[prupert]

OH MY GOD

I got myself a FullHD 32" TV over Xmas (yes, yes, I know, FullHD is pointless on a 32" TV...) and I just have to say how totall beautiful XBMC is on it. So amazing.

I watched a few movies I recorded off the TV over Xmas using MythTV from a SD DVB-T source and transcoded into MKV h264 files and they are really good, you can't tell they are recordings most of the time. Loving it.

I used an old CRT for a few months before-hand, and I must now emplore anyone still using a CRT with XBMC to please please please do yourself a favour and get a HD TV, it is SO SO SO worth it.

Good job boys and girls.

Confluence is also the bomb.

Oh and another bonus with an HD TV, I can now read all the menu options on all those other awesome skins (and on my PS3 fwiw)

[mccorkled]

sure Ill get a HD TV. You buyin? haha

Ive been holding out because technology is so rapidly advancing. I heard last night about that new xbox thats coming out that you dont even need a controller for.

I just get pissed because I want the best, but if you want the best you will always be broke because they come out with someone new every year.

[prupert]

Good point, I guess already my TV is outdated, since they are bringing new tech out all the time. It is kinda annoying for the consumer really. Here in the UK, we are all going "Digital" for our TV broadcasts, via DVB-T. But then this year they are launching DVB-T2, allowing HD TV via aerial, but guess what, you need a DVB-T2 box to recieve them, so everyone will have to upgrade if they want in on the HD action.

Then they are bringing out 3D-enabled TVs this year, so if you wanna watch 3D TV, you need to upgrade. It is a never ending parade of new tech, any by the time you upgrade, you will be outdated.

The new Xbox without a controller isn't a new Xbox, it is Project Natal (iirc), which is a peripheral that uses a high quality camera and processor to track motion from up to 5 individuals. So, you can still use your 360 with it, but I guess they will launch an updated 360 with it built in...

[dan1son]

Oh come on... it's always been the case with technology that there is something "better" coming out. If you always wait for something "better" you'll be waiting forever. That shouldn't stop you...

HDTV is very mature and prices have plummeted. I bought a 40" 1080p/60hz TV for $499 yesterday. To give you an idea in 1998 $499 would get you a decent 27" NTSC television or a very cheap 32" NTSC television that weighed about 150lbs. In 1998 NTSC color TVs had been around for decades. Today HDTV has only been available for about 7 years, and broadcast exclusively for 1.

[mccorkled]

Ive been wanting to build a HTPC for a long time. I waited until I saw that no new tech was coming out for a while in my particular field and went for it. Now I have a top of the line custom HTPC that I LOVE and it will be top of the line for many years to come.

TVs on the other hand come out ALL the time with new stuff. It is a PITA for consumers. I want an LED tv like I said but as soon as I drop the money to get one, they will come out with a paper thin one that will stick to the wall like a poster.

I have a Wii because I like interactive gaming like that, and I really think ps3 and xbox360 are cool but I would rather admire them then buy them for the simple fact a new one will be out tomorrow.

Sure you can spend 10g on a HT system...

me? I will sit on the 10g until the right time.

[prupert]

Oh come on... it's always been the case with technology that there is something "better" coming out. If you always wait for something "better" you'll be waiting forever. That shouldn't stop you...

HDTV is very mature and prices have plummeted. I bought a 40" 1080p/60hz TV for $499 yesterday. To give you an idea in 1998 $499 would get you a decent 27" NTSC television or a very cheap 32" NTSC television that weighed about 150lbs. In 1998 NTSC color TVs had been around for decades. Today HDTV has only been available for about 7 years, and broadcast exclusively for 1.

What you are not getting here is that we are ludites

Hell, it took me till 2002 before I bought an MP3 player and until 2006 before I converted all my music to MP3 files (I was using WMA before that, for a while, oh the pain, THE PAIN).

And it was only last year that I learnt how to use FFMPEG to make my own movies from recordings....

It was only the year before last that I put my VCR in the attic!!!

[mccorkled]

I just heard of an FFMPEG the other day. IDK what that is haha.

I never did own a VCR though ha

[prupert]

I just heard of an FFMPEG the other day. IDK what that is haha.

Basically it is a tool to use and abuse video and audio files:

http://ffmpeg.org/

XBMC uses it to play video files.

I use it to convert .mpg files to .mkv files, making them smaller in size with no change in quality.

[mccorkled]

Interesting. When I was trying to export a video using FFMPEG is came out as a .avi

I am currently needing a program to convert AVCHD files into .mvk files, and .vob files into .avi files without losing picture or audio quality. The audio of the AVCHD files goes in as 5.1 or 7.1 and comes out as stereo and this is really annoying.

any suggestions?

[FuzzeWuzze]

Ive been wanting to build a HTPC for a long time. I waited until I saw that no new tech was coming out for a while in my particular field and went for it. Now I have a top of the line custom HTPC that I LOVE and it will be top of the line for many years to come.

TVs on the other hand come out ALL the time with new stuff. It is a PITA for consumers. I want an LED tv like I said but as soon as I drop the money to get one, they will come out with a paper thin one that will stick to the wall like a poster.

I have a Wii because I like interactive gaming like that, and I really think ps3 and xbox360 are cool but I would rather admire them then buy them for the simple fact a new one will be out tomorrow.

Sure you can spend 10g on a HT system...

me? I will sit on the 10g until the right time.

Hate to break it too you, but there is never a right time. Technology isnt going to stop advancing when you buy your new HT setup, no matter when you buy it.

Oh and TV's that support 3d have been out for several years now, theres just not many sources doing 3d video...

[Jimbo Ro]

I must now emplore anyone still using a CRT with XBMC to please please please do yourself a favour and get a HD TV, it is SO SO SO worth it.

I have a CRT monitor that can do 1920x1080 and beyond. I also have a CRT HDTV too.

I still think CRTs are better than LCDs, it's just a shame they don't make them anymore.

[prupert]

A CRT HDTV!!! That's like a fuel efficient Ford, it's just an oxymoron

Surely regardless of screen size, the problem is the size of the phosphor coating on the CRT, and from what I have seen the 'dots' (CRT's version of pixels) have never got as small as the pixels on an LCD screen, thus you never get the detail that you can get from an LCD screen.

That is what impresses me, it isn't the size of the screen (quite frankly I feel that 32" is too large, why people want 50" TVs in their house I do no know, I guess it is the sports car thing all over), it is the detail and sharpness of the picture.

If you can get this on your CRT though, then never ever let it out of your site, since you clearly have the Zues of all TVs!

[G'Ner]

I am not convinced on the low end 1080p lcd tv's yet. I spent 2 hr trying to tune my buddies 40in visio the other day. No matter what I did the black levels seemed to washed out and not very true black. I think my crt 36' still get better color levels and is a crisper image compare to his 1080p lcd, regaurdless of the high resolution. I think I will skipp on LCD's for now and go with a plasma.