HD TV

[UKBob]

I bought a widescreen TV a year ago, but I dont think its 'HD ready' - Im not sure.

It does have a VGA port though, and can be used as a PC monitor And Im buying an Xbox 360 which supports HD, and also VGA output (or av/composite output)

Soooooo... will my widescreen TV give me a high resolution image, if I buy the right VGA connector, and am I right in thinking I wont need to buy a proper HD tv to get a high resolution image from the xbox360, or am I missing something

[simpo two]

A year ago? Doubt it. Don't you need an HDMI connector?

[granville]

simpo two said:

A year ago? Doubt it. Don't you need an HDMI connector?

Not necessarily: some sets with the requisite resolution will allow the same state of 'readiness' via DVI (e.g. JVC's AV26/32A61) so all you'd need is an HDMI-DVI lead 'twixt Murdoch Box and TV.

Many sets, however, are merely 'HD Compatible' and whilst this downscaled version of HD is technically inferior than the 'HD Ready' branded kit, you often find subjective differentials actually reversed and this is a product of basic electronic chassis superiority in the first place (i.e. certain Japanese rather than Korean outfits.)

Sky have been saying they will be to catering for both audiences using a combination of component and HDMI outputs so in practice, 99% of the obsession surrounding 'I must have an HD Ready product' is looking unnecessary.

To confuse things even more, some brands/models feature HDMI inputs but are not HD Ready: this is particularly true of several cheap plasma sets and one or two LCDs.

If you've got a CRT tube TV, however, you won't be able to obtain HD at all (although someone told me recently that as the analogue transponders are switched off, this may free up scope for the existing digital transmitters (FreeView, for example) to really up their ante performance-wise from their existing, fairly risible levels - I hope so because a subjective DVD-spec image can often seem similar to some HD feeds.)


Marmaduke Hussey-Borg Warner.

[UKBob]

update: After reading further into my magazine i went ahead and plugged my PC into the TV using the VGA cable, and set the PC to a resolution of 1280*720 but the TV showed a very poor picture, pixels overlapping and not lining up.

I'd imagine that the LCD TV's native resolution, although capable of displaying 1280*720 just isnt suited to 1280*720, and therefore if im to enjoy Xbox 360 games in HD, I need a new TV, right?

[granville]

Bob, what I know about computers would be invisible to the eye of an ant surveying the subject under an electron microscope.

But yes, you need to get something nifty.

[tonto]

UKBob said:

update: After reading further into my magazine i went ahead and plugged my PC into the TV using the VGA cable, and set the PC to a resolution of 1280*720 but the TV showed a very poor picture, pixels overlapping and not lining up. I'd imagine that the LCD TV's native resolution, although capable of displaying 1280*720 just isnt suited to 1280*720, and therefore if im to enjoy Xbox 360 games in HD, I need a new TV, right?

I would think so. AFAIK you can't get a digital signal through a VGA connection as its analogue, (mind you, I though Y Pb Pr was analogue and Sky say they will support this through their HD box (as Der says)).
Do you have Component connections on your TV?

Tony.

[xiphias]

UKBob said:

update: After reading further into my magazine i went ahead and plugged my PC into the TV using the VGA cable, and set the PC to a resolution of 1280*720 but the TV showed a very poor picture, pixels overlapping and not lining up. I'd imagine that the LCD TV's native resolution, although capable of displaying 1280*720 just isnt suited to 1280*720, and therefore if im to enjoy Xbox 360 games in HD, I need a new TV, right?

What is the tv's native resolution? And is there an option to change the aspect ratio of the screen?

[UKBob]

xiphias said:

UKBob said: update: After reading further into my magazine i went ahead and plugged my PC into the TV using the VGA cable, and set the PC to a resolution of 1280*720 but the TV showed a very poor picture, pixels overlapping and not lining up. I'd imagine that the LCD TV's native resolution, although capable of displaying 1280*720 just isnt suited to 1280*720, and therefore if im to enjoy Xbox 360 games in HD, I need a new TV, right? What is the tv's native resolution? And is there an option to change the aspect ratio of the screen?

There are half a dozen aspect ratios. Its plenty versatile, and since testing does work at 1280*720 (HD) ... my magazine was saying something about if you dont have an "HD ready" TV then try a PC monitor for a better resolution.

