LCD HDTV Explained
HDTV, which stands for High Resolution Television, is a digital television broadcasting system with enhanced resolution and superior qualities to traditional television sets.
High-Definition Televisions yield a superior quality image that is at least 5 times better than standard television sets due to the great number of vertical pixels.
The color, clarity and vibrancy of the image are stunning, regardless of whether you’re enjoying a ball game, your favorite TV sitcom or a nature documentary. In fact, it’s so good it’s hard to go back to viewing regular, or standard definition TV programs as the image quality seems so much worse in comparison.
At its best, HDTV is so realistic that it’s often described as “looking through a window” — as if you’re really there, not just watching a program.
HDTVs are defined by their resolution, which simply means showing more detail in an image. Just as digital cameras with higher megapixel ratings capture more detail by breaking up an image into finer and finer dots than cameras with lower resolutions, so too do HDTV sets improve the image quality in relation to traditional TVs.
Aspect Ratio
Old CRT televisions are slightly wider than they are taller. This ratio is described as 4:3, meaning they are 4 units wide by 3 units high. Newer flat panels (and even some CRTs) are now coming out in the wide screen format, which is described as 16:9.
This 16:9 ratio, which has become the standard for most LCD screens, is closer to the theater experience, that allows you to see all of the picture.
Screen Resolutions:
This is the number of individual picture elements that make up a TV image. The higher the resolution, the more detailed the image, and the sharper the image will appear.
Resolution is defined by one of two factors:
• Lines (the number of left-to-right lines the TV can display). CRT-based TVs (tube TVs) are rated this way.
• Pixels (the number of pixels across the screen times the number up and down). Fixed-pixel displays (plasmas, LCDs, DLPs and the like) are rated this way.
The form of measurement for TVs is 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p.
Most CRT TVs are either 480i or 480p. The “i” stands for interlaced or every other line whilst the “p” stands for progressive.
CRT TVs use an electron gun to scan lines onto the screen. So if a TV says it supports 480i, then at any instant in time there are acutually 240 lines on the screen, followed by 240 lines a split second later. It happens so fast you really can’t see it, but some notice the flicker.
Next is 480p. This was a standard that was first seen in DVD players a few years ago, when they said they were progressive scanning DVD players. This means there are 480 lines on the screen at one time. You may notice that some TVs, both CRT and flat panel are called EDTV. This stands for Enhanced Definition TV. These TVs will show a maximum of 480p, and are not to be considered HDTV.
Make sure you don’t get fooled by the lower pricing o
n EDTVs. They will not give you the HD experience.
HDTV starts at 720p and up. This means there are at least 720 lines on the screen at one time. HDTV also includes 1080i and 1080p. This is where most people get confused.
HD content from broadcasters (either cable or satellite) is available in 720p or 1080i. To get 1080p content, you need to have a receiver, such as a HD-DVR or Blu-Ray player.
When you talk about screen resolutions, similar to the computer screen resolutions, here is how it works.
The second number will tell you the maximum HD resolution you can have. (keeping in mind the difference between i and p). For example, if you look at the most common resolution of 40′ -42′ LCDs, you will see them stated at 1366 x 768. So looking at the second number, this screen would allow for 720p or 1080i. (remember, i scans every other line).
A 1080 HDTV has 1080 pixels per line going vertically, and 1,920 lines going across. As you can tell, the 1080 HDTV set is obviously the better of the two – since more pixels means more detail.
A 720 HDTV has 720 pixels per line going up the screen, and 1280 lines across the screen.
With that being said, the resolution and the actual size of the screen in inches are not directly related: therefore, a 22″ 1080p HDTV and a 22″ 720p HDTV can both exist (don’t assume that smaller screens are always 720p!)
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