Bought my first HDTV

[CharlieMac]

Okay, so I have the tv. The HD service. What else do I need? Right now I am using the regular audio/video cables. What's up with the HDMI cables? is that needed and is that why my picture drags at times?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yes, get an HDMI cable. Get it from monoprice.com, don't go buy one of the re ed $100 Monster cables from Best Buy though.

Here's a ten foot cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

And a 6' cable:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Dunno how long your run is, but they have longer cables there.

Also, depending on your audio system setup you'll want to get fiber connections between your receiver and the stereo if you want to max out your surround sound experience.

[CharlieMac]

Yes, get an HDMI cable. Get it from monoprice.com, don't go buy one of the re ed $100 Monster cables from Best Buy though.

Here's a ten foot cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

And a 6' cable:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Dunno how long your run is, but they have longer cables there.

Also, depending on your audio system setup you'll want to get fiber connections between your receiver and the stereo if you want to max out your surround sound experience.

That 6 footer will be perfect. Thanks. I bought this ty Element from Circuit City and immediately returned it for a Vizio. The sound was horrible. Like listening to an old 13 inch tv. You get what you pay for I guess.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Generally speaking, the speakers on all flat panels are weak. If you've got any way to run the audio out to an amp/receiver you'll be much happier.

[CharlieMac]

So will this cable make a big difference? It says 480i now in the corner.

[CharlieMac]

http://www.nextag.com/Vizio-VU37LHDT...43/prices-html

That's what I bought.

[baseline bum]

Component sucks. HDMI rules. Goodnight now.

[baseline bum]

So will this cable make a big difference? It says 480i now in the corner.

480i is standard definition tv, so if you don't have a component, HDMI, or VGA hookup to your TV from your cable/satellite box, XBox360/PS3, DVD/BluRay, etc., you're only getting SD instead of HD on your TV.

On your TV,
1080i will be best for movies
720p for sports and games

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Your Vizio has 1080i capabilities, depending on who your provider is your HD content will either be in 720p or 1080i.

Either will be ridiculously better viewing than 480i.

[CharlieMac]

480i is standard definition tv, so if you don't have a component, HDMI, or VGA hookup to your TV from your cable/satellite box, XBox360/PS3, DVD/BluRay, etc., you're only getting SD instead of HD on your TV.

On your TV,
1080i will be best for movies
720p for sports and games

Good to know. There still seems to be a big difference between regular ESPN and ESPN HD, but it still feels liek it's off. That may be why.

[baseline bum]

Your Vizio has 1080i capabilities, depending on who your provider is your HD content will either be in 720p or 1080i.

Either will be ridiculously better viewing than 480i.

In terms of raw data rate, 720p and 1080i blow 480i out of the water.


data rate = resolution * frame rate

480i = (640 pixel/row * 480 row) * 29.97/second = 9,206,784 pixel/second
720p = (1280 pixel/row * 720 row) * 60/second = 55,296,000 pixel/second
1080i = (1920 pixel/row * 1080 row) * 30/second = 62,208,000 pixel/second

As you can see, 720p and 1080i give way more data (and thus a much better picture). 1080i is 676% the information as 480i, 720p is 601%.

[CharlieMac]

In terms of raw data rate, 720p and 1080i blow 480i out of the water.


data rate = resolution * frame rate

480i = (640 pixel/row * 480 row) * 29.97/second = 9,206,784 pixel/second
720p = (1280 pixel/row * 720 row) * 60/second = 55,296,000 pixel/second
1080i = (1920 pixel/row * 1080 row) * 30/second = 62,208,000 pixel/second

As you can see, 720p and 1080i give way more data (and thus a much better picture). 1080i is 676% the information as 480i, 720p is 601%.

My degree is in English. I took college algebra 3 times.

I just wanna see every hair on Brett Farve's beautiful 6-day stubble. Now I feel like a chump with the 480i junk. Tell me I'm not imagining it though, with the video cable alone, HD channels are still better than regular channels though, right?

I'm pretty excited to get that HDMI cable and see what my tv can do.

[baseline bum]

My degree is in English. I took college algebra 3 times.

