The High Definition Craze

High Definition is a meaningless buzzword, not all to different from hypoallergenic. It started first with TV, but now you can see it in all kinds of silly applications (High Definition Vision, High Definition Windows?) Marketers just stick ‘High Definition onto anything now and people will buy it because the word is cool for some odd reason

The fact that you buy a high definition TV does not mean your picture is any better then your old regular TV. In fact I doubt you will ever be able to buy a standard definition TV anymore soon regardless

To experiance High Definition, you need the following

1) A TV Capable of viewing the HD Signal (any new TV will do this now a days)

2) A HD TV receiver box, that decodes the HD shows from your cable/satellite box and send them to your TV

3) A show that was recorded in High Definition (either over the air, or on a HD DVD/Blue-ray system)

Once all these components line up, you will see high definition (well sort of)

HDTV is a higher resolution format then standard definition TV.  This means that more information is captured when the show is recorded, and therefore more information is potentially visible to the naked eye (ie: the person watching the show)

Now let’s say you watch a standard definition show on a 32″ TV Screen from a viewing distance of say 8 feet, the picture will look pretty clear and easy to watch and you will enjoy it.  Now take that same show and stretch it on a 52″ screen (at the same viewing distance), and the picture looks like crap! Why?  This is the same effect as if you try to zoom in on a low resolution photo.  The photo quickly becomes unviewable as not enough data was captured originally.

Since High Definition captures more information, that same video in HD on the 52″ TV now looks much better (some would say even better then the 32″ version in standard definition)..I’m not too sure.

What it will cost you:

A good quality HD TV will run you at least $800

Budget at least another $100 you’ll spend getting the necessary “HD” cables

You’ll then be sold into a Blue ray DVD Player (or similar model) which can display HD) b/w $200-$400

For gaming you’ll want to get the PS3 (which includes a blue ray DVD Player anyway)

You’ll want to get a HD camera now for recording all your favorite memories ( ~ $1000)

You’ll need to upgrade your cable/satellite box to a High Definition Receiver (and you’ll probably get a HD-PVR for recording those show) – figure $350 or a $20 monthly rental fee

You’ll then need to order the “HD” version of the channels you already watch (FoxHD, ABC-HD,TSN-HD, etc) (price varies too much to put here)

If you don’t already have surround sound, you’ll want to get that too because HD without surround sound, well that would just be silly

I will say this, it is much easier to see the little wrinkles in Regis Philbin’s face in High Definition, but I can’t figure out why I would pay over $4000 to see those extra wrinkles, and I don’t imagine Regis’s likes the idea much either