Cable, Digital Cable, Satellite

[shane_c]

With the new TV coming in a few days I'm wondering if we should maybe upgrade our cable too. From what I've heard any of the plasma or projection TV's don't look that great when running general cable. Does the picture look better with digital cable on these TV's? How about satellite, I think they are all digital too. Of course getting one of the mediums with HD channel offerings would be preferred. What's everyone out there using?

[underGRADFlame]

Well, I have both Shaw Cable HD and BEV HD, hands down Bell wins for me. The HD Offering alone wins, plus they have centre ice (which has 2 HD Channels) The HD is also better on Bell, it used to be better on Shaw, but they've dropped the ball.

[ken0042]

Keep in mind that even if you get digital cable from Shaw, and you are watching something on Global, you will still be seeing an analog signal.

The digital channels are only at about 55 and up.

[shane_c]

That's good to know. The new Telus TV is all digital isn't it?

Originally Posted by ken0042

Keep in mind that even if you get digital cable from Shaw, and you are watching something on Global, you will still be seeing an analog signal.

The digital channels are only at about 55 and up.

[ken0042]

Yes it is, but go into Chinook and have a look at it. Flip it over to live sports. The pixilization is so bad I don't think I'd be able to watch it on anything bigger than a 13" TV.

Keep in mind the "digital is better" idea came about in the 80's; when there was no such thing as compression. When you see a low quality video over the internet; that is still digital, right? Doesn't mean it's better picture quality than an good clean analog signal.

Keep in mind that picture quality is subjective. Myself, I would rate the PQ in the following order:
Star Choice
Bell
Shaw
Rabbit Ears
Telus

Having said that I have Bell. Main reason in the NHL-CI package as was mentioned before.

The other thing is to compare channel packages. I pay $15 per month more for Bell than Star Choice for the same channels. With Bell I get a bunch of extra crap I don't watch. (Like to get MenTV I had to get WTN, and to get Spike I had to get the Lifestyle channel).

Also seeing as it sounds like you are getting an HDTV, Bell has far more HD channels compared to the others. Bell has about 25, Shaw and *C about 10, and Telus has 0. (these numbers are a rough estimate.)

[shane_c]

The TV will be EDTV. From what I was told it can still take advantage of HD broadcasts. Is this correct?

[ken0042]

Yes and no.

Yes, it will still look awesome on a pure HD broadcast brought in with component cables. To that end I have a regular SD TV and the HD feed coming in through S-video looks amazing compared to regular SD. Right now NBC is showing most of their prime time shows like Law&Order in widescreen in SD, so it is a good comparison.

However for the Super Bowl we brought in a true HD TV, and there was no comparison. My TV looked like a washed out signal by comparison. Of course a couple of days after the HD TV left mine started to look good to me again.......... but I'm still itching to get a newer TV.

Not sure where you are on the purchase end of things, but part of the reason TV's are on sale now is new models tend to come out mid-spring. And the current trend of silly sale prices tells me next year's TV's will be a lot cheaper.

The other thing to take advantage of with an HD broadcast is the 5.1 sound. If it's done right a football game sounds amazing. Once I had to turn the rear speakers down because the idiot fans behind me were banging on the bleachers. (OK, maybe a little too realistic there.)

Back to your ED TV, don't get me wrong; it should still look good. I was at a buddy's house this weekend watching the Oilers/Flames game on an EDTV and it looked great. But an HDTV will look just that much better.