[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juergen You will get all of the analog channels (typically 1-70) from your cable connection. If it had a QAM tuner (from the specs it doesn't appear to have one) then you could pick up any unencrypted digital channels. THis will vary depending on your cable provider. In my area you can get ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX along with the music channels and Video on Demand streams from your neighbors . You could also hook up an antenna and get HD channels OTA (off the air). Check http://www.checkhd.com/aw/welcome.aspx to see what is available in your area. Also check out http://www.avsforum.com/ . I plan on getting a plasma soon and have been doing a good amount of research in preparation. This site has more information than I could read in a lifetime.

I see. I am thinking of getting a HDTV digital cable box, but for a while I may just have OTA. So let me ask you, how many channels can you get with OTA, and are there a lot of HD ones? I could live with like channels 1-10 for a while I am sure. Simpsons and stuff is still fine

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[Juergen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGWiRE I see. I am thinking of getting a HDTV digital cable box, but for a while I may just have OTA. So let me ask you, how many channels can you get with OTA, and are there a lot of HD ones? I could live with like channels 1-10 for a while I am sure. Simpsons and stuff is still fine .

I can get about 10 or 12. Some have a marginal signal (using a small indoor antenna in my basement) but the major networks come in strong and in HD) because the transmitter is only 5 or 6 miles away. As I mentioned above, try http://www.checkhd.com/aw/welcome.aspx and it should locate all the towers and active channels in your area. This is only for my HDTV card in my PC. I don't have an HDTV set yet. When I do I will probably go with the Digital HDTV PVR that is offered by my local cableco (COX). If you have a set of rabbit ears just give it a try and see what you get.

 

[Homeless]

Jag, you live in the GTA do you not? You should be able to pick up the HD OTA channels via the CN tower with a decent antenna...

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeless Jag, you live in the GTA do you not? You should be able to pick up the HD OTA channels via the CN tower with a decent antenna...

Quite a bit up North, but yes. I live in Thornhill (near Richmond Hill.) I don't plan to be mounting antennas outside or anything. What are the HD OTA channels from the CN tower?

 

[Homeless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGWiRE What are the HD OTA channels from the CN tower?

If you mean what specific channels there are...I'm not sure of all of them, but I know CityHD and CTV East HD are available...there are more though I'm sure.

I don't know the specifics of mounting antennas so I can't help you there, but there are lots of forums and loads of info out there. What I do know is that you'd need an HDTV (duh!) and the TV would need an HD tuner built in or you'd need an HD box similar to what you would get for digital cable to run your antenna to...

If it is not a lot of trouble and the antenna isn't too big it may be worth it...can't beat free HD signals...

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeless If you mean what specific channels there are...I'm not sure of all of them, but I know CityHD and CTV East HD are available...there are more though I'm sure. I don't know the specifics of mounting antennas so I can't help you there, but there are lots of forums and loads of info out there. What I do know is that you'd need an HDTV (duh!) and the TV would need an HD tuner built in or you'd need an HD box similar to what you would get for digital cable to run your antenna to... If it is not a lot of trouble and the antenna isn't too big it may be worth it...can't beat free HD signals...

I see. Well, I'll have to discuss it with my parents. If I go with cable, we need to call up Rogers to install it outside of my house meaning an extra monthly fee and I'll either rent or buy an HD box which is another add-on. Downstairs we have a SD digital cable box. Unforteuntly we can't route cable into my room without going on the floors or through a bathroom / shower, so we have no choice really, but to call rogers up to do it from outside.

 

[Homeless]

Yeah I have no clue how big the antenna would need to be so you'd need to check into that. As far as Rogers goes, if I recall correctly they charge $10/month to rent an HD receiver plus any programming you choose...

 

[Elec]

Not sure what kind of PC use you have in mind for the TV, but if it's a lot, you probably want a higher resolution. The Samsung appears to be 720p, according to the Best Buy page it's 1366x768. So while it will display 1080i/p content, there aren't 1080 lines to do it at full resolution. A 24" Dell widescreen monitor might be cheaper and is only a little smaller, but would be far better for heavy computer use.

On the other end of the spectrum, http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1140394400806 is a 37" Westinghouse LCD that does 1080p and many people have reported good results using it as a computer monitor. It's $1400US at BB, compared to $1170 for that Samsung at the same place. There are tons of choices in your price range, but the Westy might be my pick if you've got the space (though be warned it's got no tuner, so for TV you'd need a cable/satellite box or PC TV tuner card).

