Built in tuner or external?

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

In article <i5Qgd.549$fw2.360@trndny01>, Verizon User
<anonymous@anon.com> wrote:

> I want to get a Panasonic 42 ED plasma.
>
> I plan on using OTA HD only for now-- therefore I need a tuner. My cable
> company cannot provide me with HD tuner and I don't want satellite- just
> over the air.
>
> The Panasonic 7UY seems to be better in that it is a longer half life
> (60,000), supposedly 10% brighter, it looks better (all black frame), and it
> is in stock.
>
> HOWEVER, the 42PD25U has the built in tuner and speakers.
>
>
> So would you buy the better (?) 7UY and then buy a stand, speakers, and a
> separate tuner, or would you get the 42PD25U? I suspect it will be much more
> money to buy the first option
>
> Does a built in tuner give better picture quality, and or a better interface
> vs buying an external tuner?
>
> THANKS!
>

That's a hard one to answer. The built-in tuner may not be a very good
one so if you're in a fringe area, your reception could be lousy or
non-existent. What kind of antenna are you planning on using, indoor or
outdoor? How far away are you from your local stations? If OTA is the
only way for you, then I would suggest you buy an external tuner first,
from someone with a good return policy, and check out your reception.
If you can't get decent OTA, then it's a moot point.

--
Deja Moo: I've seen this bullshit before.

My address has been anti-spammed.
Please reply to: scasse@invalid.net replacing invalid with sonic.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:40:31 -0500, JH <JH@nospam.net> wrote:
>
> Why bother with an hd tuner on an edtv set ?!? ed tv is not HD so you
> are wasting your money.

Not necessarily. With an OTA digital set top box, I get much better
reception (sharp clear image without interference) than I ever got analog
(snow, if not white hashed lines from interference). And I am just
displaying it through single RCA jack on an old Panasonic 20" TV until I
can afford something better (only some local HD channels are wide screen).
Noticeably better picture and sound (piped through separate stereo) than
VHS tapes recorded from cable, even for digitally broadcast SD channels.

I am 40+ miles from stations and my antenna is indoor amplified on an
upstairs closet shelf with another 30db amp added.

--
David Efflandt - Elgin, IL

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

You better off going with an external tuner, I purchased a HDTV with a
built in QAM tuner and figured I would get my local Digital Off Air
channels via my local cable company, and at first it worked that way
and worked nice, now however my cable company has scrambled its QAM HD
channels including the local digital channels.


--
Scott Greczkowski
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This message was posted via http://www.satelliteguys.us by Scott Greczkowski

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

John 'Shaggy' Kolesar <spam@shagg.net> wrote:
> On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 20:57:04 -0500,
> <Scott.Greczkowski.1f0ryk@satelliteguys.us> wrote:
> >
> > You better off going with an external tuner, I purchased a HDTV with a
> > built in QAM tuner and figured I would get my local Digital Off Air
> > channels via my local cable company, and at first it worked that way
> > and worked nice, now however my cable company has scrambled its QAM HD
> > channels including the local digital channels.
>
> If by local digital channels you mean the big networks (ABC, CBS, NBC), I
> though it was illegal for them to scramble those? I had a similar
> experience to yours. I could originally receive Cable HD channels with
> my QAM tuner, but they started scrambling everything except for the
> locals.
>
> John.

I emailed the FCC about this very issue. They are reviewing it now.
Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Jeff Rife <wevsr@nabs.net> wrote:
> John 'Shaggy' Kolesar (spam@shagg.net) wrote in alt.tv.tech.hdtv:
> > If by local digital channels you mean the big networks (ABC, CBS, NBC),
> > I though it was illegal for them to scramble those?
>
> It is.
>
> If you are paying the cable company *some* amount of money for TV, that
> service *must* include all the local OTA channels that the cable company
> has rebroadcast rights for--analog *or* digital--and those signals *must*
> be receivable without having to use cable-company-supplied equipment.

Do you have a reference for this information? I talked to an FCC agent.
He told me that they were in hearings on this very matter and that they
had not determined yet if the signals had to be unscrambled.
Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Jeff Rife <wevsr@nabs.net> wrote:
> (cjdaytonjrnospam@cox.net) wrote in alt.tv.tech.hdtv:
> > > If you are paying the cable company *some* amount of money for TV,
> > > that service *must* include all the local OTA channels that the cable
> > > company has rebroadcast rights for--analog *or* digital--and those
> > > signals *must* be receivable without having to use
> > > cable-company-supplied equipment.
> >
> > Do you have a reference for this information? I talked to an FCC agent.
> > He told me that they were in hearings on this very matter and that they
> > had not determined yet if the signals had to be unscrambled.
>
> He was yanking your chain. The current regs do *not* specify analog,
> they only specify "OTA" and "rebroadcast", so they de facto cover digital
> channels right now.

Sure, he was "yanking my chain" but you are not.
What is your proof of your claim?
Chip

--
-------------------- http://NewsReader.Com/ --------------------
Usenet Newsgroup Service $9.95/Month 30GB

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

X-No-archive: yes


"JH" <JH@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:2004103111403175249%JH@nospamnet...
>
>
> Why bother with an hd tuner on an edtv set ?!? ed tv is not HD so you are
> wasting your money.
>
>
=======================
Because downconverted HD is still WAY superior to NTSC.............on any
set.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

None of what you quoted was posted by me............
=====================
-
X-No-archive: yes


"Matthew L. Martin" <nothere@notnow.never> wrote in message
news:10oetkqf661v9b9@corp.supernews.com...
> Richard C. wrote:
>
>> X-No-archive: yes
>>
>>
>> "JH" <JH@nospam.net> wrote in message
>> news:2004103111403175249%JH@nospamnet...
>>
>>>
>>>Why bother with an hd tuner on an edtv set ?!? ed tv is not HD so you are
>>>wasting your money.
>>>
>
> That begs the question. Why not spend less money and get a CRT HD RPTV
> with an internal tuner? The sizzle factor of "hang on the wall" video
> doesn't make up for the low resolution, IMHO.
>
> Matthew

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Richard C." <post-age@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:418fc31a$0$31255$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com...
> None of what you quoted was posted by me............
> =====================
> -
> X-No-archive: yes
>
>
> "Matthew L. Martin" <nothere@notnow.never> wrote in message
> news:10oetkqf661v9b9@corp.supernews.com...
> > Richard C. wrote:
> >
> >> X-No-archive: yes
> >>
> >>
> >> "JH" <JH@nospam.net> wrote in message
> >> news:2004103111403175249%JH@nospamnet...
> >>
> >>>
> >>>Why bother with an hd tuner on an edtv set ?!? ed tv is not HD so you
are
> >>>wasting your money.
> >>>
> >
> > That begs the question. Why not spend less money and get a CRT HD RPTV
> > with an internal tuner? The sizzle factor of "hang on the wall" video
> > doesn't make up for the low resolution, IMHO.
> >
> > Matthew

Lets understand here that we are talking about Enhanced TV or 480P. The
picture quality is slightly better than DVD. That's a huge improvement over
NTSCs analog ,grainy, video ringing pictures.

If the release of this new standard is going to make HD TV affordable (and
yes it receives HD broadcasts but views in 480P resolution) for more people
and help get the show on the road for 06 then I'm all for it.