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View Full Version : Your new HDTV may be obsolete



Hugh_Jass
04-05-2002, 01:33 PM
Unfortunately for consumers, the new encryption schemes mean that if you have purchased a display device before the fall of 2002, there is a 90% chance that you will not be able to watch digital HDTV media on your display.

Unless your device has a DVI HDCP connector on it, you will be limited to a 480p analog signal (or a 480p digital signal if you have DVI DTCP connector) from digital sources, including HD-DVD, HD Satellite, and HD-Cable.


http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_1/feature-article-digital-home-video-2-2002.html

Spike Minoda
04-05-2002, 01:41 PM
Oh dang. That sucks. I i am glad you can toke those things back. NOT

Thanks man for telling us

l Maximus l
04-05-2002, 02:24 PM
As many of you may have heard, I recently bought a 43" Toshiba Widescreen HDTV. I don't really think it will be "obsolete" since I am primarily using it for XBox gaming and for watching movies. All my regular TV viewing is done on my 36" Toshiba in my living room.

Spike Minoda
04-05-2002, 02:43 PM
Originally posted by Maximus
As many of you may have heard, I recently bought a 43" Toshiba Widescreen HDTV. I don't really think it will be "obsolete" since I am primarily using it for XBox gaming and for watching movies. All my regular TV viewing is done on my 36" Toshiba in my living room.


yes same with my (why sony?) SONY Grand Wega KF-60DX100 60-Inch LCD Rear Projection TV
and my *Gets tape measure and goes downstairs* 27" Toshiba.

okay. i have a 24" Sony flatscreen thingy in teh master br
a 19" Magnavox in teh guest br (gamespy tv. my comp is closest to it.)
the 27" toshiba in the other br
and the 60" in the living room.
cant forget the 13" BrokSonic in the garage ovet the treadmil

Skarp
04-06-2002, 10:06 AM
Maximus, what does a 43'' HDTV go for? Thinking of trying to buy one but Im pretty short on funds.

Hugh_Jass
04-06-2002, 03:34 PM
Originally posted by Skarp
Maximus, what does a 43'' HDTV go for? Thinking of trying to buy one but Im pretty short on funds.

If you find one without the DVI HDCP connector on it I bet you can get a great deal. Print the article and show it to the salesperson. Ask them why they want $2000 for an HDTV that won't be usable to view HDTV television in the near future.

I, for one, am disappointed that there aren't any XBOX games with HDTV resolutions. I don't think any have even been announced. If you are short on funds I would hold onto my money and wait until somebody makes a game that would actually take advantage of your high-dollar set.

Remember, you don't need to get an HDTV for a component-video input, nor do you need HDTV for progressive scan support. If that's all your shooting for then a less expensive television may suit your requirements just fine.

nascarfan
04-06-2002, 09:30 PM
Your lucky if you have a Mitsubishi.

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/PROMISE.html

BTW, I think DOA3 can run 1080i.

dude
04-06-2002, 09:43 PM
BTW, I think DOA3 can run 1080i.

conformation on this?

Hugh_Jass
04-06-2002, 11:49 PM
Originally posted by nascarfan
Your lucky if you have a Mitsubishi.

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/PROMISE.html

BTW, I think DOA3 can run 1080i.




Specifically, we promise that you will be able to have your television upgraded, at a reasonable cost


I guess "reasonable cost" is better than SOL.

DOA3 has a 16x9 aspect ratio option, but is limited to 480P.

El Pollo Loco
04-07-2002, 04:23 AM
i got the no lemon policy on my TV. so ill pour water all through it and then take it back! woohoo

techie
04-07-2002, 04:17 PM
I wouldn't worry too much over it. I believe broadcasters have until 2004 or 2006 to finalize all HDTV standards and become compliant before doing full time HDTV broadcasting.

Which means most likely they will find more things to change that are currently in most HDTV/HDTV Ready televisions that will make them somewhat obsolete.

I went ahead and purchased a 36" RCA Digital HDTV ready set for several reasons, I got it on closeout for $1100.00, it has component and VGA High Definition inputs, it also has a SVGA input and will support up to 800X600 as a computer monitor, and it has several USB inputs, and besides it was the television picked in OXM for their Xbox dream setup.

