Comments on: Enthusiasm dropping for HDTV http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/ Where TV Finds the Future Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:03:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sam http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-698943 Sam Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:56:48 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-698943 Wow, thanks for the excellent information! Wow, thanks for the excellent information!

]]> By: psychotoddler http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-120166 psychotoddler Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:53:16 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-120166 Aside from consumer confusion, the word is getting out that HD isn't all it's cracked up to be. I brought home my HDTV after years of whining to my wife. She brought home Superman Returns and we watched it (on my new upconvert player) and she kept complaining about how grainy it looked. Then she went and watched it upstairs on our old SDTV and it was smooth as silk. Same for TV. Why spend thousands of dollars when most of what you're looking at will look better on a standard TV? Aside from consumer confusion, the word is getting out that HD isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I brought home my HDTV after years of whining to my wife.

She brought home Superman Returns and we watched it (on my new upconvert player) and she kept complaining about how grainy it looked.

Then she went and watched it upstairs on our old SDTV and it was smooth as silk.

Same for TV. Why spend thousands of dollars when most of what you’re looking at will look better on a standard TV?

]]> By: Stephen Downes http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-74421 Stephen Downes Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:03:48 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-74421 Well let's see, it's yet another one of these format changes, one that breaks our existing stuff, and this time around we have to pay more - a *lot* more. Meanwhile, the same industry is out there suing us, saying we are breaking the law if we record stuff we bought and paid for on the new media (or on old media, to make it work with our existing hardware). Oh yeah, and did I mention that they are pandering crap and calling it entertainment? Oh yeah, and the cheap little 320 x 240 videos you can get on YouTube, you know, the grainy badly shot videos you can run even on the cheapest computers, even on African internet (I checked) are *much* more entertaining. Yeah, I love the bog screens too. And the better resolution. But I know they're not worth the thousands of dollars we are being charged. I've been around these media companies long enough - I can smell a scam a maile away. And this whole HD thing? The stench is all over. How does that song go? Oh yeah - it came out on vinyl (then I bought it on 8-track, bought it on casette, then bought it on CD, then bought it on DVD): Won't Get Fooled Again. Well let’s see, it’s yet another one of these format changes, one that breaks our existing stuff, and this time around we have to pay more - a *lot* more.

Meanwhile, the same industry is out there suing us, saying we are breaking the law if we record stuff we bought and paid for on the new media (or on old media, to make it work with our existing hardware).

Oh yeah, and did I mention that they are pandering crap and calling it entertainment?

Oh yeah, and the cheap little 320 x 240 videos you can get on YouTube, you know, the grainy badly shot videos you can run even on the cheapest computers, even on African internet (I checked) are *much* more entertaining.

Yeah, I love the bog screens too. And the better resolution. But I know they’re not worth the thousands of dollars we are being charged. I’ve been around these media companies long enough - I can smell a scam a maile away.

And this whole HD thing? The stench is all over.

How does that song go? Oh yeah - it came out on vinyl (then I bought it on 8-track, bought it on casette, then bought it on CD, then bought it on DVD): Won’t Get Fooled Again.

]]> By: Dan http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-72348 Dan Thu, 23 Nov 2006 04:47:12 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-72348 What Mark said above, is the same thing critics and station managers said in 1966. "Color TV doesn't make a show better. Most shows will still be in black and white, with just a few shows like Bonanza and Hallmark specials in color. It's just too expensive". Yada Yada Yada. Broadcasters are screwing themselves by not upgrading quickly, including news. They keep forgetting what business they are in, it's Show Business. The Big Top. The longer they wait, the more people will watch DVDs and videogames on their new HDTV and they will forget why they needed to watch local TV. "Broadcast Quality" is over because of the broadcasters themselves, not the technology. People will buy HDTVs, despite what the "analysts" say. DVD-HDs and Blue Ray are right around the corner. Web-delivered HD movies and programs are right around the corner, and people will want to watch them on 50 inch sets with great sound systems, not just 3 inch iPods, although that's fine too. Dan What Mark said above, is the same thing
critics and station managers said in 1966.
“Color TV doesn’t make a show better.
Most shows will still be in black and white,
with just a few shows like Bonanza and Hallmark specials in color. It’s just too expensive”. Yada Yada Yada.

