Author Topic: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's  (Read 2537 times)

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Offline metssuck

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PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Topic Start: September 27, 2007, 04:06:02 PM »
http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/24/news...ion=2007092414

Best Buy: Consumers baffled by HDTV
No.1 electronics seller says 90% of consumers in survey are confused about high-definition televisions, while 50% underestimate cost of buying, installing them.
By Parija B. Kavilanz, CNNMoney.com senior writer
September 25 2007: 12:13 PM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- As Best Buy gears up for its important high-definition TV sales months, a new survey from the No. 1 electronics retailer reveals that almost 90 percent of Americans still don't understand HDTVs - and close to 50 percent underestimate the cost of buying one.

This is especially troubling for Best Buy (Charts, Fortune 500) as the retailer is banking on flat-panel HDTV purchases to fuel a big chunk of its fourth-quarter profit and sales.

The November-December period typically accounts for more than half of retailers' profits and sales. For Best Buy, the year-end holiday shopping period is estimated to account for nearly 70 percent of its annual profit.

What's more, the retailer also needs to reduce the high number of returns for flat-panel TVs that it was plagued with last year because of lack of awareness among its shoppers.

"We were getting a lot of anecdotal evidence that showed consumers were frustrated with their HDTV purchases," Mike Mohan, vice president of home theater merchandising at Best Buy, told CNNMoney.com Monday. "We felt that we had some gaps in key area of consumer education. That's why we decided to commission this study and really understand where the issues were."

The survey, which polled 1,012 consumers nationwide from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5, found that 89 percent of people said they lacked a complete understanding of HDTV technology.

"You won't believe the number of times that someone will come in to a Best Buy and say 'I just want a flat TV,'" Mohan said.

Best Buy also said 48 percent of consumers didn't budget appropriately for the "entire" HD experience.

This means consumers allocated their budget almost entirely for the television only and neglected to consider additional costs for cables, audio systems and upgrading to cable or satellite services that offer HD channels.

"There's a misconception that flat-panel means HD. No. you have to do something else. You have to upgrade to a HD service provider," Mohan said. "We don't only want to bring down the return rate [for flat-panel TVs], we want to make our customers more satisfied with their overall experience."

To that end, Best Buy has launched an "HD Done Right" education campaign this week with more information about HDTVs available in stores and on its Web site as well as a HD troubleshooting hotline.

"We could've done better online in educating consumers about the total costs for an HDTV experience. So we're addressing that now," Mohan said.

More importantly, Best Buy knows it can't afford to lose crucial holiday sales. Although the retailer continues to see an uptick in HDTV purchases, company executives recently said housing and credit market pressures on Americans pose an ongoing risk to big-ticket purchases.

Additionally, both Best Buy and Circuit City are facing stiffer competition in the HDTV category from discounters like Wal-Mart (Charts, Fortune 500), Target (Charts, Fortune 500) and Costco (Charts, Fortune 500).

"It's not just Best Buy. Everybody is looking to maintain the buying momentum heading into the holiday shopping season," said Stephen Baker, consumer electronics analyst with market research firm NPD Group.

"In the past few years, retailers have put a lot of emphasis on just the TV and not on the home entertainment package that you can build with an HDTV," Baker said. "This is a profit opportunity for Best Buy and Circuit City (Charts, Fortune 500)."

With HDTV prices down about 20 percent year over year, Baker estimates that flat-panel TVs with HD technology could see robust sales over the holidays.

Offline Dave B

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #1: September 28, 2007, 09:42:37 AM »
i was reading some stuff on cnet.com about HD. they do a pretty good job of explaining

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #2: September 28, 2007, 11:12:56 AM »
I just got an HD radio receiver...baby steps  :|

Offline Dave B

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #3: September 28, 2007, 01:15:10 PM »
I just got an HD radio receiver...baby steps  :|

So HD just lets you get regular DC radio stations in better quality?

