simple question about HDTV

[Lachlan]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but there are a lot of HDTV threads to thumb through, so if anyone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

I have a hauppage pvr250, and I'd like to know if there's anyway to hook an hdtv antenna up to something that converts the signal to something the pvr250 can understand. I know I won't get the full HDTV quality, but I want to do this because there are many more digital channels I can pick up with an hdtv antenna than I can with an analog antenna (right?) and I assume it will be better quality than an analog antenna.

Lachlan

[bnflaherty]

The only thing that is digital that you would pick up is what you already would pick up over-the-air -- what I mean is -- your local broadcast stations are sending out HD signals -- so I don't know if you will get anything different than you already get...

Using a "converter" you will be in the same situation you already are -- viewing SD.

Before getting any additional equipment -- I would do some checking to see what exactly is being broadcast in your area...

[crush157]

You can use one of the set top OTA boxes, as most of them also output SVIDEO or RCA Composite. Also, if you have cable HD you canuse their boxes as well to output to SVIDEO or RCA composite. These can be input into the PVR250 through the SVIDEO/Composite input port on the card and then run the audio cables to the sound card inputs. Setup the external input in BTV and if you can control the box through IR blaster, set that up as well. You will be able to record just fine as long as the Set top box is set to output 480i and send to the SVID/composite output.

It should look great being recorded as it is the cleanest signal output you can get without being completely digital. Analog SD has so much compression and noise artifacts that the HD signal even at SD output will look great. I have HDTV receivers for cable and hook them up to my SD big screen TV and it looks great. Not like the other SD channels. I just can't part with my money for the big 61" HD set at this point.

[TV Scheduler]

I bought a Digital TV receiver. The picture is perfect. I just set the output to 720p and plugged the Svideo output into the input of a PVR-150.

The problem, like the problem with all DTV stuff, is that it costs too much. These receivers should be a $50.00 item but they cost over $200.00. You might want to get a DirecTV HDTV receiver. I understand they have a receiver in them for local DTV broadcasts.

Now, can someone explain to me why an LCD monitor with a light bulb behind it costs over $2000.00?

Bob