What other HD providers are there

beat · « **on:** 19 Jul 2004, 11:01 pm »

Aside from voom, which seems to really have it going on, what other HD providers are there? As I understand it dish network is kind of a gamble..??right?
thanks all,
beat

sunshinedawg · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jul 2004, 11:21 pm »

Directv just launched a new sat and is suppose to offer the east and west feed of FOX HD sometime before football season starts. There are rumors of additional HD channels to be added at the same time they add FOX. Check this site out http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=88c61237a3f686eda5013e9a669aa94e&forumid=34

beat · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Jul 2004, 04:39 am »

thanks for the link,
I totally forgot about the avsforum. Quite a bit of info there. I wish my local cable company wasnt so far behind the times...the internet rocks though.

beat · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Jul 2004, 02:37 am »

, I just found out that I can get an hd box from comcast for 5 bucks a month. I know I wont get any other channels out of it but at least I would get the locals. pretty small investment to just check it out for now. I guess I spoke to soon about them. Some extra programming would be nice but we dont really watch much tv anyway and they are hell of expensive.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Jul 2004, 02:01 pm »

Beat,

I use Comcast Cable as my HD provider. I am actually VERY pleased with the service and the quality. The "basic" HD package may cost like $10.00 a month and includes the local channels, NBC, FOX, CBS, PBS, INHD, INHD2, Discovery HD theater and ESPN. The HD box has s-video, component, and DVI outputs for video and coax out for digital audio.

If you subscribe to HBO or Cinemax, you get the HD version at no extra charge.

I was using DISH, but their HD options are very limited at this time. VOOM may be coming along, but you still need an OTA antenna for local channels. I use Comcast for my internet access so it was a very easy change over. There is also nothing like 300kbps download speed

Carlman · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Jul 2004, 02:28 pm »

I have Time Warner and have HD similar to what Wayne describes.
I get HBO and Showtime HD since I subscribe to them anyway..

I mostly watch the Discovery and local channels. I may have ESPN but, I don't know. I do have TNT HD and some others... a little less than 10 channels I think. The box itself has a digital out that goes into my Panny XR-25. I use the component outputs to the Panny and then Panny to TV for video.

I think it'll be a while before we see a lot of HD programming. I don't understand why all TV's are HD sized now... when there's only a few real HD broadcasts. When I say 'real' I mean programming recorded with HD cameras or really using the technology.

In another 5-10 years we'll have more choices but, I don't foresee 4:3 going away before I need a new TV. (Especially since the sidebars will be burned in

)

-C

beat · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Jul 2004, 12:31 am »

Thanks for the tips guys.
Nice to know I can just order some of the special channels and get the hd for no more cost. I'm pretty stoked. Wayne, is it a pretty easy install? I shouldnt have a problem right? Plug and go kinda thing. I figured I'd save the 20 bucks and just go down to the comcast office and pick it up.
have a good night,
beat

beat · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:47 am »

Shoot,
this is great, for 25 bucks I'm getting a ton of channels. The picture in the hd channels is nearly dvd quality and the sound is pretty good too. I doubt anything will come across the lines in dts but I'll take the 5.1 for now. I was just watching a bit of the Bourne identity and thought it was about as good as my previous dvd/tv system if not a bit better... Component video outs and digital audio. I am glad I hung on to my old BAT dig cable. Pretty rockin. Some of the music stations arent half bad either. Now I just have to figure out how to program everything into the marantz controller to simplify things.
have a good weekend.
beat

jqp · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 08:42 pm »

Can you get cable HD over regular cable, i.e. non-digital?

Andrikos · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 08:44 pm »

Quote from: jqp

Can you get cable HD over regular cable, i.e. non-digital?

Probably not.
In the case of digital cable, you have to change cable boxes to receive HD anyway.

jqp · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 10:53 pm »

Yeah thats true. With an HD receiver and 2 roof top antennas you can get all the local HD.

beat · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 01:30 am »

Well,
In the case of my local comcast, for an extra five bucks they gave me a box which is an HD reciever and allows me to get all the 9.95 limited basic channels. The difference between regular basic and HD basic is there are a few locals that you can recieve in HD, of course, and they are like 5 stations (locals) up in the 175 area instead of the usual 1-99. So basically, yes you can get the local hd for 5 bucks a month without subscribing to all the other crap. I walked in there expecting to go from paying 9.95 to 14.95 to get only that but I let them talk me into some other stuff. If you happen to share any of the same promos in your area you will get all the premium stations at no charge for 6 months when you subscribe to the digital package for like 15 bucks..which you can also do without the 1-99 regular cable.
hope that answers your question,
beat

sunshinedawg · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 04:52 am »

Quote from: beat

The picture in the hd channels is nearly dvd quality and the sound is pretty good too.

That is interesting. When I watch sat HD it is way better than dvd quality and immediately noticeable.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 01:40 pm »

THe HD PBS, INHD, and Discovery channels are all better than any DVD. When the program was recorded in HD, ESPN sports broadcasts are simply stunning.

One of our local channel does most of the news in HD and again is far better than DVD.

The Pay channels movies come close to DVD when they were not recorded in HD.

beat · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Jul 2004, 01:55 pm »

That could be the thing there Wayne, I have only really seen the movie stations as of yet so I probably havent witnessed true HD. I also havent been paying super close attention and I'm not sure that I have the screen settings set correctly anyhow. I was going to mess with that some more today. I have been going back and forth between 720i, 1080p, I am not entirely positive where I'm supposed to have it. Any help there would be appreciated

thanks all,
beat

beat · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Jul 2004, 02:16 pm »

OH,
Now I see. Yes, I changed some settings around after watching Daredevil in hd last night which I thought it was a little sub-par against dvd. I changed the screen setting to 1080i and stretched it...meaning some of the ends get cut off since my tv is not widescreen. Then I tuned into espnhd...

Yes, that is amazing. Made me want to call up all my guy friends over for a beer.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Jul 2004, 02:38 pm »

beat,

My HD RPTV automatically sets the resolution rate depending on the signal, so I couldn't really be of much help with that.

The cable box should output most HD signals in 1080i.

I am using HDMI connection from cable box to RPTV and some custom component cables with Bybees built in for DVD to RPTV.

A lot depends on the source. INHD once brodcast an episode of the anime NOIR, which I have seen on DVD. It was very washed out with a lot less detail on HD.

PBS, Discovery, INHD and ESPN are all suberb when they broadcast native HD programs. I have not been to thrilled by any major network show in HD, yet.

Make suer you cable box is set for the correct type of display you have.

satfrat · « **Reply #17 on:** 29 Jul 2004, 06:36 am »

Just for another prospective, please let me thow my C-Band satellite into the mix. With my Motorola receiver /HD decoder, I'm able to subscribe to Starz east/west, HBO east/west, Showtime east/west, Encore east/west, Discovery HD, and a Nebraska PBS,,,,,,,,,, a total of 10 HD channels that are all supurb. There's also the fact that my component cable has a Z-Sleeve and 3 Bolder Cable Bybee Inline RCA's that kick up the picture a notch. BAM!

Subscription charges for channels are the BEST you'll find when compared with ANYTHING. But then again, the startup costs aren't cheap,, and you need the room for that BUD (big ugly dish). I've had my 12' dish since 1985 and quite frankly, I couldn't live w/o it. I am totally addicted to the picture quality that is top shelf. Thought this option was definitely woth mentioning even tho it's a dying industry.

Regards, Robin