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #4: September 28, 2007, 05:37:39 PM »
I *think* so (though I don't have any idea what FM broadcasters are simulcasting in HD)...but you do get a lot of unique HD programming on WAMU, which is CD sound quality.  I sent WAMU some money during the Dick Spotswood show while the last fundraiser was going on, and they just sent me an HD radio, as they are doing with everyone who donated during their Sunday country/bluegrass slots (smart move on their part, despite the $$$ it must be costing them to send out 600 HD sets).

I gather HD radio is very widespread in the UK, with dozens of all-HD music channels in London and other large cities.  I've heard it called the "next big thing in radio," but that remains to be seen. 
 
So HD just lets you get regular DC radio stations in better quality?

Offline saltydad

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #5: September 29, 2007, 03:57:51 AM »
Ali-
is this a car radio, as most HD's are, or a table model? I'd really like to see a good model to plug in to my A/V receiver w/o paying the moon for it.

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #6: September 29, 2007, 11:06:39 AM »
I think a company called Tivoli makes some radios.  Can't say what the cost is though.

More info:

http://www.hdradio.com/available_products.php?PHPSESSID=08c792559a4526c0c15e43d981045553

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #7: September 29, 2007, 02:10:54 PM »
tabletop...it's a Radiosophy HD100...I think they go for $100.  I'm setting it up as we speak.

Ali-
is this a car radio, as most HD's are, or a table model? I'd really like to see a good model to plug in to my A/V receiver w/o paying the moon for it.

Offline saltydad

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #8: September 29, 2007, 05:09:24 PM »
tabletop...it's a Radiosophy HD100...I think they go for $100.  I'm setting it up as we speak.


Looks pretty nice. Doesn't have outputs for attaching to my A/V receiver though. How does it sound?

Offline kimnat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #9: September 29, 2007, 05:10:42 PM »
Hey Salty FIOS TV is really nice!  My wireless speed is really good on my laptop, too.

the comp. prob. we have is w/ our equip.  not theirs.

Offline saltydad

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #10: September 29, 2007, 05:30:32 PM »
Can you see a picture difference over satellite?

Offline kimnat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #11: September 29, 2007, 07:13:11 PM »
Looks clearer to us.  crisper. 

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #12: September 29, 2007, 11:34:36 PM »
What I'm going to do on my next tv purchase, probably some time in the next year, will be to purchase a projector instead of the traditional tv set.  I hate having to move a large, tv set when ever I have to move, which, at this stage in my life is fairly frequently.  You can get the same picture quality, a larger image and it's small, light weight and versatile.  Plus, I think it'd be pretty cool to have a theater in my living room.

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #13: September 30, 2007, 12:24:54 AM »
HOLY CRAP!!!  The sound is extraordinary!!  Tiny little thing, but it fills a large room with crystal-clear music.  Run, don't walk, and buy one.

Looks pretty nice. Doesn't have outputs for attaching to my A/V receiver though. How does it sound?

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #14: September 30, 2007, 12:36:00 AM »
I would say that the sound quality on this tiny little set blows away any stereo I've had in this house, not to mention those Bose radios that go for $500 or whatever.  It's less than a foot across, and this room is full of sound! 

Offline kimnat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #15: September 30, 2007, 11:22:18 AM »
Ali - where did you get it?  Is it just for traditional stations or is it a receiver that can be hooked up to anything?

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #16: September 30, 2007, 11:24:51 AM »
What I'm going to do on my next tv purchase, probably some time in the next year, will be to purchase a projector instead of the traditional tv set.  I hate having to move a large, tv set when ever I have to move, which, at this stage in my life is fairly frequently.  You can get the same picture quality, a larger image and it's small, light weight and versatile.  Plus, I think it'd be pretty cool to have a theater in my living room.

You might want to look at a blog on cnet first and also consumer reports in the library:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-11225_7-6695686-1.html?tag=feat.1

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #17: September 30, 2007, 11:28:29 AM »
Ali - where did you get it?  Is it just for traditional stations or is it a receiver that can be hooked up to anything?

