[LRSV38]

What are your recommendations for dvd-players in the 130 $ range?

Is s-video a much better picture or barely noticeable.

Do you need an HDTV for s-video to work?

[psi42]

What are your recommendations for dvd-players in the 130 $ range?

I really have no idea myself, as I usually buy the cheap one.

This site may be helpful:
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

Do you need an HDTV for s-video to work?

No.

:)

~psi42

[Wmatthies]

This may be too late to help you but if so, hopefully others.

You are right to ask about connections because they will make a big difference. Basically there are three types; RCA cables (RCA refers to the type of cable, not the brand), S Video and component/optical. (There are others but for most these three are all you need worry about.) RCA will provide a serviceable picture but well below the best it could be. S video will be noticeably better but probably not to some. Component or optical will be far and away the best. By the way, not all machines that have component will have optical but I believe all that have optical will also have component. There are some differences between the two but probably not enough so you would distinguish.

Beyond the connections you use you should also be concerned about whether the player you buy is Dolby Digital and possibly DTS capable. Not all are or are both. If they do you will be able to decode multi channel Dolby and DTS sound tracks, presuming the disk you buy has this information, also presuming that your receiver or amplifier is Dolby Digital and/or DTS capable as well. In other words, the disk needs to have a Dolby Digital or DTS soundtrack, the DVD player needs to be able to decode that sound track and your receiver needs to have Dolby Digital and/or DTS capability as well. These days that will be true of most receivers beginning around $200 and probably true of most DVD players starting around $150, maybe even $100.

While there are cheap DVD players out there, what’s the point? We buy this stuff to get a “theater experience” and to do that we need to make sure the equipment we buy has the right capability and that we are connecting it together in the most optimum way. You will thoroughly enjoy the benefits of doing it this way long after you forget about the extra $200 or so you spend to have the best possible experience.

[Wmatthies]

I just noticed you also asked if you need an HDTV with S video. You do not; in fact, as good as it is the quality of DVD is well below HD quality. In any event there is no direct relationship between HD capability in a TV and the way you connect your DVD player. However, there is an indirect connection (no pun intended) because a better TV, which HD sets are, will highlight the picture flaws that result when using RCA connections. So again, the better the DVD connection the better the picture.

[syl]

What does it mean? I was advised to buy a TV with the HDTV tuner built in if not, I would have to buy an add on tuner when the services go to HDTV only. Is LCD HDTV on its own.. I am confused.

[McLaren]

What does it mean? I was advised to buy a TV with the HDTV tuner built in if not, I would have to buy an add on tuner when the services go to HDTV only. Is LCD HDTV on its own.. I am confused.

Basically what HDTV and "HD Ready" means is that while the TV's are equally capable of displaying a High Definition picture, the sets which are referred to simply as HDTV's have the ability to tune into HD signals that are broadcast "Over the Air" ON THEIR OWN. In sharp contrast to that, "HD ready" sets need an ecternal HD tuner to receive and display these signals.
In other words if you are using a High Def Satellite Dish receiver or a High Def digital cable Box , it does not matter whether you set is "HD, or "Hd Ready", because the Sat Receiver/Digital Cable Box are doing the job for you.
The only thing an ", because the Sat Receiver/Digital Cable Box are doing the job for you.
The only thing an " set will miss out on will be broadcasted "Over The Air" HD signals.
Feel free to ask for more clarification if you like

[syl]

I was reading up on my old posts. Since the above information, we have bought two HDTV sets. A 22 inch for the kitchen and 37""
(due to cabinet restrictions) for our small living room. We have cable and we got their HD cable box which gave us a lot more stations. We experimented with the ones that we are used to and unless they were DTV, the old ones were no better and we were comfortable with our extended service so we took the box back. The local news stations have 2 and up to 5 different 'feeds' per station. The ones that say DTV1 'look' very much high definition. Does this mean that when the government has the station go all digital that we will get more/better stations with DTV? I mean like the Family/USA/Animal planet/ TNT etc?

[Gregisteredtrademark]

No. The DTV change over will only effect televisions that get their signal from an antenna (on the roof or rabbit ears). Cable and satellite are uneffected by this change. As for programing that is up to your cable provider. I have Comcast and I get a ton of programmind in HD, the only channel I am waiting for is FX. Other than that I have my locals, espn, tnt, animal planet, speed, USA, tbs, history, discovery, just to name a few.