True HDTV Signal

[TZ250]

Now that we're forced into HDTV, I've bought one LCD flat panel and mounted it onto the wall. I'll probably buy another one soon.

I don't have cable so I'm looking at antennas. IBSTROKIN told me that there is no such thing as an HDTV antenna. Cable and dish providers compress there signals. Air channels are not compressed but the antennas that I've seen have a coax output. Coax can't carry true HDTV. The antennas should have an HDMI output.

So, other than Blu-Ray disc, how do we get TRUE HDTV signals?

[Blackballed]

Call your cable provider and you need to upgrade to a new HDMI box. The upgrade is usally free.

[Timido]

If you get a HDTV that has a Tuner you can hook up an "Off air antenna" and get local Tv programing free in High Deff. They brodcast in digital. I have Dish Network HD tuner and I get my local chanels in HD on the Off air antenna.

[IWRBB]

Now that we're forced into HDTV, I've bought one LCD flat panel and mounted it onto the wall. I'll probably buy another one soon.

I don't have cable so I'm looking at antennas. IBSTROKIN told me that there is no such thing as an HDTV antenna. Cable and dish providers compress there signals. Air channels are not compressed but the antennas that I've seen have a coax output. Coax can't carry true HDTV. The antennas should have an HDMI output.

So, other than Blu-Ray disc, how do we get TRUE HDTV signals?

Sounds like you are a total digital/HD newbie, confused and not knowing who to believe.

First off, you don't need an HDTV to get digital signals, nobody is forcing you to upgrade. You only need a digital tuner. Digital does not equal HD. All HD is digital, not all digital is HD.

There is no such thing as a HDTV antenna. An antenna from 1950 will work just fine. Just make sure you get an antenna that picks up both UHF and VHF.

Coax can carry HDTV, no problem. Whoever told you you need an HDMI antenna doesn't know what they are talking about, at all. I have 2 rabbit ear antennas that use coax to feed HD to my HDTVs. My entire Dish HD setup runs one one coax cable. It feeds 2 HD tuners and a third SD TV, all running on one coax.

Cable and Dish do compress their HD feeds, but Direct and Dish are both on MPEG4 now so they way better compared to a few years back. Cable probably still sucks.

I get the locals over the air and use the satellite for the HD "cable" channels.

Blue Ray is 1080p. All of the broadcasts are either 1080i or 720p. Resolution is one thing, bandwidth is another. The compression you speak of affects the bandwidth. Over the air is the best you'll get for locals, it'll have the least compression, or the highest bandwidth. Dish or Direct is the best you'll get for the non local HD channels. Blueray players and Dish's TurboHD can give you 1080p signals, but only for movies.

Any other questions?

[Black92LX]

Digital TV and HDTV are not the same thing.
By the way Coax can carry an HD Signal.

Call your provider get an HD Box. I fyou don't have cable or satelite just buy an over the air antenna and you will get the local HD Channels.

[04 Venom]

Sounds like you are a total digital/HD newbie, confused and not knowing who to believe.

First off, you don't need an HDTV to get digital signals, nobody is forcing you to upgrade. You only need a digital tuner. Digital does not equal HD. All HD is digital, not all digital is HD.

There is no such thing as a HDTV antenna. An antenna from 1950 will work just fine. Just make sure you get an antenna that picks up both UHF and VHF.

Coax can carry HDTV, no problem. Whoever told you you need an HDMI antenna doesn't know what they are talking about, at all. I have 2 rabbit ear antennas that use coax to feed HD to my HDTVs. My entire Dish HD setup runs one one coax cable. It feeds 2 HD tuners and a third SD TV, all running on one coax.

Cable and Dish do compress their HD feeds, but Direct and Dish are both on MPEG4 now so they way better compared to a few years back. Cable probably still sucks.

I get the locals over the air and use the satellite for the HD "cable" channels.

Blue Ray is 1080p. All of the broadcasts are either 1080i or 720p. Resolution is one thing, bandwidth is another. The compression you speak of affects the bandwidth. Over the air is the best you'll get for locals, it'll have the least compression, or the highest bandwidth. Dish or Direct is the best you'll get for the non local HD channels. Blueray players and Dish's TurboHD can give you 1080p signals, but only for movies.

Any other questions?

Very informative. :bigthumb

[Waffles]

Call your cable provider and you need to upgrade to a new HDMI box. The upgrade is usally free.



I don't have cable so I'm looking at antennas.

:rolleyes:

[Blackballed]

:rolleyes:

So sorry to try to help.....:AR15::rolleyes:

[95turbocharged]

I just took down my HD antenna it worked I got all the local HD channels!! I upgraded to a KU dish from directv that now gets all the local stuff.

[Waffles]

So sorry to try to help.....:AR15::rolleyes:

lol... just messin with ya.

[IWRBB]

Very informative. :bigthumb

Yea, I figured all this crap out 4 years ago when I bought my first HDTV. It is AMAZING the misinformation that is floating around out there.