Customer Reviews

HDTV For Dummies

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I can't stress enough what a great book this really is. If you're going to spend $$ on an HDTV, you owe it to yourself to buy this book first and make sure you're making the best choice for you. This book clears up all of the confusion you'll be faced with at the store-- unscrambles the acronymns, explains the difference between HDTV, EDTV, and SDTV and defines all of the confusing features.

Also great for explaining how to set up your connections to all of your other home entertainment devices and your home network if you want to do that-- getting the right cables, configuring them optimally for your application.

And the diagrams!-- so easy to understand! So much better than what you'll see in the manuals-- worth well over the price of the book on their own.

Information in here on selecting the right DVR options for you, too-- and good stuff for the DIY'er if you already have broadband and don't want to purchase your DVR and service from the cable company.

Anyone who sells HDTVs should read this book cover to cover and have it on hand as a recommendation to customers.

I ordered HDTV for Dummies, expecting to learn a little bit about purchasing an HDTV and got a much better education than I expected. Thanks to the book I will now, 1) wait for a 1080P quality set, 2) make sure I use digital connections and 3) know how to connect a surround sound system. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about upgrading to HDTV.

I know that for me the price was a drop in the bucket compared to my equipment and I enjoy the confidence that I'm getting the most from my investment - I even understand what 1080i means!

If you're even thinking of making the jump to HDTV this is the right guide for you. It'll take away the confusion of acronyms, interconnections, and formats to let you get the most out of whatever set you buy.

This book brought me up to speed quickly so I can compare options in selecting HDTV gear. If I want to drill down on something, I at least know the background with which to do the nitty gritty work. HDTV for Dummies did a great job of dealing with a highly technical topic in help me with all the acronyms. I've since used what I learned by going to the on-line places recommended in the book and was far more adept at navigating and understanding the topic than I'd be otherwise. I'm spending a lot of money on my home theater, and I want to make sure I do it right. I don't trust the sales guys in the department stores because they want to sell me something right then and there; I likewise like to doublecheck what I learn in one place on the Internet in another place, because you need to double check your facts on the Web. It's clear these authors know what they are talking about, and I've got my sights on a nice 1080p DLP as a result of my reading this book, and also on a whole suite of other things to extend this around the house. The authors, also wrote Smart Homes for Dummies and Home Theater for Dummies -- neither of which I've read but I'm going to now clearly have the attitude that if you are going to spend a ton of money on this stuff, at least make it so you can use it around the house. That alone made the investment in money and time in this book worthwhile. I can easily give this book 5 stars!

I found this book to be very helpful in hooking up my new HDTV, VCR, Cable box and Tivo. By doing it myself, it saved me quite a bit of money. In addition to hooking everything up, I feel much more informed and understanding of how the whole system works. I actually enjoyed the learning experience and would recommend this book to anyone who simply wants to know how the whole thing works, or who wants to save money by doing it yourself. I do kind of think that someone who has no interest in computers, or anything technical might find the book not to their liking.

good information, be sure to see what edition you buy to ensure up to date information

I'm usually pretty good with new technology and figuring it out. However, with HDTV and all it's marketing hype I knew I needed some additional help. I found a couple of really good HDTV forums on the Web but I wanted a book as well. HDTV for Dummies defiantly fits the bill. The book clarified information I already kind of knew. There's a couple of handy chapters covering cabling and connecting surround sound systems, DBS, HD/DVR's, DVD players, and gaming consoles. There's a couple of paragraphs discussing Plasma TV's and how high altitudes can affect the TV. I live 6800' above sea level and I would've never thought to ask about this. After reading the chapter on calibrating HDTVs I decided to calibrate my HDTV myself. This saved me a couple of hundred bucks. HDTV for Dummies made it possible to understand what the sales people were talking about. I was also able to weed out the technical stats the sales people talked about that really mean very little when buying a HDTV. After reading HDTV for Dummies I felt confident that I knew what I wanted and needed in my HDTV. I purchased a Panasonic Plasma TV with no regrets.

I felt this book was money well spent for the information I got out of it. It covered more topics that I even needed (it includes issues relating to gaming consoles and camcorders for HDTV in addition to HDTV itself), and gives a clear and non-technical explanation of the hows and whys of HDTV. For those a little technical, there is a chapter on standard TV that goes into the technical details a little more, but it's very short, maybe five pages. And you don't really need to read it, but it's there if you want it. Also included are a very detailed chapter on almost every possible hook-up and configuration you could want, for those with cable, satellite, and of course DVD players and VCRs to connect. The many features and advantages of HDTV are discussed in detail.

Also, another good feature is the authors point out that some manufacturers are claiming that a digital TV automatically makes it full HDTV, which isn't true. So you might save money there. They point out the 720 lines of resolution (if I remember right), rather than the standard 525 lines of standard TV, is the minimum considered HDTV. Beyond that, there's 1080i and 1080p (for interlaced and progressive). Overall, an excellent presentation on the subject, and I was also impressed enough with the value offered for this book to buy their Home Theaters for Dummies book, just to learn something about that, although I don't have one (yet). :-)

Wonderful book. would never buy an HD TV without reading this book first!

Technology is always changing, and whatever it has to take, we all have to accept the times that are really changing. That is said with computers and the way we download music. Most people right now download music to their ipods, rather than go to a music store and listen to great music you can get online. That also is really said with televisions too. In 2009, we all will have to change to televisions with the HD signals, according to the F.C.C. It is also fo consumers to figure out how to upgrade to the new technology. Fortunately, the Dummies people really know how to set the stage for those who need to know the new setup in this delightful book.

HDTV For Dummies 2nd edition, is one of the latest books in the Dummies series, that displays to consumers the odds and ends of HDTV. The book tells you how to bee street smart and consumer smart, when you go out and purchase the latest models in televisions. It also tells you to look out for the specialty tuners like ATSC, and NTSC. It also seperates to consumers the new tuners and televisions like HDTV, as well as digital television which are SDTV, and EDTV. It also neatly displays all the setups when you're hooking televisions to cable, and what kind of model would be the best as a picture, a more popular 16x9 screen, or the traditional 4x3 screen display. The graphs and displays are well-written and display mostly everything you need to know in a beautifully written book.

All in all, if you're shoppinf for a HDTV, you really need to get this book first. HDTV For Dummies is a really great buy for anybody who is electronically challenged, or for anyone who needs help setting up their new lifestyle. When I get ready to buy a new HDTV, I'll know that this is the book that helped me make it all possible. I definitely recommend this as a must buy.

Price: A-

Convience: B

Graphs & Charts: B 1/2-

Overall: B