How good is HDTV channels for sports?
03-04-06, 11:58 PM
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How good is HDTV channels for sports?
I just caved in and finally ordered Direct TV HDTV. Now the TV I have was bought a couple years ago and at that time was highly reccomended as a good Panasonic 47" HDTV (I beleive now you would call it a CRT HDTV??) Anyway Component DVDs look very good on it.
I was going to wait until I got a sony SXRD but I don't have the money for 1 right now. The TV I have only has 2 component connections (no HDMI or anything like that) so I'm gonna have to have the DVD, XBOX 360, and HDTV share time between the 2 connections. But I decided I just had to see what HDTV is like. I want to watch some baseball games this year in HDTV.
My question is to people who do have HDTV, how good is it going to look on my TV compared to what I'm used to? Hype me up on this, did I make the right descision in not waiting and just going for it now, with my current TV?
I was going to wait until I got a sony SXRD but I don't have the money for 1 right now. The TV I have only has 2 component connections (no HDMI or anything like that) so I'm gonna have to have the DVD, XBOX 360, and HDTV share time between the 2 connections. But I decided I just had to see what HDTV is like. I want to watch some baseball games this year in HDTV.
My question is to people who do have HDTV, how good is it going to look on my TV compared to what I'm used to? Hype me up on this, did I make the right descision in not waiting and just going for it now, with my current TV?
03-05-06, 12:06 AM
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Sports is probably the biggest difference and biggest reason to get HD. I found most regular TV shows and movies to be marginally better in HD, but sports are a huge difference.
03-05-06, 12:37 AM
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Why have a special channel that has "HD" at the end and not be "HD"?
How about the National Geographic "HD". .
I'm mainly getting this for Cubs games. All home games on WGN here are broadcast in HD. I view the other channels as a bonus. So which channel should I immediately turn it to for some HD sports? I know all local channels should be in HD.
How about the National Geographic "HD". .
I'm mainly getting this for Cubs games. All home games on WGN here are broadcast in HD. I view the other channels as a bonus. So which channel should I immediately turn it to for some HD sports? I know all local channels should be in HD.
03-05-06, 05:23 AM
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ESPN is the most obvious choice, but as noted sometimes they do switch to SD. Most of the networks do too, by the way. Not all local programming is in HD nor will it ever "have" to be.
Sports look awesome in HD, baseball in particular. Like being there almost except the beer and dogs aren't a rip-off.
Sports look awesome in HD, baseball in particular. Like being there almost except the beer and dogs aren't a rip-off.
03-05-06, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
Sports look awesome in HD, baseball in particular. Like being there almost except the beer and dogs aren't a rip-off.
03-05-06, 08:32 AM
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Sports on HD are fantastic. Baseball is great, but football and hoops (as well as golf) actually benefit even more with HDTV than baseball IMHO. The widescreen aspect is a huge help in hoops and football as the camera pans horizontally most of the game. Baseball is different, though the increase in pixels are the main benefit there. Most stuff on ESPNHD will be HD and any BIG EVENT certainly will be. ABC/ESPN/Disney still simply doesn't have enough national trucks to carry everything everywhere in HD. But they add HD trucks whenever possible and it definitley gets better month by month.
Also check out Mark Cuban's channels HDNET and HDNET movies. Movies always widescreen, always OAR and some great movie choices. Great stuff.
You'll love the whole package. Also, how about a receiver with 2 component inputs/1 output. You need a receiver for the whole 5.1 surround sound available with your Cubs games anyway. You hook the dvd player and HDTV box into the receiver (then one component from the receiver to the TV), then run your XBOX 360 component straight to the TV. Everything ready to go. I love XBOX 360 with the upgraded HD graphics on Halo 2. Can't get enough of that.
Also check out Mark Cuban's channels HDNET and HDNET movies. Movies always widescreen, always OAR and some great movie choices. Great stuff.
You'll love the whole package. Also, how about a receiver with 2 component inputs/1 output. You need a receiver for the whole 5.1 surround sound available with your Cubs games anyway. You hook the dvd player and HDTV box into the receiver (then one component from the receiver to the TV), then run your XBOX 360 component straight to the TV. Everything ready to go. I love XBOX 360 with the upgraded HD graphics on Halo 2. Can't get enough of that.
03-05-06, 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by darkside
Sports is probably the biggest difference and biggest reason to get HD.
I agree.
Plus since you have DirecTV, you get ESPN2HD which gives you a lot more HD sports than most of us.
03-05-06, 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
ESPN is the most obvious choice, but as noted sometimes they do switch to SD. Most of the networks do too, by the way. Not all local programming is in HD nor will it ever "have" to be.
Sports look awesome in HD, baseball in particular. Like being there almost except the beer and dogs aren't a rip-off.
Sports look awesome in HD, baseball in particular. Like being there almost except the beer and dogs aren't a rip-off.
03-05-06, 11:23 AM
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I do have to agree; basketball and hockey benefit greatly from HD due to the layout of the game and the left-right panning. I am a so-so hockey fan and not a basketball fan though so my baseball comment was more an affirmation of quality of baseball than a condemnation of basketball.
03-05-06, 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Red Dog
I agree.
Plus since you have DirecTV, you get ESPN2HD which gives you a lot more HD sports than most of us.
Plus since you have DirecTV, you get ESPN2HD which gives you a lot more HD sports than most of us.
Oh yea Sports is freaking AWESOME in HD. That is the sole reason I got my Tosh. 51H84. Love every second of it. You will too. I guarantee it.