Broadcasters are screwing themselves by
not upgrading quickly, including news.
They keep forgetting what business they are in, it’s Show Business. The Big Top.
The longer they wait, the more people will watch DVDs and videogames on their new
HDTV and they will forget why they needed to
watch local TV. “Broadcast Quality” is over
because of the broadcasters themselves,
not the technology.

People will buy HDTVs, despite what the “analysts” say. DVD-HDs and Blue Ray
are right around the corner. Web-delivered HD movies and programs are right around the corner, and people will want to watch them on 50 inch sets with great sound systems,
not just 3 inch iPods, although that’s fine too.

Dan

]]> By: Lucretia Higgins http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-72241 Lucretia Higgins Thu, 23 Nov 2006 03:04:56 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-72241 Explain HDTV to consumers? Most of them can't figure out how to set their audio menus to Stereo and insist on bitching about stupid broadcasters changing their audio to Spanish instead of English. Or bitching about getting subtitles on the closed captioning menu. Explaining HD would be a futile enterprise to this group of dummies. Explain HDTV to consumers? Most of them can’t figure out how to set their audio menus to Stereo and insist on bitching about stupid broadcasters changing their audio to Spanish instead of English.

Or bitching about getting subtitles on the closed captioning menu.

Explaining HD would be a futile enterprise to this group of dummies.

]]> By: Safran http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71722 Safran Wed, 22 Nov 2006 19:06:13 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71722 I've found it interesting how video looks fantastic in HD, but film doesn't get the same bump-up in quality. Just my opinion. Used to prefer the look of film on TV. On HD, I prefer video. (Aspect ratios aside.) Agreed on the education front. I had to be the "family teacher," to the point where they asked "What do families without television professionals do to figure this stuff out?" While you don't need a TV person in the family, the average person does need to know more than something is "In HD!" or that a TV is "HD Ready!" The myriad of input choices alone is terrifying. I’ve found it interesting how video looks fantastic in HD, but film doesn’t get the same bump-up in quality. Just my opinion. Used to prefer the look of film on TV. On HD, I prefer video. (Aspect ratios aside.)

Agreed on the education front. I had to be the “family teacher,” to the point where they asked “What do families without television professionals do to figure this stuff out?” While you don’t need a TV person in the family, the average person does need to know more than something is “In HD!” or that a TV is “HD Ready!” The myriad of input choices alone is terrifying.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71706 Andrew Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:59:31 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71706 1. I bought an HD set two years ago to watch HDTV programming (primarily sports, also regular shows). It just looks so great, that anything less really is a detraction at this point. Discovery HD Theater is fantastic (except for their fascination with motorcycle shows). 2. HDTV does make football and baseball better. More field, clearer picture, etc. It does make it a more enjoyable viewing experience. Retailers do a horrible job of explaining how it works, what a buyer will need, etc. I had to do all my own research online to understand it, then go to a store to see it and learn first hand, then back online again to put it all together again. Then, back to the store to look at what my search narrowed things down to. To say its just a toy for rich people is incorrect and insulting. I'm not rich, I have one, and I love it. 3. I don't know if I'd say its become an expection rather than a bonus. If anything, I'd like to expect it, but with the still fairly small offerings via my cable company, I'm happy with what I have, but don't understand why they offer so much less than some broadcasters have to offer thus far. 1. I bought an HD set two years ago to watch HDTV programming (primarily sports, also regular shows). It just looks so great, that anything less really is a detraction at this point. Discovery HD Theater is fantastic (except for their fascination with motorcycle shows).

2. HDTV does make football and baseball better. More field, clearer picture, etc. It does make it a more enjoyable viewing experience.

