Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Hi all,
In the choice of an HDTV in the 32" to 37" range, I'd recently been leaning
toward a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD. However, I found today that only some of the
models have an OTA (off-the-air) tuner. This feature is a must because we do
have local digital and HD channels OTA. Such models cost hundreds of dollars
more than the ones that don't!! The LC-32GD6U, very highly rated by the
Apr-May 05 issue of HDTV Etc magazine, is around $3000 online. It does have
an ATSC digital OTA tuner. I have a Terk 55 indoor-outdoor antenna, which is
a good one. Currently however I'm on Time-Warner Cable using their very
latest 8300HD receiver and we get all local channels in digital, HD and
analog. The new HDTVi Terk indoor HD antenna looks good, costs $40. See
www.terk.com
Therefore I would rather wait for May-June for the release of the Panasonic
TH-37PX50U Plasma which clearly does have an OTA tuner as announced by
Panasonic regarding the 42" model of the same series; presumably the 37"
will also have that feature. Right now nobody online has this TV series
available; might be end of May 05. ECost is advertising a pre-release price
of $2400 for the 37" version of this series which is fantastic for an HD
Plasma; never before has there been such a good price. For EDTV yes, but HD
no.
Also, I was at a store yesterday, and had the salesman put on an analog
cable channel instead of the usual HD ones being displayed at stores, and
found that with Plasma, the analog channel seemed somewhat better with the
Plasma sets there than a 37" Sharp LCD he had. On the other hand, maybe for
the best analog cable picture we need to use the analog cable NTSC input and
not a digital input.
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Roger wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> In the choice of an HDTV in the 32" to 37" range, I'd recently been leaning
> toward a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD. However, I found today that only some of the
> models have an OTA (off-the-air) tuner. This feature is a must because we do
> have local digital and HD channels OTA. Such models cost hundreds of dollars
> more than the ones that don't!! The LC-32GD6U, very highly rated by the
> Apr-May 05 issue of HDTV Etc magazine, is around $3000 online. It does have
> an ATSC digital OTA tuner.
Roger, the FCC requirement that all TVs > 32" have an ATSC tuner does
not take full effect until July 1, 2005. It has been only 50% of all
sets since July, 2004. And this rule only applies to TVs manufactured
for the US market starting on that date, so there will be inventory at
stores of large TVs w/o ATSC tuners for some time to come. Sharp for
some reason has been charging a hefty premium for the models with ATSC
tuners while most manufacturers have been incorporating the tuners in
the new >32" models with no price increases.
> Therefore I would rather wait for May-June for the release of the Panasonic
> TH-37PX50U Plasma which clearly does have an OTA tuner as announced by
> Panasonic regarding the 42" model of the same series; presumably the 37"
> will also have that feature. Right now nobody online has this TV series
> available; might be end of May 05. ECost is advertising a pre-release price
> of $2400 for the 37" version of this series which is fantastic for an HD
> Plasma; never before has there been such a good price. For EDTV yes, but HD
> no.
Panasonic recently posted operating manuals for the PX50 series on
their website. Goto http://service.us.panasonic.com/operman/, enter
"TH37PX" and you should see a link to download the manual as a PDF file.
The MSRP for TH-42PX50U has already been posted on the Panasonic
website as $3500, which is an astonishing price drop considering that
the MSRP for the TH-42PX20 was $6500 in early 2004! I have not seen an
reliably reported MSRP price for the 37PX50, but I would guess $3K or so.
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Roger, pardon my confusion, but if you have Time Warner Cable and get all
digital, HD and analog channels through cable, why would it matter if you
had an off the air tuner?
"Roger" <nospam@world.com> wrote in message
news:UEXae.80467$JL2.2957611@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> Hi all,
>
> In the choice of an HDTV in the 32" to 37" range, I'd recently been
> leaning toward a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD. However, I found today that only
> some of the models have an OTA (off-the-air) tuner. This feature is a must
> because we do have local digital and HD channels OTA. Such models cost
> hundreds of dollars more than the ones that don't!! The LC-32GD6U, very
> highly rated by the Apr-May 05 issue of HDTV Etc magazine, is around $3000
> online. It does have an ATSC digital OTA tuner. I have a Terk 55
> indoor-outdoor antenna, which is a good one. Currently however I'm on
> Time-Warner Cable using their very latest 8300HD receiver and we get all
> local channels in digital, HD and analog. The new HDTVi Terk indoor HD
> antenna looks good, costs $40. See www.terk.com >
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Hi Alan,
Samsung's LN-R328W does *not* have a tuner; only has one antenna input. Same
thing with Sony's model 32, KLV-32M1. the one that Consumer Reports gave a
high rating to. Aside from Sharp they were the only models I had considered,
really.
