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+--- Thread: Tell me about HD cable service please (/showthread.php?tid=4988)
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Tell me about HD cable service please - AlphaDog - 02-18-2006
My digital box got fried yesterday when the power came back on after being off for 13 hours, and Comcast will be coming out Monday to replace it. It's a digital cable box, but it is not the one for high def. The TV is HDTV ready. Do I want to upgrade? What, if any, are the benefits to going to the high definition? I think it's an extra $5 a month, which wouldn't break the piggy bank, but I won't bother unless I'd notice really cool differences.
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - mattkime - 02-18-2006
some channels will have higher resolution. general consensus is that it can be very cool. however, only a few channels are in high def.
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - Stavs - 02-18-2006
I have HD cable and I love it. The picture is unbelievable, especially compared to the garbage the local abc affiliate has on regular channel. You also benefit from Dolby digital, which is wonderful. Other than that, not much difference. For $5 I would do it...get a DVR box if you can. Downside is there arent that many channels, and it depends on your provider. I have all the movie stuff, so I'm covered, although I wish ihad Nat. Geographic in HD. Their regular channel quality is almost as good as the hd channels, so I can only imagine how beautiful that is!
Stavs
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - AlphaDog - 02-18-2006
Thank you! I've been thinking about this for a while, so maybe this is a good time to upgrade, since they have to come out anyway. All three of the major network affiliates around here broadcast in HD, so maybe I can find something to watch. I suppose the worst that happens is I'll have them come and take it back. I'm sure I waste more than $60 a year on other junk anyway.
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - testcase - 02-18-2006
What are you doing running expensive electronics without using surge and preferably UPS protection???
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - zachdog - 02-18-2006
There is a HUGE difference. As expensive as cable is, I'm surprised they're only charging you $5 more per month for HD. It's worth it!
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - onthedownlow - 02-18-2006
Sometimes surger protectors and UPSes just don't cut it anyways. They aren't guaranteed 100%, especially against very large surges...and definitley not against lightening. lol
Anyways...it's not the amount of channels that aren't HD...that's not it at all. There are MANY channels that broadcast HD content. The issue is actual 'content'. The show, itself, has to be filmed in HD-format. That is where the lull is right now...not that stations themselves.
Believe me though...there are many, many HDTV programs out there...and definitely most of all of the 'major' stations and their biggest shows.
It's definitely worth it. The ones that dog it are ones that usually have no experience with it anyways.
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - AlphaDog - 02-18-2006
testcase Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What are you doing running expensive electronics
> without using surge and preferably UPS
> protection???
The TV, the DVD player, and the cable box were all plugged into the same surge protector. The box is the only thing not working properly, and I asked the tech support guy why it died and the other stuff lived. His answer wasn't very "satisfying"; he just said the boxes are extremely sensitive. Maybe I can get a better answer from the guy who comes out with the new box.
The surge protector is supposed to be designed specifically for "home theater" equipment and has $250,000 worth of warranty coverage. Except the only thing damaged was the freebie cable box.
I don't know. I inherited the care and feeding of all this stuff after my husband died; they were his toys.
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - macphanatic - 02-19-2006
The spike may have come in via the coax and not the power.
Re: Tell me about HD cable service please - Sam3 - 02-19-2006
What is the size of your screen. People at work have said that if the screen is less than 32", then it's not worth it, the effect won't be that noticeable. Also note that if your local broadcast stations are now broadcasting in digital, and that is all that you want to watch, then your cable provider should provide those digital signals at no additional cost to you. They might not mention it or like it when you mention it, but my understanding is that digital terrestrial broadcast signals are considered "must carry."