Obsolete? Not any time soon at least. Since I'm using an iScan Pro line doubler, my standard cable signal along with most everything else appears as though it’s in High Definition anyway.

Face it, anything you buy for the next year or two is most likely not going to be fully compliant with whatever HDTV standards that are eventually decided on.

Snoopy7548
04-07-2002, 04:22 PM
Originally posted by nascarfan
Your lucky if you have a Mitsubishi.

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/PROMISE.html

thats cool, i have a 50 inch mitsubishi rear projection tv though. its our second mitsubishi rear projection tv, they make really good tvs, i like the controller alot:D

Kleen
04-08-2002, 01:09 PM
What about HDTV-ready sets with external decoders? Do your sets have built-in decoders, and is that the problem? I guess you would need a new/upgraded decoder either way. I want to get a an HDTV in the next couple of years, but most of the sets I see advertised are HDTV-ready. I've really got to look into this.

techie
04-08-2002, 01:29 PM
If you are concerned about compatibility for the future HDTV standards, the current best bet is Hitachi. They are offering a guarantee that no matter the what the standard becomes, if you purchase one of their HDTV/HDTV ready televisions, they will upgrade it to that standard or replace the set if it cannot be modified by replacing a part.

LynxFX
04-08-2002, 02:28 PM
Originally posted by techie
If you are concerned about compatibility for the future HDTV standards, the current best bet is Hitachi. They are offering a guarantee that no matter the what the standard becomes, if you purchase one of their HDTV/HDTV ready televisions, they will upgrade it to that standard or replace the set if it cannot be modified by replacing a part.

Yeah they will do all of that for a price that they will not disclose. If you are concerned about compatibility for the future of HDTV then just make sure you buy one that is made this year and has a DVI connection.

There are already tons of petitions and some class action lawsuits prepared for if this actually does go live. It is insane to change a standard after so many have already jumped in on what they were led to believe was THE standard.

techie
04-08-2002, 03:19 PM
True that. Nothing is for free, but at least they do offer the upgrade. It comes back to what I said earlier, no matter which set you buy, the likelihood is that it will not be 100% compatible with whatever standard they decide on.

Hmmmm......a thought just hit me, the Xbox uses the component input for High Definition. And I believe I read that Sony was one of the major companies pushing for the DVI connector instead of component.

Could this be another one of Sony's insidious plots to undermine the efforts of Microsoft to provide us with a truly great gaming platform?

Hehe, just kidding! But I do believe that Sony is one of the companies that was pushing for the DVI connector to become the standard for HD. I'll have to look up the article and re-read it again.

LynxFX
04-08-2002, 03:39 PM
Yeah it is nice that they make the offer, Hitachi. It would be really nice if that wasn't even needed. :)

I think you are right in that Sony is a big supporter of DVI. But Sony has a part in so many different fields that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

When Napster hit it was Sony Music that was part of the sueing and complaining about CDR's and MP3's yet it is Sony Computers which helped created the standard for CDR media and makes MP3 players. That is pretty funny if you ask me.

techie
04-08-2002, 07:57 PM
Not to mention that Sony as one of the founding companies of CDR technology gets paid royalties on every piece CDR media sold by certain companies. Yup, you're right, like most big companies they're two faced when it comes to business.

Hugh_Jass
04-08-2002, 08:25 PM
Originally posted by Kleen
What about HDTV-ready sets with external decoders? Do your sets have built-in decoders, and is that the problem? I guess you would need a new/upgraded decoder either way. I want to get a an HDTV in the next couple of years, but most of the sets I see advertised are HDTV-ready. I've really got to look into this.

If you have an external decoder then you are SOL.

LynxFX
04-09-2002, 12:30 AM
Originally posted by techie
Not to mention that Sony as one of the founding companies of CDR technology gets paid royalties on every piece CDR media sold by certain companies. Yup, you're right, like most big companies they're two faced when it comes to business.

Yeah they and many other partners of the RIAA get royalties on only the CDR media that says "for music". Those also usually cost more for the exact same thing. Talk about purposely confusing customers to think that only those CDRs work for music.