Has anyone bought an LCD monitor, and noticed that at most resolutions, the picture is very crisp. But there are a couple of resolutions which (although it works) the picture looks naff. The resizing algorythm for that aspect ratio just sucks... or something.

I have a narrow living room, and sit close to the TV as it is. 28 inch might be ok but bigger would be too big.

Any idea how much digital flat screen widescreen 25' TV's might be retailing for in 6 months? They seem to have nearly halved in price over the last 12 months (ish)... i think. Hesitant to buy with so much happening right now.

Also... why do the bloody americans get 1080 when we only make the jump from 625 to 720 I assume their DVD's will be 1080 pixels high, when ours will only be 720? I read the BBC are already filming in HD, but who made the stupid choice of only going up to 720 - why wasnt it agreed to jump up to 1080, like the yanks?

[speedy_thrills]

I’m not sure if my eyes are HD ready .

[nick heppinstall]

UKBob said:

I bought a widescreen TV a year ago, but I dont think its 'HD ready' - Im not sure. It does have a VGA port though, and can be used as a PC monitor And Im buying an Xbox 360 which supports HD, and also VGA output (or av/composite output) Soooooo... will my widescreen TV give me a high resolution image, if I buy the right VGA connector, and am I right in thinking I wont need to buy a proper HD tv to get a high resolution image from the xbox360, or am I missing something

Tell us what make and model it is and we can supply you with the info !

[Plotloss]

1080i is 1920x1080

720p is 1280x720

At these resolutions a decent/good CRT monitor will do the job.

No discernable difference between the two because the progressive scan leads to a better picture over the interlaced one.

1080p which is what some are calling True High Def is on its way and is already here in a number of special PC optimised DVD's and is probably going to become part of the Blu Ray standard. I think though with this it has fairly serious wire and connector issues.

>> Edited by Plotloss on Saturday 19th November 14:09

[ErnestM]

Right on the money, Matt.

HDMI is encrypted (at least here in the States) to keep you from recording hi-def content on your own from pay sources. The "record my own stuff off of cable" brigade are having tantrums over that.

Blue-Ray and HD-DVD are still competing for the next standard. Personally, I will wait to see who is the undisputed winner so I am not stuck with the hi-def version of betamax...


ErnestM

[UKBob]

nick heppinstall said:

Tell us what make and model it is and we can supply you with the info !

Cheers Nick. Here's the spec clicketyclick

It doesnt say anything about being complying with the "HD ready" standard, but seems to support the 720p and 1080i formats for video, I think... ?? Can anyone tell, for sure?

Edited to add... Im unsure it will give me the same benefit of an "HD ready" screen, rather than a PC output.

>> Edited by UKBob on Saturday 19th November 16:32

[qube_TA]

The 360 doesn't use HDMI (yet) although it does have a VGA output so you can get the equivalent to HDTV although I'm guessing that your TV isn't up to it.

I wouldn't buy an HDTV TV until we actually have HDTV in this country; I remember spending a small fortune buying a 24 bit Pioneer CD player that would be able to play the new high resolution CD's that would be shortley available, even came with one to demonstrate how much better 24 bit sounds over the regular 16 bits ones. It did sound awesome, being an audio nut I was quite excited, all I had to do was wait for the software to come out

However when they did they were called DVD-A's and SACD's and neither of them would play on my player despite being recorded at the same resolution!

So had to buy a new 24 bit CD player to play the software I'd just bought!! They sound the same as my demo disk on my old player and have exactly the same features!

So I don't trust the HDTV ready claims until we've got it all up and running.


Matthew

[_dan_]

qube_TA said:

So I don't trust the HDTV ready claims until we've got it all up and running. Matthew

Thing is HD is an existing technology that has been in use and up and running in other countries for years. Australia have had HDTV for 4 or 5 years now.

There are recognised formats, that have to comply with professional technology that the TV industry has been using for some time now. For instance, I'm freelancing at the new Discovery Channel transmission facility today and the whole setup is geared for HD, it's just that the material isn't made in HD yet, and no-one can recieve it yet.

As long as the screen you buy can support 720p and/or 1080i and has either a DVI or HDMI input then there's not really much else to wait for other than lower prices.

The screens that carry the "HD Ready" logos have to conform to certain European standards that were laid down quite a while ago.

Bit of info here


>> Edited by _dan_ on Saturday 19th November 17:54