[LemonGrove]

Hi, this should just be a quick question - if my TV has an HDMI slot does that mean it is HD ready, or am I on the completely wrong lines? I understand about the need to have an HD source (Blu Ray, Sky HD etc), I just wanted to check about the HDMI slot.

Thanks!

[koantemplation]

Originally Posted by LemonGrove

Hi, this should just be a quick question - if my TV has an HDMI slot does that mean it is HD ready, or am I on the completely wrong lines? I understand about the need to have an HD source (Blu Ray, Sky HD etc), I just wanted to check about the HDMI slot.

Thanks!

It would be good if you could tell us what make and model the TV is?

It could be HD Ready or Full HD which both mean different things.

[LemonGrove]

Originally Posted by koantemplation

It would be good if you could tell us what make and model the TV is?

It could be HD Ready or Full HD which both mean different things.

It's a 19" UMC LCD TV with built-in Freeview, but the only model number I can seem to find is a huge mix of numbers and letters which I'll copy down if it's of any use?

[Alex_kingsley]

At 19", the screen isn't really big enough for it to matter whether it is HD, HD ready or no.

[LemonGrove]

Originally Posted by Alex_kingsley

At 19", the screen isn't really big enough for it to matter whether it is HD, HD ready or no.

Can it still actually be HD at that size though?

[cressida100]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread but I have a similar question and I think I might get shouted out if I start a new thread

I just bought this TV

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/t32-w-series/kdl-32w5500?campaignId=12003038&s_kwcid=sony%20kdl%2032w5500|4597451621#pageType=ProductBenefits

I have a virgin hdtv box which I have now set to HD tv. Do I also have to use a HD lead? Sorry to sound such an idiot. I was told in the sony shop that I needed to have a spec ial virgin hd box but after phoning them they said I don't need anything different? Any help appreciated. Hope the link to the TV works.

[Jarrak]

Originally Posted by LemonGrove

Can it still actually be HD at that size though?

Of course, PC monitors were offered in HD resolutions long before the domestic TV market joined the party.
Obviously the viewing distance is going to determine how much you get out of a HD source on the size of display

[Jarrak]

Originally Posted by cressida100

I have a virgin hdtv box which I have now set to HD tv. Do I also have to use a HD lead? Sorry to sound such an idiot. I was told in the sony shop that I needed to have a spec ial virgin hd box but after phoning them they said I don't need anything different? Any help appreciated. Hope the link to the TV works.

Yes you will need to use a connecting cable between the V+ and the TV that handles HD signals, HDMI is the obvious one but DVI in some cases can work and of course component if viable.

Scarts, RF and S-video are SD only but if you are tuned into a HD channel the resulting picture should still be better over scart compared to the SD version of the channel. However if you own a HD telly and HD box then watch HD in HD

[koantemplation]

Originally Posted by LemonGrove

It's a 19" UMC LCD TV with built-in Freeview, but the only model number I can seem to find is a huge mix of numbers and letters which I'll copy down if it's of any use?

It sounds like a HD Ready TV. It means it will display a HD video but not at Full HD resolutions.

[cressida100]

Originally Posted by Jarrak

Yes you will need to use a connecting cable between the V+ and the TV that handles HD signals, HDMI is the obvious one but DVI in some cases can work and of course component if viable.

Scarts, RF and S-video are SD only but if you are tuned into a HD channel the resulting picture should still be better over scart compared to the SD version of the channel. However if you own a HD telly and HD box then watch HD in HD

Hello thanks for the reply. Sorry more questions! The HD cable I have is one my son bought for his ps3. I can see where it fits in the TV and V+ box so do I use it with the scart leads or do I remove the scart and use that instead? Thanks again.

[figrin_dan]

Originally Posted by koantemplation

It could be HD Ready or Full HD which both mean different things.

No they don't; that's like saying a car and a vehicle are two different things.

[webbie]

Yes they do - HD ready means a resolution of 720 lines or more, Full HD is 1080 lines.

