Ten tips on buying a high-definition television
Know the facts about HDTV before you buy
Buying an HDTV? Here are the top 10 things to know before you buy:
1. Are you really getting a genuine HDTV?
A minimum of 1280 x 720 pixels, or tiny points of light on the screen, means you?re in the HDTV arena, while EDTVs (Enhanced definition TV) or SDTVs (Standard Definition TV), offer lower resolutions. Make sure you get a true HDTV. Also make sure the TV has at least one HDMI connection port that supports 1080p and supports HDCP, the connection and protocol that guarantees you?ll be able to plug in a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player, as well as receive and view copy protected TV broadcasts.
Look for specifications on the TV such as:
• 1365 x 768 resolution (example of native resolution)
• 15,000:1 Contrast Ratio - Two of the most important factors in picture quality are contrast and brightness.
• 3 HDMI, 2 component video, 1 PC input port
• 60,000 hour panel life. This should be good for over 10 years of viewing.
• Built-in HDTV tuner (ATSC/NTSC) QAM tuner for cable TV
• Picture-in-Picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV and video or PC sources.
• 10-watts per channel built-in audio amplifier to drive the integrated stereo speakers.
• Built-in 2-way speaker system
• Side A/V ports for easy connections so you can connect a camcorder, digital camera, or any other digital device with no hassles.
• HDMI CEC. With HDMI-CEC connection, peripheral devices such as DVD player can be controlled by TV remote control.
• USB 2.0 connection for playing photo files or listening to MP3.
• V-Chip system allows blocking of rated TV and movie programs determined by the parent to contain objectionable content.
• Power saving (off/high/middle/low)
• Trilingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.
• Does the TV come with a stand and is it wall-mountable.
2. Know the technology of your HDTV.
The popular plasma HDTVs and the LCD HDTVs are the types you will see most often in the electronics stores. The other types are projection sets. Huge, boxy, rear projection sets are cheap, but the viewing angle and brightness can be a problem. Consider an HDTV projector you hang from the ceiling if you want to fill a whole wall with your video. Lastly, the ?tube? type HDTVs are big, bulky and a dying breed. Plasma TVs use more electricity than equivalent LCD TVs and are heavier but have a very good picture. Models come in a variety of screen sizes with 32 in. to 50 in. being the most popular.
3. Try before you buy.
If at all possible, test drive potential HDTV purchases with your own DVD. Pay special attention to the set's ability to handle quick action without the picture breaking up. A faster ?response rate? means no blocky pixels when watching fast moving action. One gotcha: Channels that are not broadcast in High Definition won?t look very good and some will look downright terrible, because the poor quality of standard broadcast gets magnified by your super-sharp TV screen.
4. What TV signal source will you use?
Cable channels that offer HD generally broadcast in 720p, which is good quality, while some transmit in 1080i, which is even higher, though many debate on whether it?s actually better. Most HDTVs offer some or all of three resolutions: 480p, 720p, 1080i. Some of the latest HDTVs offer 1080p, but they cost more. Get at least 720p or 1080i capability. The 1080p TVs are good if you will be playing Blu-ray movies from your Blu-ray Player. Consider your signal source, satellite, cable TV or over-the-air. Some signals are heavily compressed for transmission. Compare with a DVD picture you know meets your expectations.
5. Get the correct HD signal for your HDTV.
To get free, local high-def network channels over the air with an antenna, make sure your HDTV has a built-in digital tuner. You will also need a good UHF antenna. For beyond-basic cable or satellite subscribers, consider an HDTV-capable ?display,? or ?monitor,? which leaves out the built-in tuner to save some bucks.
6. Cable Connections.
While most HDTVs have component (red, green and blue) video inputs to connect to your cable, satellite tuner and DVD player, double check to make sure. Two or more sets of input jacks means no swapping cables between cable and DVD and Xbox 360, for instance. Make sure your new HDTV has an HDMI input (preferably three) with HDCP support ? the connection and anti-piracy combo that future-proofs your purchase.
7. Which cables.
Connect your gear together using the highest resolution connections possible. HDMI is highest, followed by component video, S-Video, plain Video-in, and finally the lowest, old fashioned RF Coax. HDTV cable and video games require at least a component video connection, while hi-def Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players will plug in to the HDMI port for the highest resolution possible.
8. Get the best look.
Your HDTV should have the capability to change the video on the screen. You can choose between showing bars on either side of a non-widescreen program so that the image looks correct, or you can zoom it to fill the entire screen. But doing so will squash and widen people and objects. Experiment with the TV?s remote, and your cable or satellite box?s remote, to attain the best look.
9. Fine tune your HDTV.
Make Adjustments. HDTVs ship from the factory with the settings up high in order to show off on the showroom floor. At home, you should be able to tone things down a few notches by choosing the built-in picture preset settings like ?Sports,? or ?Vivid,? or ?Natural.? Tune to a program with dark and light scenery (or use a DVD), to help find the picture-perfect balance. The brighter the screen on plasmas and LCDs, the more power you'll pay for.
10. Surround Sound.
Super sharp video is good but don?t forget the new sound. HDTV boasts Cineplex-like surround sound ? providing you have a receiver and speaker system to hear it. Home Theater in a Box systems have DVD players built-in, or consider a separate Audio/Video receiver and speaker system if you plan to buy a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player. Be sure to use the ?optical? or ?digital audio? sound outputs from your HDTV cable or satellite or video game box when you connect to the receiver ? that way you?re sure to be surrounded by sound. There are even newer audio technologies available with Blu-ray and HD-DVD movies. Try to get your gear with at least HDMI 1.3 capability for this newer high-end sound.
HDTV Terms
SDTV
Standard-definition TV. A basic digital TV that displays fewer than 480p scan lines in a 16x9 or 4x3 format. This kind of set usually displays 480i, the same quality as analog TVs. SDTV provides 150,000 to 300,000 pixels.
EDTV
Enhanced-definition TV. A better quality picture with 480 progressively scanned lines, or 480p, which is the quality used by most DVD players. Delivers Dolby digital surround sound. Could be in a 16x9 or 4x3 format. Provides 300,000 to 400,000 pixels.
HDTV
High-definition TV. The highest-resolution of DTVs with a widescreen format and scanning lines of 720p, 1080i, 1080p or higher. Some of the newest sets on the market are 1080p. Delivers Dolby digital surround sound. Provides 900,000 to 2.1 million pixels.
HDTV-Ready
Describes TVs that can display high-definition TV but only when connected to a separate HDTV tuner. An HDTV-ready TV may sometimes be referred to as an HDTV monitor.
Integrated HDTV
An HDTV set that has the digital tuner built in so it can receive over-the-air DTV signals without a separate set-top box. Most HDTV sets built in 2007 and later will have built-in digital tuners.
Aspect ratio
Refers to the width and height of a display. A traditional TV is 4x3. A widescreen TV is 16x9.
Interlace vs. progressive scan
Describes how vertical lines are scanned onto a TV picture. Interlace scans all the odd lines first, then fills in the even lines. This is done extremely fast. Progressive scans all lines consecutively in a single pass. The corresponding notation, "i" or "p" follows the number of lines scanned, such as 480i or 480p.
Where to buy Plasma TVs
Panasonic, Pioneer and Samsung are the top Plasma TV makers.
- Plasma TVs
• www.abtelectronics.com - Plasma TVs
Learn more .....
• How to setup your HDTV
• How to hookup your Plasma TV
• See over 40 hookup diagrams
• Audio Video Cable Types
See also:
• PC stereo hookup
• VCR Recording
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