Kim, here is info I found on it:

http://www.radiosophy.com/products/hd100.html

Offline kimnat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #18: September 30, 2007, 11:43:35 AM »
ok, that is very cool!!  I need to save up some money and get that for Dan for Christmas!! 

Online Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #19: September 30, 2007, 09:53:20 PM »
The more expensive ones surely have line out jacks, etc...this one was a freebee, so I'm certainly not complaining.  But for something that retails for a c-note, the sound is really amazing!  Obviously, something this size isn't well suited for pounding out Motorhead at ear-splitting volume, but for "quieter" genres in a small to medium room, it's great.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #20: September 30, 2007, 10:13:38 PM »
The more expensive ones surely have line out jacks, etc...this one was a freebee, so I'm certainly not complaining.  But for something that retails for a c-note, the sound is really amazing!  Obviously, something this size isn't well suited for pounding out Motorhead at ear-splitting volume, but for "quieter" genres in a small to medium room, it's great.

You can't listen to Motorhead quietly. The metal police take your CD's away.

Offline saltydad

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #21: October 22, 2007, 05:44:49 PM »
I have a 26" HDTV now, It says it doesn't have a digital out for audio, but does have a SPDIF out. Isn't this the same thing? While I don't need to worry about it now since my audio from the sat dvr goes to my a/v receiver through a Toslink cable, what is the difference? I'm not yet using it for HD. It'll cost a minimum of $79 after $100 rebate to update to a HD DVR, and $129 after $100 rebate for one with a larger hard drive. Unfortunately only one of the 2 TVs will be in HD...the other is standard TV. TIVO's DVR outputs to 2 HD TVs, but it's not compatable with satellite unfortunately. Then there is the extra $20 a month for non-premium HD programming. Not sure yet which/whether to go. Kim...is your FIOS-connected TV a HD? Any other inputs (pun intended)?

Offline kimnat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #22: October 22, 2007, 06:05:20 PM »
Salty, I got Dan for his 40th b-day, an HD tv, just finished paying it off (Circuit City - no interest deal).  After getting FIOS, we are finally able to use it.  AND HE LOVES IT!!!  He's really bummed that because of trees we couldn't get it w/ Directv and missed the entire Nats season.  He is totally freaking out and gushes about w/ each baseball and football game he watches.  Heaven help him when the Terps are on an HD station! 

We could have gotten an HD DVR/TIVO receiver for an 20/month.  But I just got the basic HD receiver for 15/mo and a regular non HD receiver for the other tv (can't remember price/mo).  But whole bill for 2 tvs is less than DTV was (was $66.12/mo).

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #23: October 22, 2007, 06:57:57 PM »
Dan is a wise man with great taste. Baseball in HD is awesome, but soccer and hockey on HDnet (well, they were there a year ago) are un-flipping believable. The major broadcasters broadcast in 700. HDNet broadcasts in 1080.

And, while I hate to admit this, Comcast HD is less compressed that satellite HD. I loved DishNetwork, but the Comcast quality is better.

Salty, I got Dan for his 40th b-day, an HD tv, just finished paying it off (Circuit City - no interest deal).  After getting FIOS, we are finally able to use it.  AND HE LOVES IT!!!  He's really bummed that because of trees we couldn't get it w/ Directv and missed the entire Nats season.  He is totally freaking out and gushes about w/ each baseball and football game he watches.  Heaven help him when the Terps are on an HD station! 

We could have gotten an HD DVR/TIVO receiver for an 20/month.  But I just got the basic HD receiver for 15/mo and a regular non HD receiver for the other tv (can't remember price/mo).  But whole bill for 2 tvs is less than DTV was (was $66.12/mo).

Offline kimnat

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Re: PPL need to do their research on HDTV's
« Reply #24: October 22, 2007, 07:00:43 PM »
Great taste in sports teams or in choosing a wife?  ;)  :icon_mrgreen: