Seeing the difference...cables etc

[visionary]

I've read lots of advice on this forum about the best cables and stands to
maximise picture quality.

Nowhere do I see anyone making the point that it's no use spending around £1500+ on a super quality HDTV with monster cables and special mains leads etc etc if you haven't had your eyes tested to make sure you'll be able to see it properly!

I spend my working day trying to help people see the world better, I'm an Optometrist.

I recently had a young lad in with his mother and their attitude was "he doesn't need to wear his glasses to watch TV we've got HD!" The reality was that he couldn't see anything sharp beyond about 2 feet away from him.

I see people every day who's TV distance vision is not as good as it could be. Some of them will do something about it and many won't. There are probably tens of thousands out there who never even think to have an eyesight check and then wonder why their super telly isn't as good as they thought it would be.

I've read, this morning, a long sometimes-funny-sometimes-tedious thread on this forum about mains leads. I don't think the subtle nuances of difference (if they exist) will be evident if you only have a part sharp image reaching your brain.

So, when you're all finished arguing about whether changing your mains lead will make a difference, how about making sure your eyes are "HD ready"?

 

[Anonymous]

 

[aliEnRIK]

Love the name 'VISION'ary

Thats absolutely true.

 

[Tear Drop]

Wow, what a bizarre post, visionary...

 

[visionary]

What, more bizarre than spending up to £275 on a cable that isn't even in the signal path?

All a matter of opinion.

I'm going to try and upload some photos to show you what I mean.

 

[Anonymous]

Tear Drop:Wow, what a bizarre post, visionary...

What's bizzare about pointing out that a lot of people have less than perfect eyesight and therefore can't maximise their viewing enjoyment?

Everybody post on this forum about what they think they see or what they think they hear. This means that you eyes and ears need to be in top condition as they are the only transducers that you are using.

 

[Tear Drop]

People's vision or hearing is one issue, and a reasonably important one - what cables do/don't do, their cost and whether somebody else can justify that cost to themselves are entirely separate matters.

 

[visionary]

but if you were going to compare two or more pieces of equipment, you wouldn't choose a poor sound or video recording to do the comparison would you? You'd use one of the best (to your taste) like Hotel California / Ratatouille / There Will be Blood / Brothers in Arms/ whatever.

So if you want the best source material, surely you want the best "transducers" as Welshboy put it.

 

[Anonymous]

Just thought i would add another example to this.

when i was working for sky a couple of years ago i was called out to a house for a HD installation.

I arrived at the door to be greeted by an old lady (i would guess about 80) So the first thought to cross my mind was that she was not the usual suspect for an HD lover!

So as the install progressed i talked to her and established that she is partially blind and was persuaded by her friend to go for HD as they thought It would improve her viewing ability!

.

At this point i felt the need to advise her she may not find a great deal of difference and confirm that she wanted the installation to go ahead and she did.

The worst part is that at the end of the install i had to spend an hour teaching her to use the remote by touch as she couldn't see well enought to read the buttons. (as if using sky+ isn't confusing enough for most elderly people!)

 

[Anonymous]

I still think the OP made a very valid point.

 

[visionary]

OK this is my attempt to illustrate the point.

First photo is a letter chart. The fifth line down is "normal" sight (20/20 or 6/6) and the second line down is approximately "driving standard"

Second is a picture with some detail in the dragonfly wings

Now we have the letter chart de-focussed so that it still lets you see the "driving standard" line (scary eh?)

And the dragonfly de-focussed the same amount

Now then, shall we change the cables? or do you want to find out if you'll appreciate the difference before you spend all that money?

 

[aliEnRIK]

So your saying that 'driving standard' picture is what your legally allowed to see to drive?

 

[professorhat]

That is scary that you can drive with that lack of vision!
I agree, it is a good point too, (and it also gives me more confidence about my visual opinions since, as a contact lens wearer, I get my eyes tested every year

)
On the hand, listening wise I may not be so hot on. Maybe I should get my hearing tested too...

 

[Anonymous]

That is really scary.

With glasses I can read the last line of the "clear" chart. Without glasses it looks like the fuzzy chart and I can't read the 4th line.

Just think if my ears are as poor as my eyes they are not hearing all sorts of stuff!!!