[ALUmnus]

I wanted to throw this out there, to see if I'm the only one who thinks this way.

High Definition TV looks awful. Okay, sports and nature programming are amazing in high def, let's get that out of the way. Everything else completely sucks in HD. It looks phony. I feel like I'm right there in the studio watching them film the movie/tv show, like a behind-the-scenes cut. (A lot of British television has this same feel). In my opinion, that's not how TV is supposed to look. Am I the only one who notices this? Is HD really better? For me, personally, I much prefer standard definition when it comes to movies and regular TV programming.

[jbock13]

I have to disagree. After watching baseball in my hotel room this summer at a hotel, I was dying for HD quality.

In my opinion, especially because many standard definition channels are changing to a letterbox format. I can't stand it. It's like watching through a fishbowl. You can't even turn the pillar box format on it. Used to be, you could decide. When I watch COPS or Bait Car on TruTV (which isn't available in HD on DirecTv) I can either stretch the picture to fit the screen, or pillar box it to give me an HD quality SD screen. (Like the sleeves that appear during non-HD commercials). With letterbox, you're powerless to adjust it to what you want. You're forced to watch the game through a 7 inch mirror.

I could live without it, as long as it's not in letterbox format. But the letterbox format is dreadful to watch sports in.

[ALUmnus]

Okay, sports and nature programming are amazing in high def, let's get that out of the way.

And isn't what you're talking about because of screen dimensions, not HD?

[adam42381]

Okay, sports and nature programming are amazing in high def, let's get that out of the way.

And isn't what you're talking about because of screen dimensions, not HD?

Quoting yourself?

[LUconn]

I think what it is that you're noticing, is the TV fudging on the motion that it can't keep up with refreshing that many pixel lines. A lot of HDTVs blur with fast motion, so they have an extra process that kind of smoothes it out but it's the TV kind of just making an educated guess. Like the one on my LG is called TruM. I think all brands have their own version. I don't think it looks funny when stuff is moving across the screen but when the camera angle is moving sometimes it looks a little surreal or something. You can turn it off.

[RubberMallet]

you must be talking about the false 120-240 refresh rates on lcd and led tvs. i think it looks terrible. its why i bought plasma for my main tv.

[ALUmnus]

I was quoting myself because I said "it's great for sports", and then jblock said "I disagree because it looks so great for baseball". Just clarifying.

And not, it's not the motion blur I have a problem with. It's just the whole look (non-sports/nature).

[LUconn]

In that case I don't think anybody will agree with you.

[RubberMallet]

yeah, movies, other hd shows look fine. the only complaint i've heard of too good of a picture is porn. sd hides alot of blemishes apparently.

so now it makes sense why alumnus is complaining.

[jbock13]

Iand then jblock said "I disagree because it looks so great for baseball".

Ouch man. Anyway I still think HD is better for movies/documentaries, but it's not as much as a necessity.