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elec Not sure what kind of PC use you have in mind for the TV, but if it's a lot, you probably want a higher resolution. The Samsung appears to be 720p, according to the Best Buy page it's 1366x768. So while it will display 1080i/p content, there aren't 1080 lines to do it at full resolution. A 24" Dell widescreen monitor might be cheaper and is only a little smaller, but would be far better for heavy computer use. On the other end of the spectrum, http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1140394400806 is a 37" Westinghouse LCD that does 1080p and many people have reported good results using it as a computer monitor. It's $1400US at BB, compared to $1170 for that Samsung at the same place. There are tons of choices in your price range, but the Westy might be my pick if you've got the space (though be warned it's got no tuner, so for TV you'd need a cable/satellite box or PC TV tuner card).

I have no space for 37". I plan to use it primarily for movies (samsung hd-950 dvd player w/ hdmi) and gaming (xbox 360.) I was going to hook my PC up (I already have a dell 2005fpw and might get a 2407fpw in the future), to the TV to watch DIVX movies and crap I might have on my PC (with the res set to 1366x768 I guess.)

Do you know how much rogers charges to set up cable from outside to another room in the house? I think they said something like 3$ a month for another connection, but hardly remember. Do they give you a discount on a HD box if you already have another digital box in the house?

 

[Homeless]

Here's a list of HDTV you can get with an antenna from Toronto. Have a look at the other threads related to antennas and hardware for a better idea...let's us know if you decide to go this route, I'd be interested to see how it pans out...

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeless Here's a list of HDTV you can get with an antenna from Toronto. Have a look at the other threads related to antennas and hardware for a better idea...let's us know if you decide to go this route, I'd be interested to see how it pans out...

Very interesting looking. I doubt I'de go that route because I am sure I'de want the movie channels and yadayada that Rogers offers, but still, that selection isn't bad!

 

[Elec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGWiRE I have no space for 37". I plan to use it primarily for movies (samsung hd-950 dvd player w/ hdmi) and gaming (xbox 360.) I was going to hook my PC up (I already have a dell 2005fpw and might get a 2407fpw in the future), to the TV to watch DIVX movies and crap I might have on my PC (with the res set to 1366x768 I guess.) Do you know how much rogers charges to set up cable from outside to another room in the house? I think they said something like 3$ a month for another connection, but hardly remember. Do they give you a discount on a HD box if you already have another digital box in the house?

That should be just fine then, it's mainly for 2D stuff (like text) and PC gaming where the lower res can be an issue. If you've mainly just got DivX and other video content to play back from the PC, you'll be good to go. Prolly won't even have to adjust the resolution on the PC to exactly match the TV - as long as you feed the TV an input resolution it understands, it should resize it for you.

I've got Comcast, so I can't say what Rogers charges, but for mine it's something like $16 to have them come out and turn on a cable outlet if it's not already active. I think it may be $3 for an additional digital cable box, and I'm pretty sure it's an extra $5 for an HD box/service if you've already got regular digital, so you're probably looking at roughly the same.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elec That should be just fine then, it's mainly for 2D stuff (like text) and PC gaming where the lower res can be an issue. If you've mainly just got DivX and other video content to play back from the PC, you'll be good to go. Prolly won't even have to adjust the resolution on the PC to exactly match the TV - as long as you feed the TV an input resolution it understands, it should resize it for you. I've got Comcast, so I can't say what Rogers charges, but for mine it's something like $16 to have them come out and turn on a cable outlet if it's not already active. I think it may be $3 for an additional digital cable box, and I'm pretty sure it's an extra $5 for an HD box/service if you've already got regular digital, so you're probably looking at roughly the same.

$16 a month or for the service? I thought it was something like $3 a month more after the service fees to set it up to have another cable setup in the house, and then maybe $5 for an extra box or something.

How would DVD's look played on my computer? (I am thinking of archiving dvd's on my computer, but we cannot discuss that here.) Will they be as good as my DVD player? And will browsing and stuff look decent if I ever want to do that?

 

[Elec]

Nooooo, the $16 was a one time service charge to have additional outlets turned on. Actually it may have been more to get them to come out to do that, but it was +$16 when I got everything set up the first time. The box is probably around $5 a month if you've already got service.

Some people claim you can get better DVD playback off a computer, especially if you use something like ffdshow to tweak the image before outputting it to the TV. Browsing will probably be ok, just remember that you're going to have less pixels on a bigger screen compared to your 2005fpw, so everything will be larger and less sharp in comparison.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

I believe the hdmi is a cable that connects to TV from source and is supposed to be a kick as- connection. I have bought one at bestbuy that cost 100.00 but they also had a 200.00 one. I took it back because S video looked about the same pitched wise. Now this was befor I got the high diff.