Retailers do a horrible job of explaining how it works, what a buyer will need, etc. I had to do all my own research online to understand it, then go to a store to see it and learn first hand, then back online again to put it all together again. Then, back to the store to look at what my search narrowed things down to.

To say its just a toy for rich people is incorrect and insulting. I’m not rich, I have one, and I love it.

3. I don’t know if I’d say its become an expection rather than a bonus. If anything, I’d like to expect it, but with the still fairly small offerings via my cable company, I’m happy with what I have, but don’t understand why they offer so much less than some broadcasters have to offer thus far.

]]> By: Cory http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71667 Cory Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:28:18 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71667 This is a fascinating issue. I've always felt the HDTV hype outweighs the benefits. But with that said, I can't stand watching football or playing video games in standard def. So I have two points: 1. High definition matters more for some things (sports and video games) than others (news). This is why you're not seeing a rush by local stations to spend the millions it takes to convert to complete HD newsgathering. They will switch, but in due time. (The only thing I've seen that's cool with HD newsgathering is high-def helicopters.) 2. HD has become more of an expectation than a bonus. Viewers expect that certain kinds of programming (sports, especially) will be in HD, and when it's not, they may watch less. So it's a necessary cost of doing business to protect existing viewing instead of a way to generate new viewing: a painful realization for many in the industry. This is a fascinating issue. I’ve always felt the HDTV hype outweighs the benefits. But with that said, I can’t stand watching football or playing video games in standard def. So I have two points:

1. High definition matters more for some things (sports and video games) than others (news). This is why you’re not seeing a rush by local stations to spend the millions it takes to convert to complete HD newsgathering. They will switch, but in due time. (The only thing I’ve seen that’s cool with HD newsgathering is high-def helicopters.)

2. HD has become more of an expectation than a bonus. Viewers expect that certain kinds of programming (sports, especially) will be in HD, and when it’s not, they may watch less. So it’s a necessary cost of doing business to protect existing viewing instead of a way to generate new viewing: a painful realization for many in the industry.

]]> By: Mark http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71634 Mark Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:58:28 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71634 The real issue is retailers don't know or are trying to make HDTV confusing. Selling an Enhanced Definition TV and saying it will get High Def broadcasts is misleading. Of course it gets the hi-def broadcast but unless you have a hi-def TV you won't get hi-def. Of course they leave that part out. The FCC mandates only digital not Hi-def. So broadcasters aren't dumb. They provide one standard def signal for OTA and cable and a pay hi-def signal. And lets face it, does seeing a football game any clearer make it more exciting? No, does it make a comedy any funnier? No. Hi-def is just a toy for rich people. The real issue is retailers don’t know or are trying to make HDTV confusing. Selling an Enhanced Definition TV and saying it will get High Def broadcasts is misleading. Of course it gets the hi-def broadcast but unless you have a hi-def TV you won’t get hi-def. Of course they leave that part out.

The FCC mandates only digital not Hi-def. So broadcasters aren’t dumb. They provide one standard def signal for OTA and cable and a pay hi-def signal.

And lets face it, does seeing a football game any clearer make it more exciting? No, does it make a comedy any funnier? No. Hi-def is just a toy for rich people.

]]> By: Ed http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71621 Ed Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:36:23 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/11/22/enthusiasm-dropping-for-hdtv/#comment-71621 It's a bad time for HDTVs right now. Plasmas are cheap, but it's very hard to get 1080p in Plasma, and LCDs are not cheap enough, and people see the price dropping rapidly on LCDs and don't want to jump in right now. I don't think I know anybody that's purchased an HDTV in the last couple of years that bought it for watching HDTV. It’s a bad time for HDTVs right now.

Plasmas are cheap, but it’s very hard to get 1080p in Plasma, and LCDs are not cheap enough, and people see the price dropping rapidly on LCDs and don’t want to jump in right now.

I don’t think I know anybody that’s purchased an HDTV in the last couple of years that bought it for watching
HDTV.

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