I kind of had a suspicion.. I asked the sales guy.. are you SURE this is gonna fit in a Mazda 3? "Oh yeah sure buddy, it fit ok, open hatch!" Then right after he rang me up he said they didn't have any at that branch, I had to drive to the warehouse which wasn't exactly close. Oh well, I got 3.5 hours of quality time with the girlfriend in the car. And by quality, I mean glaring.
Which TV did you end up getting Edwin?
Excellent 
I just know you've hooked it up to your comp too. How does the Westy compare with the Dells?
I actually haven't hooked it up yet. Haven't had a need to. My xbox is modded with xbox media center so I use that for my media. I actually haven't played a PC game since I got the Westinghouse. I've been on a non-stop Okami binge (42 hours in almost 1 1/2 weeks). It really is three games in one.
Just pulled the trigger on a Panasonic PX60U 50" Plasma.
Nice, I like the Panasonic plasmas. If I got a plasma, it would probably be the 42" Panasonic. If it were a bit cheaper, I would have to think hard about it versus the 42" LCDs I'm choosing between.
Now that I've used the DirecTV HD-DVR I can say that it sucks without much hesitation.
Now that I've used the DirecTV HD-DVR I can say that it sucks without much hesitation.
Hah. Details!
Negatives
*Bugs up the ass!
*13 patches since release. They shipped it without it being completed.
*$300 + monthly fee + 2 year commitment and its a lease? WTF? (I did not know about this till it was too late.)
*Lack of dual live buffers
*Iffy OTA support
*Picture quality is not as nice as the H20
*A good 70% of the features shown in the manual do not work!
*Slow menus.
*Disk space fills up quickly
*Remote doesn't work sometimes
*Resets, lockups, BSOD, and requires reboot about every two days. Worse than Windows ME!
*Latest patch enabled the external SATA connector but...
*Caller ID doesn't always work
*Closed captioning does not work for me.
Positives
*The UI is still the same as the other DirecTV units so it should be easy to use.
*Latest patch added networking and Intel's Viiv, so now music and photos can be seen off your PC. Video support isn't up yet.
*It's cheaper than Tivo
*Frequent OS updates so with time things will get better. Hopefully.
Here is a review done by a DirecTV programmer that works on the HR20. I've not read it. http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.ph...
OK. Well, I am going HD cable only until football season, so hopefully come September, the DirecTV HD DVR situation will be better.
Or maybe Windows Media Center will support HD for DirecTV by then (supports DTV SD already)
We just got Comcast's HD DVR installed at the apartment that I'm vacating after the wedding (Logan will remain living here as he continues school). It's set up on my HD CRT which will soon belong to Logan.
I spent this evening switching between FOX Sports' SD broadcast of the Sharks game with the HD one, just to marvel at the difference...
I hear Dish Network HD service is much better. High bitrate, and more HD channels. Supposedly a new DTV satellite that should free up bandwith for more mpeg4 HD channels.
Yeah, "DirecTV 10" and "DirecTV 11" are both to launch in 2007.
From a press release: "It will deliver national high-definition (HD) programming and will be capable of supporting spot beams carrying local HD broadcast channels in all 50 states."
Hopefully this "spot beaming" will greatly improve the local HD offerings. Maybe we'll finally get that going in Monterey/Salinas.
BOWL GAMES IN HD MAKE ME HAPPY
I found this from a DirecTV employee.
By the end of 2007 DirecTV will have the "capacity" for 150 HD channels.However, by the end of 2007... there probably won't even be 150 HD channels in existance... that is including all exclusive HD channels from other carriers (such as VOOM).
The Next two SATs are set to launch in April and June of 2007.
When those go up, "speculation is", we will see a significant increase in HD channels.National Geographic has already announced that DirecTV will be carring them.
I think TLC as well...But the "key" is those next two sat launches.
Wish there was more HD content.
What hardware is behind the DVR Edwin? I have a Motorola 6412 Dual-Tuner HD and it's been a pain in the ass too. I mean, I love it for what it does, but there's still a lot of glitches that make me mad for something so expensive.
