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Virtually all (if not all) TVs manufactured in the past five years have support for either 720p or 1080i/p-resolution HD, and most homes in the U.S. had at least one HD set by 2011. Yet I work a lot in a "residential" setting with a lot of down time, and I almost invariably see the TVs tuned to SD channels, even when (as most of the time) an HD version is available. The difference is very noticeable to me at a distance, and quite frankly, the SD channels look like crap with all the artifacting. So...I'm wondering: why do people still watch SD when an HD version is available to them? Are most people really that tech-illiterate?
Virtually all (if not all) TVs manufactured in the past five years have support for either 720p or 1080i/p-resolution HD, and most homes in the U.S. had at least one HD set by 2011. Yet I work a lot in a "residential" setting with a lot of down time, and I almost invariably see the TVs tuned to SD channels, even when (as most of the time) an HD version is available. The difference is very noticeable to me at a distance, and quite frankly, the SD channels look like crap with all the artifacting. So...I'm wondering: why do people still watch SD when an HD version is available to them? Are most people really that tech-illiterate?
You have to have HD box to get those HD channels and for best result use HDMI cable.But I do know some people who have HD TV but don't have HD box and wonder why it does not look HD.
Other thing I don't like by the cable provider is most of HD is in 3xx or 4xx range where most people are so use to only channels 2 to 90 and don't look higher than channels 90!!! So they don't know that channels is in HD !!!
You have to have HD box to get those HD channels and for best result use HDMI cable.But I do know some people who have HD TV but don't have HD box and wonder why it does not look HD.
Other thing I don't like by the cable provider is most of HD is in 5xx or 6xx range where most people are so use to only channels 2 to 90 and don't look higher than channels 90!!! So they don't know that channels is in HD !!!
Ours has the option when you go to a lower channel to switch to the HD channel. It's right there on the screen. All you have to do is press the OK button and it changes it for you.
Ours has the option when you go to a lower channel to switch to the HD channel. It's right there on the screen. All you have to do is press the OK button and it changes it for you.
What crappy cable company do you have?
I don't have cable with netflix now.
But I do know other people who have cable and not that tech-illiterate and the crappy cable companies don't help.
Many people are tech ignorant, and bought their gear from places that offer nothing in the way of education and explanation. It's an unfortunate situation brought about by shopping on price and spec alone. People assume that since they bought an HDTV, everything they watch will be HD. Others never get their gear set up correctly, and don't know the difference. I'm still amazed when I go into a prospective client's home and find all the incorrect setups.
Some people don't care about the picture quality enough to look for HD channels. A good analogy is the millions of people walking around listening to crappy 128kb MP3s, on crappy $3 earbuds, through a crappy audio device (Ipod or other MP3 player) that probably has $5 worth of parts in it, then telling everyone else how good it sounds. To them the 20,000 songs they can carry around are more important than the sound quality.
To some of these people's defense, not every channel has an HD version - at least not on DirecTV. When I had Comcast Cable, not all of those channels were HD either. But it is true that people tend to go out and purchase HDTVs and then not realize that they have to either install an OTA antenna to receiver HD, or call their satellite/cable companies and get the HD box.
My father bought a 46" HDTV, and I told him that he'd have to call Comcast to get set up on HD. Unfortunately, the TV he got has such a crappy picture that even the HD picture looks bad. Almost no different from the standard version.
To some of these people's defense, not every channel has an HD version - at least not on DirecTV. When I had Comcast Cable, not all of those channels were HD either. But it is true that people tend to go out and purchase HDTVs and then not realize that they have to either install an OTA antenna to receiver HD, or call their satellite/cable companies and get the HD box.
My father bought a 46" HDTV, and I told him that he'd have to call Comcast to get set up on HD. Unfortunately, the TV he got has such a crappy picture that even the HD picture looks bad. Almost no different from the standard version.
There is almost certainly a problem with connection and/or set up. Even the worst HDTV I've seen looked at least...not terrible...with an HD picture on it, once properly set up.
Reasons why I watch a show on SD channels rather than HD channels (not necessarily HD content)
1. The HD channel is showing a stretched or zoomed image to fill the screen (not really HD related per say). I get headaches watching distorted programming, and I prefer to see the entire image as it was designed, if it requires I watch in 4:3 rather than 16:9 or HD so be it.
2. I watch SD channels in bed quite a bit, mainly due to the lower light produced by the SD channel not using the entire screen, so it doesn't light up the room as much.
When I'm in the living room I almost always watch the HD version of a channel, unless again, it's a stretched image.
Reasons why I watch a show on SD channels rather than HD channels (not necessarily HD content)
1. The HD channel is showing a stretched or zoomed image to fill the screen (not really HD related per say). I get headaches watching distorted programming, and I prefer to see the entire image as it was designed, if it requires I watch in 4:3 rather than 16:9 or HD so be it.
2. I watch SD channels in bed quite a bit, mainly due to the lower light produced by the SD channel not using the entire screen, so it doesn't light up the room as much.
When I'm in the living room I almost always watch the HD version of a channel, unless again, it's a stretched image.
At the bar last week there was a commercial that kept being shown. It was a Ford Fusion and man was it wiiiiide!
There is almost certainly a problem with connection and/or set up. Even the worst HDTV I've seen looked at least...not terrible...with an HD picture on it, once properly set up.
Well, it is an Emerson. Not exactly a company known for making high end electronics, at least not in the HDTV realm. Although the next time I visit my parents again, I'm going to look at his setup.
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