I just wanna see every hair on Brett Farve's beautiful 6-day stubble. Now I feel like a chump with the 480i junk. Tell me I'm not imagining it though, with the video cable alone, HD channels are still better than regular channels though, right?

I'm pretty excited to get that HDMI cable and see what my tv can do.

HDMI is the cleanest interface out there. You'll be able to see the sweat from Farve's balls with it.

Are you using a component or a composite cable right now? Component will have five connections: one for red, one for green, one for blue, and two for stereo audio. Composite will have three: one for video (yellow), and two for stereo audio (one red, one white).

The difference between HDMI and composite is night and day. The difference between HDMI and component is very significant also, but not nearly as much as HDMI vs composite.

[CharlieMac]

I'm using the old school composite.

[balli]

I don't think 480i is that bad. I have a 1080p and another 1080i TV, but unless I'm watching sports (when HD becomes essential), I predominantly use my good ol' tube from 1997. I rarely even put my 360 on either of my HD TV's. HD's nice and all, but it's not like 480i is unwatchable and other than certain blu-ray movies and sports, it doesn't even make much of a difference IMO.

Still, HD is absolutely great the aforementioned purposes and I hope you enjoy your new purchase.

[CharlieMac]

I don't think 480i is that bad. I have a 1080p and another 1080i TV, but unless I'm watching sports (when HD becomes essential), I predominantly use my good ol' tube from 1997. I rarely even put my 360 on either of my HD TV's. HD's nice and all, but it's not like 480i is unwatchable and other than certain blu-ray movies and sports, it doesn't even make much of a difference IMO.

Still, HD is absolutely great the aforementioned purposes and I hope you enjoy your new purchase.

I was in Padre for a few days and all I could think about was watching Mike and Mike as soon as I got home.

[baseline bum]

I don't think 480i is that bad. I have a 1080p and another 1080i TV, but unless I'm watching sports (when HD becomes essential), I predominantly use my good ol' tube from 1997. I rarely even put my 360 on either of my HD TV's. HD's nice and all, but it's not like 480i is unwatchable and other than certain blu-ray movies and sports, it doesn't even make much of a difference IMO.

Still, HD is absolutely great the aforementioned purposes and I hope you enjoy your new purchase.

To me, it's hard to go back to 480i on games. I know no one develops X360/PS3 games that can actually do 60 fps, but games like Oblivion, NBA 2k8, and GTA4 look drastically different in SD vs HD. I gotta give it to Infinity Ward though; COD4 is still amazing graphically even at 480i.

[balli]

I gotta give it to Infinity Ward though; COD4 is still amazing graphically even at 480i.

Hence my complacency when it comes to 360 I think. I'm so addicted to COD right now that it isn't even funny. If I was playing anything else these days, HD might matter more, but COD 4's got me in a vice grip.

[CharlieMac]

Okay, heres the situation:

I plugged in teh HDMI cable and it says this, "Copy Protection: The DVI/HDMI output is blocked."

Whats the deal with that?

[CharlieMac]

Now it says "DVI Alert: Your HDTV does not support HDCP. Please disconnect the HDMI connector and use the YPrPb connection to continue watching TV. "

[PM5K]

Now it says "DVI Alert: Your HDTV does not support HDCP. Please disconnect the HDMI connector and use the YPrPb connection to continue watching TV. "

Is the TV saying that or the converter?

Also who is your HDTV provider and what converter do you have?

Your TV DOES support HDCP which is a copy protection scheme so more info might help figure out what the problem is.

[CharlieMac]

It's the converter. I have TWC

[PM5K]

Which converter do you have, it says which on the front, probably on the top right.

Also, didn't you get either an HDMI or Component from TimeWarner with your box?

[CharlieMac]

I have the Explorer 8300 HDC. I did get the component cables from TWC and have been using that. I now have an HDMI cable and that doesn't seem to work. I had TWC reboot the box and everything, but still nada.

[PM5K]

Oh, I thought you were using composite before.

You probably won't notice any difference with your set using HDMI over component, but since you bought the cable I'm sure you'd like to fix it.

I'd check the owners manual for the tv.