Broadcast HDTV in UK ?

I

IanR

Guest
Sorry to be a pain but could someone please explain what effect HDTV will have on my current telly? Will I have to get a new one?
If so, when? ie should I put off buying a new telly, now, and wait for HDTV to arrive here?

Thanks
Ian
 
You will definitly need a new television the receiver and scan rate of the box will be completely different

As a genral rule if your telly is compatable with progressive scan (as in DVD) it will be possible to show HDTV (you may still need some adaptor boxes).

True HDTV's will be expensive at least twice what a good TV will cost. I wouldn't wait
 
Do you think it likely that, if we ever [/i]do[/i] get HDTV, the relevant set top boxes will come equipped with a mode/setting that will allow the HD signal to be down-scaled to a standard PAL 576 (or NTSC 480) for back-compatibiluty with non-HD sets? In much the same way that current Digital boxes and DVD players have a down-scaled 4x3 mode?
 
Can't see the point of an HDTV set-top digibox without an HDTV display.

Although, don't see why a downscaler would be a significant problem, but it would have to interlace too. I would imagine that it would be built in as standard to allow for tv in other room much like Sky digital does; and I it is not likely to be a second HDTV.

I can only see a problem if the HDTV is displaying 24fps material.

Although the most commonlly discussed HTDV formats are USA's 1920x1080/30p and 1280x720/30p the European versions will be 1920x1080/25p and 1280x720/25p; but both will support 1920x1080/24p and 1280x720/24p for movie playback.

Note:
US versions support 30p, 29.97p, 24p, 23.976p, 60i, 59.94i
European versions support 25p, 24p, 50i
* I'm sure that display devices will play content from which ever version.

We'll still have equivalent of NTSC vs PAL even in HDTV -- except for movies at 24p.

StooMonster
 
Thanks for your reply, Roland. I'm afraid Nigel and StooMonster left me standing with my mouth open at their posts. Couldn't understand a thing.

Toshiba's PF2 apparently has progressive scan. Does this mean it will accept HDTV at full quality or merely reproduce it at some lower quality level?

Thanks
Ian
 
IanR: Having on board progressive scanning doesn't mean the device can accept an EXTERNAL progressive source.

What Roland is saying is that if you can currently plug a prog scan DVD or a PC's VGA output in to your telly and get a picture then you may be able to view downscaled HDTV(There are hardly any direct vew TV's in UK that can do this).

To see full resolution that HD will be capable of will require new TV or hi-res PJ.

You aren't going to have to worry about it for a while yet anyway..........


Nigel and Stoo are having a discussion about accepted and proposed HDTV standards for USA and Europe. I wouldn't worry about it.

Gordon
 
Originally posted by IanR
Thanks for your reply, Roland. I'm afraid Nigel and StooMonster left me standing with my mouth open at their posts. Couldn't understand a thing.
:blush: Sorry IanR, was answering nigel's post and should've made that clearer. :D

StooMonster
 

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