What's happened to my Mitsubishi?

This is what it looked like before it was fixed.

There was a bad switch inside the set. Not really convergence, it just looked like this. The guys from A1 TV fixed it in about 25 minutes. Since it was an intermittent problem and wasn't happening at the time they came over, the pictures really helped diagnose the problem.

What do you need to receive HDTV?

All you really need is a digital receiver. I had the RCA DTC-100, which is a combination DirecTV/Over-the-air receiver, as all of the forthcoming HD receivers will be. Back then (Jan '01), it was the only HD receiver on the market. Several other companies have them on the way as soon as the rumored exclusivity agreement is over. (So much for price fixing and monopolies being illegal.) I now use a cable box from RCN, which works most of the time.

The DTC-100 offers several inputs and outputs. There are connections for a mini-satellite dish and two over-the-air antennas. Outputs include two sets of audio outs on RCAs, two Composite videos on RCAs, one S-video, on HD monitor out on VGA, and one Digital Audio out on fiber/toslink. If you go into a high-definition monitor that has component inputs, you'll need a $130 VGA to component adapter. RCA makes one, and it works fine. There's also a slot for a smart card and a phone hookup for the DirecTV functions.

My high-definition monitor is a Mitsubishi WS-55807, and the DTV input from the RCA adapter works great. It has four regular A/V inputs and two sets of component inputs, one reserved for DTV. It's never enough, though. Recently, the Mitubishi's convergence has been all messed up, basically the image looks pincushioned half the time. Sometimes it's messed up and sometimes it's normal, so it's hard to diagnose. The service people say they can come fix it.

If you're looking to buy HDTV gear, try ProVideo. They have locations in Rockville and Upper Georgetown. Their prices are much better than Myer-Emco, and they know what they're talking about, unlike folks at Circuit City or Best Buy. Unlike Myer-Emco, ProVideo's sales staff usually acknowledges my existence in the store. 

If you're looking for video hookup or dish connection, try Davis Antenna. They know what they're doing. Service at Myer-Emco blows. I wouldn't let them near my car for anything.

I'll be posting updates here as Starpower finishes installing in the building. So far they have no plans for HDTV. (Quote from Starpower rep. who visited my building: "All our channels are high-definition." And monkeys fly out of my behind.)

 But their cable prices are cheaper than the ever-awful District Cablevision, an example of how not to write laws. Starpower offers Comedy Central and M2, which aren't available on District Suckvision, so I'll be switching. They will also offer an Internet Connection, which I may or may not use -- it would be a secondary backup to my DSL and circuit-switched ISDN connection. All part of my plan for world domination. 

(M2 is the MTV channel that actually shows all music videos all the time, which MTV hasn't done since the early '80s. Even the videos that suck [most of them] are better than 90% of MTV programming.)