HDTV Question

[Razor X]

I currently have two TVs hooked up to digital cable, plus a 10" screen TV in my kitchen that is hooked up directly to the cable (no converter box) and gets the analog cable stations only.  I'm not planning on replacing them all right away next year when things change over to HDTV.  I'm wondering what to do about the set in my kitchen, though.  I may replace it because I don't really have enough counter space to accommodate a converter box.  But if I buy a small HD TV to replace it, will I be able to just hook the cable up to it directly like I have now, or will I still need a converter box of some sort?

[VFRWolf]

Before rushing out to replace your TV's, read this.

http://www.newtechnologytv.com/index.php?itemid=121

Digital is replacing analog by next year, from my understanding, that doesn't mean HDTV.

[Tyler]

Vfr is correct.  No need to switch to hd in your kitchen yet.

[Razor X]

OK, so how does this conversion to digital differ from the digital cable stations we can get now?  I thought everything was going to be Hi Def starting next year.  This is really confusing.

[marshd1000]

I am not a techie, but I believe that there is a difference between HD and regular digital.  I believe that HD is usually the longer, wider picture and there is more information transmitted to the screen so the picture is clear and crisper and with more detail.  While HD is always digital, digital is not always HD.  Regular digital is picked up on a HD TV.  But while I think the converter boxes will pick up the HD signal, I believe that it is merely converting it back to analog for the old TVs.  So you will not have the intense detail with your old TV.  But the advantage to digital I have heard is that you will either receive a TV signal or if it is too bad, you won't.  Here in Seattle, I have occasionally received Canadian TV on UHF.  Usually it is pretty snowy.  If that was a digital signal, I probably wouldn't get it at all.  But on some of the other UHF stations that are closer, the picture is there but not clear but better than the Canadian TV example.  Those stations as digital stations will have enough strength to come in crystal clear as compared to broadcasting in analog.

From what I understand, when someone is on cable after the transition to digital, your cable company will automatically convert the digital signal to analog.  You won't need the cable company's box to do that if you are on standard basic.  The digital offerings on cable currently are not your broadcast channels unless you are looking to see their HD service.  Or a specialty service like NBC's Weather Plus channel from your local NBC affiliate. Otherwise digital cable was a way to get more channels to you since digital takes up less bandwidth than analog.

I do have a question for myself.  I am a cable subscriber myself.  But I know that cable is not currently required to carry a TV station's additional digital services.  But I would likethe option of seeing them.  Do cable companies still offer A/B switches?  If so, are they fairly easy to use?

[PORKY]

I GOTTA QUESTION ?Am I the ONLY thats just a LIL peeved that the government even seems to be able to FORCE us to watch "BETTER " tv?  Has it DAWNED on anybody that "bigbrother" may have OTHER motives that are forcing us to "watch better tv" signals ? like.... being able to "monitor" the tv surrondings , jus like b/b being able to listen in on conversations "around"our cell phones whether we're ON them or just holding them !  they can be used as transmittere/monitors as LONG as the battery is in it , whether its even turn on or NOT !  check out this link 4 urself    FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool | CNET News.com

i hope it works or punch in "cellphone evesdropping" on UTUBE.com

[marshd1000]

I believe that the move to HDTV was made so the government could auction off the VHF frequencies that major analog TV stations operate on.  I believe that they will be used for more cell phone frequencies. 

[BaldRob]

I believe that the move to HDTV was made so the government could auction off the VHF frequencies that major analog TV stations operate on.  I believe that they will be used for more cell phone frequencies. 

Actually, the move isn't to HDTV, but to digital TV.  The bandwidth requirement for digital is roughly half that of analog signals (to make room for more cell frequencies and other communication mediums).

[marshd1000]

I believe that the move to HDTV was made so the government could auction off the VHF frequencies that major analog TV stations operate on.  I believe that they will be used for more cell phone frequencies. 

Actually, the move isn't to HDTV, but to digital TV.  The bandwidth requirement for digital is roughly half that of analog signals (to make room for more cell frequencies and other communication mediums).

It was late at night when I wrote this.  Yes, it is the switch to DIGITAL not HDTV.  Although aren't all TV's going to be HDTV capable?

[BaldRob]

I believe that the move to HDTV was made so the government could auction off the VHF frequencies that major analog TV stations operate on.  I believe that they will be used for more cell phone frequencies. 

Actually, the move isn't to HDTV, but to digital TV.  The bandwidth requirement for digital is roughly half that of analog signals (to make room for more cell frequencies and other communication mediums).

It was late at night when I wrote this.  Yes, it is the switch to DIGITAL not HDTV.  Although aren't all TV's going to be HDTV capable?

No... there will still be standard definition TVs, just of a digital nature... and your old tvs will still work, but will require a box that will convert the signal from digital to analog...

[Razor X]

I called Comcast today and asked them this same question, and you guys were right.  They told me that I don't need any new equipment whatsoever -- the cable boxes I currently have will continue to work, and the TV in my kitchen will continue to work without any box at all.  I assume that this is probably true of most major cable systems.

I also heard today that by year-end, the major cable providers will have standardized their equipment so that new televisions can be manufactured with the capability of receiving digital cable, VOD, et al, without using a cable converter box.  That will be a real plus, IMO.  One less component to fool with.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

I currently have two TVs hooked up to digital cable, plus a 10" screen TV in my kitchen that is hooked up directly to the cable (no converter box) and gets the analog cable stations only.  I'm not planning on replacing them all right away next year when things change over to HDTV.  I'm wondering what to do about the set in my kitchen, though.  I may replace it because I don't really have enough counter space to accommodate a converter box.  But if I buy a small HD TV to replace it, will I be able to just hook the cable up to it directly like I have now, or will I still need a converter box of some sort?

With DishTV, you can run two HD's from the same box, and the box is of course remote from the first.  It's cool, and record from both!