HDTV and Tivo connections

nice.

Is HDMI supposed to be like a digital version of the european Scart connector?

We're so far behind here in the US on alot of things When are we finally going to switch to metric?? =)

 

What specifically was better about it? The Dish HD recorder has worked great for me.
Comparing an older model non HD DVR is really not relevant. I have never had
Direct TV but would be interested in hearing why its HD DVR interface works better.

skins fan

 

I think HDMI is just like DVI, but with the sound included and a different connector. If you want to connect an HDMI device to a DVI input, you have to get a converter (usually about $70+) and you dont get sound. You have to route sound through your normal fashion. If you have a HDMI device to connect to a HDMI input, all video and sound are together and no converter is necessary. Some HD and progressive scan DVD players are coming out in HDMI, which sucks for me because my HDTV is only DVI and I refuse to pay that kind of $$ just for a converter. I dotn know if the quality is any beter.

DwArFlOrD

 

Is HDMI analog or does it carry SPDIF?

 

Here is a good article about HDMI and how it fits into the PC desktop.

http://anandtech.com/multimedia/showdoc.aspx?i=2321

They have some pictures of both a DVI and HDMI connectors.

 

Yes, HDMI carries digital audio, but that doesn't do you any good right now, as there is no support for 5.1 or higher. Stupid.

Also, don't get sucked into the hype surrounding HDMI's "big pipe" bandwidth. I cringe every time I read some tech pundit extolling the benefit of high bandwidth HDMI connections...what a crock that is.

I mean, who has access to uncompressed HD sources? Sure, it's good design practice to make sure your system interconnection bandwidth exceeds your target sources by 2-3x, but having a 5 Gbps single link interconnect makes little sense to me in a world of 19 Mbs sources.

Outside of a TV studio, post house or trade show, the best ATSC video available to consumers is via OTA 8VSB and that runs between 15-19 Mbs, depending on multicast usage and other factors. DBS and Cable is typically slightly lower, i.e., more compression. (I am not counting DVHS "D-Theater" tapes here, those are 38 Mbs, but not very common)

Having your 19 Mbs video pass thru a 5 Gbps pipe is not going to give you a better displayed image folks.

Unless you have a relatively simple local source-to-local-display type setup to a digital display, I see little advantage to using HDMI over RGB or component as a means of signal connection to the display.

Again, it is my opinion that HDMI has yet to stand the test of time. Expect all kinds of early adopter headaches using HDMI into the near term future. Currently, the ONLY HDMI "advantage" is maintaining the digital link all the way to the display, assuming you have a digital one. And even there, the difference is not noticeable 99.99% of the time.

 

HDMI is digital only and can carry video, audio and control data. Expect growing pains into the future.

 

sasha,

heard anything about pci express hd cards? That will be nice to move all that bandwidth (and gigabit/sata/ide bandwidth) to a bus that is adequate to handle it.

I'm waiting for the next generation of cards with less bugs and better software. one of the things i dont like about my fusion hdtv is that it'll timeshift when not recording, but when you're recoding it won't -- pretty stupid. hopefully new software will address that.

that is stupid how it won't do 5+.1

what displays are you using for your HD output?

 

FWIW ... Adelphia is now offering an HD DVR as an option for their HD service. Its a Motorola DCR-6400 (not sure of that prefix).



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Have I heard anything about pci express hd cards?

Nope. Nor do I really see a pressing need myself. I've been using MyHD on standard PCI for almost 4 years now and love 'em, they work great for me. I started on the 100's and now I'm on the 120 series. I have no issues running PCI and IDE. Heck, most of the stuff we watch is recordings and we play them back over hardwired Ethernet with no problems at all. I have been very happy with the MIT MyHD cards and find them very stable. Not perfect mind you, but the best I've seen.

I deal with the timeshifting issue by having 2 PCs, both with MyHD cards. Basement server does bulk of recording and storage. Family room HTPC does bulk of playback over Ethernet. We also use a stand-alone ReplayTV for non-HD stuff like news and the Apprentice.

In our family room the HTPC feeds a Samsung 50" DLP rear projector slimline cabinet HDTV via RGB. It works great and looks every bit as good as DVI or HDMI. If anything, I like using RGB better that digital connections as I have more display fine-tuning options with regards to picture centering and overscan. My friends with digital connections complain all the time about lack of control for positioning.

I have the HTPC set up with large fonts running 1280x720 (native to the Sammy) and it is very useable for couch surfing via RF keyboard/mouse when not watching HD.

Downstairs the server is connected via a KVM switch to a standard 19" CRT PC monitor, fine for local use, monitoring and set up.

I would never buy any HDTV without an RGB input. I mean, why invest that kind of money on a quality display and then limit your input options? It astounds me that folks (like my brother-in-law for instance) spend thousands on a new hi-res TV, but then can't connect a simple PC or laptop, even to run their kid's slide show in the living room on the big tv for group viewing.

 

Unfortunately Directv does not offer an HD Tivo:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/buy/offer_comparesystems.jsp
This is one of the reasons I chose Dish.

I have been with Dish for 1 year using their HD receiver/DVR
equipment and have been very happy. It records 21 hours
of HD or 180 hours of standard resolution. Time shifts well
and gives a great picture using the DVI output. Maybe they
have had issues in the past but my experience has been good.

 

Actually they do: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDDVR.dsp

I believe it came out in the first half of last year.

TVL

 

Yeah, I didn't get that about the HD Tivo either,,,,,,,,maybe the post was sarcastic?

HD Tivo was announced at CEA 1/02 and finally shipped on 5/04, with quantity available in fall of 2004.......Dish was first to ship a DBS based HD DVR, but my understanding was that it had a few bugs........

 

Not sarcastic. They did not have HD DVR when I signed up for the
Dish HD service. Yesterday I went to the Directv web site and
checked on HD service. The link I gave shows a comparison of
systems which shows that DVR/Tivo is NOT available. TVL's link
shows that it is.

Directv is doing a bad job of making this equipment available as
I could not find it on their site after clicking on the HD and
DVR pages. The fact that they show it as not being an option
is strange since they obviously do have an HD DVR box.

My Dish DVR has worked fine after 1 software revision which
fixed the few bugs you mentioned. Anybody out there have the
Directv HD DVR box?

 

Anybody out there have the
Directv HD DVR box?

The Directv HD DVR box is a Tivo by Hughes. The Dish Network HD DVR is their own brand.

I don't own either, but quite a few folks from my company do own the HD Tivo. From my view, it seems to run hot, several hard drives have been replaced to date...

 

I've seen that from all PVRs (TiVos and non). Much of it has to do with the location of the STB. One of the first things I always do with a new TiVo is to rip out the old drive and keep it as a spare. Then put in a larger drive for more recording space.

__________________________________________________________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

 

I have a 4 year old ReplayTV that I upgraded when I got it to a (then) whopping 120 gig size. It's in my main equipment rack, no problems, ever. Still runs fine.

 

From the main page (www.directv.com) I hit "Products" then at the bottom "DirecTV HD DVR" and there it is.

__________________________________________________________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

 

The products link take you to:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/Landing.dsp
where do you see a link to the HD DVR on this page?
I found a link to Directv DVR - no info about HD DVR there.
I also see a link to HD TV but no info about a HD DVR there.
I don't see any link on the products page linking to HD DVR.
You have to click on the HD page and scroll to the bottom to
finally find the link.

Most importantly is the page I orginially posted which shows
that they do NOT offer the DVR for HD. Once I read that, I did
not look any further.

 

From that link pick 'DirecTV HD' and look at the bottom of the page.

__________________________________________________________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1