Hi-tech-tv.com: Television technology news & answers

Question: I just got a new HDTV and was planning on calling Directv to upgrade my standard programming to their HD one.

I know there have been guys post here in the past about the deals they got from upgrading to Directv’s HD package. So I was just curious if you guys can share what they offered you to swith to their HD programming. Plus what number did you guys call, Directv’s customer service line?

Finally, does anyone know what’s the model number of their latest HD-DVR system. Just wanted to make sure when I place the order, they don’t give me one of their older models. Thanks

Answer: I took the latest flyer they had and called the number on the back and asked for the deal with HD Plus for $49.99 a month, no fee per month for HD access ($9.99) and free DVR instead of the one-time $199 setup charge.

They told me it was for new subscribers only and I said that it was terrible to offer new subscribers better deals then ones for 12 year subscribers. We negotiated and I got HD access for one year free. A DVR unit for free. I didn’t get the $49.99 package cost - but kept the same cost I have now. I only had to pay $19.99 for installation.

Be nice and ask for what you can. You’ll have to push back a couple of times.

Question: Today, I am the happy owner of a Sony 40″ LCD HDTV. 1080p and 120htz. I’m just waiting for it to be delivered. Yea!!!

Anyway, I intend on purchasing some HDMI cable to hook up my cable box and Blue-ray player. I was hoping to do the same for my XBox360, but it seems my Xbox doesn’t have an HDMI output. Has anyone run into this issue, and what did they do to remedy it? I’m trying to figure out if I need to buy some kind of adapter, do I need to replace my XBox console or just live with the component cables I’ve got?

Any input would be much appreciated.

Answer: I think they sell an adapter. I have seen it in the Xbox section in Best Buy but I’m not sure who makes it.

Answer 2: I have the 40″ Sony Bravia and it’s fantastic. I play the XBox360 without HDMI cables. I use the red, yellow and white adaptor cables. It looks great but I hear with an HDMI it will be even better.

Answer 3: There is an xbox360 hdmi conversion kit. They sell a conversion kit for it.

Pioneer is getting out of the flat-panel display business by 2010 despite the excellent quality of their Kuro plasma TVs. Sales in HDTV have gone way down - Pioneer reported a net loss of 26.15 billion yen ($290.52 million), down from 1.69 billion yen ($18.76 million) the previous year.

Question: I just moved in an apartment with my fiance and I got cable installed Saturday for a Phillips 42in 1080p. The channels work fine but for some reason for the hd channels I have to manually change the width of the screen for me to have the whole screen HD. I had to do that with all the football games on Sunday. Isn’t it supposed to be automatic? This is my first Flat screen so I’m not sure…Do I need to buy another wire?

I set the settings for the actual tv for automatic but for the hd football games it came up widescreen and i had to manually expand the screen.

Answer 1: Yeah you can change the settings to automatic. You can call cablevision and they will talk you through it.

Answer 2: When setup is right, your digital cable box should read (left to right) 1080i, hdtv, auto. Time and channel should appear in a larger font below the info.

Answer 3: HDMI cables really help. What you need to do is adjust the box settings. Go into the box menu by hitting settings button on remote twice. Go to Video Input and change if from fixed to auto dvi/hdmi.

You also need to run the HD wizard on the box to set it up. To do this you turn the cable box off, and then hit the info and settings button on the box itself. The program will come up on your tv and just follow the on screen instructions.

I work for cable as a tech so this should have been done for you, but sometimes guys dont do shit the right way.

On a side note, it can also be your TV so make sure you have it on wide screen setting if avail. Also make sure you take your cable box of the stretch setting if its turned on by hitting the settings button on remote once and going to it.

I wonder what the better places to buy TV’s are. I heard BestBuy or Circuit City. Can you guys give me some advice?

Answer 1: I know its not LCD/Plasma but last month I bought a brand new LED DLP, and the best price by FAR was on Amazon.com (from them directly, not using them as a middle man). They were a good $500-$600 cheaper (plus no tax, free shipping) than best buy/PC Richards, and neither of them would come down.

