uh oh!!! (concern about BD being compatible with SDTVs)

[TurboNutter]

I have a relative that works for a video game company and is always up on the latest new technology. I recently told him how excited I was about getting a new Blu-ray player and he told me something scary. That was that if you do not have a blu-ray compatible TV, you can't run blu-ray at its optimum resolution. Anyone else heard about this?

[zombie]

You'll need an HDTV to enjoy Blu-ray and HD DVD. You'll need a 1080p input HDTV to enjoy either format at its optimum resolution. However, nearly all of the HDTVs released so far are only 1080i, which still will look a heck of a lot better than anything on DVD.

[The Don]

I have no problem with 1080i and not having 1080p yet....

there aren't even that many 1080p HDTV's available anyways...

I've only seen 2 or 3 in person....

[AV_Integrated]

Originally Posted by TurboNutter

I have a relative that works for a video game company and is always up on the latest new technology. I recently told him how excited I was about getting a new Blu-ray player and he told me something scary. That was that if you do not have a blu-ray compatible TV, you can't run blu-ray at its optimum resolution. Anyone else heard about this?

If you don't put perfectly refined high grade premium unleaded gas in your car, it won't run at peak performance either.

The bottom line is that Blu-ray likely offers MORE quality than your television is currently capable of. This means, that most people won't be able to experience the full potential that Blu-ray offers.

But, this has nothing to do with how much quality you will get if you have a HDTV. If you currently have a HDTV then Blu-ray has the ability to take full advantage of the full power of your current HDTV. Then, if you upgrade in a year or two, it will even be able to support that new display. Blu-ray is a cut above, that is the bottom line, and thinking it is an 'uh-oh' to have a very high quality product that has some room to grow with you is exactly backwards.

You should say "COOL! Blu-ray is so good that it can support my current HDTV or regular television, then when I upgrade, it gets even better! Sweet!!!"

[Blackraven]

Good thing here is that Blu-ray can still run on regular TVs. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Blu-ray players can work on one of our oldest TVs at home (some sh**ty JVC TV from the 80s) and still display a decent picture.

Perhaps as long as your TV has connections (like Yellow-White-Red/RCA or RGB), then you will get an image.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Blackraven

Good thing here is that Blu-ray can still run on regular TVs. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Blu-ray players can work on one of our oldest TVs at home (some sh**ty JVC TV from the 80s) and still display a decent picture.

Perhaps as long as your TV has connections (like Yellow-White-Red/RCA or RGB), then you will get an image.

Most definately. I have a 13" Panasonic that is about 18 years old, and only has a coax connector. I come to expect just so much from it because I was only getting over the air reception, and never had a rock solid image. But when I plugged my first DVD player into it, I couldn't believe it was the same tv.

See if that old tv has a sharpness adjust like mine does. Could make a difference.