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Digital TV: Why do we have to have it?

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David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Who_tat_me said:
No it isn't.


Generally yes, that is true. .

So what extra features do the "good" STBs have that the "cheapies" I
have posted links for do not have?

Oops, looks like you didn't answer my question the first time...
Yes, yes and yes

Really.
Please post the links to these supposed "good" receivers and what
evidence you have that they actually have better quality decoder chips
and front ends. I'm sure we'd all love to see what features they have
that make them worth 2-3 times the price.
I for one would be VERY surprised if one of your supposed "good" STB's
has 2-3 times the picture quality to justify the extra price...
Good enough is not necessarily good. It usually means barely
adequate.

I paid $135 for my STB many months ago (and they are cheaper again
now), it's a top brand name, made in Europe, and has all the features I
could ever need.
There is simply no need to spend many hundreds of dollars to get a good
quality SD STB that will give you a first class result. If you are
paying that sort of money you are getting ripped off.

Dave :)
 
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David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Who_tat_me said:
cases.

That's only reasonably recently and you're looking at the cost for just one
TV. If I was to go "all digital" in my house I'd have to purchase 7 STBs to
retain my current functionality (1 for each TV and 1 for each VCR) Even if I
was to purchased several of the Woolies $70 boxes that's an outlay of $490.
Not all that long ago it would have cost $1,400 and a couple of years ago
the cost would have been $3,500.

Who cares how much something USED to cost?
Your case is exceptional and not relevent to the fact that for less
than $100 you can upgrade almost any TV set (and associated VCR) to
digital. For many people this offers a very worthwhile upgrade. About
the only people it would not benefit are those who have a 4:3 TV, get
absolutely PERFECT picture on EVERY channel, don't want an ever BETTER
picture, and don't care about getting on-line program guides or access
to WS in letterbox format etc

Most people have one good main TV (and associated VCR) that would
almost certainly benefit from an upgrade to digital.

BTW, it is possible to share one STB among a TV and VCR. If you need to
watch one show while recording another you simply use the analog
receiver of either unit to watch/record the other channel.

Dave :)
 
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Phil Allison

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Who_tat_me"
"Michael A. Terrell" = straight from the Florida Everglades
Why would you need an A/D converter to record a digital broadcast?


** Don't bother with it - just some Septic Tank trying to be a clever
dick.




............. Phil
 
A

Andrew Bayley

Jan 1, 1970
0
I wish channel 2 analog had been on VHF ch 12
Its frequency seems to be a bit low for optimum tv reception (maybe why 0
moved to 10 ?)

there were a number of reasons for the channel 0 stations in Melbourne and
Brisbane to go to 10, poor reception on the 0 frequency was one of them.
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
David L. Jones said:
So what extra features do the "good" STBs have that the "cheapies" I
have posted links for do not have?

I didn't even look at those. Most people don't buy STBs off ebay. Show me
some links for STBs in shops.
I paid $135 for my STB many months ago (and they are cheaper again
now), it's a top brand name, made in Europe, and has all the features I
could ever need.

Did you buy it in a shop where *most* people buy them? You can always get
something cheaper if you look hard enough but if you're going to compare
prices you have to have a common frame of reference. Just because you might
have been lucky enough to get something doesn't mean that the price you paid
is the average price.
 
Who_tat_me said:
I didn't even look at those. Most people don't buy STBs off ebay. Show me
some links for STBs in shops.

LMAO!
You made the claim that "good" STBs which cost more were better and
have more features than the "cheap" STBs, you get to prove it.
The ones on eBay are the SAME ones you can buy in the shops for grossly
inflated prices.
Did you buy it in a shop where *most* people buy them? You can always get
something cheaper if you look hard enough but if you're going to compare
prices you have to have a common frame of reference. Just because you might
have been lucky enough to get something doesn't mean that the price you paid
is the average price.

