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Old 08-15-2011, 05:30 PM
 
Location: NJ
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I am getting a new TV to replace my ten yr old 36". I do not need anything fancy but getting a flat screen HDTV. I understand I need a special box for high definition. If I don't get this, will the picture still be sharp and clear? I pay enough for cable and don't watch sports etc for the high def. We watch cooking shows. reality shows and the news and don't need extra high definition expenses.
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Old 08-15-2011, 06:30 PM
 
Location: Texas State Fair
8,560 posts, read 11,193,039 times
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If you were receiving broadcast 'over the air' it may be high def and your TV would product that high def image. You cable service may require a set top box to filter the high def content. Some cables have a minimal charge for that content. You should call your cable company to discuss. And ask them if they'll wave that extra charge since it's a new service for you.

You will appreciate the difference. Caution tho... you will be able to see the dirt under the cooks fingernails.
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Old 08-16-2011, 10:07 AM
 
2,182 posts, read 5,426,622 times
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If you watch standard def TV on an HDTV, it will look like....well....standard def. You're basically taking an image and expanding it beyond it's intended size. It will not look great. Now, if you're sitting far enough away from the TV, you might not notice it....but honestly, you will have to be sitting waaaaay far away.

Also, your aspect ratio on standard def is usually 4:3, and HDTV is 16:9....so the images will appear stretched to compensate, or you will have black bars on the sides of your TV.
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Old 08-16-2011, 10:10 AM
 
Location: Dallas, TX
31,767 posts, read 28,767,183 times
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Chances are you won't need a special box with new TVs if you were planning only on antenna (indoor, or out). You will just have to get an HDTV antenna and it works well (besides cable, I also have an indoor antenna connected to my TV and it works exceptionally well). But if you're getting cable, then the company will likely require it.
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Old 08-17-2011, 11:05 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,271 posts, read 37,040,759 times
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You don't need a converter (box, whatever) if you buy a HD TV that has a built-in HD tuner. For some ideas, visit "crutchfield.com" and read all the free information they have at their website. If you still have any problems, give them a call on their 800 number.

Anyway, an HD TV that has a built-in tuner only requires that you have a roof antenna to pick the free over the air local TV stations. Since most TV stations are already transmitting HD, your TV will display such. However, if you subscribe to a cable company, then they usually provided you with a box for your TV, in addition to the built-in tuner of your TV. This box is used by the company to bring their TV signal to your TV, much like an ISP providing a DSL modem so you can connect to the ISP server.
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Old 08-18-2011, 03:36 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
13,715 posts, read 31,093,243 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK View Post
You don't need a converter (box, whatever) if you buy a HD TV that has a built-in HD tuner. For some ideas, visit "crutchfield.com" and read all the free information they have at their website. If you still have any problems, give them a call on their 800 number.

Anyway, an HD TV that has a built-in tuner only requires that you have a roof antenna to pick the free over the air local TV stations. Since most TV stations are already transmitting HD, your TV will display such. However, if you subscribe to a cable company, then they usually provided you with a box for your TV, in addition to the built-in tuner of your TV. This box is used by the company to bring their TV signal to your TV, much like an ISP providing a DSL modem so you can connect to the ISP server.
When someone uses a cable box, standard def or high def, they bypass the tuner of the TV. The cable box contains at least one tuner, maybe more if it allows you to watch one channel and record a different one at the same time.

Most cable companies "protect" most of their high def channels so they can charge you more money for them. The high def cable box can unlock these channels and make them available to the TV.
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Old 08-21-2011, 07:27 AM
 
37,494 posts, read 45,798,776 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by taurus430 View Post
I am getting a new TV to replace my ten yr old 36". I do not need anything fancy but getting a flat screen HDTV. I understand I need a special box for high definition. If I don't get this, will the picture still be sharp and clear? I pay enough for cable and don't watch sports etc for the high def. We watch cooking shows. reality shows and the news and don't need extra high definition expenses.
Why do you think you need "a special box"?? You don't even need the cable, and frankly, the picture will be better straight over the air (OTA). Most people don't realize this, but cable companies compress the signal, so the picture they deliver will never be as sharp as what you can get with your own antenna. All broadcast signals are now transmitted in digital form. All tv's sold in stores now have digital receivers (v.s. the analog of the past). So you hook up an antenna (can be anything from rabbit ears to one on the roof - just depends on your location), plug in the TV, and you are good to go.

Visit antennaweb.org for more info on the antenna.
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Old 08-21-2011, 04:47 PM
 
Location: sowf jawja
1,941 posts, read 9,227,310 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChessieMom View Post
Why do you think you need "a special box"?? You don't even need the cable, and frankly, the picture will be better straight over the air (OTA).
The OP was referring to an HD cable receiver, which they will most likely need if they want to get HD channels from the cable co.


The majority of US cable companies encrypt their signal, requiring a subscribed receiver to descramble it. Before ordering such, I would at least try with a cable straight from the wall to the TV to see what may be in the clear. Usually local channels are sent as clear QAM, and some cable companies, but few, send everything as clear QAM. Or depending on your provider, you may be in an SDV (switched digital video) area and will need a cable box anyway.
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Old 08-21-2011, 11:17 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,271 posts, read 37,040,759 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southgeorgia View Post
The OP was referring to an HD cable receiver, which they will most likely need if they want to get HD channels from the cable co.


The majority of US cable companies encrypt their signal, requiring a subscribed receiver to descramble it. Before ordering such, I would at least try with a cable straight from the wall to the TV to see what may be in the clear. Usually local channels are sent as clear QAM, and some cable companies, but few, send everything as clear QAM. Or depending on your provider, you may be in an SDV (switched digital video) area and will need a cable box anyway.
In that case, the converter box provided by the cable company takes care of the HD signals sold to the person with the TV. But if the person has no cable service from a company, and if he has a roof antenna (or a UHF/VHF indoors antenna), all he has to do is to connect this antenna to the HD TV that has a built-in tuner, and he can watch the free over the air HD TV signals. But in some areas the little indoors antennas sometimes can't receive weak TV signals. In that case, one has to install a large UHF/VHF roof antenna. The larger antennas have more reach in relation to signals from farther away transmitters, but if the transmitters aren't far away, a smaller roof antenna may do the trick.
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Old 08-22-2011, 09:41 PM
 
37,494 posts, read 45,798,776 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southgeorgia View Post
The OP was referring to an HD cable receiver, which they will most likely need if they want to get HD channels from the cable co.
Well...duh. If one subscribes to cable or Direct TV, surely everyone realizes that you use the various receiver/dvr units that the companies provide, to decrypt the signals. But you don't HAVE to use them to receive a signal, unless you want cable content.


Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK View Post
In that case, the converter box provided by the cable company takes care of the HD signals sold to the person with the TV. But if the person has no cable service from a company, and if he has a roof antenna (or a UHF/VHF indoors antenna), all he has to do is to connect this antenna to the HD TV that has a built-in tuner, and he can watch the free over the air HD TV signals. But in some areas the little indoors antennas sometimes can't receive weak TV signals. In that case, one has to install a large UHF/VHF roof antenna. The larger antennas have more reach in relation to signals from farther away transmitters, but if the transmitters aren't far away, a smaller roof antenna may do the trick.
Exactly what I said. And the website that I provided, allows you to check the reception at your home address.
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