I have also heard good things about The High Definition Store. They didn’t carry the model I wanted when I was shopping, but I see now that their price is closer to Amazon’s than anywhere else I looked. And I have heard very good things about their customer service.

Answer 2: I bought a new HDTV in April and got and very good deal online at Walmart. Try to “google” your model number & brand. You should get a lot of links to different prices.

Answer 3: I was going to buy online but read a few horror stories about return policies and issues with shipping, so I opted for Best Buy. However, I went in with a flier and told them they had to come close to the price or I’d order online and let them sell a service plan to someone else. They came within $50.00 of the price and then I just returned the expensive warrantee within 15 days after I made sure it was working and no issues with it. After I figured out shipping and taxes, I was about where I would’ve been ordering online without worrying about anything happening in shipping or having issues with returning it.
Not guaranteed, but if you’re persistant and a bit obnoxious with the hourlies, you may luck out.

Answer 4: I bought my Plasma from Amazon: Free shipping, no sales tax, and it was $400 cheaper than Best Buy. TV arrived 5 days before the estimated arrival date in excellent condition. I noticed that the price on Amazon was less for about a day (went right back up) and they refunded me the difference. That’s good for 30 days after your purchase, you just have to send them an email. My father just purchased his LCD TV from Amazon, too. I noticed that a few internet sites were a little cheaper, but they charged for shipping or had a shady (to me) return policy.

Answer 5: I bought my plasma at Sixth Avenue Electronics - they have multiple stores in NJ and one on LI. Better prices than Best Buy et al.

Answer 6: They have some great prices at BJ’s and Sam’s club. Anyone ever have any trouble with them? Costco adds 2 years on the warranty at no extra price.

Answer 7: I’d suggest Pricegrabber.com — It’s a list site, which links all retailers with their lowest prices for that particular model. It does your homework for you — you can’t beat that.
I recently bought a 40″ Samsung LCD 1080P for $1500 flat using that site. BestBuy, CircuitCity and Newegg couldn’t even come within $250 of the price I got.

So I’m going to buy my first HDTV this July 4th (when the sales begin). I already know what model and size TV I want but I have questions about other things:

1) I live in a cablevision home but I bought Direct TV for the YES Network/NFL pckage a few years back. What box offers better channels? How much does it cost to upgrade to an HD cable/direct box?

2) Besides the HDTV adaptor, what else do I need?

Answer 1: Direct TV is ~$10 more a month for HDTV. You also have to have a different type satellite installed, and also purchase a new convertor box (~$100.) You can get a HD/DVR Direct TV convertor box for ~$250. It’s a freaking pain but it’s worth it.

Answer 2: You will need to get HDMI cables. What about the existing cables? For the HD signal can you use the existing coax cable from the dish to the receiver? I understand you need an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV.

Answer 3: If you have cablevision and you get a TV with a QAM tuner, you should be able to just plug the cablewire into the wall to get the network HD channels (fox, cbs, nbc, pbs, abc). Also, if you get a cablecard ready TV you can rent a cablecard from cablevision instead of a cable box (cablecard is only $1.95/month) you can get the fully io HD lineup. You can’t get on-demand stuff with the cablecard though.

Answer 4: The RG-6 you already have is what they use for HD installs. If you upgrade to HD, Directv will upgrade the dish and run any additional cabling for you. You need component or hdmi cables to connect HD to your new tv. Go to monoprice.com to buy these for a few bucks. DO NOT waste money on so-called “high-end” cables.

Yes — you can run on coax, component or S-video just fine until you pick up your HDMI’s.

Answer 5: Well if you are going the satellite way, they will need to install a new HD satellite on your roof and will wire it up to the box for you. I’m getting DirectTV satellite. I am trying to avoid any more holes drilled into the house so I want to know if they can use the existing RG6 coax which is already buried in the walls.

