Got A New Plasma. Help!

[xeonman13]

Hello. Im new to this thread, but hoping someone can help me with my dilema.

I just purchased the ever so famous, cheapest of the cheap, 6842PF Sylvania Plasma TV. I upgraded from my Toshiba 32" Flat screen CRT.

Before I go on with with my questions, here is my setup

Display: 42" Sylvania 6842PF plasma
Signal: DirecTv with 80 hour samsung Tivo
DVD: Pioneer DVD PLAYER, old old old! cost about 500.00 in 1998
Speakers: Bose Acoustimass 10
Amp: Denon
Remote: Harmony 880

Okay let me ask my questions!

1.) Is it worth getting the HDTV package from DirecTV with an EDTV?
HD DVR is way to expensive. Can I use an analog TIVO with an HD reciever?
or go with HD from my cable provider? I LOVE DIRECTV so far!

2.) Im currently hooked up all by SVIDEO. All going to my AMP and then to the TV. Im not really happy with how it looks. MY CRT Looked great but this one looks fuzzy. why?

3.) If I want my DVDs to look the clearest they can, what should i do? buy a new DVD player? what should I look for?


THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!

 

[BMXTRIX]

First and foremost I've gotta point out this MAJOR issue, IMO, about the Sylvania.

It does not have a digital video input. No HDMI, no DVI - NO HDCP! This means that if the broadcast flag is raised or if you want a HD disc player, that display will not be compatible with those sources in HD format.

That said, I would go with digital cable TV and a DVR from your cable company. About the same price as DirecTV and no equipment to buy. It is quite a deal. Typically you can't use Tivo with HD boxes unless they output both SDTV and HDTV at the same time... Not sure how many actually do this.

HDTV will look a lot better than what you currently have, but the Sylvania is not really designed to look good with a poor source and CRT is much more forgiving than plasma is with a poor source - especially that plasma. Keep in mind that most CRT televisions, even the cheap ones, have been around for years and the design is pretty solid, even for not much money. A cheap plasma is not like a cheap CRT. They really cut corners with money, and most often that equates to a poor image when poorer quality video is sent to the display. Component may help with that some.

Best for DVDs? I would say to get the Panasonic S77, but that only outputs upconverted DVD on HDMI - which you don't have. So, I would get the newest Oppo DVD player which outputs at HD resolutions (upconverted) over component video.

 

[brushro]

Sylvania?

hate to kick ya' while your down..but c'mon!!! some things in life you can't cheap out on !!....no HDMI or DVI input?-take that junk back & save a bit more or put a bit down w/ a credit card to get the real thing...no reason to jury rig your system to make it work after cutting corners...I know everyone has a budget but there's tons of advice & knowledge available here to get the answers you need to prevent the hassle of buying inferior equipment...you can do it!-now get back out there & shop!

 

[BMXTRIX]

It's such a hard one for people to hear as well... I've seen that Sylvania. I was truly astounded by how good it looked the first time I saw it. Then I got behind it and saw no HDMI/DVI port and I really got upset. It is a very nice looking display yet they don't even offer a version with HDMI that I could find on their website. A great budget buy... that is obsolete the day you buy it. The hardest part is, as most consumers don't know about the potential requirement (as in MUST have) for a digital video input with upcoming formats, they don't know to look for it. The sales guys don't point out how important it is... and this poor guy ends up with a great looking display, that simply may not work for him as well as it should.

On the other hand - I think the one I saw was like $1,500 or something in the store. Great price.