# HD TV with non HD input. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478 "2008-05-24T17:00:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/1 "2008-05-24T17:00:31Z")
What;s that like? Say I just play a regular DVD in my regular DVD player but watch it on a HD TV. Same? Better? Worse? How about non-HD cable? Ect? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/2 "2008-05-24T17:13:21Z")
You are mixing fish and bicycles with your thinking. We have regular DVDs and regular DVD players connected to our HDTVs. Compared to the old analogue TVs the images are awesome. We have HD cable as well. The images for the most part are awesome, provided you are viewing a full HD uncompressed channel. My provider, Comcast, compresses some HD channels and the image quality shows. For example, The Deadliest Catch last year was only on the Discovery Channel. This year, Comcast has it on DiscoveryHD. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/3 "2008-05-25T05:13:50Z")
It can be a bit hit or miss. Some models of HDTVs do better than others at how they display a standard-definition signal. LCD sets, in particular seem to display a fuzzy picture as the set is trying to map an SD resolution image to the HD resolution display - just like running an LCD computer monitor at anything other than its “native” resolution gives a fuzzy picture. Plasma displays don’t seem to have quite as hard a time with this for some reason. But fear not. If you’re not ready to spring for a Blu-Ray DVD player, look at getting an upconverting DVD player. You can get a good one for under $100, and these things will take regular DVDs and digitally resample the image into an HD image. They can not, however, play Blu-Ray or the now obsolete HD-DVD formats. On my 50" plasma, going from a standard DVD player that was “pretty darn good” three years ago on a component video input to an upconverting player that cost one-fourth as much on an HDMI input, the difference was striking. The standard def player looked like a good VHS tape compared to the upconverter’s image. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/4 "2008-05-25T12:06:36Z")
[Upconverting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_scaler#Upscaling.2FUpconverting_DVD) is the (awkward) buzzword you’re asking about. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/5 "2008-05-30T18:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] LCD sets, in particular seem to display a fuzzy picture as the set is trying to map an SD resolution image to the HD resolution display - just like running an LCD computer monitor at anything other than its “native” resolution gives a fuzzy picture. [/QUOTE] Fuzzy picture is a generous assessment if my dad’s LCD HDTV is anything to go by. Jaggy, artifact filled mess is more like it. Frankly, I’d stick with my old SD CRT before going with one of these. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/6 "2008-05-30T19:55:41Z")
I just cleaned up the cable connections (new splitter, replacing bad connectors, etc) in my house. The difference on every set is obvious, and the difference on our LCD HDTV (even with a regular analog signal) is striking. Of course, when I switch to a bow tie antenna and pull the HD signal straight off the air, it’s an order of magnitude even better. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/7 "2008-05-30T21:37:09Z")
I attempted to watch a VHS tape (Star Wars) on a 50" LCD set with a VCR connected via composite RCA cables. It was pretty much unwatchable. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/8 "2008-05-31T01:01:11Z")
I second the upconverting DVD player, the picture you get is orders of magnitude better than a regular DVD player, even if it is progressive scan and you are using the component output. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/9 "2008-05-31T01:41:06Z")
Well, here’s the point- I have a pretty good DVD/VHS player. I have a large collection of VHS tapes and some DVDs. I am interested in buying a new TV (and I can get HD from Comcast cable) but I want my old stuff to be usable. If I can;t watch my old VHS tapes on my new TV, I’ll stick with the old TV. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hd-tv-with-non-hd-input/450478/10 "2008-05-31T02:35:54Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] Well, here’s the point- I have a pretty good DVD/VHS player. I have a large collection of VHS tapes and some DVDs. I am interested in buying a new TV (and I can get HD from Comcast cable) but I want my old stuff to be usable. If I can;t watch my old VHS tapes on my new TV, I’ll stick with the old TV. [/QUOTE] I think Sony or Toshiba makes a VHS/DVD deck that upconverts VHS as well.. I have NO idea how well it works, in fact I thought that it might be impossible, but I saw one in the store.