[paulr]

Seen it a few times in Comet and Currys.The colours are way too rich.There's nothing in real life that compares.Look around you,the world doesn't look like some Lewis Carrol fairy tale.
I like clarity,but please tone down the richness of the colours.

[Lin3ar]

Originally Posted by paulr

Seen it a few times in Comet and Currys.The colours are way too rich.There's nothing in real life that compares.Look around you,the world doesn't look like some Lewis Carrol fairy tale.
I like clarity,but please tone down the richness of the colours.

Sets in places like Currys and Comet are usually set up wrong.
An example would be the Panasonic TX32LDX500.Its' Factory setting is DYNAMIC picture mode where the contrast is 100%, brightness and colour all turned up.They do this to look good in well lit large shops.The first thing most people do when they get their new panels home is to change this setting to something like NORMAL picture mode or calibrate with something like DVE.

[bis96gw]

The demos used in the high street are usually highly saturated too.... If you watch some off air HD stuff from the States, you'll see the colours are as normal as you'd find on a DVD - just with the extra detail

[czytt]

HD colours are more realistic than SD! You just need to see a properly calibrated HDTV.

Find a specialist retailer, and go for a demo!

Jerry

[blakey1]

Got to admit that I have not seen any HD that makes me think I really want it. Ive downloaded onto my PC seen many demos in shops. Some of these demos have been set up by Sharp LG themselves. WHilst they are good I cant really see the wow factor people are talking about. I will reserve judgement until Sky HD, Blu Ray etc come out but I wonder if the normal TV viewers like myself wont see what all the fuss us about.

[satinder]

I dont mind watching HD but i think its been overhyped about! I'm quite happy with my "old crt" and SD dvd's, i will not buy into HD untill SED tv's come out as that technology is the future (ive seen it ) in my opinion.

Sat

[Nic Rhodes]

I love HD and those who see it at my place are all amazed at what it can do. The Currys / Comet demos are not good and very variable. Would you go to Comet for a demo of SD, if no why would you see their equally bad HD set ups? HD and image quality in general is all down to how these things are set up. I have yet to find anyone who has not been amazed when they see proper HD. I have seen plenty of substandard HD but that is not down to SD / HD. There are even more examples of poor SD stuff.

[Pecker]

The telling stat here is the number of side-by-side demos on offer.

If you buy HDTV you won't be watching it side-by-side, you'll be watching it on its own, with only memories of SD to use as comparison.

I have no problem at all in watching a DVD and remembering how poor VHS was - I don't recal anyone offering (or having to offer) a side-by-side demo to convince me.

I do not doubt that, side-by-side, a HD picture looks better than SD.

But I doubt very much that, in say 5 years time when there is no SD, that HD viewing will considerably enhance the general public's viewing pleasure.

If it was that much better than SD you wouldn't need comparisons - a HD set on its own would be obviously, substantially better without such a gimmick.

Steve W

[czytt]

I went to the AV show in Hammersmith last year, and saw some truly astonishing HD stuff - none of side-by-side with SD.

But if you can't see any appreciable difference, fair enough. You should never buy kit on someone else's say so.

HD is obviously more impressive in larger screen sizes, of course. I'm not sure I'd be bowled over by it on a 28" set unless I got up close and personal.

My only "HD" source is via a scaler at the moment, but even that looks way better then SD DVDs. I can't wait for Sky HD to give me a real HD source.

Jerry

[blakey1]

For me the problem is that the HD I have viewed only shows how good HD can be I am yet to see how good HD is. Until Sky, Blu Ray, HD-DVD etc launch I'm not sure how anyone can say how good HD for TV use will be. To me I could walk into Comets and the like of LG etc could set up a SD demo using 20-25 mbps and most would be going wow etc. They would then go home and watch sky at 3-4mbps and DVD at 9-10 mbps and think thats not the same. I will reserve judgement on HD until the services are actually launched. Once launched I can then decide if HD is for me in the future.

Also if HD is so good why no like for like Demos of HD v SD at the same bit rate etc in the likes of Comet and Currys etc?

[mmace]

Originally Posted by blakey1

I'm not sure how anyone can say how good HD for TV use will be.

it's quite easy, download some of the stuff broadcast in the US, I get TV shows and movies all the time.

[czytt]

Originally Posted by blakey1

Once launched I can then decide if HD is for me in the future.

Sensible approach. Stick to the real world ...

unlike me.

Jerry

[nh3com]

Originally Posted by blakey1

For me the problem is that the HD I have viewed only shows how good HD can be I am yet to see how good HD is. Until Sky, Blu Ray, HD-DVD etc launch I'm not sure how anyone can say how good HD for TV use will be. To me I could walk into Comets and the like of LG etc could set up a SD demo using 20-25 mbps and most would be going wow etc. They would then go home and watch sky at 3-4mbps and DVD at 9-10 mbps and think thats not the same. I will reserve judgement on HD until the services are actually launched. Once launched I can then decide if HD is for me in the future.

Also if HD is so good why no like for like Demos of HD v SD at the same bit rate etc in the likes of Comet and Currys etc?

have a look at the HD quicktime film previews, i can stream them on my 10mbps ntl connection and they look brill.

[Cyril]

It doesn't take much convincing when you have an Xbox 360 and play some 720p demos or Call of Duty 2.

[Lin3ar]

I would just like the chance to watch HD on my panel.As yet I haven't found a way of watching it(no hard drive for my 360 and no PC connection on my Panasonic TX32LDX52)

[Nic Rhodes]

I think people are making judgements based on HD as HD has ben available for ages and ages, the problem it hasn't been the main stream until about the last 5 years. Many people here have been usng it 'legally' for some considerable periaod of time.

