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Aaron's annual HDTV guide
Is this the year?
It’s a question shoppers ask themselves every holiday season as they wander through aisle after bewildering aisle of high-definition TV sets for sale. This season millions more will decide to buy a next-generation TV, but that may be the easy part. Deciding which TV to get used to mean settling on a brand name and tube size. Now the consumer must choose from plasmas, LCDs, DLPs, CRTs and front- and rear-projection displays.
Sales of “digital TV products” — a fuzzy industry term that encompasses more than HDTV sets — are at the 1-million-per-month mark, spurred by ever-growing choices and ever-dropping prices. In part, retailers are giving their customers little choice: If they want a new TV that’s bigger than a breadbox, they almost have to buy digital. (Those are the models that support the new digital TV standard that all broadcasters will someday, by law, use exclusively. Don’t worry: Plain old TV isn’t going anywhere soon.)
At the same time, prices are plummeting. On average, a high-def TV costs half ($1,039) what it did two Christmases ago ($2,095), according to Business 2.0. And that is leading to what some say is a practical decision by many whose ancient 19-inch sets are starting to fade: Just do it.
“I always tell people, ‘If you can afford it, you like it and it fits the space, then buy the thing,’ and they do,” says Karl Roscoe of Roscoe’s TV in Kansas City.
And then what? In previous years, big-screen owners contented themselves with building DVD collections for their nights in front of the big screen. But DVDs aren’t high-def (yet), so they don’t make the most of your new investment. That’s changing. Shows like “CSI” and “Lost” look like cinema in high definition, and HD gear is now pouring into stores, much of it priced to sell. Other items, like those hot-hot-hot DVD recorders, are tempting consumers as replacements for their older, non-digital gadgets (your Clinton-era VHS machine, for example).
About 40 percent of digital TVs sold now have an HDTV tuner built-in — these are usually called “integrated” models. And while most digital TVs show all the different levels of high-definition video, many do not. If that matters to you, then insist on an HDTV that goes all the way up to 1080i (“ten-eighty-eye”), the highest of the high defs. Even video experts admit they’re sometimes confused by vague advertising and less-than-fully-informed salespeople.
“The labeling is so inconsistent,” complains independent high-def guru Mark Schubin. “Is an ‘integrated’ set ready to receive digital TV transmissions or not? How about an ‘HD-ready’ set? How about an ‘HDTV’?”
Before you decide you don’t need an integrated model because someone told you that cable and satellite HDTV boxes have their own tuners, know this: Not all local TV signals are being carried by cable, and many of my readers swear that the high-def picture over the air is vastly superior to the one coming from the box. (If it’s any comfort, today’s outdoor antennas are a lot sleeker than the old rabbit ears.)
The other gizmos require more common-sense than technical know-how. If you don’t have a lot of old videotapes that need converting, why get a DVD recorder? And if convenience is more important to you than a dazzling TV picture, hold off the big-screen purchase. Instead, consider forking over a few more dollars to your cable or satellite company to rent a digital video recorder (or DVR) so you can watch the shows you want on your time, commercial-free.
One last word to the wise: Before buying anything, make sure it will play nice with all of your existing gear. One of my readers, Jim Louderback, was disappointed to find his new HD-DVR wouldn’t play on a second TV in another room, something his old TiVo has always done. Sure, it’s cool that your new TV has inputs for all kinds of space-age devices. But you don’t own any of those.
Yet.
High-definition PVR
Price: $600 plus dish service, or rent from the cable company
What it does: Records 20-30 hours of high-def programming (or 100-plus hours of regular TV).
Why buy? You’re more likely to enjoy HDTV if you don’t have to make an appointment to watch it. You can also use it for time-delayed viewing, so you can tune in a few minutes late and skip through the commercials.
Cable or satellite? Both dish providers offer PVRs; DirecTV’s is enhanced by TiVo. The Dish 921 model I tried matched all the features on my cable box and had rock-solid performance. Both Time Warner HD-DVRs I’ve used have flaked out occasionally, but at just $10 a month, they’re a better value.
DVD recorder
What it does: Burns current TV and old videos to shiny discs.
Why buy? Many models come with VCRs built in, making it easy to transfer those fading home movies to all-digital form.
Why not? DVDs may seem cool now, but what happens when you can store as much data on a $20 memory stick the size of your finger? Consider saving your old videos to your home computer and saving your money for a high-def DVD player (which could be next year’s hot item).
VOOM: Maximum HDTV
Price: $0 to $200 for installation, plus $9.50/month
What it does: Carries nearly 40 HDTV cable channels, including 21 channels exclusive to VOOM. Add in local network signals and you could go days without watching lo-def TV.
