Another Digital TV Q From AK's Biggest Hater Of Anything Digital
 

I walked into Circuit City to take a peek at those newfangled flat/digital TVs.
Colors were not quite correct, and way too deep. Images, even slow-moving ones were smeared and/or blotchy.
The sound was Bose-like in 'quality'.
The best pictures by far were from two Samsung [yup, that's right], tube sets that have full HDTV play capability.
Is it digital that makes things so bad, or the no-more-CRT tube thing that spoils them?
I almost grabbed the Samsung 27", but realized that I would have to strap it to the glass roof of my Firebird.
This gave me time to investigate. I discovered two things:
1- No one offers CRT TVs any more.
2-The Samsung that I had almost purchased has a poor reliability record.
I own a nearly-new Sony 32" CRT TV.
Will I need to nurse that along for the next four decades, to get a decent picture? And, will I get a decent picture with the required adapter?

Am I somewhat nuts, or is digital TV just another p.o.s. that has been forced up our butts?
Even the house phones are digital, and most of them are far from clear.

I am far from happy over the consumer junk that we are forced to accept. Even my newish Maytag dishwasher is crap.

Help.

Seth
Forever Analog and Covered In Parrot Poop

The digital format itself is not really the issue. (unless the signal is overly compressed) The examples you describe sound like LCD sets, or aging Plasma displays.

LCD's have improved, but they still aren't as good as CRT's. Plasma displays offer a picture on par or better then CRT's, but they wear out quicker.

OLED displays promise "100% NTSC color reproduction" but I'm not sure if OLED is even out yet.

The "bose" sound stems from tiny speakers. Running the TV's audio outputs through a REAL amp and speakers should help greatly.

The easy answer to your last question is yes.

...and any guy from Brooklyn with the balls to drive a T-top Firebird in January is A-OK in my book! Fogettaboutit! :thmbsp:

Keep in mind that the sets on display are running ar their factory default settings. This means way too much contrast and color. On LCD sets this can cause bright areas to clip which causes a total loss of detail. CRTs don't looks as bad when they are over driven.

I have also noticed that the picture quality on most stations, especially ABC and PBS, is getting worse.
On Sunday, I saw a PBS Nature special on parrots of Australia, and it had the typical too-deep colors and blotchiness that I associate with mediocre digital. ABC has off-color and way too much contrast.
And Lost, last night, had hiccups, like a skipping DVD.
As technology goes foward, quality goes backward.

Seth
Forever Analog and Covered In Parrot Poop

Seth, i hate digital more than you do!
Check out Pioneer plasma panels. On broadcast HD, or any high quality HD on cable or satellite (like INHD) they can fool you into thinking you are looking out a window.

Are you absolutely certain that you hate digital even more than I do?
Negative thoughts about digital abound within my cerebral cortex nearly every waking moment.

Top that, my analog buddy.

Seth
Forever Analog and Covered In Parrot Poop

Don't hate digital.

Hate low quality digital!

If you guys are the biggest haters of digital, I'm definitely up there with you! In fact, just hearing that lousy word makes me tighten up! BOO digital!!!

Our TV died last year.Went looking for a new one also.The only ones I liked the picture on were out of my price range.Wound up buying a Samsung CRT Slimfit.Its HDTV and has a decent picture,plus its a digital tuner.Good luck on your quest.