Why is there such a big fuss in UK about High Definition TV ready TV sets? Are we being duped?

Question

For a large number of households HDTV is only available through Sky and only after paying a monthly subscription and parting with around 300 of GBP for the HDTV box. With the confusion about HDTV DVD standards and high prices of the sets I do not really believe that anybody would buy such a TV set just to watch a DVD film. I hear that freeview HDTV channels will not be available outside of Sky or Telewest cable TV packages for at least a year or two.

I think some people did not understand my point. I've seen the presentations and am absolutely thrilled by the quality of HDTV. What annoys me - the HDTV sets have been around for probably more than a year, and I have got one myself. But what the really annoying thing is that I cannot watch HDTV unless I pay 300 pounds to Sky for a HDTV box and the subscription fee. I leave almost in the middle of London (Canary Wharf) and have learned that Telewest does not cover my area. And actually - why is it that HDTV sets are not made with the HDTV boxes built in. There does not seem to be a problem with different standards, as it was the case with digital TV (ITV Digital vs. Sky Digital). We are supposedly buying these "forward looking" sets, yet we will have to cope with what we remember from the early days of Digital - additional boxes on the top of our TV sets.

Answer 1

The fact that you have to buy extra equipment to recieve HD television does not mean you are being duped. It was always fairly obvious that this was going to be the case.

However, where people are being duped is with the "HD Ready" label. In case you don't know, HD comes in 2 formats: 720 and 1080 (The latter being better that the first.) For a TV to be HD ready, all it has to do is support 720 horizontal lines. Thats all well and good, but when broadcasters start giving us the option of 1080 lines, there are going to be a lot of people unable to take advantage of this resolution because their TVs won't support it. People are effectivley being told that their new "HD" TV is future proof when it is not.

I predict a riot.

Answer 2

Yes you quite rightly have stated what the present market is.But the current LCD TV`s cannot produce a good resolution without having a good quality input(video/DVD).
The manufactures supply HDTV TV`s as standard.I am not sure what the price difference for a HDTV or a non HDTV.
The future is HDTV (not garlic bread) because as the screen sizes increase you need HDTV LCD/Plasma to display the improved picture.
My "old" TV CRT displays much better picture than the new LCD TV`s in the shops.
When HDTV content comes I will change to HDTV when it is affordable ( I cannot afford Sky).
The industry calls this future proving, I suppose it is good marketing from there point of view

Answer 3

You mean UK is finally getting HDTV? You should welcome it. In a few years almost all TV in the US will be HDTV. You should not be forced to get it, but once you've see a good presentation, and you care about how the picture on your TV looks, it will be clear why you would want it.

Answer 4

We are always being duped - the manufacturers know what technology is going to be available years in advance of it's release and artificially inflate the prices to make it look like the latest development - only to quickly supercede it with something 'better' at an even higher cost.
It's called marketing, and we fall for it time after time!

Answer 5

Yes of course where being duped.Toshiba have already invented a TV that's going to replace HDTV.

Answer 6

I'm with you on this one - the demonstration pictures in the show- rooms are awesome but they CD's and not a TV channel. I'm prepared to wait and see the next generation laser TV - technology is moving so fast. Goods are being superseded as soon as they leave the showrooms.

Answer 7

I have seen HD TV and no we are not being duped. It is excellent. The difference between HD and ordinary TV is the same as the difference between vinyl records and CD's.. The difference is very noticable.

Answer 8

well, in the USA its included in the cable as long as your TV is high def. which your suppose to get a crisper picture as for DVD they have this new thing now blu-ray instead of the disc reading red like regular DVDs blu-ray reads red for a crisper picture crazy huh something else to replace DVD player now it will be blu-ray players biger and better! from beata max to the VCR to the laser disc to the DVD now blu-ray

Answer 9

Yes of course we are being duped! Like always! I like my tele thanks, cost me £800 8 years ago, but dont see why I should be forced to change it.....I AM A NAME! NOT A NUMBER!