[Jarrak]

Originally Posted by cressida100

I can see where it fits in the TV and V+ box so do I use it with the scart leads or do I remove the scart and use that instead? Thanks again.

You can leave the scart in place but you'll need to set up the TV to auto switch to the HDMI input (if it can, not all of them do). For most but perhaps not all content you should see a very definite improvement in PQ when watching HD, you may also see some benefit when watching SD upscaled by the V+ or the TV itself.

[webbie]

At 19" it is probably HD ready. Surprised it doesn't say so on the tv or instructions. The resolution should be in the spec somewhere.

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by webbie

Yes they do - HD ready means a resolution of 720 lines or more, Full HD is 1080 lines.

Well a full HD TV is also an HD ready TV so if someone has an HD ready TV it may or may not have 1080 lines. (Usually not because people tend to emphasise the "full HD 1080p" bit even though a 1080 line TV is not always better than a 768 line TV).

[cressida100]

Originally Posted by Jarrak

You can leave the scart in place but you'll need to set up the TV to auto switch to the HDMI input (if it can, not all of them do). For most but perhaps not all content you should see a very definite improvement in PQ when watching HD, you may also see some benefit when watching SD upscaled by the V+ or the TV itself.

Thanks for this. I have now set it all up. It was quite user friendly but what is happening is the the HD programmes are full screen and the other programmes and tv guide are just taking up small area of screen.

I have gone into screen mode, graphics, sports, cinema etc. and no matter what I press this does not change. Any advice please?

[Jarrak]

Originally Posted by cressida100

Thanks for this. I have now set it all up. It was quite user friendly but what is happening is the the HD programmes are full screen and the other programmes and tv guide are just taking up small area of screen.

I have gone into screen mode, graphics, sports, cinema etc. and no matter what I press this does not change. Any advice please?

I don't know enough about the setup of VM hardware (try the cable forum) but it sounds like the TV aspect ratio settings and V box setup are conflicting.

Worth noting that if set up correctly you will see a lot of 4:3 ration content (black panels on the left and right) as well as for cinema scope (2.35:1 ratio) movies black bars at the top and bottom.

[cressida100]

Originally Posted by Jarrak

I don't know enough about the setup of VM hardware (try the cable forum) but it sounds like the TV aspect ratio settings and V box setup are conflicting.

Worth noting that if set up correctly you will see a lot of 4:3 ration content (black panels on the left and right) as well as for cinema scope (2.35:1 ratio) movies black bars at the top and bottom.

Not sure why but the problem seems to have righted itself. The TV guide is still smaller than usual but the screen size fits the whole screen. Thanks again for all your help. I love this forum

[pocatello]

Originally Posted by LemonGrove

Can it still actually be HD at that size though?

Sure it can, lcds on laptops are even smaller and offer full 1080p at times.
But,...its a cheap lcd tv, built for bottom barrel prices and tight fisted people So its resolution is at best 720p. Its such a small tv it hardly matters. You'd have to literally have it on your desk like a monitor to see the difference, and even then it would be inferior to a real 1080p screen since you are so close that pixel grain would matter. A 19" monitor running windows at 720p would look like low resolution garbage...because it is!
Its like worrying how a dvd would look on your old 13" crt. It doesn't matter, its simply compromised.

[figrin_dan]

Originally Posted by webbie

Yes they do - HD ready means a resolution of 720 lines or more, Full HD is 1080 lines.

No it doesn't. In what language does the word "Ready" mean "at a different resolution"?

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by figrin_dan

No it doesn't. In what language does the word "Ready" mean "at a different resolution"?

HD-READY is a defined standard for a display specifying minimum standards (EICTA Europe wide).

Basically it says a display must be capable of displaying either a source signal of 720P or 1080i and must have a minimum vertical resolution of 720 lines.

It also must have a digital video input equipped with hdcp either DVI or HDMI.

It follows then that a 1920 x 1080 full HD display is also HD-Ready as it exceeds the mimimum required specification.

A TV is neither 720P or 1080i (most HD-Ready displays have a vertical resolution of 768 lines). 720P and 1080i are broadcast signal TV standards not a display spec.