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-   -   Questions about HD Ready vs. Built-in HDTVs (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-home-theater-gear/446507-questions-about-hd-ready-vs-built-hdtvs.html)

iggystar 11-24-05 05:54 PM

Questions about HD Ready vs. Built-in HDTVs
 
What is the difference? Anytime I see a TV is HD Ready that instantly scares me but I really dont know what the difference is. Here are my questions.

1) In terms of picture quality and overall value of the TV what is the difference.

2) I think I read that if you have digital cable it doesnt matter as you can get an equal or better HD signal from it. Is this true?

3)Would I need to make an additonal purchase like a tuner to make it work.

4) What about while playing video games (XBOX 360), would HD-Ready be inferior to built in terms of picture quality and over quality?

5) Lastly, in terms of CRTs looking the best when professionally calibrated, is this also the case with HD Ready TVs?

Thanks in advance

mzupeman2 11-24-05 06:11 PM

Well, HD ready means the HD digital tuner isn't built right inside of the TV, but your TV can recieve HDTV from other sources, such as a digital cable box from Timewarner Cable that recieves HD signals for example.

So really you don't have to have a TV with the digital tuner that accepts HD right inside the TV. But it will be an eventuality because the FCC I believe are pushing within a couple of years to make every TV have the tuner built right inside.

So, HD ready is still going to give you HD pictures as long as you have some kind of antenna or box or something that you use with your TV. So, you CAN buy tuners but if you have satellite or digital cable you should be fine. I personally just opted to have the HD tuner built right into my TV just for the hell of it. You never know if I may ever change services and need it.

Quality shouldnt' differ to my knowledge. HD images are HD. But I could be wrong but it's easy to google these answers.

Also, about having your TV professionally calibrated, you CAN have it professionally calibrated, but in my opinion it's not worth your money. If you're talking about a bulky HDTV that's a tube TV which are usually what, 32 or 34 inches and less? Then you won't need to calibrate any more than your normal settings. But if you get something like CRT or LCD... calibrating is usually suggested for bringing out the best performance, since most TV's out of the factory are pushing colors to look more vibrant instead of natural, and the contrast is just horrible. But, really all you need to do is set your Iris nice and low to produce the best black possible, and then adjust your picture and brightness and color accordingly. There are even calibration DVD's out there you can use as a great tool to get your picture to look great, you can get DVD Essentials for about 20-25 bucks, or you can get the Avia set for about 40-45. But you can easily just use these simple steps as a reminder...

For your black levels, set your brightness down until most of the detail is gone, and then bring it back up until your blacks still look black but the darkness doesn't hinder any other details either. Then for your contrast/picture, turn it up all the way, then pull it back until you can see the minor details that may have been bleached out from the brightness. Then adjust your color and tint as you wish from there.

Again, callibration in some cases may make you see your TV as a whole new TV, but in MOST cases, it may only bring out a little bit of a change that you may not find to be worth your money. Most people will set up their own sets just by their eye, which is a good idea anyway because it's about personal preference. Again, the most I would spend, is the cost for a calibration DVD.


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