Remember Mark, the gentleman who paid $200 to repair a Hitachi TV, only to see it immediately break again? Of course you don’t, because we posted his story three months ago.
hdtv
Want An HDTV? Just Imagine That You Have One
By 10.7.09
Good news, everyone! I don’t have an aging hulk of a CRT television in my living room anymore. No, I have a high definition television, thanks to the power of my mind. At least, that’s what a recent study tells me will happen if I wish hard enough.
CRT TVs Masquerading As HDTVs Plague Another Walmart
By 10.7.09
It’s officially a trend now. Old-timey CRT TVs are not only mislabeled as HDTVs at a Connecticut Walmart, but also, according to reader Chris, at a Kentucky location.
Walmart Tries To Pass Off Antique As HDTV
By 10.5.09
Shawn spotted Walmart selling an old CRT TV, mislabeling it as an HDTV. He snapped the accompanying incriminating photos and writes:
Deep HDTV Discounts From Best Buy This Week
By 8.29.09
People just aren’t buying ginormous TVs like they used to. At least not from Best Buy. That’s why there’s going to be some great deals this week at Best Buy on large-screen HDTVs. HDGuru got an advance copy of their Sunday circular, which advertises discounts that bring the big TVs down to an almost reasonable price!
Pop Goes The Shoddy Refurbed Hitachi TV
By 7.7.09
Mark thought he’d save some money by buying a refurbished Hibachi HDTV off UEC Web, but was disturbed to discover the TV — as an under-fire politician, coach or CEO would put it — decided to spend more time with its family.
Don't Clean Your HDTV With Windex
By 5.5.09
Windex works great on your windows, but will it clean your TV? How about those expensive cleaning kits they sell at Best Buy? Our sister publication, Consumer Reports, says that both of them are bad ideas, but for different reasons.
Don't Buy 1080p HDTVs For The SuperBowl
By 1.29.09
For those of you thinking about buying an HDTV for the SuperBowl, just remember that you don’t need to be springing for that 1080p. This game will not be broadcast in 1080p and no SuperBowl ever has. For The Big Game viewing purposes, a 1080i or 720p will do just fine. It’s just an unconfirmed rumor at this point, but I’ve also heard that analog sets will be able to receive the SuperBowl signal as well.
Helpful Information For Those About To Impulse Buy A TV For The Superbowl
By 1.27.09
We know you just can’t handle the thought of watching the magnificent Arizona Cardinals in standard def, so before you run out and buy the biggest TV at the store — here is some information from Consumer Reports that will help you be set up and ready to go by the time your Larry-Fitzgerald-jersey-wearing friends show up.
DirecTV Install Imbroglio Makes Longtime Customer Want To Destroy Furniture
By 9.16.08
While we’re waiting on our video boys to harvest the clip of Whoopie’s rant against DirecTV on The View this morning, here’s a little reader-submitted DirecTV install nightmare to tide you over. Andy used to think DirecTV was pretty good, but his experience trying to get them to hook up an HD/DVR to his TV has felt him feeling like he is “going to explode, or destroy pieces of furniture.”
Morning Deals
By 9.8.08
- Banana Republic: 30% off today only with coupon code HAPPY30 or printable coupon
- Sears: Free Masterlock with printable coupon
- MusiciansFriend: AKG Handheld Condenser Microphone for $100 + free shipping. Today only.
Highlights From Dealhack
- Timbuk2: Save up to 60% off Messenger Bags, Backpacks, & More
- New York & Co.: Extra 20% off Store-Wide Women’s Apparel
- Office Depot: Viewsonic N3235w 32-inch LCD HDTV $470 & Free Shipping
This Coloring Book Helps Children And Grownups Understand HDTV
By 6.19.08
Reader Andy sent us this great coloring book he made that helps explain high definition television to children, parents, and luddites.
Circuit City Denies Its In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam
By 4.30.08
Speaking on behalf of Circuit City in regards to…
Insiders: Circuit City's In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam
By 4.29.08
According to a Circuit City employee, their…
Comcast Spews BS When You Complain About HD Degradation
By 4.2.08
David wanted a straight answer from Comcast as to whether they were degrading his HD signal, but instead was fed a colossal trough of baloney. The executive customer service rep who replied to David’s email said Comcast is using a “new system” for HD and while it “works well with clean 1080i signals, we’re making some adjustments to improve how it handles other types of HD signals so we can bring you the best HD picture. We apologize this has not created the HD experience that we intended, but we will work towards getting it right. ” Sure… check out this previous post, Comcast Degrades HD Quality To Make Room For More Channels, for the science and proof of how Comcast (and other cable operators) are degrading HD feeds to make more money. The full exchanges between David and the Comcast reps, inside…
Comcast Degrades HD Quality To Make Room For More Channels
By 3.31.08
When you order Hi-Def TV, you expect it to be on the shining Excalibur level, but it looks like Comcast is degrading the quality of some HD channels in order to make room for more channels. To test this theory out, Avsforum member bfdtv recorded the same shows from the same channel at the same time on both Comcast Hi-Def and Fios TV. The left is the FiOs. The right is the Comcast. As you can see, the Comcast signal looks like crap. The forum thread has more screenshots, a signal analysis, and some source videos. So far the Comcast channels receiving extra compression are: Discovery Channel, SciFi, USA, Food, NatGeo, UHD, A&E, HGTV, Starz, Cinemax, HBO, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD Theater, and History HD.
Best Buy Says You Don't Know What You're Doing With HD
By 9.25.07
Best Buy hired a firm to take a survey of the state of the American public’s knowledge of HDTV, and sad results are in. You don’t know what the hell is going on with your television.