Question: My buddy ended up getting a rear projection LCD 61″ floor model that was retured to Best Buy. He bought it for $1900 and got a $500 dollar best buy card also. Can’t beat that deal. That TV is beautiful. You really can’t go wrong. Can anyone come close to that deal?

Answer #1: Went to buy the Panasonic 50′ plasma the other day and changed my mind when I saw the Samsung 46′ LCD. Sharper, brighter picture IMO. Best Buy was asking $2995, but I found it online for $1950 delivered and no tax. I also asked several people in the TV department what they thought had the best picture and they said the Sony or Samsung LCD. (same screen and the Samsung was much less expensive) I called Directv and asked them what it would cost me to get HD from them and they said $99 for the receiver rental and $10 a month. I asked if they could give me the receiver for free, and they said they would.

Answer #2: Not really. I bought a non-brand name (Vizio) from Costco on the plasma end. It was neck and neck with a Maxent brand LCD, but I ended up with the plasma because of the deeper blacks (and when I switch between my plasma and LCD for Lost is when I really see it - the difference the other times is not very obvious). Your bigger concern is the retailer, and an extended warranty. Bear in mind some credit cards offer cheap extended warranties (Visa for example, something like $150 for purchases up to $1500 for 3 years), while others automatically extend your warranty (like Amex, with their buyer’s assurance program, will double the manufacturer, up to a year in total).

Answer #3: When your out tire kicking, please take a look at the new-gen Sony. The 60″ model number is KDS-R60xbr2. The 70″ is KDS-R70xbr2, and they’re incredibly clear for extra large screens. I would suggest Sunday while there broadcasting a game in HD. There LCD and crisp, plasma naturally has a slight edge on brightness, however these sets will blow your socks off. Prices on the 60″ run between $3200 and $4300 online. The 70″ runs over $5000 to $6500. There’s a large gap in price for 10″ so I’m going to go with the 60″.

Answer #4: I Have both 56″ JVC LCOS (LCD) and a 42″ Vizio plasma. Both have advantages and disadvantages. My JVC is a great TV, very highly regarded. The Vizio is for the back room, and it’s nice for the price ($1,200). Anyway, do look at them, shop around, read some reviews, but ultimately, make your own choice.

I just recently puchased a Samsund 1080 46″ LCD. I have seen a lot of good posts on HDTV’s. The question I have is, what is the best way to setup the picture ie contrast, sharpness, brightness, and tint. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Answer #1: I have Samsung 40″ LCD 1080p. I haven’t felt the need to adjust. Usually the manufactured pre-settings are perfect. But not alwats. Typically the manufacturer settings are geared towards in-store demos and may or may not be appropriate for your viewing area.

Answer #2: I use the Sound & Vision Home Theater Set-Up DVD.

Answer #3: Factory setting are rarely corect for your house. Buy a Spyder and redo the covergence on the set. Anyone who thinks their picture is perfect hasn’t had the convergence done. It’s worth every penny. Perhaps calibration is a better choice of words.

Answer #4: Convergence on an LCD set? Was his rear projection or direct display? Won’t be any convergence issues if it’s direct display. I’ll second buying something like Avia for setting the contrast and brightness to your room and liking. But convergence is way overkill for a home theater setup. If you were a photoshop guy who needed color correction so that his prints came out right, I could see it - but spending that when a $30 DVD can do just about the same is a waste of money (and likely time, since you’re going to need a PC in the same room, and software setup.)

You can buy Avia at Amazon where the used marketplace has them available for $20. It’s not a must-have, but if you want to optimize the set it’s a far better purchase than some of the accessory crap (Monster cables) that some people pay for.

It appears that I can save hundreds of dollars by buying a large screen HDTV (50+ inches) over the Internet rather than from a retail store. What are the risks or drawbacks to buying a large TV over the Internet?

