View Poll Results: HD TV, HD Service and Blu-ray
Voters: 16. You may not vote on this poll
HD TV, HD Service and Blu-ray
02-05-2009, 12:21 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,985
So, I just went through this whole thing about TV's, HD service, BRay, Roku, etc etc etc. The story starts with me, a 32" HDTV, a PS2 and a $130/m cable (with HD, no prem services) bill, and netflix.
The story ends with a 40" Bravia, PS3 for BRay, the cheaper Dish Network TurboHD package (with DVR), Qwest FTTN internet and soon to be added is a Roku box.
Basically, once I went HDTV on this Bravia, I stopped watching SDTV completely. I went to Dish because the TurboHD package is $24.99/mo and I got a neato HD DVR (ViP722) for next to nothing.
The TurboHD package works opposite of most HD packages- Normally, you subscribe to an SD channel and can then receive the HD equivalent. In TurboHD, you subscribe to the HD package and receive the SD equivalent. Also, the TurboHD package is supposed to have the best HDTV signal (save for OTA) with the new Echostar bird utilizing MPEG-4 compression (opposed to MPEG-2).
The PS3 does double-duty as a gaming system and one of the best reviewed Blu-Ray players on the market. I upgraded my Netflix account to BRay for $1/mo.
I already have unlimited streaming from Netflix, so the Roku box will be the next purchase.
With all the HDTV I could ever need, I'm paying about $90-105/mo after tax and rentals and add-ons and everything for better service and equipment. The total before my conversion project was $145-170/mo, depending on the month.
--Also, Rob is correct OTA signal is the best you can get because the signal is uncompressed. The only problem is that a) you have to select the proper antenna, and b) you have to point the antenna in the proper direction. Almost everyone should have a directional antenna for OTA HDTV. Many people will require a powered-antenna to boot. Only those closest to the towers will be able to effectively make use of Omni-directional antennas.
For OTA signal and antenna information, check out http://www.antennaweb.org
The story ends with a 40" Bravia, PS3 for BRay, the cheaper Dish Network TurboHD package (with DVR), Qwest FTTN internet and soon to be added is a Roku box.
Basically, once I went HDTV on this Bravia, I stopped watching SDTV completely. I went to Dish because the TurboHD package is $24.99/mo and I got a neato HD DVR (ViP722) for next to nothing.
The TurboHD package works opposite of most HD packages- Normally, you subscribe to an SD channel and can then receive the HD equivalent. In TurboHD, you subscribe to the HD package and receive the SD equivalent. Also, the TurboHD package is supposed to have the best HDTV signal (save for OTA) with the new Echostar bird utilizing MPEG-4 compression (opposed to MPEG-2).
The PS3 does double-duty as a gaming system and one of the best reviewed Blu-Ray players on the market. I upgraded my Netflix account to BRay for $1/mo.
I already have unlimited streaming from Netflix, so the Roku box will be the next purchase.
With all the HDTV I could ever need, I'm paying about $90-105/mo after tax and rentals and add-ons and everything for better service and equipment. The total before my conversion project was $145-170/mo, depending on the month.
--Also, Rob is correct OTA signal is the best you can get because the signal is uncompressed. The only problem is that a) you have to select the proper antenna, and b) you have to point the antenna in the proper direction. Almost everyone should have a directional antenna for OTA HDTV. Many people will require a powered-antenna to boot. Only those closest to the towers will be able to effectively make use of Omni-directional antennas.
For OTA signal and antenna information, check out http://www.antennaweb.org
02-05-2009, 04:24 PM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mike is a Liar!
Posts: 4,848
Originally Posted by Sinful7' post='916097' date='Feb 5 2009, 10:21 AM
So, I just went through this whole thing about TV's, HD service, BRay, Roku, etc etc etc. The story starts with me, a 32" HDTV, a PS2 and a $130/m cable (with HD, no prem services) bill, and netflix.
The story ends with a 40" Bravia, PS3 for BRay, the cheaper Dish Network TurboHD package (with DVR), Qwest FTTN internet and soon to be added is a Roku box.
