[PSP]

I have spent the last three years getting my audio up to snuff.  Now I would like to improve my video.  

Honestly, I don't know didly-squat about video.  I have an old TV (coax input from basic cable, an old VCR, and a DVD player.  

Right now, I am looking for some good FAQs and other reading that will help me learn the basics, primarily about the video part of the equation.  What do you suggest?

thanks for your help,
Peter

[bubba966]

Peter,

Do you have any idea what direction you'd like to go?

Do you watch stuff on TV/Cable/Sat, rent stuff from a local shop, or would you buy movies?

Do you plan on going High-Def, or sticking with Standard-Def?

Would you be interested in DVD, TV/CATV/Sat, Laserdisc, VHS, D-VHS, HD Laserdisc?

What size of display would you care for (or have room for)?

What type of display might you care for?

What type of sound setup will you be using with it?

What does or doesn't bother you with video playbck?

And lastly, what are you thinking about spending?


I know these are more than a few questions. And some of them I'd bet you don't yet have answers for. But it'd help to know a little more about what you're initially thinking about doing before I could try to steer you towrds more info.

I'd be better if you had some idea of what to go for and get what you want to start with, rather than upgrading all of the time and losing $ during each upgrade. Even if you couldn't do it all at once by getting better gear up front, I still think that's a better idea. Too bad I didn't know that 4 or 5 years ago...

[PSP]

Bubba,
Excellent questions... a good quesion is a beautiful thing...

Do you have any idea what direction you'd like to go?

Gawd.. dead on the first question.  I'm not sure what you mean by "direction".

Do you watch stuff on TV/Cable/Sat, rent stuff from a local shop, or would you buy movies?

 Yes... TV/Cable (no sat currently planned), Rent = yes, and buy some movies = yes

Do you plan on going High-Def, or sticking with Standard-Def?

Hi-Def, I think, but I'm not sure that I know the implications of that decision, if any (other than buying high-def compatable equipment).

Would you be interested in DVD, TV/CATV/Sat, Laserdisc, VHS, D-VHS, HD Laserdisc?

 Yes to DVD, TV/CATV, and VHS

What size of display would you care for (or have room for)?

 I can fit an approx 30-32 inch display.  No room for a rear-projection system.

What type of display might you care for?

 I think I want 16:9 with a current budget of $1500.  I know that if I spend more money the video could be extremely good, but I spend 90+% of my time listening to 2ch music; movies are secondary to me and don't justify spending a lot of money.

What type of sound setup will you be using with it?

 Right now I'm running DVD 5.1 outputs into 2 stereo amps + sub.  VHS and TV/CATV goes to the front two channels + sub only (no DPL decoding at present).  I need to get a reasonable solution to HT decoding, thus my question a few days ago regarding the Klipsch DD-5.1.

Thanks for your help,
Peter