Will my old VCR tapes (like the ‘86 Super Bowl) play on an HDTV?
Will my old VCR recorder and DVD player work with an HDTV?
Are there any cables/connectors or accessories that I will need for HDTV that don’t come with the TV? (I have Time Warner Cable. They will supply the HDTV cable box.)

Answer #1: You can save alot of money through the internet. We bought our Sony there as opposed to the local market and saved about $1,100. When buying via the internet, make sure that the brand you buy is “authorized” by that seller. For example, if your buying a Samsung from XYZ Electronics, XYZ will need to be authorized in order for you to get the warranty. If there not, you’ll forfit the 1 year standard warranty form the manufacture. Now some don’t care about this, they buy an extended warranty, as I would reccomend anyway to cover there arses. Do some homework, you can pit these online sellers against each other as well.

Answer #2: I’m in the same boat - I’m looking at a Samsung 42″ HDTV online for only about $680…the shipping will add on about 200 more though. But I still think it’s a pretty good deal. I’m also wondering what kind of cables I need for my DVD player, Xbox 360, etc.

Answer #3: The TV you get will likely have HDMI/DVI imputs and the old three plug imputs(that you can run from your DVD or VHS). You will get a slightly better picture if you use an HDMI cable. At stores like best buy they run from 75 to 125 bucks, but you can get them for under 10 online.

Answer #4: If you have the $400 360 bundle it comes with the hd cables. You need the regular composite cables for the dvd player.

Answer #5: Your older equipment should be fine with the new HD unit. However you should start looking at upgrading to truely get the most out of your HDTV, DVD player for example (HD or Blu-Ray). HDMI cables are now all the rage, they are the best right now, just don’t get sucked into spending $50 to $125 for these cables…$25 should be just fine when you start buying these.

Answer #6: If you dvd player has HDMI thats what you will want to hook it up through for the best quality. As for your 360 it will go through component. The 360 looks great on big HD tv’s I have a Panasonic 50 inch HD Plasma. Gears of War looks awesome on there. lol

Answer #7: If you live near NYC you can order it from J and R and save money in delivery by picking it up your self. Whenever you see an inexpensive price online, make sure it is a new TV, not a refurbished one.

Answer #8: I’d suggest using Vanns.com . Ordered my 71″ Samsung DLP form them. No problem at at and saved a ton. Also, for any cables you need, Markertek.com

Answer #9: I bought my plasma from Dad’s Toys in St. Louis after seeing his name repeatedly on ebay. Called him and asked him the questions you’re asking. He gave me the answers w/o a sales pitch, and I bought the unit from him at the best price with no sales tax or shipping.

Answer #10: Take your best internet price and take it to HH Gregg. They likely wont be able to match it but they’ll get pretty close. Close enough to justify spending a little extra to get it locally and remove all of the worries of an internet purchace & shipping. Plus you can take it home that day. You can negotiate with the retail guys.

Costco’s Return Policy on electronics was good while it lasted, but Costco no longer offers the lifetime return policy on electronics - now it’s 90 days. We bought a Vizio plasma last summer, and for the past few weeks it’s been making buzzing noises and then the sounds cuts off. I was getting ready to go to Costco to exchange it, and I went on line to see what my options were for new TVs. Surprisingly, I saw the new policy.

I called, and electronics purchased before the new policy, which went into effect on Monday, are still covered by the lifetime guarantee. The customer service rep said I am still covered. Anyway, we all knew this was inevitable because of abuse, but I for one am very sorry to see the change…it was the reason I went with Costco in the first place.

Reply #1: Consider yourself fortunate - Sam’s club went that route a few years ago, I think, as did WalMart. Costco’s warranty is now 2 years but I called to confirm the grandfathering because I’ve also got a Vizio plasma (although one without the buzzing problem), and was told that anything bought before the policy went into effect was covered by the old lifetime guarantee.

Reply #2: While I’m sad to see the policy go, people were abusing it. Although nothing like the old policy, 90 days ‘no questions asked’ and 2 years of in-home, parts and labor, is still the most generous available.