For an extra $10 a month, I’m gonna get an HDTV converter plus about a 1/2-dozen HD chanels. Discovery and HBO (for which I’m already paying a separate subscription fee), all my local channels which are already broadcasting in HD, and some new HD movie channel I’ve never heard of.
Whoo hoo!
Sweet! Discovery has some spectacular HD programming. And if you’re a football fan you’ll get several games a week in HD.
Baton Rouge doesn’t get it until October 
. Fortunately, it won’t be that much more than digital cable. Currently saving for front projector and will be watching Super Bowl in 120" high def.
Let me be the first to say I’m completely envious of you.
Enjoy it for both of us.
So, Boyo old buddy, playoffs at your house this year?
[Peter Griffin]
You bastard!
[/Peter Griffin]
Comcast or what? If not, do any of you Comcast subscribers know if this is coming?
Thanks
Q
My cable company is Charter.
I have Comcast, and I’m in Harford County, Maryland. I’ve had the HD cable for almost a year now, I got it in November. The lineup has gotten better, I have ABC, NBC, HBO, SHO, ESPN, Comcast Sports Net and INHD. Still no CBS, I hear there’s a dispute between CBS and Comcast.
Anyway, It’s awesome. If you have a TV that can use it, I highly recommend getting it as soon as it becomes available. The only downside is you have a hard time going back to a standard channel, it looks HORRIBLE for the first 5-10 minutes.
MC$E
I bought my 27- incher three years ago. Would it state in the instructions if it’s HD compatible? (I’m at work) And if not, how does one determine compatability?
Thanks
Q
If it was HD 3 years ago, it would have cost you several thousand dollars. It will also have a wide screen format, an aspect ratio of 16x9 instead od standard TV’s squarer 4x3.
True high definition is in 16:9 ratio. About 98% of televisions are in 4:3. (Not sure if there is any such thing as a high def 4:3 television, but it would seem pointless). Your television is most likely capable of showing just vertical 480 lines of resolution whereas HD is broadcast in 1080 (interlaced) I believe. If you send a normal television an HD signal it would be converted to the regular 480 lines (actually fewer considering a high number of lines would be used for the black bars), basically looking like a widescreen DVD.
So if I am understanding this correctly, there is no way I can watch HD programming on my present set even with a converter?
When I wrote I got my 27-inch set three years ago, I did not mean it was HD. Sorry for the confusion.
Q
Your local stations may or may not have started to broadcast in HD, but if they have they will continue to broadcast a standard signal as well.
No, you cannot watch HD programming on your TV. But the odds are you will be able to watch a simulcast standard version of the same program.
A good place to get all your HDTV questions answered, including which local stations are broadcasting in HD, is the AVS forum.
There’s a lot of knowledgable and friendly folks there.
MC$E
This is the exact model TV I have.
And yes, strangely enough, they do make 4:3 HDTVs.