HD Service Worth it? - Page 7

SwordFish · #61 05-14-2007, 07:47 AM

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right i mean i was under the (probably correct) impression that they just show those shows on the HD channel but in SD i mean it's not like they filmed the episodes in HD.. and can they really enhance them?

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daryn -

It depends on the original creation of the show. If the show was videotaped when it was shot, then it is in SD and cannot be enhanced. Seinfeld was originally filmed rather than videotaped. When a show is on film, the resolution is higher and it can be remastered into HD. (This was recently done with the Seinfeld episodes and they were released for syndication starting March 27).

It's the same concept as old movies. They were on film and when they were released to TV they were down converted to SD and the aspect was changed. Now the master copies are being duplicated and shown in their original hi resolution on TV. So you can now watch a 20 year old movie in HD on TV.

The main difference between older TV shows and older movies is that the TV shows were shot in 4:3 aspect and this cannot be changed. While the movies were shot in 16:9 for theaters which now translates better to wide screen TVs.

Many people get confused by resolution vs aspect.
The thing to remember is that all HD is not in 16:9 aspect and all 16:9 aspect is not HD.

I think if you saw one of the new remastered HD Seinfeld episodes you would easily be able to tell the difference.

SF

CrazyEyez · #62 05-14-2007, 10:33 AM

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I've tried and cannot detect any difference between OTA HD and DirecTV HD.

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This is because for local HDs Directv simply attaches an antenna to your dish. The signal is not coming from the satellite like it is for Discovery, ESPN, etc.

CrazyEyez · #63 05-14-2007, 10:36 AM

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DirectTV this fall will be putting out a lot more HD channels. Channels like A&E, Travel channel and others are going to full HD stations. Roughly 50 channels added. Now the older programming will mainly be upconverted, but at least it is an actual HD feed. Welcome to the future.

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I fear they are going to compress the hell out of everything and drastically reduce the quality. The h.264 spec is supposed to reduce bitrates for the same quality, but still...

What they need to do is cut out the 12 shopping channels and the 53 other channels that no one ever watches and free up some bandwith. They'll never do it because they're so hung up on marketing "250 CHANNELS OMG!" without regard to whether anyone ever uses 60% of those channels.

CrazyEyez · #64 05-14-2007, 10:39 AM

Can anyone comment on the DirecTV-branded HD-DVR? Specifically I'd like comments from someone that has used both this and a Tivo (even if only an SD Tivo).

Basically I want an HDDVR but don't want to pay the hundreds for the Tivo one. But I have an SD tivo now and I'm afraid I'll hate the Directv version.

daryn · #65 05-14-2007, 10:40 AM

swordfish,

really? i was under the impression that all HD was widescreen

gusmahler · #66 05-14-2007, 01:02 PM

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Don't believe me? Find an SD broadcast on ESPNHD (for obvious reasons, this test is meaningless with HD broadcasts). Compare it to regular ESPN. For many broadcasts, the picture on ESPNHD looks better than the picture on ESPN.

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i've tried this for like wsop and stuff.. same baby. just espnhd puts up those bars on the side.. don't be fooled!

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It really depends on the broadcast. Bowling shows nearly no difference. But there was a huge difference for the Winter X Games.

gusmahler · #67 05-14-2007, 01:04 PM

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I've tried and cannot detect any difference between OTA HD and DirecTV HD.

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This is because for local HDs Directv simply attaches an antenna to your dish. The signal is not coming from the satellite like it is for Discovery, ESPN, etc.

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Not true for everyone. DirecTV now has all the big markets available over the satellite. For new installations in those markets, they don't bother installing the over the air antenna on the satellite dish.

gusmahler · #68 05-14-2007, 01:08 PM

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Can anyone comment on the DirecTV-branded HD-DVR? Specifically I'd like comments from someone that has used both this and a Tivo (even if only an SD Tivo).

Basically I want an HDDVR but don't want to pay the hundreds for the Tivo one. But I have an SD tivo now and I'm afraid I'll hate the Directv version.

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You can't buy a new HD DirecTivo anymore, so the question is pretty much moot.

But you can go to http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=69404 to find a guide to switching from Tivo to the DirecTV DVR.

I have the HD DirecTV DVR. Lots of people have had reliability problems with theirs, but mine has been bug free (though it did refuse to record one show). I've never used the Tivo, so I can't comment on the differences.

CrazyEyez · #69 05-14-2007, 01:10 PM

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For new installations in those markets, they don't bother installing the over the air antenna on the satellite dish.

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I stand corrected.

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But you can go to http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=69404 to find a guide to switching from Tivo to the DirecTV DVR.

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Thank you very much.

nsdjoe · #70 05-14-2007, 01:55 PM

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right i mean i was under the (probably correct) impression that they just show those shows on the HD channel but in SD i mean it's not like they filmed the episodes in HD.. and can they really enhance them? i don't know but it looks the same. i just thought it was funny because a guy in this thread claimed that EVEN SEINFELD LOOKS AMAZING.

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1)Exactly
2)He must be high.

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I'm not high. I swear there's a difference. It's clearer and even the contrast looks better. I will try to swipe my roommate's digital camera and take pictures.