Hey all.

Our 27" Sanyo CRT tv is emitting a whining noise and I want to relinquish it to spare-room duties, replacing it with a flatter, bigger screen.

I don't really want to shell out the cash for an HDTV signal, and both my wife and I don't really care for "true" HD if EDTV can get us a nicer picture than our current 480i CRT unit, preferrably without having to get true HD programming.

We watch lots of hockey (which I've noticed looks like crap on an HDTV unit with a non-HD feed). We also watch dramas which would be nice in HD but as I said, as long as the image is an upgrade from standard def 27" CRT tv, we'd be happy. Most hockey isn't broadcast in HD anyhow, and yes the dramas are but it isn't exactly inexpensive we've seen.

What gives a better picture with standard 480i input (digital cable): EDTV or HDTV? We don't watch many movies.

One day we'll be putting a home theater in the basement but for now this unit will be on the main floor family room and doesn't have to be our end-game TV.

Recommendations?

 

wait wait wait, a canadien that watches hockey? How bizarre

I have VERY little experience with EDTV's so I cannot honestly comment on them. HDTV with a non digital standard def feed will look bad, depending on the tv, can be really bad. A flat panel tv is still going to cost a lot more then a tube tv, if you don't want to spend a lot and get hd cable or satellite, why not look into another tube and save yourself the cash all around? Wait, do they sell tubes anymore? I haven't seen any on the shelves in a few years now.

 

We have digital standard-def feeds in 3 rooms... so no analog feeds at all.

And yeah they still sell tube TV's but I'm not getting another one. Too big/bulky/crappy all around.

As a matter of fact I've been looking at a few online retailers herhe in Canada and there don't seem to even be any EDTV's around. Have they gone the way of the Betamax? If so, then I will live with the screeching until at least after Christmas (but before LOST starts in Feb!), and probably get an HD unit.

 

Why dont you stick with the standard cable and plug in an old antenna to your HDTV when you get it. You may be surprised at all the HD channels you get with just rabbit ears or maybe an old school outdoor antenna. Granted i dont know about canada but in the US I get a few perfect HD channels with glorified indoor rabbit ears from towers that are 20 miles away.

 

If you aren't going to feed it an HDTV signal then don't bother with either. Watching 4:3 programming stretched to 16:9

 

I was looking at the over-the-airwaves channels here in Ottawa and we get 2, neither of which are any good. I also went and sweet-talked a Rogers cable rep and had my standard def PVR upgraded to an HD PVR for free, meaning I get all of the major networks in HD as part of my monthly price (no change from before)!.

So that's good.

Now the other thing is I want to get an HD TV. I'll make another post about that so the topic of this one isn't misleading.

 

Go HD or go home.
Why would you pay for tech that is obsolete?(edtv)

I have an HD ready set & I have only basic analog cable.
Now analog cable looks like crap anyway, but DVD's are freaking sweet!

If you really don't want/need to upgrade, you can find 32" CRT TV's that are cheap.