Can someone explain HD to me?

[Triple_6]

My brother got me a new 19" LCD HDTV for Christmas. In the store, the picture quality looked freakin amazing. Crystal clear. But when I got it home and hooked it up, I was in for a huge shock. It looks like total ass. How does getting HD from your cable company work? Do you need a digital box to get it? I just plugged the cable in from the wall. There is ONE channel that actually looks High Def. It's NBC, and there is a channel 3-0 that looks like shit, which I'm guessing is analog, and 3-1 which is the best picture I've seen on it.

I also hooked my PS2 up to it and it looks like stir fried shit as well. The games seriously looked better on my 20 year old Quasar. Is it possible to get a sharper image with your PS2 and an HDTV, or is it only the 360 and PS3 that has that type of capability? Someone hook a ninja up with some info because we're ready to take this shit back. If I can make it my computer monitor though, I may keep it until the day comes I get an Xbox360.

So 3 questions plz:


How do I get HDTV from my Cable company? At Georgia Tech I can't have a box so thats out of the question.
Is there any way for the PS2 to utilize it, or at the very least not make it look like total shit?
And can I use a regular LCD as my computer monitor?


Thanks!

[Triple_6]

This is the TV I got:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8454415&type=product&id=1184369165654

[Triple_6]

I noticed that the "Cinema" setting cuts off a portion of the picture on the screen and apparently other reviewers have experienced the same thing. I'm just gonna take it back. Some guy said it was cutting a section of the screen off with his Xbox and that's practically the only reason I got it.

:frown:

[Laroacha]

OK grasshopper,,,,here goes,,,,,,
nevermind,,,,,I was gonna try to explain,,,,,,but this does better.........

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/hdtv.htm

I can tell you that if you don't want to get a HD cable box,,,,,,you can still get HD over the air.........it's good for football and other night time drama's like CSI etc.........If you go that route,,,,get a powered antenna. I don't know about the ps2,,,,,but the xbox 360 looks fuckin' awesome on a HDTV,,,,,,and do yourself a favor and pick up a HDDVD player,,,,,,,,it's money.......
dD

I got this in my bedroom and it rocks: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5623471

I've got a 46" sony bravia LCD in the living room,,,,,,but I spend a ton more time on the Vizio.......

[McTucket]

ok.. simplified explaination follows...

tv- in order to watch shit in hd you need an hd cable box OR just suck it up and watch gilmore girls, nfl football or other select HD programming on the big 4 cable stations...

console games- you cant get hd with the ps2... its old school..

you need a 360 or ps3 to see your money games... plus you need an HDMI cable (the good ones will run you around 70 bucks) that plugs in to the tv from your console...

[|oR|jonvall]

ok.. simplified explaination follows...

tv- in order to watch shit in hd you need an hd cable box OR just suck it up and watch gilmore girls, nfl football or other select HD programming on the big 4 cable stations...

console games- you cant get hd with the ps2... its old school..

you need a 360 or ps3 to see your money games... plus you need an HDMI cable (the good ones will run you around 70 bucks) that plugs in to the tv from your console...

Yeah...and DON'T buy a shit, cheap ass cable....you'll be sorry!


Check this place before you go to Best Buy and get your cable....way better prices. (http://www.monoprice.com/home/index.asp)

[Thunder]

Keep the TV Triple. Tuck and Jonvall are correct; only certain stations carry HD right now and don't buy cheap cables. If you search for the digital conversion thread you should find some good info in there about HD as well.

[McTucket]

only certain stations AT CERTAIN TIMES do hd...

unless u get the hd channels... and even then not all the time...

[Nimmy]

I say fuck tv, I'm going to get a 25 inch pc monitor and go at it.

[McTucket]

sadly enough... if i got paid to watch tv all day there is nothing that would stop me from doing that...

[Hae-Yu]

//nutshell
The TV is the smallest part of the equation: if you buy a $2000 TV, you will probably spend at least that much on cables and replacing your other gear, too. Your TV is a component in a system.
nutshell//

Where's the crappy signal coming from?
1) TV - saw the TV in the store and it looked great.
2) cabling: don't use s-video or composite (yellow RCA). Use a minimum of component - breaks out 3 cables (RGB), with a DVI or HDMI being best.
3) inputs - TV, cable box, DVD, receiver.

If you have a DVD -- s-video -- receiver -- HDMI -- TV, the signal is limited by the weakest link - the s-video cable. If the DVD doesn't have component outs, then time for a new one.

To ensure cable compatibility, you may need to buy a new DVD player, PVR, receiver, console connector kits, upgraded cable box... Or buy a system-in-a-box which covers most bases, but leaves out expandability and upgradability.

I bought the HD kit (component outs) for the XBox (og) and it looks great on my tv. I'm sure the PS2 has a similar kit. If the TV has a VGA connector you can use it as a monitor. You may also output if the TV uses the same connectors as your video card's tv out (HDMI or DVI connectors). Most cards have those now.

You need to get the HD over the air as Roach said, or subscribe to your provider's HD channels. Cox cable here has an HD package (like the sports package, movie package, etc); may be the same in your area. We have about 20 or 30 channels on it + the normal 500 or so channels.

If you go modular over boxed system, the receiver is more important than anything. You have to spend a lot of time studying receivers.

[McTucket]

nah read my explaination...

it makes more sense... :)

[Triple_6]

Tucket's explanation makes more sense. After Hae Yu's post I'm more confused than when I started!

[McTucket]

lol i had a feeling people were goin to say that...

no offense yu...

sometimes less is more...