[MR2Harvey]

Hey those that doubt HD is so much better, kewl just keep watching SD. I for one will not be bothered what you are watching, not bothered at all, as long as there is HD material for me to watch. For me the difference is so obvious with a good plasma or LCD.... It reminds me of when people can't tell the diffrence between an MP3 on an average system and say SACD on a good system.... massive difference but maybe joe public can't see hear it. It does not mean it's not there and to me very very obvious. If you ain't interested fine just go and stay with your old system let other enjoy the glory of HD... then again I also enjoy many finer things in life!!! he he

Maybe it's just me but i can't see how people don't notice the difference. Every demo i've seen in comet and empiredirect and other store's have looked out of this world compaired to SD

[TeresaTT]

Originally Posted by HOWDINSKI

Maybe it's just me but i can't see how people don't notice the difference. Every demo i've seen in comet and empiredirect and other store's have looked out of this world compaired to SD

That's because the SD is set up so badly. I saw a side by side demo of a Panasonic PV500 and PE50. The SD screen was showing the same demo but via composite! The picture was absolutely awful, so the HD demo on the PV500 looked wonderful in comparison.

Originally Posted by TeresaTT

That's because the SD is set up so badly. I saw a side by side demo of a Panasonic PV500 and PE50. The SD screen was showing the same demo but via composite! The picture was absolutely awful, so the HD demo on the PV500 looked wonderful in comparison.

I never said it looked bad?

[blakey1]

Originally Posted by MR2Harvey

Hey those that doubt HD is so much better, kewl just keep watching SD. I for one will not be bothered what you are watching, not bothered at all, as long as there is HD material for me to watch. For me the difference is so obvious with a good plasma or LCD.... It reminds me of when people can't tell the diffrence between an MP3 on an average system and say SACD on a good system.... massive difference but maybe joe public can't see hear it. It does not mean it's not there and to me very very obvious. If you ain't interested fine just go and stay with your old system let other enjoy the glory of HD... then again I also enjoy many finer things in life!!! he he

http://www.burnyourbonus.co.uk/HDTV/faq.html

This info would suggest why the average viewer is not getting that much from HD. To be honest most people I know are watching a 32inch Tv from 3 metres or so HD is going to be a waste of time for them if this info is right. Of course some will have better than 20/20 vision and therefore they will see more than others. To be honest I'm yet to see any research that suggests that the difference between HD and SD is huge and its only forums like here that are bigging it up so much. As you say though you see the huge difference and therefore its worth getting. For me though the research seems to be right from what Ive seen. I sit 10-12ft from my TV and as I dont need a 50 inch screen I will save the fortune HD costs for the time being as no point getting it just to say I have it.

Also not everyone has access to a PC media centre etc so most will have to wait until HDTV Blu Ray etc is launched so they can see for themselves exactly what HD has to offer. I have been only been able to download to my PC and the Apple trailers at 720p and 480p seem no different to me. I accept that I'm not AV fanboy so maybe thats the problem. I just cant see this best thing since colour talk.

[czytt]

Originally Posted by blakey1

I sit 10-12ft from my TV and as I dont need a 50 inch screen I will save the fortune HD costs for the time being as no point getting it just to say I have it.

I, too, sit that far from my TV, and you do need a 50" - believe me you do!

Jerry

[Lin3ar]

If I can see the jump in quality from my analogue picture to Sky/DVD picture from 8 or 9 feet away on my 32" LCD, then surely the difference going from SD to HD will be even more pronounced.
If you have a 50" screen, then yes, it will look fantastic in HD but I wouldn't want to watch SD on it from about 10 feet away.Plus, even when Sky HD is released, the vast majority of channels/programs will still be in SD.
When HD becomes the norm in a few years time, then I will invest in a bigger screen.

If the missus lets me

[Mr.D]

I'd have prefered less resolution but more dynamic range and colour resolution. 720p with closer to film type intensity and colour range would be better than 1080p video. First time I ever saw hidef (1080i) I was disapointed as it does just look like big video. More pixels but thats about it.

They could have given us something that really got closer to film but they chose the numbers game instead. And of course the fact that the majority of cheap digital panel devices can barely resolve a video intensity range let alone something comparable with film.

I also don't think the extra resolution is that necessary at normal viewing distance on sub 42 or even 50 inch displays. Most people are hard pushed to spot the difference.

[czytt]

Originally Posted by Lin3ar

If you have a 50" screen, then yes, it will look fantastic in HD but I wouldn't want to watch SD on it from about 10 feet away.Plus, even when Sky HD is released, the vast majority of channels/programs will still be in SD.
When HD becomes the norm in a few years time, then I will invest in a bigger screen.

Hence I use a scaler, which does an impressive job of upscaling to HD. It's not as good as HD, of course, but it's a lot better than SD.

Jerry

[satinder]

Originally Posted by Mr.D

I also don't think the extra resolution is that necessary at normal viewing distance on sub 42 or even 50 inch displays. Most people are hard pushed to spot the difference.

I think you hit the nail on the head, so to speak! There nothing bad about HD its just that for the moment only enthusiats who have plenty of money are buying HD products. The average movie watching guy/gall does not need HD in there living room. I think that HD should be used if you have a home cinema with a projector and full on sound system, then the extra resolution becomes useful.

Sat

[Razor]

I personaly love HD and cant get enough of it.