Seagate 300 GB SATA drive with a broadcom decoder chip. Pace makes the motherboards. Not much else I can tell you. The OS is some linux derivative made by DTV.
I found this from a DirecTV employee.
By the end of 2007 DirecTV will have the "capacity" for 150 HD channels.However, by the end of 2007... there probably won't even be 150 HD channels in existance... that is including all exclusive HD channels from other carriers (such as VOOM).
The Next two SATs are set to launch in April and June of 2007.
When those go up, "speculation is", we will see a significant increase in HD channels.National Geographic has already announced that DirecTV will be carring them.
I think TLC as well...But the "key" is those next two sat launches.
Wish there was more HD content.
Well the first thing that has to be done is getting the local HD stations everywhere. Still far too many significant markets without them. Once they hit my market, I will drop Comcast.
Versus HD will also be making it to DirecTV, in January.
DirecTV still needs to add NFL Network in HD. Right now it just shows a few specific NFLN programs (live games and Game of the Week) in HD on a separate channel.
Wish there was more HD content.
Here's a question for you HD users. I'm seeing a bunch of stuff in letterbox on the Scifi network or other basic cable outlets, but it sounds like that's not actually in HD because it's not an HD channel. Is that just some decision they've made to film in widescreen without offering it in HD?
It's many things. HD costs more money to make is the short and simple answer. The long one is that most networks don't have the capacity (read: bandwith) to send that many HD signals on their networks. There is also the fact that not many people have HD setups at home (TV, tuner, and service).
Hey Edwin. Any Issues with the Westi? I am considering their 47" 1080p. The price is right and I was able to check out the 42" model on display. Seemed to have a nice picture and a really nice compliment of connections.
The 32" and the 47" use different panels so anything I say would be useless in comparing the two. Otherwise it's nice for the price. The only two things I don't like are slow menu response (old firmware for me), and no PIP.
Here's a question for you HD users. I'm seeing a bunch of stuff in letterbox on the Scifi network or other basic cable outlets, but it sounds like that's not actually in HD because it's not an HD channel. Is that just some decision they've made to film in widescreen without offering it in HD?
SciFi Channel, like a number of other cable channels, is owned by Universal.
Shows like Battlestar Galactica and Stargate air in HD on Universal HD.
A lot of things are shot in HD even if they're not being aired in HD just yet. The 4400, for example, is shot in HD, though no one in America airs it in HD yet (Australia has gotten the HD broadcasts). On USA, The 4400 is even clipped to 4:3 instead of aired in widescreen. Other shows shot in HD are often aired in widescreen on SD channels though.
I found this pretty interesting.
D* HD Programming as of 12/31/06Local HD (OTA & Sat Locals vary by area)
ABC HD
CBS HD
NBC HD
Fox HD
PBS HD
CW HD
i HD
MyTV HD
- - What is your DMA (City) & how many local HD channels are in your Guide (OTA+Sat)?
Chicago: 5 Sat HD + 23 OTA HD
NY?, LA?, San Francisco? Miami?13 National HD Channels Offered
Discovery HD Theater
ESPN HD
ESPN 2 HD
HBO (East)
HDNet
HDNet Movies
MLB Extra Innings HD
NBA Network HD
NFL Network HD
Showtime (East)
TNT HD
Universal HD (formerly Bravo HD)
Versus HD (NHL)16 National HD Channels Not Yet Offered
--------------------
A&E HD
Cinemax HD (East)
Cinemax HD (West)
Food Network HD
FSN-HD (Fox Sports Net)
HBO (West)
HGTV HD
MHD (MTV-HD)
National Geographic HD
OLN-HD
Outdoor2-HD
Showtime (West)
TMC HD
Starz HD (East)
Starz HD (West)
WealthTV HD5 Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) & Superstations in HD
Altitude HD (Denver)
MSG HD (Madison Square Garden)
WGN1 HD (Chicago, SD is D* 307)
WGN2 HD "The Tube"
YES HD (Yankees)
* Some are offered in their local markets but not nationally.
