BenCJedi

I find this article very disturbing:

Feature Article - The Digital Link: Understanding the Digital Home Video Controversy on Commercial Content (Copy) Protection - February, 2002

Read the section called Implications for Consumers

So if you don't have a compatible DVI port on the back of your TV, you won't be able to receive future HDTV programming (in full 1080 resolution). Nice huh?

joshd2012

Can anyone state another source to verify this is true? If this is true, can someone post a list of TVs which comply with the new standard (10% chance right?).

Master J

I saw this coming all along. HDTV is supposedly 4 years away from becoming our country's standard yet they have still not settled on connection and even display formats. This was the major driving force behind me purchaising a 4x3 set instead of a more expensive 16x9 set right now.

Plus, by the time a standard is formalized, the prices should be much lower and there will be more selection. If this comes to fruition, it sucks for the early adopters who get screwed as usual.

J

dgc

Yes, this is true. There are many threads discussing this over at www.hometheaterspot.com.

It's become a real hot topic since Sony recently announced that there new line-up of HD-Ready TVs will support the DVI standard for High Definition Copyright Protection (HDCP). More manufacturers and Content providers will follow especially those that own interests in providing content.

I believe Direct TV is already backing DVI.

Movie_Man

This has been debated endlessly for quite some time. My opinion is that I find it difficult to believe that the people who have been trying to get HDTV off the ground will instantly obsolete their entire.
I know that Mitsubishi has been promising that their TVs will be upgradeable to whatever to decided standard is, though when that time comes it may be more economical to just replace the TV. That kinda sucks considering I paid about $3400 only 18 months ago.

joshd2012

Yeah, we'll soon see if Mitsubishi will keep there promise. I used this gaurentee in the recommendations I give. Sucks for everyone who has purchased a TV based on it being HDTV or HDTV ready. The manufactures should offer a upgrade offer and use the parts they get back from the old TVs to build new ones.

bmello

Exactly, this is nothing new. You can purchase a relatively inexpensive set now and start enjoying the HD offerings or keep waiting and waiting and ....... If your area doesn't offer Digital Local Channels, I would definitely hold tight for a little while. CBS and ABC is kickin' it every week. Especially the Movie offerings from ABC (Bond, Indiana Jones, Disney.....)

Xytraguptorh

What's insane is that most sets being sold and manufactured at this very moment still have only analog inputs. And both Toshiba and Pioneer Elite still have no concrete plans to add digital inputs to their expensive HDTVs. So even if you wait until this fall to buy an HDTV, it still won't necessarily have digital inputs.

I really, really hope that if HDTV content is downrezzed for current HDTV owners that there will be a huge controversy with lawsuits. This has been discussed endlessly for about the last six months, and I still have no idea what the final outcome is going to be. In the meantime, I can enjoy 480p DVDs and a grand total of two HD channels: HBO HD and Showtime HD (Dish won't let me have CBS HD, and I can't pick up OTA yet in my area). So at this point, I think buying an HD set is only worth it if you're a DVD fanatic--which I am, so I'm still not regretting my purchase of a 65" Toshiba last August.

raven56706

I AM VERY PISSED RIGHT NOW TO HEAR THAT NOW MY TOSHIBA 34HF81 IS NOW A PIECE OF GARBAGE . CAN SOMEONE TELL ME IF THERE IS ANY HOPE FOR MY TV OR SHOULD I NOT EVEN THINK OF BUYING A RECEIVER FOR THIS TV.


IS ANYONE TAKING ACTION TO THIS? PLEASE TELL ME SOMEONE IS?


Well i am just trying to find out if someone is planning to fight any legal battles against this because this is ridiculous. I worked hard to get that tv and now they tell me something new is coming out in the Fall of 2002. I mean come on now. To make matters worse, then our tv is the degraded. Please.


Somewhere someone has to draw the line. Consumers saw the "about time "jump in HDTV sales this past year.Everyone was buying it. From receivers to tvs. For heavens sake, this very post mainly talked about HDTV and what our regular receivers are like. Now mostly everyone that posts here will not see the light of day for hdtv because most of their equipment will be just a box that doesnt give true hdtv.

So now someone please tell me if there is hope for my TV? The toshiba "hdtv supposedly now??" 34hf81.

Eric F

I suggest everyone just chill a bit here.

Most likely the new firewire standards will only apply to satellite, not OTA broadcasts, so anyone with an HDTV is just fine and dandy.

