I have an "hd-ready" tv. I'm considering buying a Samsung SIR-T451 HDTV Tuner, can anyone chime in on this product? Or any suggestions they might have regarding other products? Oh, if this is the wrong forum for this topic, can someone let me know or point me in the right direction. ThanX!
you'r right, you should be in this forum... http://forums.afterdawn.com/forum_view.cfm/59 but to answer your question, i personnaly thinks its not worth the money, because to receive a true HD signal, you still need an HD set top box, sure your signal may be a bit more clear, but you will not have a true high def signal. a cheap alternative is to buy one of those indoor hd antennea's they sell at best buy, i think its a zenith or an rca, not 100% sure, but its around 50 bucks or so. you plug it in, and move it around until you get your highest signal (looks attractive too) and you will receive all over the air braodcast signals in high def. i just cant justify spending the extra cash for a 'hd built in' tv when an 'hd ready' is just as good, and with the extra savings, buy that antennea or get the cable box from your cable provider... you only get around like a handfull of channels anyway in hd... at least where i am, thats all they offer.
Most cities don't brodcast in HD 24/7 but having a tv with a digital tunner isn't about receiving free HD programming (entierly). Whenever they shut of the analog system you won't be able to watch tv without a cable or sat reciever if you don't have a digital tunner. Just like today, your current set has an analog tunner that you probably don't use but would be able to if the cable or satallight went out for some reason. I want everyone to know that not every channel will be in HD. HD tv is a luxury and will always be a luxury (untill Ultra-High def gets here...lol). I think that most people are under the assumption that when they cut off the analog system everything will be in HD. Thats just not true. The mandate says nothing about switching to HD. It only instructs broadcasters to switch from analog to digital! Digital gives broadcasters the opportunity to offer HD programming but most won't. Why? Becasue they make more money offering several standard quality channels than one HD channel. Also, all tvs arn't going to be HD tvs either. The mandate makes manufactures install digital tunners into there tv sets not HD tubes. The tvs of the future will down convert HD signals to 480i. If you wish to see the future of TV look at the Sony 36" digital Wega. It conforms to the first order of the mandate that orders all tvs that are 36" and larger and are produced after July 1, 2005 must come equipped with a built-in digital tunner. Still, the standard-def digital picture is amazing compared to the standard-def analog one, no snow, gohsting, or weak signal artifacts are present! I suggest everyone to seek out a store that has HD built-in TVs hooked up to an outside off-air antenna. Prepare to be amazed. Ced
Thanks for that very informative information diabolos, I appreciate it. For my part, I've researched it extensively and people swear by the Samsung HDTV tuner. I don't have cable, nor do I need it, I just want to be able to improve the reception on the basic channels I do get. Do you think it would be worth the money in investing, even if I were to say refurbished model?
If you mean if by buying a TV with a built-in DTV tunner will the viewing experience of your local channels improve, then the answer is yes! If you can, I recommend mounting an outdoor antenna for best results. The cool thing about digital vs analog off-air reception is that digital channels will appear crystal clear in situations where its analog counter-part would look distorted and snowy. You may hear some say that with digital you either get it or you don't. While this statment is true, its not as fatal as it seems. Basically, the signals that are strong (35% and higher!) will appear crystal clear and at full broadcasting resolution. The worst thing that happens with a weak digital signal is pixelzation. But the channels that are weak will not be visible at all. They are so weak that you wouldn't want to watch them (in the analog system) and you probably didn't pick them up before going to digital as anyway. I have heard crazy stories of some people being able to pick-up programming from difrent cities. They told me that they could pick-up over 100 stations! I only heared it from one person, so this is prabibly an isolated incident, but it is still cool. It is most likelly caused by many broadcasters "Multicasting" in his area. I havn't heared much about Samsung's tunners but I can say they make a damn fine DLP! To answer your question, yes, I think it is worth the purchase in the long-run, Ced
I haven't used the sammy HDTV Tuner. But I have a HDTV Ready Mitsubishi 55inch 16X9. I'm went gear79 and diabolos. I new I was going to have the Dish Networks HDTV Sat. receiver (which also will bring int he off-air HDTV signals in the area.) living in Oklahoma the fartest Tower is 6 miles form my house, which means I receive every HDTV signal and it is awe-some. I also have the HD pak. I wish they incorporated more channels but they haven't. I get 6 channels but with the 12 HD channels I receive off-air I really like it. I opted to forgoe the built-in HDTV tuner, saving money and knowing that I had Sat. it wouldn't matter. I've been very pleased with the HD signal and the quality. MovieDud
@diabolos, hey friend I have been amazed at the HD channels when theya are full 16X9 imge, rather than 4:3 with black bars on the left and right. The image is stunning for anyone wanting to see, go a check it out. Sports are incredible, but I've been impressed with the movies and primetime shows that are HDTV and 16X9...stunning. I guess I'm kind of spoiled.! Have a good one! MovieDud
Tulsa (actually Broken Arrow). When I lived near St. Louis, Mo. I was shocked at how few HD channels you could receive, but coming here has been an eye opener. Do you receive a lot of HD Channels (sat. cable, off-air)? I've been to Dallas/Ft. Worth, South Padre Island, Galveston, but that's about it. I like Texas, it's like Oklahoma...hot! MovieDud
well, i live in san antonio, my sister lives in altus (afb) and btw, i used to live like 30 minutes from st. louis waaaaay back when. here, we have several options in cable choice.... time warner (which sux) they offer like 15 hd channels, dish network (what i have) has around 25 channels in hd, there is direct tv, which has about 20 or so more, voom, which i heard has the most, but i dont really know what they offer here, and then there is grande communications, which is mostly for apartments and small businesses, they offer like maybe 10 hd channels. me personally, i dont have hd, i just use an off air amplified antennea, it picks up all the local hd channels, i dont really watch mu local tv anyway, mostly just movies and stuff, i am too tired when i get home from work to watch tv, and i spend the majority of my time here at the puter in aD reading anyway... thats all the high def i need anyway.. my tv is hd ready, but when i build my next house i will get my projector and the whole home theater going strong (thats why i aske you about that onkyo receiver moviedud) anyway... ttyl
