MediaPortal Forum - View Single Post - What's the HD-Option for?

pbb · 2008-05-13, 11:06

Hi all,

I have to agree, the question "Do you want to watch HDTV" is not good.

Edit: I've reworked my reply, because I wasn't making much sense myself either...

My comments on the HDTV question:

1. Dubious wording

The question is: "Do you want to watch HDTV." Now if you really need to know, yes I want to watch HDTV. I can't, because I don't have a HDTV receiver, but yes I would really want to. Just like I want to use a big-ass 60" OLED 3-D TV

This same mistake has been made on several of the installer questions.

2. Mixing up terminology

The question is about HDTV, but the answer is about HD content! If I am not mistaken, HD content is any video source with a resolution of 720x1280 or higher, this could also be downloaded video files. This is actually the point that made me come to the forums for explanation; do I need to answer "yes" if I want to play high-res video files? Apparently not, but this is what the answers suggest.

3. What the end-user knows

Now this one is tricky, because I can't call myself an unknowing end-user anymore, and neither can most of the MP users.

But if I am right, most consumers will associate HDTV (and the HDTV logo, that is also shown on the installer page) with TV sets, not with reception technology. They can use their "High Definition Television set" (HDTV) to watch analogue broadcasts and DVD's. Will they be wrong saying "Yes, I have an HDTV"?

If I go by the commercials that are being shown on the TV here all the time, your average end-user will have a better (and correct) understanding of digital versus analogue then HDTV versus SDTV. But that may of course be different per country.

4. Wrong terminology

Which brings me up to the next point; shouldn't the question actually be about digital versus analogue instead of HDTV? If I am using a digital receiver, but most channels still only broadcast SDTV, what should I choose? (I may be totally off here, since I don't have a digital receiver myself...)

5. Wrong target audience

Let's go back to the answer options. Say we are dealing with people who don't even know what high definition is. These must be really clueless, but I agree they may be out there. No problem, there is an answer option "I don't know what HD content is."

Great, is that the option for them? No, it is not! Because after they answer they don't know about HD, they actually get an even more technical question about which TV engine to use. This is definitely not the type of question the people that are lead here can answer... I understand the need to have access to this question, but it should not be hidden behind the "I don't know what HD is" question...

6. The Wrong Question

This is what it is all about; the question is just basically wrong! Either way, if we ask about HDTV or digital TV, I would have to answer "no" to this question. But if I want to make use of the client/server-technology, I will have to lie by saying I will be watching HDTV, or lie and say I don't know what HD is.

An alternative approach

How about this:

Q: Do you want to use the build-in TV engine, or the newer TV server?
A1: TV server
A2: Build-in TV engine
A3: I don't know

If A3, then:
Q: Do you receive digital or analogue television?
A1: Digital
A2: Analogue
A3: I don't know

If again A3, install and use the classic engine.

2008-05-13, 11:06	#17 (permalink)
pbb Docs Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Trondheim Age: 36 Posts: 296 Thanks: 5 Thanked 20 Times in 9 Posts Country: My System	Hi all, I have to agree, the question "Do you want to watch HDTV" is not good. Edit: I've reworked my reply, because I wasn't making much sense myself either... My comments on the HDTV question: 1. Dubious wording The question is: "Do you want to watch HDTV." Now if you really need to know, yes I want to watch HDTV. I can't, because I don't have a HDTV receiver, but yes I would really want to. Just like I want to use a big-ass 60" OLED 3-D TV This same mistake has been made on several of the installer questions. 2. Mixing up terminology The question is about HDTV, but the answer is about HD content! If I am not mistaken, HD content is any video source with a resolution of 720x1280 or higher, this could also be downloaded video files. This is actually the point that made me come to the forums for explanation; do I need to answer "yes" if I want to play high-res video files? Apparently not, but this is what the answers suggest. 3. What the end-user knows Now this one is tricky, because I can't call myself an unknowing end-user anymore, and neither can most of the MP users. But if I am right, most consumers will associate HDTV (and the HDTV logo, that is also shown on the installer page) with TV sets, not with reception technology. They can use their "High Definition Television set" (HDTV) to watch analogue broadcasts and DVD's. Will they be wrong saying "Yes, I have an HDTV"? If I go by the commercials that are being shown on the TV here all the time, your average end-user will have a better (and correct) understanding of digital versus analogue then HDTV versus SDTV. But that may of course be different per country. 4. Wrong terminology Which brings me up to the next point; shouldn't the question actually be about digital versus analogue instead of HDTV? If I am using a digital receiver, but most channels still only broadcast SDTV, what should I choose? (I may be totally off here, since I don't have a digital receiver myself...) 5. Wrong target audience Let's go back to the answer options. Say we are dealing with people who don't even know what high definition is. These must be really clueless, but I agree they may be out there. No problem, there is an answer option "I don't know what HD content is." Great, is that the option for them? No, it is not! Because after they answer they don't know about HD, they actually get an even more technical question about which TV engine to use. This is definitely not the type of question the people that are lead here can answer... I understand the need to have access to this question, but it should not be hidden behind the "I don't know what HD is" question... 6. The Wrong Question This is what it is all about; the question is just basically wrong! Either way, if we ask about HDTV or digital TV, I would have to answer "no" to this question. But if I want to make use of the client/server-technology, I will have to lie by saying I will be watching HDTV, or lie and say I don't know what HD is. An alternative approach How about this: Q: Do you want to use the build-in TV engine, or the newer TV server? A1: TV server A2: Build-in TV engine A3: I don't know If A3, then: Q: Do you receive digital or analogue television? A1: Digital A2: Analogue A3: I don't know If again A3, install and use the classic engine. Last edited by pbb; 2008-05-13 at 12:15.