- What other RSNs & Superstations could be broadcasted nationally?15 Voom
Animania HD
Equator HD
Family Room HD
Film Fest HD
Gallery HD
GamePlay HD
HDNews HD
Kung Fu HD
Monsters HD
Rave HD
Rush HD
Ultra HD
Treasure HD
World Cinema HD
World Sport HD9 Channels Promising HD in 2007
BBC HD
E! HD
Fox HD (best of programming)
Gol HD (Hispanic Soccer)
Hallmark HD
History Channel HD
Sleuth HD
TCM HD
USA HD (was available 2001-2005)So currently in Chicago, we can currently have up to 41 HD channels (Sat, Local, and OTA). Another 33 National HD channels are already broadcasting. 9 more are announced for 2007. So in theory, there could be 83 channels available to Chicago viewers in 2007?
Well, it looks like I'm going to pull the trigger on the 42" 1080P Westinghouse this weekend. Best Buy has the LVM-42w2 for $1399 and I've got a Reward Zone 12% off coupon for that weekend. This just about beats the prices I've found online and I don't have to worry about shipping damage or returns if there's a problem.
Damn you. My Best Buy has dropped the LVM-42w2 from the products they carry. 
Well, it looks like I'm going to pull the trigger on the 42" 1080P Westinghouse this weekend. Best Buy has the LVM-42w2 for $1399 and I've got a Reward Zone 12% off coupon for that weekend. This just about beats the prices I've found online and I don't have to worry about shipping damage or returns if there's a problem.
Wow, the 37" model appears to be 1499 on BB's website ($1349 on sale)... That 42" would be very tempting, if they had any here!
I'm thinking real hard about the Panasonic 42" plasma, and maybe the 32" Westinghouse LCD for a bedroom TV / gaming PC monitor (then I would need to build the gaming PC to go with it!)
Legion, it's a tough call. After calibrating my Panny, I can honestly say it's the most beautiful display I've ever seen in person. I'm very glad I chose to go with Plasma over LCD - the black levels are amazingly deep and the color saturation is spot on. However, I also love the LCD - but as a secondary monitor, because you can't beat the 1920x1080 native resolution and you can hook it up to the computer. Plasmas just aren't as PC friendly.
For movies and games, I'd choose the Panny hands down. For a multi-purpose monitor with PC connectivity, I'd go LCD. Depends on how often you want to hook your rig to it. Either way though, it's pretty awesome seeing how much these sets have dropped in price the past few months. Win!
Swat's pretty much dead on.. my Panny 50" is just awesome.. but LCD's are gaining ground whereas theres only so much more they can squeeze out of Plasma in terms of tech.. and like Swat said LCD's rule when it comes to pure resolution and PC usage.. with a mediacenter PC I'd much rather have an LCD at 1920X1080 through a DVI or HDMI port with an adapter (or one of the newer HDMI videocards.)
For TV and Movie Watching I still go Plasma over everything.
I really wish they'd get some 1080p sets out at smaller sizes than 37".
If they get a nicely priced 27 or 32 incher out with 1080p capability it'll end up being my new computer monitor.
I'd love to get a 37" but the reality is that's massive overkill for my computer room. I can get the space between my face and the screen up to about 4 and a half to 5 feet and that's as far as it gets. Way too close for the 37 incher.
I really wish they'd get some 1080p sets out at smaller sizes than 37".
If they get a nicely priced 27 or 32 incher out with 1080p capability it'll end up being my new computer monitor.
I'd love to get a 37" but the reality is that's massive overkill for my computer room. I can get the space between my face and the screen up to about 4 and a half to 5 feet and that's as far as it gets. Way too close for the 37 incher.
eventually I guess.. but in the end for serious TV and Movie watching 1080P on a smaller than 37" set is a waste.. you wouldnt really notice the difference..
Just buy an LCD at 30" or 24" and run it with DVI through your cable box.
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