freeview or hd ready tv?

[toffee-pie]

what is the difference between getting a hd ready tv and just buying a freeview box. is it the same thing apart from just a better picture?

[Toureman]

there are very few channels that are HD, most need an extra subscription to receive them.

Using a freeview box will upgrade your normal TV picture a little but not to HD standard.

It is not worth paying more for an HD ready TV until there are more HD programmes to watch.

[Elmek]

a freeview box is basically a decoder for digital signals and sends them to your tv. the picture is a bit better but it depends on the quality of the transmission. some tv is now broadcast in HD (high definition) and the picture quality is supposed to be far better but you need a hd tv to see it. (someone please correct me if i`m wrong) i picked up a hd ready lcd tv with freeview built in at xmas for about 450 quid. the prices are sure to go down as the analogue transmitters are switched off an digital comes to life. hope this helps :)

[vehelpfulguy]

There are basically three level of TV quality:

1) Analogue
2) Digital
3) HD (High Definition)

1) Analogue is what we all had for years with just the choice of 5 channels (BB1, BBC2, ITV, Ch4, Five). The Analogue signal will be turned off over the next five years.

2) Digital is what you get from a Freeview box (and also from Sky and cable).

If you buy a Freeview box, and plug it into any Analogue TV you can watch digital TV.

Some modern TVs come with a Freeview box built in, usually this is called IDTV (Integrated Digital TV)

3) High Definition. This is the next level up from Digital, with more lines on the screen giving you a better picture.

HD is still in its early days. Sky currently put out some channels in HD but you need a special HD "box". I think the cable companies may also be doing some HD.

HD is NOT available on Freeview and will not be for a while.

So it is important to note

BUYING A HD TV DOES NOT (IN ITSELF) GIVE YOU HIGH DEFINITION PICTURES.

To be honest I think the TV industry has conned us all these last few months pushing "HD ready" TVs, when most people will not be watching HD for 2 or 3 years, maybe more.

If all you want is Digital TV then buy a freeview box.

[kwicky]

On top of the price of an HD TV there is the price of the HD box to add to this. Sky do one and the price was about �240 just for the box. Maybe thats why they are not too popular at the moment.

[Toureman]

As vehelp says it is a conn at the moment to make us buy more expensive TVs, My brother in law bought one, when I asked him if he had watched any HD programmes yet he just gave me a blank look.

[Coobeastie]

Personally don't see it as a con, its no as if they are forcing us into the shops.

HD tvs also come with hdmi inputs so that you can run a hd signal into them from hddvd players, xbox360 hd drives, playstation 3s and so on.

[Mattk]

How is it a con ? They are sold as HD ready and nothing more than that.If your brother in law bought one under the impression that he would instantly receive HD pictures then Im sorry but its more fool him.

[Toureman]

I agree MATT, thats how Con men make money.

[ramesh046]

As vehelpfulguy says IT IS A CON
I wish I had not spend �1000 . Its too late now