Basically, once I went HDTV on this Bravia, I stopped watching SDTV completely. I went to Dish because the TurboHD package is $24.99/mo and I got a neato HD DVR (ViP722) for next to nothing.
The TurboHD package works opposite of most HD packages- Normally, you subscribe to an SD channel and can then receive the HD equivalent. In TurboHD, you subscribe to the HD package and receive the SD equivalent. Also, the TurboHD package is supposed to have the best HDTV signal (save for OTA) with the new Echostar bird utilizing MPEG-4 compression (opposed to MPEG-2).
The PS3 does double-duty as a gaming system and one of the best reviewed Blu-Ray players on the market. I upgraded my Netflix account to BRay for $1/mo.
I already have unlimited streaming from Netflix, so the Roku box will be the next purchase.
With all the HDTV I could ever need, I'm paying about $90-105/mo after tax and rentals and add-ons and everything for better service and equipment. The total before my conversion project was $145-170/mo, depending on the month.
--Also, Rob is correct OTA signal is the best you can get because the signal is uncompressed. The only problem is that a) you have to select the proper antenna, and b) you have to point the antenna in the proper direction. Almost everyone should have a directional antenna for OTA HDTV. Many people will require a powered-antenna to boot. Only those closest to the towers will be able to effectively make use of Omni-directional antennas.
For OTA signal and antenna information, check out http://www.antennaweb.org
The story ends with a 40" Bravia, PS3 for BRay, the cheaper Dish Network TurboHD package (with DVR), Qwest FTTN internet and soon to be added is a Roku box.
Basically, once I went HDTV on this Bravia, I stopped watching SDTV completely. I went to Dish because the TurboHD package is $24.99/mo and I got a neato HD DVR (ViP722) for next to nothing.
The TurboHD package works opposite of most HD packages- Normally, you subscribe to an SD channel and can then receive the HD equivalent. In TurboHD, you subscribe to the HD package and receive the SD equivalent. Also, the TurboHD package is supposed to have the best HDTV signal (save for OTA) with the new Echostar bird utilizing MPEG-4 compression (opposed to MPEG-2).
The PS3 does double-duty as a gaming system and one of the best reviewed Blu-Ray players on the market. I upgraded my Netflix account to BRay for $1/mo.
I already have unlimited streaming from Netflix, so the Roku box will be the next purchase.
With all the HDTV I could ever need, I'm paying about $90-105/mo after tax and rentals and add-ons and everything for better service and equipment. The total before my conversion project was $145-170/mo, depending on the month.
--Also, Rob is correct OTA signal is the best you can get because the signal is uncompressed. The only problem is that a) you have to select the proper antenna, and b) you have to point the antenna in the proper direction. Almost everyone should have a directional antenna for OTA HDTV. Many people will require a powered-antenna to boot. Only those closest to the towers will be able to effectively make use of Omni-directional antennas.
For OTA signal and antenna information, check out http://www.antennaweb.org
Go build something in the garage lazy ***..
02-09-2009, 10:23 AM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,985
Originally Posted by 75 Repu' post='916122' date='Feb 5 2009, 03:24 PM
Go build something in the garage lazy ***..
Sometimes it's just too damn cold to work in an unheated detached garage... lol, thanks tho, dick.
02-11-2009, 08:32 AM
#25
Super Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 5,425
We just signed up for caller ID on our landline. A neat feature with the Dish receiver is the caller ID shows up on the TV screen when someone calls, to facilitate in ultimate laziness. This doesn't cost extra, the dish receiver has a phone cord (for updates or something?) so it just relays the info.
02-11-2009, 02:20 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 2,871
Originally Posted by Baldy' post='916444' date='Feb 11 2009, 09:32 AM
We just signed up for caller ID on our landline. A neat feature with the Dish receiver is the caller ID shows up on the TV screen when someone calls, to facilitate in ultimate laziness. This doesn't cost extra, the dish receiver has a phone cord (for updates or something?) so it just relays the info.
The Dish is watching YOU, feeding information to the Beast.
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