ATSC/DTV STBs....
I finally found a Samsung HD STB. After months of looking, finally seems like the most appropriate word.
Get this: in my neck of the woods, CBC broadcasts digitally in 1080i, irrespective of programming source. So when they transmit 480 programming, the picture is a box, inside a letterbox. When I put the box on "zoom" it swells the picture up too much, making things worse. I tried every combination of screen size and zoom, to no avail. SD will be in a smaller letterbox screen. Although, if I use the "16x9" mode where the tv shrinks the raster down vertically, an SD picture is even smaller albeit correctly proportioned. The HD (already in letterbox) programming though looks good in 480i and on the TV's 16x9 mode.
Although this box seems to work well off a simple UHF hoop, the composite output does not feature the OSD menus and displays, which is only available on the component output.
Either way, my collection of classic Sony TV's will be relegated to bordered 60% screens and letterboxes. It will be a very cool day in hell when I buy an ILO, or PRIMO LCD from Sprawlmart.
Blame Kyoto Accord for the light bulb fiasco. I've had some CFLs "pop" without warning when powered on and they don't run cool like they've advertised. 90% of the power in my area is hydroelectrically generated, which is already "green" compared to coal.
Anyone ever place their hand in front of a large plasma tv? All that heat dissipating from the panel, thats got to be good an' green for the environment.
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