I wasn't lucky, anyone can get them at "Buy it Now" prices on eBay.
Sure, your average Joe doesn't buy on eBay but that has nothing to do
with your claim that "good" expensive STBs are better or have more
features than the "cheapies".

Dave :)
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
David L. Jones said:
Who cares how much something USED to cost?

How much it used to cost is entirely relevant. Your claim was that it only
costs $100 for an STB. The example that I used demonstrates that it costs a
lot more and the $100 that you quoted is only the case as of fairly
recently.
Your case is exceptional

No it isn't. A lot of people have multiple TVs and multiple VCRs.
and not relevent to the fact that for less
than $100 you can upgrade almost any TV set (and associated VCR) to
digital.

I's entirely relevant and your claim isn't actually true. With a TV and
associated VCR NOW you can record one program and watch another. If you buy
one STB you can not do that. You have to buy at least two STBs to maintain
the existing functionality. At least two because with an existing VCR you
can program the VCR to tune to any channel and record when you are not at
home. $100 STBs don't generally have an autotune function so if you really
want to retain the analogue functionality you need at least one STB for each
channel that you want recorded while you're away.
For many people this offers a very worthwhile upgrade. About
the only people it would not benefit are those who have a 4:3 TV, get
absolutely PERFECT picture on EVERY channel, don't want an ever BETTER
picture, and don't care about getting on-line program guides or access
to WS in letterbox format etc

RUBBISH. Benefit is subsjective. Most people get an adequate picture. People
like me get a good picture that is more than just adequate. Most people
don't give a damn about EPGs and widescreen so the only real benefit of
digital is a possibly improved picture and most people don't see $100 or
more value in that.
Most people have one good main TV (and associated VCR) that would
almost certainly benefit from an upgrade to digital.

BTW, it is possible to share one STB among a TV and VCR. If you need to
watch one show while recording another you simply use the analog
receiver of either unit to watch/record the other channel.

But would they be satisfied with the vastly inferior picture on the non STB
device? If didgital is so great, how could they bear to go back to analogue?
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
John de Stigter said:
Phil is quite right, you can pick up a perfectly good stb for $100.

Are they easy to get and widely available all the time?
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
LMAO!
You made the claim that "good" STBs which cost more were better and
have more features than the "cheap" STBs, you get to prove it.

I don't need to prove it any more than I need to prove that the sun will
rise tomorrow. Anybody whe has seen the specs and features of one of the
cheapies and then looked the specs and features of one of the more expensive
models knows the more expensive models are better.
The ones on eBay are the SAME ones you can buy in the shops for grossly
inflated prices.

Too bad. Most people buy them from shops so that's the pricing you need to
be comparing.
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
Andrew Bayley said:
there were a number of reasons for the channel 0 stations in Melbourne and
Brisbane to go to 10, poor reception on the 0 frequency was one of them.
The plan for the 0 to 10 relocation has been around since FM radio first
started in Australia in the 70s.
 
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D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.?

Jan 1, 1970
0
Who_tat_me said:
Are they easy to get and widely available all the time?


my local woolies has em for $80 pretty much all the time (mcarthur central,
Brisbane CBD)
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.? said:
my local woolies has em for $80 pretty much all the time (mcarthur
central, Brisbane CBD)

You're lucky. Every woolies I've tried sold out and they don't know if
they're getting any more in.
 
T

Trevor Woods

Jan 1, 1970
0
Why more people aren't switching to digital is they don't see there's enough
there to bother making the change. Whenever I hear someone on the the radio
extolling the virtues of getting a digital set top box, the first thing they
will say is "no ghosting". I don't have ghosting. Will all these people with
ghosting please stand up. What will make me and a lot others switch to
digital is getting a lot more choice in what to watch. So using the digital
spectrum for more channels. It won't "no ghosting", a sharper picture or
wide screen.
 
