and UPN/WB. those are the channels I watch 90% of the time. As far as premium HBO, showtime, stars hd, I never watch the SD channels. I prefer to get DVD rentals, so I can see them before they come out on the premium channels. I would recomment a nice 480p dvd player , and a netflix account. Netflix is much cheaper than a voom sub.


-Dan

[Inspector1]

WOW... Big difference!!!! The network programs are in D Digital but HBO and Starz have some programs that are 5.1 surround..sweet....
I guess you really don't know what your missing until you see it.....

I1:banana:

[uvman]

yeah 5.1 is night and day. The only thing around me that is 5.1 is CBS, and the first time they broadcasted was for the superbowl. Then the oscars. I have not seen much since. But wow, it was totally amazing, they sound between cable and OTA HDTV is a big difference, but hdtv digital and 5.1 is a even bigger difference. I wish everything was in 5.1.

-Dan

[Inspector1]

Now if the networks would just get their act together on switching from 480 to 1080.. While watching the District and Cold Case at half way point when they would come back from commercials they would not switch back to 1080:mad: :mad: then after 1 or 2 other breaks it would switch back....
I have heard on other forums about this issue and everyone concludes that the switch is manual by local station.... I guess thats part of the baby steps with HD....
BTW watched some of LOTHR 2 towers yesterday in HD 5.1 WOW
Jimmy Neutron really shows the diff between HD and Standard....

Only problem is I find myself watching more just to see quality of image than content of show... hahaha .....
Maybe when new wears off that will change...... :D

I1:)

[uvman]

I think most of the locals here are 720p. For a while the stations here were having problems with switching between comericals, an the tv shows. It took some time but most of the bugs were worked out. One of the great things here in Columbus ohio is that there is a very active HD group that has a fourm, and most of the locals participate in the forum. So if there are issues, I can just post to a news group, alot of the times an engineer will read it and fix it relatively quickly. Some of them, have posted their cell phones so if issues come up, the public can call in and have things immediatly resolved. Now that is all kinds of cool if you ask me. One night the HD feed dropped to Standard def, I called the head engineer's cell, and he said he would look into it. 10 minutes later I got a return call, he said that the NY feed dropped, and it was not a local issue, they were aware of the problem, and working to fix it. By the next commercial it was fixed. Not that is service.

-Dan

[Inspector1]

Update...

Just added some more channels.....

HDnet, HDnet movies, INHD, INHD2 and ESPN HD....
for 5 bucks a month we will see how it pans out..
Watched remastered My Fair Lady in HD also really neat watching
Hogans Heros in HD. HDnet has Hack, The Handler and the Agency on tonight..
The Fox feed has been down for a week so I missed seeing 24 in HD:mad:

I1:)

[uvman]

Who is your cable company?

-Dan

[Inspector1]

Adelphia......... I believe Time Warner is buying them out?

I1:)

[benjamming]

Originally posted by Inspector1
HDnet has Hack, The Handler and the Agency on tonight..


I1:)

The Agency! I actually used to watch that show. It's odd b/c I rarely watch TV. I really liked that program. We sit through a pilot at Universal Studios before it came out & gave feedback. It was pretty neat.

[uvman]

Yeah I have adelphia too, but their HD really does not cover much. As far as Broadcase channels they only have NBC and CBS out of Columbus OH. Then I could get the same premiums as you, but until they get more broadcast stations in HD I am going to stay mad at them. I call daily and complain.

-Dan

[Inspector1]

The line up on premium is Cinemax/HBO/Showtime and Starz on HD but you have to subscribe to them on the regular to get HD.
on base we have CBS/ABC/NBC/FOX and PBS. Those are free if you have the HD set top box at $3 a month premium over basic digital cable. So I figure @ $8 a month for 10 HD channels is not bad. The only problem is programming is limited on the major networks and PBS is the same with only evening programming in HD.

Here's a link to HD net for their schedule......

http://www.hd.net

And INHD.....

http://www.inhd.com

I1:)

[Inspector1]

They had a great Doobie Brothers concert from Virginia on this past week.
INHD has alot of the IMAX films converted to HD.
But the best shows have to be the CSI's when they start cutting on cadavers and the detail is incredible:rolleyes:
Tonight is 24 night:thmsup:

There is a local company here in Cincinnati advertising a 90" projection system with full surround system for rent from next Friday to Monday for 400 bucks:eek:

I guess if you want to see the Big Game on a BIG Screen you might pony up the money..

I1:)