DVD sales figures: WIDE SCREEN vs FULL

[TeeSeeJay]

Component Input is important only so far as it allows for superior picture in comparison to RCA or S-Video. Also, Component is one of two standard connections for High Definition Inputs/Outputs. A Component Cable is actually three cables, one for each primary color, allowing for the best color depth and clarity.

Actually, the three Component cables are not "one for each primary color" -- even though they're coded that way. Component is not the same as RGB. Component video separates the signal into three channels - Luminance (black/white) and Chrominance (red/green difference and blue/green difference).

Component IS the highest quality analog video interconnection, though it's likely to be trumped by DVI in the near future.

The reason Tivo doesn't have component outputs is that it likely wouldn't result in a better image. Tivo records off-the-air or off-the-cable/satellite programming, which is either low-quality analog or heavily-compressed digital. With the exception of HD channels, a standard broadcast (regardless of medium) will never have the color resolution necessary to make component connections useful.

The only benefit to component outputs on a Tivo (or similar) would be the inclusion of de-interlacing circuitry to produce a 480p image from the 480i source. Of course, there are plenty of out-board products to do this (they're called "line doublers"). Keep in mind also that only digital sets can produce a 480p image -- and the presence of component inputs does not indicate a digital set.

 

[TeeSeeJay]

Audio
Mono = one RCA plug = Good
Stereo = Left/Right = Better
Surround = Left/Right/Center/Rear Left/Rear Right/Subwoofer = Best

Ideally, your receiver, DVR (Tivo, ReplayTV), DVD player, and monitor (TV, projector) should all support component video and suround sound.

Just for the sake of completeness, your DVD and receiver should also support DTS in additon to Dolby Digital, and have 6.1 channels of surround audio, adding the "Rear Center" to the mix, preferably as a discrete channel, but at least as a matrixed channel.

All audio outputs, regardless of # of channels, should be Digital, with Digital Coax being preferred over Optical (for differences in the quality of the interconnects), though Optical is much more common (because it's cheaper, believe it or not).

 

[Aeolius]

Just for the sake of completeness, your DVD and receiver should also support DTS in additon to Dolby Digital, and have 6.1 channels of surround audio, adding the "Rear Center" to the mix, preferably as a discrete channel, but at least as a matrixed channel.

My Kenwood VR-4900 has 5:1. The newer models have 6:1 and 7:1, but I'm holding off on a receiver upgrade, until I see one with Rendezvous support, Firewire inputs, etc.

 

[TeeSeeJay]

My Kenwood VR-4900 has 5:1. The newer models have 6:1 and 7:1, but I'm holding off on a receiver upgrade, until I see one with Rendezvous support, Firewire inputs, etc.

I'm still chugging along with a 5.1 receiver myself -- no money in the AV budget since I blew it all on a 65" HDTV and an aborted HTPC scaling project.

Although I really could use a new receiver, but I want to see front-access component inputs with full HD bandwidth, and at least two component sources round back.

 

[Mistwell]

the record episodes of any show i like feature still has some problems with cable shows...it will record not only the new episodes, but all the repeats too. (examples: baseball tonight and south park)

There is a setting you need to change in your season pass then. You have three options - record only new episodes, record new and repeat episodes, and record all episodes even if repeated mutiple times. If you don't want repeats, just change it to new episodes only.

 

[stevelabny]

my whole point was that it doenst always catch all the repeats. my friend has everything set to first-run only and still gets the re-showings of certain shows.

its a minor quibble unless you have the smallest of the hard drives.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Does TiVo skip EVERY commercial?

I thought I heard someone mention that certain commercials still get recorded.

 

[WizarDru]

Does TiVo skip EVERY commercial?

I thought I heard someone mention that certain commercials still get recorded.

It records ALL commercials. I'm told that an early version of the software cut commercials out (and that competitor ReplayTV still does...although they're being sued for it), but that it was removed.

However, one of the 'hidden' features is the 30 second advance feature. Commercial break comes, you can skip through them in literally about 2 seconds.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

It records ALL commercials. I'm told that an early version of the software cut commercials out (and that competitor ReplayTV still does...although they're being sued for it), but that it was removed.

However, one of the 'hidden' features is the 30 second advance feature. Commercial break comes, you can skip through them in literally about 2 seconds.

So what is illegal about skipping commercials?

 

[Gizzard]

So what is illegal about skipping commercials?

He didn't say it was illegal, he simply said they were being sued. ;-)

Myself, I cant imagine how you could get such a suit into the courtroom. On a tangent, doesnt ReplayTV have its hands into the MP3 hardware business? They were really on the ropes a couple of years ago financially (which would have been a great time to launch a nuisance suit) but now they've merged or been bought out?