R

regn.pickford

Jan 1, 1970
0
Trevor Woods said:
Why more people aren't switching to digital is they don't see there's enough
there to bother making the change. Whenever I hear someone on the the radio
extolling the virtues of getting a digital set top box, the first thing they
will say is "no ghosting". I don't have ghosting. Will all these people with
ghosting please stand up. What will make me and a lot others switch to
digital is getting a lot more choice in what to watch. So using the digital
spectrum for more channels. It won't "no ghosting", a sharper picture or
wide screen.

Set top box's give you better pictures and a menu system that has a
programme
guide built in with programme information to boot.

They also tune in radio stations, they're excellent value at just over $100
 
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regn.pickford

Jan 1, 1970
0
Matt2 - Amstereo said:
plasma can never look good., poor resolution poor colour depth and poor
shade rendering.
Nice if you wantto buy a new unit every other year. Their longevity
is an issue.

lcd maybe

Nice if only two people are going to watch it.

I took advantag of the cheaper CRT prices and I'll wait for
the new technologies to get more `realistic'
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Trevor said:
Why more people aren't switching to digital is they don't see there's enough
there to bother making the change. Whenever I hear someone on the the radio
extolling the virtues of getting a digital set top box, the first thing they
will say is "no ghosting". I don't have ghosting. Will all these people with
ghosting please stand up. What will make me and a lot others switch to
digital is getting a lot more choice in what to watch. So using the digital
spectrum for more channels. It won't "no ghosting", a sharper picture or
wide screen.

If you have a widescreen TV (as many do for watching DVDs) then there
is a massive benefit in going to digital.
It's not just ghosting, it's the fact that a great many people do not
get a perfect picture on every channel. Digital will fix that in most
cases.
Even if you have a perfect picture on all or some channels, the digital
picture is so much clearer, so there is a benefit there alone, just ask
anyone with eyesight problems who have trouble seeing a normal analog
screen.

Dave :)
 
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David Barnett

Jan 1, 1970
0
: The ones on eBay are the SAME ones you can buy in the shops for grossly
: inflated prices.

Where do these STBs on EBay come from?
Do they come from disgruntled owners, who are glad to get rid of them at
any price.

IOW are the second hand or are they brand new?
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
regn.pickford said:
Set top box's give you better pictures and a menu system that has a
programme
guide built in with programme information to boot.

They also tune in radio stations, they're excellent value at just over
$100

Most people really don't care about extra menus and listening to the radio
on your TV is not really the most cost effective way of listening to the
radio. As well as the cost of the STB you then have to fok out extra $$$ for
the extra power consumed by the TV over a normal radio. A 68cm TV uses 8
times the power that a home stereo system uses.
 
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Who_tat_me

Jan 1, 1970
0
David L. Jones said:
just ask
anyone with eyesight problems who have trouble seeing a normal analog
screen.


That's like asking anyone with poor hearing whether $5,000 home
enetertainment system sounds better than a $10 portable radio.

Unless the reception is really crappy to start with and hard to see for
somebody with good eyesight, digital isn't going to be a benefit for
somebody with bad eyesight and even then it's doubtful whether there'll be
an improvement.
 
Who_tat_me said:
Most people really don't care about extra menus and listening to the radio
on your TV is not really the most cost effective way of listening to the
radio. As well as the cost of the STB you then have to fok out extra $$$ for
the extra power consumed by the TV over a normal radio. A 68cm TV uses 8
times the power that a home stereo system uses.

Umm, how about feeding your STB into your stereo? All STBs have audio
line out, and most these days have digital out too. No one would buy an
STB just to get the radio, but it's a nice side benefit for some. Also,
no one would buy an STB just for the online guides (ok, some may?), but
once again it's a nice side benefit.
The only sound I put through my TV speakers is my MiniDV on playback,
everything else (DVD, STB, Xbox) goes through the stereo, MUCH better
than the TV.

Some of the extra channels are getting used now too, although not
nearly as much as they could be. Like the recent broadcast of the
tennis had a channel where you could watch the tennis in a small box
and the rest of the screen had real-time stats.

Dave :)
 
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