HDTV Question (in Off-topic)

Ok, so my parents are getting a new HDTV for christmas, if they want HD everything, do they need to get the HD package from the cable company, or do they just need special component cables?

At my old apartment, my roomate had a 40" LCD that looked terrible on normal TV, but awesome on gaming and DVDs, and i dont want the same to happen here, so help me, what do we need to make it look great all around? =)

you need an high def source so yes you need high def cable or hd satellite service :/

Anther question that i have always wondered about:

I've see some things advertised as HD (Some shows, mostly football games / world series). If we do not have the HD package from the company, do we not get the advertised HD quality show?

{cb1}lover 7:51 PM EST
"you need an high def source so yes you need high def cable or hd satellite service :/"

Ok, so are those cables attainable without getting it through the cable company?

You probably get the channel as if it would be HD, but since you do not have a Hi-def tv. you might as well just watch normal channels. It's like playing normal xbox games on a 360, no better graphics.

We are getting a High def TV, that's why i asked what i did, lol.

*We're getting ~50" LCD HDTV. Not sure what brand yet, probably Samsung. That's another thing, what are the best brands to look at?

To be honest I've seen this before and I think its a major problem with LCD HD TV's. My fam has an awesome 40" or so Sharp Aquos. But on regular non HDTV channels the clarity is IMO worse than on a regular television. However the HD channels are unbelievable and really justify the purchase of the televsion. It really depends on if you can get a wide variety of HD channells.

huge ups to the sharp Aquos series. All I know is my dad is a big buff for shopping around and doing his research and that's the one he chose over Sony, Samsung, etc.

http://digital-lifestyle.aol.com/video/faqs/faqarticle/_a/why-does-standard-television-programming/20060615135109990001

So, according to that link (thanks by the way), once everyone goes digital, standard TV will look much better?

Samsung give the best bang for your buck. I have a 37" Samsung HD Ready (I use a HD cable with my PS3 since I don't do subscription TV, just DVD rentals).
I have to say, it definitely has the wow factor on graphically in-depth shots, Ice Age 2 looked amazing in comparison to normal television.
I say Samsungs are the best bang for buck due to contrast ratios being far higher than any other brand at a much cheaper price. For example, mine cost ﾣ699 whereas the same specifications in another brand would have cost me closer to ﾣ1000 or even ﾣ2000 if it were a Sony, I even have Game Mode which automatically adjusts to prevent screen burn.

Samsung is a great TV nowdays. As is LG if you have access to that brand.
Also depending on where you are and what service is available, in a lot of places you can get local HD broadcasts without cable/satellite via an HD antenna.
The problem you ran into in your old apartment is that your TV was giving such a good picture that it was showing ALL the flaws of local non HD programming.
The change to digital TV probably won't make that much of a difference with the non HD programming thing. I get all digital sat on one of my HD TV's and the non HD channels still look a bit off because of what I said above.

In a slightly related vein, unless you have tons of funds, don't waste your time on blue ray just yet, get a decent DVD player with the whole "upconvert" thingy and use good cables, HDMI if you can.

You want Component cable
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video
or see:
http://www.google.nl/search?hl=nl&rlz=1W1GGIE_en&q=component+cable+1080&meta=

Last link is a search for component cable 1080.

Redirects you to some forums and explanation

i regards for contrast and picture quality I'll put in my two cents and say my NEC 26inch and NEC 40inch with built in dvd players are fantastic for normal tv, HD tv and gaming