Thistle and MLS?

excuse my ignoracnce...what is all this hdtv stuff anyway?

 

I think it allows viewing of higher quality porn...and isn't that what life's about?

 

LOL

 

in it's simplest form, I think it is basically like comparing VHS to DVD... you get a better, cleaner reception and picture... higher resolution... I guess.

 

it aint sh!t unless it's a plasma.

 

HDTV stands for high definition television. I won't bore you with the details; suffice it to say that it is a whole lot like looking through a window.

Currrently, the Federal government has mandated that all new network broadcasting be done in HiDef by the end of this year. Much of it already is. Unfortunately, the mandate is well ahead of the technology; at present, there is very little HiDef equipment in place.

Particularly since it is broadcast in a 16:9 ratio screen (what you have now is 4:3) it has a much different feel to begin with. If you don't have a 16:9 screen, it will come across with a black band along the top and bottom of the screen. You've probably noticed it on some shows like West Wing, because unlike some shows they don't pass along a conversion for 4:3.

(Conversely, if you have a 16:9 screen, and you're watching regular broadcasting (like 98% of the stuff on TV) you get a broad black band on either SIDE of the picture.)

So anyway, it's VERY cool, but not particularly necessary now because there's not that much programming. It's coming for sure, but it's still very early in the game.

In answer to krypto's question, it's a little complicated.

Normally, DirecTV broadcasting is picked up from one of two satellites, at 110 and 119 degrees. Most oval dishes have two lnb's (low noise blocks) one for each satellite.

HD is bounced off of a THIRD satellite, at 101 degrees. So the first thing they need is a dish with three lnb's.

THEN you need a new receiver. The standard ones don't work. You need what's called "component video" connections, essentially a three cord set which sends to video signal to your HD set broken down by color group (red green blue).

You also need a seperate audio connection; optical digital (basically fiber optics) will give you dolby surround, in 5.1 or even 6.1.

The good (sort of) news is that IF they have a HiDef receiver, then they WILL get the MLS games.

Mark Cuban has a network called HDNet, which is on DirecTV channel 199. You get it automatically if you get HiDef signal (but nothing if you don't)

He shows some basketball, and a lot of hockey. The picture is astounding - you can see little individual beads of sweat on a guy's forehead.

But check it out: there's a place in Columbus called The Frog, Bear, & Wild Boar Bar at 343 North Front Street (621-9453) that has HD and shows HDNet whenever they're open.

(and zak - HD is HD. The only thing plasma gives you is a flat panel. I'll put my flatscreen Panasonic CRT HD against any picture on Earth. Plus, plasma technology is so shaky right now that most ebgineers will tell you that you're only likely to get 2 years out of a display. Hardly a good deal at $5000 and up)

 

I think I need some of Peter's weed to understand that.

 

Bill, do you have a job?

 

So Bill, that means we'll get higher quality porn??

 

so high you can smell the tuna.

 

Only if you have the HD converter. In sports, you see the sweat drops on the players. In porn, you see, well, never mind. ;-)

 

Unfortunately yes. But I'm working on the lottery.

 

Can you get me the winning numbers?