Like others have mentioned, the outcry from the relatively small (300,000+) HDTV viewers would be loud if they disabled all but 480p output to all "obsolete" tuners, and I think this would be the final nail in the coffin.

But, on the otherhand, many broadcasters would be more than happy with 4 480p stations than 1 hi-definition one anyways. Hence FOX only supporting 480p. What a mess.

Xytraguptorh

From visiting hometheaterspot, I've learned that the new DISH HD receivers will still have analog outputs in addition to the new digital ones, and that for the time being they won't be downrezzed. From what I read, Dish Network won't actually even be capable of downrezzing the signal, however DirecTV boxes will have that capability. As far the new HD-VCRs, they will output the signal through only the analog components, but you will need a digital output from your STB or satellite receiver in order to record. Pre-recorded tapes, of course, will work just fine through the analog outputs. So maybe everything isn't quite as bleak as it may seem. Then again, it may be, who knows... I wouldn't be surprised if the digital outputs end up mainly just being a matter of convenience for hooking players and receivers to HDTVs. Analog outputs will still be an option. At least I hope that's the case. Anyway, the information was from a guy who spent a lot of time at CES.

ivelostr2

i have a question, it may be dumb because I don't know that much about hdtv. I live in the sticks, and arent affered digital cable or hdtv, but does this mean that the tvs with only analog connections will be really cheap in the near future, and HDTV's also make dvds look better right. So it would be advantages to us who have no hope of getting hdtv from the cable companies in the near future, might want to pick one of these up cheap to watch dvd's on?

Just wondering...

Danny_boy

To Eric F about multicasting like what FOX keeps talking about, I think it will fail. We are already over-saturated with viewing choices from cable and satellite companies. And based on the fact that the entire commercial television industry is supported by advertising, multicasting will only serve to fragment the viewing population more than it already is, thus delivering fewer potential customers to advertisers. I work for a PBS station that is currently multicasting on its digital channel. In order to actually do it, you have to compress the hell out of the signal. It looks really bad. We give more bandwidth to the main channel (a pass-through of PBS's HD sampler loop), but even that one shows a lot of artifacting.

Geofferson

I currently own a Mitsu 55" HD set and am not going to get worked up over this. We (as HD consumers) have heard so much crap over the past few years, that no one knows what to believe anymore.

I do know that if all the current sets become obsolete, there will be an outcry.

Danny_boy

An article for people to read:

http://www.angelfire.com/realm/keith...CPAttacks.html

joshd2012

I am in the exact situation. Fortuanately, Mitsubishi has made a promise that their TVs will be upgradable to HDTV no matter what. Now, whether or not they will hold true to their promise is another issue.

Sn0

We will engineer and manufacture the upgrades necessary so the television you purchase today can be made compatible with near-future advances in digital television and digital interconnectivity. Specifically, we promise that you will be able to have your television upgraded, at a reasonable cost, to include an off-air HDTV tuner, a cable TV tuner (for unscrambled programming), an IEEE 1394 (FireWireŽ) connection, HAVi system control, and 5C copy protection.


That is the official stance for Mitsu right now. I hope they will cave on the DVI issue so my TV does not become obsolete but, as far as they are saying now they will not support DVI and they did not say that in the promise.

JerryT

This of course, is the kicker. Who is going to decide what is a reasonable cost?

chanster

That promise looks pretty week in my estimation. There is also the idea of "near-future" What the heck is that? If you bought your TV six months ago, near future could be expiring now.

Sounds like a bad Ciruit City/Best Buy sales description.

Right now, I wouldn't freak out, but this is the danger of not waiting for HDTV to become mainstream. You could be stuck with technology that just doesn't fit the bill.

I never believed in the whole chicken and egg argument - "programming" vs. "hardware." Simply put, I wasn't going to spend money on an HDTV until standards were set by all of the major networks and the tv manafacturers.

CRyan

I talked to a Mits. CSR regarding their promise. Here is what I was basically told.

You will note that the promise states that you will be able to have your TV upgraded to include an HD tuner. Mits. sets will in fact be able to decode OTA and cable HD signals. You may not be able to use a set-top-box with the set using DVI, but you will be able to receive true HD with an onboard tuner of some sort.


C. Ryan

joshd2012

Does this mean we would have to send out TVs to Mits and have them upgrade the insides? I realize this would cost money, but I dont' feel like lifting that 300lb monster and driving it to my local Mits dealer. What exactly does that mean?

CRyan

I would assume this means a local certified tech coming out to service the set. There would be no other way of doing it.


C. Ryan