If an ATSC tuner is going to be part of the works from the next model year,
I don't see prices dropping much do you? Or they might swallow the cost and
drop their prices anyhow. Anyhow, we're actually buying the TV early June so
we'll see how things go. I think pretty much its going to be the Panasonic.
$2400 plus shipping from ECost on preorder now...the May 10, 2005 issue of
PC Magazine gave a fairly good rating to ECost.
Roger
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Hi, Artifact,
<<Roger, pardon my confusion, but if you have Time Warner Cable and get all
digital, HD and analog channels through cable, why would it matter if you
had an off the air tuner?>>
The TV is for my daughter who lives in the Washington DC area. She only has
basic cable and does not want to spend $90 a month for digital cable
including HD!! (just starting off in her career, and Dad wants her to get TV
but choice of cable would be hers!!! Heheheh)
Roger
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
"Roger" <nospam@world.com> wrote in message
news:UEXae.80467$JL2.2957611@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> Hi all,
>
> In the choice of an HDTV in the 32" to 37" range, I'd recently been
leaning
> toward a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD. However, I found today that only some of the
> models have an OTA (off-the-air) tuner. This feature is a must because we
do
> have local digital and HD channels OTA.
I have this TV and it is used primarily for SD broadcasts and
watching movies on DVD. I don't consider an external HD tuner
to be that much of problem because you can easily replace it
if there are any changes to the OTA signals.
Right now, when I want to watch OTA HD, I go downstairs and
turn on my 65 inch Mitsubishi HDTV. It has a built-in tuner that
can be pulled out fairly easily if the technology changes.
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Forget the Terk. They are like the Daewoo (cheap Kia) of antennas.
"Roger" <nospam@world.com> wrote in message
news:UEXae.80467$JL2.2957611@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> Hi all,
>
> In the choice of an HDTV in the 32" to 37" range, I'd recently been
> leaning toward a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD. However, I found today that only
> some of the models have an OTA (off-the-air) tuner. This feature is a must
> because we do have local digital and HD channels OTA. Such models cost
> hundreds of dollars more than the ones that don't!! The LC-32GD6U, very
> highly rated by the Apr-May 05 issue of HDTV Etc magazine, is around $3000
> online. It does have an ATSC digital OTA tuner. I have a Terk 55
> indoor-outdoor antenna, which is a good one. Currently however I'm on
> Time-Warner Cable using their very latest 8300HD receiver and we get all
> local channels in digital, HD and analog. The new HDTVi Terk indoor HD
> antenna looks good, costs $40. See www.terk.com >
> Therefore I would rather wait for May-June for the release of the
> Panasonic TH-37PX50U Plasma which clearly does have an OTA tuner as
> announced by Panasonic regarding the 42" model of the same series;
> presumably the 37" will also have that feature. Right now nobody online
> has this TV series available; might be end of May 05. ECost is advertising
> a pre-release price of $2400 for the 37" version of this series which is
> fantastic for an HD Plasma; never before has there been such a good price.
> For EDTV yes, but HD no.
>
> Also, I was at a store yesterday, and had the salesman put on an analog
> cable channel instead of the usual HD ones being displayed at stores, and
> found that with Plasma, the analog channel seemed somewhat better with the
> Plasma sets there than a 37" Sharp LCD he had. On the other hand, maybe
> for the best analog cable picture we need to use the analog cable NTSC
> input and not a digital input.
>
> Roger
>
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
Forget the Terk? OK....its just that it is a small portable gadget $40,
don't need to invest in a whole lot. Besides I bought a model 55
indoor/outdoor antenna and had it installed in my attic, and it did quite a
good job pulling in available stations.
Roger
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)
People are funny, just because Terk might not be the best antenna they
jump all over it. What I say, is if it works where you are then great.
I experimented with many antennas, and even bought a double bow tie
antenna from radio shack for $2.97 (it was open box, and last one in
the store). That little antenna worked pretty good.
Another antenna that worked pretty well was a Zenith silver sensor
model ZHDTV1.
On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 11:47:06 GMT, "Roger" <nospam@world.com> wrote:
>Forget the Terk? OK....its just that it is a small portable gadget $40,
>don't need to invest in a whole lot. Besides I bought a model 55
>indoor/outdoor antenna and had it installed in my attic, and it did quite a
>good job pulling in available stations.
>Roger
>
