# Stupid people and HDTVs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280 "2007-01-31T16:37:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/101 "2007-02-02T17:37:48Z")
[QUOTE=pizzabrat] Naturally, a sane person should find images of people stretched and squashed much more offensive than the corrective black bars that would be on either side the picture. [/QUOTE] My best friend bought a widescreen HDTV and I simply cannot watch it without getting a headache. I tried pointing out to him that human heads are not built to the dimensions we were watching, and he absolutely refused to admit that anything was out of the ordinary, and that the picture was distorted. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/102 "2007-02-02T17:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=pizzabrat] What?! I have a CRT HDTV (16:9, though). It looks better than any other type of HDTV - in fact it’s the only HDTV that I find acceptable. All _current_ flat-panel technologies are a miserable downgrade from CRTs, with their washed out picture and their heavy artifacting, and there’s not much I have to say about rear-projection TVs. Yet, no one will believe me when I tell them that my cheap CRT behemoth shows a better picture than fancy new plasma’s and LCD’s, until I sit them down and show them. [/QUOTE] The Westinghouse LCD panels have a better viewing angle, weight very little, use only 2 amp for 37" size. The picture is almost as good, though not quite as a very good HD CRT and actually has better 1080 resolution when the signal is available, like from a Comcast Digital HD box or DVD player. The LCD panel also blows away the HD CRT for Font reproduction off a computer DVI or VGA feed. So yes, a good HD CRT is crisper than my LCD panel, but it has other advantages including a lower electric bill and the ability to carry it myself when needed and to mount it to the wall in my Bedroom in a few years. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/103 "2007-02-02T17:46:43Z")
Questions for knowledgeable people here. I notice some of you enjoying DVDs… We have a Sony Vega rear projection LCD. It has a great picture (could use stronger blacks… still it’s good…), but only one HDMI connector, which we use for the cable box. We have a DVD player my daughter gave us for Christmas a few years back, and the DVDs don’t look that great. Certainly nothing like the HD channels. Question 1: Which of the alternate input systems should we use for the DVD player, composite or S-video? Question 2: Is the cheapness and age of the DVD player part of the reason the picture from them is not so great? If we replaced it, would the picture be noticeably better? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/104 "2007-02-02T18:13:05Z")
s-video (one cable with multiple pins) is better than composite (one pin yellow video cable) Component (3 video cables red-green-blue) is better than s-video. If your DVD player doesn’t have component, it is probably not designed to put out the best possible DVD resolution. DVD resolution is already not as good as HDTV resolution, so don’t expect it to compare even if you get a new player. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/105 "2007-02-02T18:14:03Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] [Here is one.](http://www.hometheatermag.com/crtdisplays/105toshiba/) My BIL has a 4:3 HDTV CRT. He is very happy with the Over the Air HD signals he gets from the NYC broadcast channels. Jim [/QUOTE] the crutchfiled specs on that say its a 16:9. it doesn’t look like a 4:3 ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/106 "2007-02-02T18:18:00Z")
[QUOTE=pizzabrat] What?! I have a CRT HDTV (16:9, though). It looks better than any other type of HDTV - in fact it’s the only HDTV that I find acceptable. All _current_ flat-panel technologies are a miserable downgrade from CRTs, with their washed out picture and their heavy artifacting, and there’s not much I have to say about rear-projection TVs. Yet, no one will believe me when I tell them that my cheap CRT behemoth shows a better picture than fancy new plasma’s and LCD’s, until I sit them down and show them. [/QUOTE] you’ll get no argument from me on the merits of a CRT picture but the size issues (screen and box) are a problem for me (the ass is too big and the face is too small). I have never heard foa 4:3 HDTV though and I am pretty sure’s Jim’s link is to a 16:9 set. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/107 "2007-02-02T18:23:04Z")
[cite](http://www.crutchfield.com/S-tEMvafEBrqh/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=148350&tab=features_and_specs&i=05234HF84#Tab) [QUOTE=whole bean] the crutchfiled specs on that say its a 16:9. it doesn’t look like a 4:3 [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/108 "2007-02-02T18:23:08Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] Component (3 video cables red-green-blue) is better than s-video. If your DVD player doesn’t have component, it is probably not designed to put out the best possible DVD resolution. [/QUOTE] D’oh! It does. I forgot about that one. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/109 "2007-02-02T18:45:01Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] [Here is one.](http://www.hometheatermag.com/crtdisplays/105toshiba/) My BIL has a 4:3 HDTV CRT. He is very happy with the Over the Air HD signals he gets from the NYC broadcast channels. [/QUOTE] Interesting! I was under the impression that the HD standard wasn’t compatible with CRT hardware. The only article I’ve read on the subject warned against CRT sets that are advertised as “HD-ready” but downgrade the signal to closer to SD. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/110 "2007-02-02T18:50:31Z")
[QUOTE=whole bean] the crutchfiled specs on that say its a 16:9. it doesn’t look like a 4:3 [/QUOTE] Crap. I linked the wrong one. Try this one for now: [http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Tantus-TXN2798HF-HD-Ready-DynaFlat/dp/B000093IRZ/sr=1-7/qid=1170441703/ref=sr\_1\_7/103-5037878-5171011?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video](http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Tantus-TXN2798HF-HD-Ready-DynaFlat/dp/B000093IRZ/sr=1-7/qid=1170441703/ref=sr_1_7/103-5037878-5171011?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video) > [@](#): > > With stylish looks honed to match its pristine images, Samsung’s 27-inch TXN2798HF DynaFlat high-definition-ready TV offers \*\*full 1080i or 480p \*\* input capability (HDTV/EDTV) for use with a DTV set-top box or a progressive-scan DVD player. The set’s standard, \*\*4:3-aspect ratio \*\* DynaFlat HD screen uses an anti-distortion/anti-glare picture tube to maintain high contrast and image integrity. (Flat screens also just look cool.) The onboard Pro Chip Plus NTSC-to-480-progressive-scan system converts all incoming analog sources–like VCR, cable, or non-progressive DVD–to a 480p display, eliminating conventional TV scan lines for a “flicker free” picture. **Autumn Almanac** : to the best of my knowledge the old fashioned offset grid style TV tubes were not compatible to HD. The newer HD tubes are more like a Computer CRT/Monitor. Jim ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/111 "2007-02-02T19:00:18Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Crap. I linked the wrong one. Try this one for now: [http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Tantus-TXN2798HF-HD-Ready-DynaFlat/dp/B000093IRZ/sr=1-7/qid=1170441703/ref=sr\_1\_7/103-5037878-5171011?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video](http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Tantus-TXN2798HF-HD-Ready-DynaFlat/dp/B000093IRZ/sr=1-7/qid=1170441703/ref=sr_1_7/103-5037878-5171011?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video) **Autumn Almanac** : to the best of my knowledge the old fashioned offset grid style TV tubes were not compatible to HD. The newer HD tubes are more like a Computer CRT/Monitor. Jim [/QUOTE] huh, what do you know? what does it do with the rest of the picture? crop it? stretch it up? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280/112 "2007-02-02T21:24:29Z")
[QUOTE=whole bean] huh, what do you know? what does it do with the rest of the picture? crop it? stretch it up? [/QUOTE] 4:3 HDTV sets display 16:9 programming by either cropping the sides, displaying it in a letterbox format, or compressing it vertically to fill the screen. The 'rents hate watching letterboxed shows, and I don’t want to see them watch a squished screen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-people-and-hdtvs/390280.md?page=5)