Electronics
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Electronics
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Jim Jamieson, The Province
Published: Sunday, February 18, 2007
You succumbed to all the buzz and just bought your first high-definition television.
Doing all the due diligence around that purchase was probably taxing, but don't kid
yourself into thinking your job is finished.
Sure, the picture from your regular TV feed -- cable or satellite -- is clearer with the
new set. But why buy a Ferrari and drive it in first gear?
So the next question is: Where do I get my HD channels from?
At first glance, it probably looks easy: Just pick one of the four options available
and away you go. But after a little examination it becomes clear that the decision
is far from simple.
The first thing to realize is we are in the midst of a major transition period between
analogue and digital/HD TV -- and, as in the ancient Chinese curse, we're living in
interesting times.
Another thing you'll quickly find: There is less HD content out there than you might
have expected -- and what is there is uneven in quality.
And each of the TV providers -- depending on your circumstances, budget and
viewing interests -- may or may not be the best route for you.
There are two well-known options available: the cable suppliers, notably Shaw
Communications, and the satellite-TV guys, notably Shaw-owned Star Choice and
Bell ExpressVu. Also, Telus, the Burnaby-based telecommunications company, has
already launched its TV product but currently has HD content only in trials and will
offer it commercially later this year.
But there is a lesser-known fourth option, though it is probably not suitable at the
moment for most people -- over-the-air broadcasts.
Currently, the best-quality HD signal you can get is through an antenna, said Greg
Gilmour, an independent seller and installer of satellite communications
equipment, mostly for high-speed Internet access.
"My No. 1 choice would be off air via TV antenna," said Gilmour.
From his home in Aldergrove, he gets 24 HD channels, most from the U.S.
"We watched the Super Bowl on [Seattle-based] KIRO via antenna," he said.
"I have the ability to switch between that and Bell [ExpressVu] and Star Choice and
see the difference in picture quality. Believe me, there was no comparison."
It sounds great, but isn't easy unless you have Gilmour's collection of gear and live
in a similarly advantageous location.
A $60 to $80 HD antenna may get you in the game, but in the Vancouver area, the
only networks that broadcast over-the-air HD
signals currently are CBC and CTV, so the content is limited.
There is another wild card: It's only an option if your HD TV has an internal tuner or
you have an HD set-top box.
For greater certainty of service and if you're looking for more variety and offerings
such as pay-per-view movies and sports events, then you're back to the satellite
and cable guys.
Which is better?
There is no short or easy answer. With the prevalence of discounts, back-ended
programming credits, waived installation fees, lease or ownership of hardware and
varying and sometimes mystifying package structures, it's headache-inducing to
attempt an apples-to-apples comparison.
Published: Sunday, February 18, 2007
You succumbed to all the buzz and just bought your first high-definition television.
Doing all the due diligence around that purchase was probably taxing, but don't kid
yourself into thinking your job is finished.
Sure, the picture from your regular TV feed -- cable or satellite -- is clearer with the
new set. But why buy a Ferrari and drive it in first gear?
So the next question is: Where do I get my HD channels from?
At first glance, it probably looks easy: Just pick one of the four options available
and away you go. But after a little examination it becomes clear that the decision
is far from simple.
The first thing to realize is we are in the midst of a major transition period between
analogue and digital/HD TV -- and, as in the ancient Chinese curse, we're living in
interesting times.
Another thing you'll quickly find: There is less HD content out there than you might
have expected -- and what is there is uneven in quality.
And each of the TV providers -- depending on your circumstances, budget and
viewing interests -- may or may not be the best route for you.
There are two well-known options available: the cable suppliers, notably Shaw
Communications, and the satellite-TV guys, notably Shaw-owned Star Choice and
Bell ExpressVu. Also, Telus, the Burnaby-based telecommunications company, has
already launched its TV product but currently has HD content only in trials and will
offer it commercially later this year.
But there is a lesser-known fourth option, though it is probably not suitable at the
moment for most people -- over-the-air broadcasts.
Currently, the best-quality HD signal you can get is through an antenna, said Greg
Gilmour, an independent seller and installer of satellite communications
equipment, mostly for high-speed Internet access.
"My No. 1 choice would be off air via TV antenna," said Gilmour.
From his home in Aldergrove, he gets 24 HD channels, most from the U.S.
"We watched the Super Bowl on [Seattle-based] KIRO via antenna," he said.
"I have the ability to switch between that and Bell [ExpressVu] and Star Choice and
see the difference in picture quality. Believe me, there was no comparison."
It sounds great, but isn't easy unless you have Gilmour's collection of gear and live
in a similarly advantageous location.
A $60 to $80 HD antenna may get you in the game, but in the Vancouver area, the
only networks that broadcast over-the-air HD
signals currently are CBC and CTV, so the content is limited.
There is another wild card: It's only an option if your HD TV has an internal tuner or
you have an HD set-top box.
For greater certainty of service and if you're looking for more variety and offerings
such as pay-per-view movies and sports events, then you're back to the satellite
and cable guys.
Which is better?
There is no short or easy answer. With the prevalence of discounts, back-ended
programming credits, waived installation fees, lease or ownership of hardware and
varying and sometimes mystifying package structures, it's headache-inducing to
attempt an apples-to-apples comparison.