Why buy? Unlike DirecTV and DISH, newcomer VOOM was built from the ground up for HDTV, with tons of movies and other channels aimed at niche audiences (I especially liked Gallery TV, devoted to fine arts). It carries most regular cable channels, too, and is planning to double its HD offerings in early 2005.
Why not? Local signals are pulled in by antenna, which means no high-def Fox football for most people until WDAF boosts its signal; VOOM doesn’t offer a DVR, though it will soon.
Digital cable box
Price: Varies, but around $10/month
What it does: About half of cable customers have one or more of these black boxes in their homes. They double the number of channels to watch and throw in 40 or so CD-quality music stations. But the hidden gem is VOD, or video on demand (channels 100-140), that lets you watch pay-per-view movies and hours of free programs whenever you’re ready to watch.
Why rent? For people who want more choices than their existing cable service but are leery of expensive new technology, this is an excellent compromise. Time Warner Cable has greatly expanded its VOD offerings, and company reps say VOD will really take off in 2005 as the servers get cheaper.
Why not? Other than new movies, VOD pickings are still paltry, so don’t count on watching your favorite show whenever you want. And with BBC America now on basic cable, the number of reasons to get a digital box has dropped by one.
DVD rental club (like Netflix)
Price: Industry leader Netflix just dropped its monthly fee to $18; Blockbuster charges $17.50 and Wal-Mart $17.36 to rent three titles at a time.
What it does: Lets you rent up to three programs or films on DVD at one time for a flat fee.
Why rent? No late fees, mail turnaround is speedy because you keep your wish list on the Web. Catch up on shows like “Arrested Development” and “The Sopranos” you missed the first time around. Netflix has an extensive selection of documentaries and other films that barely showed up in local theaters.
Why not? If you already have a digital cable box, you could order four pay-per-view rentals per month and be ahead money.
There are more types of HDTV sets to buy than ever. Here’s a comparison of the most popular kinds. For old time’s sake, we’ve included a time-honored but obsolete low-definition model.
POST (plain old square TV)
What is it? It’s the only thing in the store that looks like what you’ve got at home.
Price range: $90-$400
Why buy? You need a TV now and can’t afford HDTV; you’d rather postpone a high-def purchase; you have a very small space to fill.
Why not? Selection is thinning out as dealers stop carrying POST; you won’t be able to watch anything in high-def, and with HDTVs well under $1000, the price gap is closing fast.
Direct view CRT
What is it? It’s like your current TV, only heavier, clearer and (in most cases) wider.
Price range: $400-$1600
Why buy? Glass still delivers the sharpest HDTV picture; works in small places; can watch from all angles.
Why not? Sets are very heavy; glass limits size to 34 inches; not all models are widescreen.
Buying tip: Get the widescreen model—and hire two burly guys to move it into your living room.
Rear-projection CRT
What is it? The oldest and most affordable big-screen HDTVs.
Price range: $1000-$4500
Why buy? Proven technology delivers a great value; the smoothest-looking picture around; can stack stuff on top of TV.
Why not? Models are boxy; picture goes dim when viewed from the side; replacement bulbs can be pricey; other models have sharper pictures.
Buying tip: If you’re a movie or sports fan, you may prefer how high-def HBO and ESPN (which use a lower resolution of HDTV) look on these sets.
Plasma TV
What is it? The best known flat-screen model.
Price range: $1000-$10,000
Why buy? Looks sexy hanging from your wall; pricier models have some of the best pictures.
Why not? Many lower-priced models aren’t high-def; in a year you may wish you bought LCD.
Buying tip: EDTV, a popular resolution-enhancing gimmick for plasma screens, may look high-def — but it isn’t.
LCD rear projection
What is it: Light is magnified through three color chips.
Price range: $2000-$8000
Why buy? Bright, extremely clear pictures; the preferred choice of those who use their TVs for computer displays,
Why not? Best models are still expensive; bright picture means less contrast.
Buying tip: Experts say that LCDs - both projection and flat screens (not pictured) - are the HDTV models that will keep dropping sharply in price.
DLP rear projection
What is it: Thousands of “micromirrors” reflect light from a color wheel onto the screen. Sounds dicey, but fans of DLP (also known as microdisplay) swear by it.
Price range: $2000-$4600
Why buy? Superior contrast to LCD; starting to attract computer users.
Why not? Still pricey; some viewers complain of a “rainbow effect” from the color wheel.
Buying tip: If you like both DLP and LCD, and have more time to burn than money, wait another year.
A version of this story appeared in the Kansas City Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/10334046.htm