 What
is HDTV?
HDTV stands for High Definition Television. HDTV has approximately twice the
vertical and horizontal picture resolution of today's NTSC TV (analog), which
essentially makes the picture twice as sharp. HDTV also has a screen ratio of
16:9 as compared with most of today's TV screens, which have a screen ratio of
4:3. HDTV offers reduced motion artifacts (i.e. ghosting, dot crawl), and offers
5.1 independent channels of CD-quality stereo surround sound, (also referred
to as AC-3). This means that High-Definition-Television displays pictures in
a higher resolution than analog, which significantly increases detail, resulting
in a crisper, cleaner picture. In addition, the image is sharper and wider, with
incredible digital sound.
HDTV Converters
If you are using an analog tv and receiving digital signals via satellite for
example, your digital signal is converted to analog format so that it can be
displayed on your tv. This is an improvement to an analog signal, but it would
be much better if the analog conversion didn't take place. If you would like
to see HDTV shows on your analog television, you can add an HDTV converter, but
your picture will be comparable to a DVD on an analog tv. Your HD Ready set will
still offer a dramatically improved picture and allow you to enjoy a superior
digital picture when using a DVD.
Best HDTV Setup
The ideal situation would be receiving a pure digital signal via cable, DIRECTV or DISH
Network,
received by a digital receiver, and displayed on a digital TV set. The best sets
to get are a front or rear projection HDTV set or a plasma set with a 16:9 aspect
ratio. If you think you may like to take advantage of an HDTV signal, but aren't
quite sure, you can get an HDTV-ready television. These have the standard 4:3
aspect ratio, but don't have the HDTV decoder to interpret the HDTV signal. You
can add the HDTV decoder later to upgrade the display for HDTV broadcasts. Also,
these HDTV-ready televisions cost significantly less. The integrated HDTV systems
have the high definition tuner built in. These systems are more expensive, but
are convenient for those who want an in-the-box system.
HDTV by 2006
Good News: the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that all
stations be capable of broadcasting HDTV by 2006. Check your service to see if
it broadcasts in high definition to see if you can fully enjoy the benefits of
HDTV now.
Some Considerations When Purchasing a High Definition Television
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The input jacks should be compatible with your
current equipment. Make a list of what you need to hook up (VCR, DVD player,
cable box, video games, etc) and the type of connection and check it against
the digital tv your are considering. Your minimum requirements will probably
be S-video, composite and componenet video analog jacks |
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Make sure your HDTV system is capable of up-converting
and down-converting to allow all transmitted signals in your set's designated
format |
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The larger the display, the better the HDTV
picture. Consider your room requirements and personal preferences, but a
16:9 aspect ratio is ideal |
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The best choice for the audio system is Dolby
A3 Surround Sound; this is the standard for HDTV |
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Front ports can be very convenient |
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Compatibility: If buying an HDTV ready set with an HD tuner,
make sure your tuner is compatible with your HDTV set and your satellite
or cable service and that it can receive off-air broadcasts |
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An in-home maintenance contract would be a
good idea for a projection unit, which may require periodic maintenance |
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Do you need an external antenna for off-the-air
broadcasts? |
HDTV systems available:
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Traditional Direct View (30" to 40") |
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Rear or front projection (40" to 70") |
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BEST for HDTV: Wide Screen (16:9 ratio) |
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Traditional Square screen (4:3 ratio) - best for analog only |
We've reviewed some of the best HDTV units there are to choose from.
Read the reviews of HDTV Televisions and
find the best hdtv for your needs. Our HDTV selections point out
the distinguishing features of each high definition TV tuner. Select
the best HDTV receiver
after
reading all of the HDTV information you can.
Here are some commonly asked questions about HDTV:
What is aspect ratio?
Refers to the width of a picture relative to its height. If an analog picture
is 4 feet wide, it will be 3 feet high; thus it has a 4:3 aspect ratio. HDTV
has a 16:9 aspect ratio.
What is the difference between analog and digital TV?
Analog transmits only the video signal and nothing else. During the transmission
of the analog signal, many things can interfere, thus distorting the television
picture. Also, a weaker analog signal can cause a snowy and distorted pictures.
Digital TV signals contain coded instructions (ones and zeros) which are transmitted
to your Digital Receiver, also known as a tuner, decoder or set-top-box. Your
receiver deciphers the digital code and reproduces an almost perfect picture.
What
is the difference between DTV and HDTV?
HDTV, high definition television, is digital television (DTV). The ATSC assigned
18 formats to Digital television, and at this time, only 6 of the 18 are considered
HDTV. True high-definition-television may have either 1080 interlaced lines,
or 720 progressive-scanned lines.
What is SDTV?
Standard Definition Television or SDTV refers to DIGITAL transmissions with 480-line
resolution, either interlaced or progressive scanned formats. SDTV offers significant
improvement over today's conventional NTSC picture resolution, similar to comparing
DVD quality to VHS, primarily because the digital transmission eliminates snow
and ghosts, common with the current NTSC analog format. However, SDTV does not
come close to HDTV in both visual and audio quality.
You can find more information about HDTV at these great sites:
HDTV Info-Guide: HDTV Magazine is published daily - more often as breaking news
warrants - bringing
you the latest programming and crucial HDTV information.
It is an electronic publication delivered directly to your e-mail address. Check
out their 10-day free trial offer and their free HDTV forum for troubleshooting
some common problems.
TitanTV.com is the first and only household-level interactive content guide on
the Internet that includes one-click recording capabilities. Decisionmark has
partnered with leading Personal Video Recorder (PVR) manufacturers to provide
TitanTV visitors with one-step recording convenience right from their content
guide. You can also determine which channels you can receive at your house and
what your antenna requirements are.
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Satellite TV
