hdtv OR NOT
 

I am in the market for a new lcd tv and want to know if it is worth while getting hig def tv for ntl service or will I be wasting the extra cash these panels cost.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

moved from Other Telco Discussion :confused: to NTL TV Discussion
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At the moment ntl have no public plans, at least to my knowledge for HDTV. No doubt however it's something that is being looked into for future development.

How long do you expect your TV to last? Is it worth paying out now if it's going to do you for 5-10 years and you can't use the feature for 2 years of that. However as the pace of technology advances rapidly, in our throw away society, buy non HDTV now, and buy HDTV in a few years time, when manufacturing standards will have made your still young aged TV obsolete.

Simple answer in my book. Get one, if you are likely to upgrade your DVD to watch better stuff as and when that beomces available, you might use you TV with high quality next generation games consoles or whatever where you will see the difference. Also consider whether you might swithc to SKY when they do launch HDTV if ntl don't offer it. If you aren't going to use HDTV within say 2 years, don't bother paying throuhg the nose for it now.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

They do...
But that is 12 months out. Even when HD launches it needs material to watch. It will be a while before eastenders is HD, though most movies, sport and concerts are likely to be broadcast in HD.

How big a screen are you looking at, up to about 32in I personally thing regular def TV is perfectly fine, above 42in you start noticing the resolution. That assumes the channel is broadcasting full bandwidth, channels such as E4 don't.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

Watching a DVD over component inputs that come with HDTVs is a joy - colours are so much nicer, and the picture is sharper. I would go for it. Sky HD is coming out very soon so that may be another possibility

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

Which is exactly why cable are the best bet for HDTV. With VOD, they don't have to wait for broadcasters to update their equipment in order to offer HD programming.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

Why is cable the best bet? Its the same deal - at first, NTL will only be able to show the VOD movies in hidef, and if sky are feeling happy, possibly sky sports / movies. Sky will have its box office channels in HiDef + sports and sky movies channels. Same deal really.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

My 5 yr old Panasonic flat glass 32 in widescreen is a joy to watch with the RGB component source from DVD, and pretty impressive when watching the STB also.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

If you're gonna buy either the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation3, there's a good case for buying an HDTV set now instead of waiting. I'm guessing Sony will also be pushing hi-def Blu-ray movies shortly after the PS3 launch.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

No.

NTL can negotiate with rights-holders directly for VOD content. So, for example, there's no reason that they couldn't have an entire series of Desperate Housewives (in HD) on their VOD service, regardless of what E4 were doing. See HBO's VOD service in the States to see what I mean.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

Hi Johnty

I bought a 27" Toshiba HD ready flat screen about 3 months ago and am very impressed. One or two issues (which I've posted on here a few times)

The smearing on the picture at times is a pain. Don't know if it's the ntl STB (Samsung BTW), the SCART leads or the TV on DVD it is really good

Watched the newly released Star Wars the other night and it looks the biz. Mine is HD ready I've checked the spec on it.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

Is it HD resolution though? Seems to be a marketing thing at the mo, sold HD ready in that it can input an HD signal, but has to drop information from the image to display it.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

As i said before - if you use the HDTV inputs (i.e. component), you get much better colour.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

I'm pretty sure that in order to use the "HD Ready" logo a TV has to have a minimum resolution of 1280x720.

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

personaly i wouldnt bother for tv if your getting get it for playing dvds as they start to come on the market

i have widescrean tv and honsetly wish we had space for a normal one for tv still as all it does is switch formats unless you force wide screen or 4:3 then put up with stretched or squashed pictures depending weather the station bothers to broadcast it properly

plus all these lcd tv will be much faster better colour ect in a few years as better screens come online

save the cash and wacth them proper size at the flicks for now

Re: hdtv OR NOT
 

I currently have a big-ass 32" Toshiba and am getting rid. Got a Sharp 32" LCD HD ready coming Wednesday. Got a nice picture on the Tosh don't get me wrong, but since the TV was installed we haven't really been able to move it :erm: We clean "around it". Last time I tried to move it I nearly put my back out. :p:

The Sharp apparently is a very good set and has been mentioned above, has an excellent picture from both SKY and component inputs.