LCD HD TV Questions

[Amy]

I apologize if these are stupid questions. We're still watching our old picture-tube tv and the kids and I are trying to convince DH to buy an LCD TV as a family Christmas present this year, but he's concerned about the cost, esp. since there's nothing wrong with our current tv. We have DISH Network (and please, let's not turn this into a DISH vs. cable discussion). My questions:

What's the diff. between HD Ready and HD Built-In tv's?

I understand that if we want to watch HD-specific channels on an HD tv that we'll need to upgrade our DISH service. BUT....If we get an LCD HD TV (either HD Ready or HD Built-In) but don't upgrade our DISH services, will we still be able to watch regular shows on the LCD tv?

What about stations that broadcast in both regular and HD? I don't think there will be a conflict since we won't have an HD receiver for our Dish, but thought I'd ask anyway.

With DH, I need to tackle this in stages; get him to agree to the LCD tv first. Then when he sees how great the picture is with a regular broadcast, then we can work on upgrading to the HD receiver/dish (which costs $10 more per month). I just want to be sure we can still watch tv normally if we get an LCD HD tv without adding the HD service.

Sorry if these are stupid questions, but I know if I call DISH Network to ask, they'll try to sell me on the HD service and I don't want to upgrade (and pay more) if I don't have to right away.

Thanks for your help!

 

[cardaway]

Do you have basic cable service?

If so, the TV's with a a built in HD tuner will be able to pick up the local HD channels from you basic cable. I believe it's a law that the cable company has to provide the local HD channels in their basic service.

 

[Charade]

HD "ready" means it can only display HD (and standard) content from an external source such as a cable box, sat box, or antenna. It has NO TUNER.

HD "built-in" means it can display AND tune in HD content (and standard content) via an antenna.

Both will display HD content from an external HD source.

If you're not concerned about getting what's called OTA (over the air/ or antenna), then get an HD "ready" set. They're usually cheaper.

 

[Charade]

If so, the TV's with a a built in HD tuner will be able to pick up the local HD channels from you basic cable. I believe it's a law that the cable company has to provide the local HD channels in their basic service.

Wouldn't that mean you'd need an digital box from the cable company?

 

[hlbtimes2]

With an HD ready or HD built in set you will be able to watch everything you do now. It will not be in HD until you either upgrade your service or use an external antena to receive the signal. If you use an antena you'll need to have a set with it built in or buy a box compatible with your tv. If you use cable or satalite they should be able to provide you with a receiver/box.

 

[cardaway]

Wouldn't that mean you'd need an digital box from the cable company?

No. If the TV has a built in HD tuner it can pick up the digital HD signals from the coax (basical cable service). I acutally did this for a few months before upgrading to digital cable. I was told at another site that this is a nationwide thing because it's an FCC law that they have to provide the local HD signal in the basic cable service.

The believe the HD boxes are really nothing but descramblers and communication devices (On Demand). The digital signal is always there.

 

[Amy]

Ok, you're confusing me now. I thought having a satellite Dish meant we wouldn't need a roof antenna (or rabbit ears on top of the set). So if we get an HD built-in set we'd need to get an antenna, too? What's the point of paying Dish Network and having the satelite dish?

Or is this right - if we get HD built-in, we can still watch all the regular channels we currently get with our Dish Network service and satellite dish (but not any HD channels) BUT if we get an antenna, then we CAN get HD stations without paying extra to Dish? But if the tv we get is HD ready (not built-in), then we'd need to upgrade our Dish receiver and/or satellite dish. Is that right?

And what happens in 2009 when they change over the tv signals??

 

[Carl]

If you get an HD TV (not HD "Ready",) you will be able to get over the air HD from an antenna. With either the HD TV or the HD "Ready" TV you can get HD with either Satellite or Cable HD box. You will have to pay extra to get the premium channels in HD from either cable or satellite. In other words, a real HD TV has the HD tuner built into the TV. An HD "Ready" TV has a tuner built in, but it is not HD and will just get the channels which are not HD.
There are also some digital channels which are not HD which you also cannot get without an HD tuner (it is actually a digital tuner - HD is digital, but so are some channels your local stations transmit which are not HD.) Hope this makes sense to you. The complexity of all of this is one of the reasons that HD is taking so long to catch on.

 

[bicker]

What's the diff. between HD Ready and HD Built-In tv's?

With Dish Network, you won't be able to take advantage of the tuner in your television anyway (they require you use their tuner), unless you plan to get your local channels via antenna (see message below), so you don't need to pay extra for it.

will we still be able to watch regular shows on the LCD tv?

Absolutely. However, you may find that the imperfections which have always been present in "regular" shows will be more noticeable, mostly because HDTVs are generally larger than the older picture-tube televisions they replace.

Keep in mind that LCD, while it is a great technology, is not the only big screen technology. We compared the available technologies when we purchased our television in June, and went with DLP -- DLP provided more screen for your money once you get to the larger screen sizes.

 

[bicker]

I believe it's a law that the cable company has to provide the local HD channels in their basic service.

Remarkably, the law does not yet require that. It's coming, though, February 2009. Also, most of the larger cable companies already provide it, via company policy (though there are exceptions even within those companies.)

However, Dish Network doesn't have any such requirement.

 

[bicker]

Ok, you're confusing me now. I thought having a satellite Dish meant we wouldn't need a roof antenna (or rabbit ears on top of the set).

It depends. I know that we were able to get local channels included in our Dish Network service (when I was considering Dish Network) but that's not always been the case here, and may not be the case where you live. Check on their website to see if your local channels are available.