HDTV Buying Guide Part Two
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Computers Technology -> subcategory Communications.
HDTV Buying Guide: Part Two
Summary
In my first article, I discussed why now is the perfect time to purchase a high-definition (HD) television. I had just preordered the Samsung HLS-5087W, a 50-inch rear projection DLP unit. With its delivery last Thursday, here’s my initial reaction.Getting Ready for HD
As a satellite TV subscriber, I needed to upgrade my DirecTV hardware to be HD-compatible. Last month, I visited the DirecTV website and ordered the HD upgrade package for $200. They replaced my old satellite dish with a new 5-LNB oval HD dish, provided the lease of the new H20 HD receiver, and installed a UHF antenna for over-the-air HD local broadcasts. This upgrade was necessary because DirecTV transmits local HD broadcasts in the MPEG-4 format, which offers higher efficiency than the older MPEG-2 standard.
The only missing piece was an HDMI cable to connect the H20 to the Samsung. Since HDMI transmits digital signals, I opted for a $20 HDMI cable instead of a pricier model, without compromising on quality. HDMI is great because it carries both video and audio signals, reducing clutter behind your home theater system.
Arrival and Setup
I ordered the Samsung from Crutchfield, known for excellent customer service and authorized by Samsung, with no extra tax or shipping charges. The delivery team set it up in my living room. After connecting the power and HDMI cables and changing the H20's display setting to 16:9, everything worked perfectly right out of the box.
Experiencing HD and DVDs
I was instantly immersed in HD bliss, watching local broadcasts in full 1080i with Dolby Digital 5.1, along with premium channels like HBOHD. But I wondered how my DVD collection would look, especially since I swap many through Peerflix.
I configured my Panasonic DVD player to output 480p and tested it with "Shrek." The animation quality was outstanding, showcasing the standard definition DVD brilliantly on the HD television. It looked so amazing that I'll probably prefer watching movies at home rather than going to the theater.
On Saturday night, I enjoyed a Steve Winwood broadcast in HD and Dolby Digital 5.1. As a fan who attended his 2005 tour, I was eager to see the experience on my new setup. The picture quality was stunning, and I quickly checked KQED's website for future broadcasts. I can't wait to watch Garbage's performance next month.
Fine-Tuning for Perfection
To achieve the best picture quality from the Samsung, I needed to calibrate its settings. Most TVs are shipped with non-optimal settings?"colors that are too saturated and controls not quite right. Using "Video Essentials: Optimizing Your Audio/Video System," I adjusted the color, brightness, contrast, and sharpness. The HLS-5087W's numeric display for settings made this easier, resulting in a more film-like picture quality.
I'm eagerly awaiting the HD premiere of HBO's "Entourage" tonight. Although it's tempting to jump into the HD-DVD and Blu-ray market, I'll cover that in my next article.
Enjoy the world of high-definition bliss!
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: HDTV Buying Guide Part Two.
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