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HD/Digital Home Entertainment |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 5
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HD/Digital Home Entertainment
I have asked these questions so many times in so many places that I have lost track, but I keep getting different answers each time. Can anyone help please. I want to buy a new television in preparation for the digital switchover. I would also like to but one that is HD ready. My questions are
1. Will I need a new aerial[mine is over seven years old]? 2. Will I be able to receive any HD programmes that are being transmitted now? 3. Will I need a freeview box in order to do this? 4. Or sky [which I don't want]? 5. Or do some digital sets have freeview built in? 6. If it has an automatic tuner will the set automatically tune into a digital DVD recorder/VHS player Combi as well as the channels? |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
Posts: 18,075
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1) Unknown but the older the aerial the more likely it is not to be wideband and suitable for picking up all 6 DTT muxes.
2) A HD Ready telly can not pick up any of the current HD broadcasts by itself. It's unlikely to be able to pick up any future HD broadcasts on DTT. 3) If HD comes to DTT you will need a suitable STB, that may be called a HD Freeview box but too early to predict. 4) Freesat is aimed at being the Freeview service for digital satellite and should offer HD hardware and HD channels for the one off cost of buying the system and installation when it launches sometime this year. 5) We are near the point where every HD Ready TV has an internal DTT tuner, it's hard to find one that doesn't. 6) You would connect an external box via Scart or other AV channel, there would not be a need for the internal DTT tuner to be tuned in as such. Just remember that unless you really want to get a new TV then there is no reason to get rid of your current one, you just need an external digital box (Freeview, SKY, Freesat or VM) and you are in business. |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 123
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Quote:
I have asked these questions so many times in so many places that I have lost track, but I keep getting different answers each time. Can anyone help please. I want to buy a new television in preparation for the digital switchover. I would also like to but one that is HD ready. My questions are
1. Will I need a new aerial[mine is over seven years old]? 2. Will I be able to receive any HD programmes that are being transmitted now? 3. Will I need a freeview box in order to do this? 4. Or sky [which I don't want]? 5. Or do some digital sets have freeview built in? 6. If it has an automatic tuner will the set automatically tune into a digital DVD recorder/VHS player Combi as well as the channels? 1. Depends on your freeview reception in your area. 2. Yes and no. Yes on satellite via either a Sky HD box (subscription required) or another HD box, eg Fortec Passion, but this will only open BBC HD from Astra 2 or other European free to air services via a fixed or motorised dish. There are no HD channels on Freeview at the moment. 4. See above 5. Yes, most new TV sets have freeview built in. 6. Not sure what you mean here, I assume you mean will the TV tune to the RF channel that a VCR or DVD recorder outputs?, that depends if these have a modulator built in. I hope that helps.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 5
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Many thanks for the rapid reply. Sorry to seem thick but what is DTT and STB. I do want to change my set. In oarticular I would like to receive HD television, as I have just returned from a holiday in New Zealand where we saw so much of it, and it was wonderful.
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Herts
Posts: 17,006
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1) Probably not if you are already receiving a decent signal and the transmitter is one of those currently broacasting DTT - you can put your postcode in the Wolfbane site to get a digital reception prediction.
2) There are no HD channels on digital terrestrial at the moment. You would need an external HD capable set-top box or PVR if there was. 3) The only current HD channels available at the moment are on Sat or Cable. 4) You can get the free-to-air HD channels on Satellite without a Sky subscription as long as the Sat box is HD capable. 5) An IDTV will have a Digital Tuner built in to receive Freeview however it will only be capable of receiving SD broadcasts not HD. 6) You just change inputs via the remote to switch to any external source connected ie DVD Recorder, VHS Player, PVR, Sat. or Cable Box. They would be connected by a Scart or HDMI cable on a modern TV and not through a RF (aerial) connection so will not require tuning in. |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ilkeston
Posts: 18,075
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Quote:
Many thanks for the rapid reply. Sorry to seem thick but what is DTT and STB. I do want to change my set. In oarticular I would like to receive HD television, as I have just returned from a holiday in New Zealand where we saw so much of it, and it was wonderful.
DTT = Digital Terrestrial Television STB = Set Top Box If you want to watch HD broadcasts then it's satellite and if you don't want PAY telly then you can buy a SKY HD box (from someone other than SKY) and freesatfromsky Smartcard and watch BBCHD and CH4HD right now. VM (Cable) offer HD but if you don't live in their area then they are irrelevant. If you can wait a while then Freesat could be a viable alternative when it launches. |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,718
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Quote:
Many thanks for the rapid reply. Sorry to seem thick but what is DTT and STB. I do want to change my set. In oarticular I would like to receive HD television, as I have just returned from a holiday in New Zealand where we saw so much of it, and it was wonderful.
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 5
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I don't know what HD we were watching in NZ. We saw it in the places we were staying and were told that it was HD. Then we saw it on the way home at Changi Airport, when it was labeled HD.
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 5
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I have recently purchased a 50inch plasma HDTV and I want to add a surround sound system. I understand that it will have to be connected via my HDDVD recorder. How can I be sure that the one I buy will be compatible? I have been looking at Acoustic Solutions AS135 from Argos and also Acoustic Solutions DS534 also from Argos. Are these systems wire less and will they work with my equipment. How can I tell before buying?
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Cornwall, UK
Posts: 2,014
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You really should be thinking about spending a lot more on a sound system. A cheapo Argos setup is possibly better than the TV speakers, but you can do so much better. I'd recommend spending as much on the sound setup as you do on the TV and other electronics. A good sound system will last you for many years, seeing off several TV and DVD upgrades.
If you can't afford to buy a decent system, how about connecting your TV to your existing stereo system? Good stereo will sound better than rubbish 5.1/surround sound. If you haven't got a stereo, buy something secondhand out of your local paper. £50 should get you something old but good - stereo amp and speakers. Once you can afford to spend £300+, go to your local Richer Sounds shop and ask about Yamaha or Onkyo A/V amps and suitable speakers - miles better than anything from Argos. If you can afford £1000+, go to a specialist A/V or HiFi shop. The bigger your budget, the better the sound. As for what connections you need, any proper audio shop (from Richer Sounds upwards) will be able to help if you tell them what equipment you've got. Argos, Currys, etc. won't have a clue, unless you are very lucky with the salesman. |
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