Anyone know anything about HDTV's and progressive scan DVD players? I just purchased a Samsung 47" HDTV and I'm having Warner Cable install the HD converter wednesday (the TV is delivered tuesday ). I don't believe my current DVD player is progressive scan and from what I've read with a High Def. set I really need the progressive scan. Anyone know how much of a difference the progressive scan DVD player will make? Will the picture with my current DVD player be so bad I won't want to watch movies with it? Getting the wife to sign off on another electronics purchase will be like pulling teeth since I preaty much had to agree I'd never need more electronics for the rest of my life to get the TV.
not to sound rude, but shouldn't you have looked into this before making that huge purchase... of which I am highly envious of! (i was shopping for Sony flatscreen TV's at Fry's yesterday... almost picked up a widescreen 50+" one, but had a last second change of heart.) as for TW... how much do they charge for the HD converter?
Sounds like something my wife would say. I did research on the TV not DVD players, it was an issue that came up later. That, and you don't tell the wife you need another piece of electonics when she is on the verge of letting get out of 20" tv hell. The HD converter is $5 a month on top of my digital cable bill.
Progressive scan will make a big difference, but I think you'll still enjoy the old DVD (do you still watch TV after watching non-progressive-scan DVDs?) I believe that it was Rockets03 who highly recommended to me that I pick one up. X34 would probably be a good source for you also on your home entertainment system.
It depends upon the TV, specifically the line doubler. The Samsung's opted for a cheap line doubler, so I would say a progressive-scan player is essential for you. With a "conventional" DVD player you will see "3:2 pull-down" artifacts like crazy. For an explanation of what that means, look here: http://www.avdeals.com/classroom/Proscanexplained.htm
Oh man, I'm the one pushing for a new TV in our house. I can't take our measly 32" anymore. When Christmas comes around I'm asking Santa for a big-screen HDTV with split screen picture-in-picture and a couple of recliners to watch it from. Come on December!!!
Mrs JB, You rock! Jeff is the luckiest guy on earth... I wish my wife was enuff of an electronics fan to be the way you are..then I wouldn't have to beg and plead for new toys!!
So....have you put it on channel 308 yet and watched the same promotional shows over and over? five bucks a month is money well spent.
And what about your girlfriend? Is this some sort of threesome fantasy of yours? Anyway, I knew I wanted a big screen TV, but I didn't realize how much I needed the picture-in-picture feature until a couple of weeks ago when I was trying to watch a tennis match and golf tournament at the same time. I kept missing stuff as I flipped between channels.
Now they're thinking of making limited-DVD's an indutry standard. Meaning you can only watch a DVD a certain number of times and on only on the original DVD Player it was first played on. http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=891987&nav=0RdY2R3WAd6r
Is the industry trying to force people into piracy? DIVX failed and this would also. DVD sales are high because people want to build their collection to watch as they like; limiting views will ruin it. I for one will not buy one.
"They" better keep thinking because that won't fly.....ever. That is the stupidest idea I've heard concerning piracy.
Thanks for all the input. I am very pleased with the picture with just digital cable and I can't wait for the HD channels which I should have Wednesday afternoon. I've watched parts of a couple movies on with my current DVD player and haven't noticed the 3-2 artifacts but now that I know what I'm looking for I'll probably start to see them. I'm going to borrow a friends Progressive Scan DVD this weekend to see how big of a difference it makes. Mrs. JB - Jeff truely is a lucky guy. If you both want to swing by the Heights you can teach my wife the finer points of loving electronics, and Jeff can see that your 32" TV needs to be replaced in time for the Rockets playoff run.
Don't anyone here even think for a MOMENT I am questioning my wife's judgement here. If I had $2K to spend on a TV at the moment...well, I wouldn't be posting here!
With a good line doubler, the image should be exactly the same as what comes out of a progressive scan DVD player. In practice, the line doubled image is usually very slightly less crisp. If you've spent $1500+ on an HDTV, its silly to not spend the relatively small dollars to make sure you've got a progressive DVD player.