03-05-06, 06:34 PM
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Sports is IMHO the single best reason to buy HDTV. I mean, tv is nice, but the difference is not as big as it is with sports where seeing lines and numbers and small details make a big difference. Don't get me wrong, it is nice having HBO HD since the Sopranos are getting ready to start.
03-05-06, 10:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Teremei
Why have a special channel that has "HD" at the end and not be "HD"?
How about the National Geographic "HD". .
I'm mainly getting this for Cubs games. All home games on WGN here are broadcast in HD. I view the other channels as a bonus.
[QUOTE]So which channel should I immediately turn it to for some HD sports?
Outside of ESPN and ESPN2's HD channels, there really won't be much available for sports on DirecTV. NBA on TNT is the only other thing that I can think of.
I know all local channels should be in HD.
I'll say this - when you get it hooked up, if you're saying "is this HD or not?" or "this isn't as good as I expected...", then the show you're watching probably isn't HD (or you have something set up wrong). If it's HD, you'll KNOW it's HD!
You won't be disappointed - enjoy!
03-06-06, 05:18 AM
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Originally Posted by johnglad
Sports on HD are fantastic. Baseball is great, but football and hoops (as well as golf) actually benefit even more with HDTV than baseball IMHO. The widescreen aspect is a huge help in hoops and football as the camera pans horizontally most of the game. Baseball is different, though the increase in pixels are the main benefit there. Most stuff on ESPNHD will be HD and any BIG EVENT certainly will be. ABC/ESPN/Disney still simply doesn't have enough national trucks to carry everything everywhere in HD. But they add HD trucks whenever possible and it definitley gets better month by month.
Also check out Mark Cuban's channels HDNET and HDNET movies. Movies always widescreen, always OAR and some great movie choices. Great stuff.
You'll love the whole package. Also, how about a receiver with 2 component inputs/1 output. You need a receiver for the whole 5.1 surround sound available with your Cubs games anyway. You hook the dvd player and HDTV box into the receiver (then one component from the receiver to the TV), then run your XBOX 360 component straight to the TV. Everything ready to go. I love XBOX 360 with the upgraded HD graphics on Halo 2. Can't get enough of that.
Also check out Mark Cuban's channels HDNET and HDNET movies. Movies always widescreen, always OAR and some great movie choices. Great stuff.
You'll love the whole package. Also, how about a receiver with 2 component inputs/1 output. You need a receiver for the whole 5.1 surround sound available with your Cubs games anyway. You hook the dvd player and HDTV box into the receiver (then one component from the receiver to the TV), then run your XBOX 360 component straight to the TV. Everything ready to go. I love XBOX 360 with the upgraded HD graphics on Halo 2. Can't get enough of that.
03-06-06, 05:20 AM
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Originally Posted by shelland
They may be broadcast in HD, but does DirecTV pick them up? They might - I have no idea since I'm not in Chicago. For example, FSN broadcasts some Wolves/Wild/Twins games in HD, but they don't have a full-time HD channel that they broadcast on. DirecTV picks up a few of them on their "special broadcast" channels, but not all of them by any means.
Just by getting the channel, and having an HD satellite and box, shouldn't that auomatically mean I'm watching it in HD?
03-06-06, 06:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
You sort of answered your own question; home games will be in HD, but road games may not be, depending on the facilities where the te away game is being played.
Oh and earlier, I meant DiscoveryHD. What does HDnet show mostly? I'm really looking foward to the nature programs broadcast in either DiscoveryHD OR HDnet.
Last edited by Teremei; 03-06-06 at 06:03 AM.
03-06-06, 10:22 AM
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Originally Posted by darkside
Sports is probably the biggest difference and biggest reason to get HD. I found most regular TV shows and movies to be marginally better in HD, but sports are a huge difference.
But if I were to do the same thing with a good quality DVD and compare it to the HD version on a premium movie channel or OTA then the difference is much more subtle (despite what the resolution is). I only mention that in hopes that HD-DVD and BluRay look much better for HD movies than what I've seen so far. Otherwise, I don't know if most will feel it's worth the upgrade.
But for watching HD video like NFL broadcasts, the difference is amazing.
03-06-06, 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Teremei
What do you mean by "pick them up?" I get WGN locally in SD through DirectTV and they say "this game is being broadcast in HD during every home game". .
Just by getting the channel, and having an HD satellite and box, shouldn't that auomatically mean I'm watching it in HD?
Just by getting the channel, and having an HD satellite and box, shouldn't that auomatically mean I'm watching it in HD?
03-06-06, 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Spiky
No. Right now WGN-SD and WGN-HD are 2 different channels, and you need to have some access to both of them individually. DirecTV may have the HD version available at this time, not sure. You should also be able to receive it via antenna, which would be a better choice, anyway. All DirecTV HD boxes can receive from both antenna and satellite, although there are some restrictions.
But I don't think you understand. WGN broadcasts the certain games in HD. It is NOT a seperate channel. Infact when I watch it (regular ol WGN here) they say if you had HD you'd be enjoying the game in HD "right now!". They mention NOTHING at all about turning to a seperate channel. But anyway I'll find out for sure, soon enough. .
03-06-06, 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Teremei
But I don't think you understand.
03-06-06, 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by kantonburg
Hey RedDog does Cox not have ESPN2HD up there? I have it on my adelphia lineup. Then again I don't have TNT or NBC grrrr....
Oh yea Sports is freaking AWESOME in HD. That is the sole reason I got my Tosh. 51H84. Love every second of it. You will too. I guarantee it.
Oh yea Sports is freaking AWESOME in HD. That is the sole reason I got my Tosh. 51H84. Love every second of it. You will too. I guarantee it.