HD Experience

High definition is the best available picture for TV viewing; HD comes in 720p and 1080p. 720p and 1080p are both standards of high definition signals.

It may be helpful to know that resolution is just a term that means to show more detail. The number portions of each TV standard refer to the number of vertical lines that is in a single image. Also, note that the initial p stands for progressive, which means the image on the screen creates from the top to the bottom. In addition, the initial i means that the set is interlaced, and that every other pixel line is filled in, usually working on the odd lines first and then returning to the even lines. This process happens so swiftly that our eyes only see the complete image upon the TV screen.

The number of pixels contained per inch of a viewable screen determines its resolution, that being so, then more pixels mean a larger resolution or quality of detailed images. Picture quality displays best at a higher resolution. 1280 pixels X 720 lines (1280×720) and 1920 pixels x 1080 lines (1920×1080) are formats of resolution measurement. Moreover, the vertical and horizontal pixels of an image correspond to the numbers that are used.

A TV display resolution deals with three issues, first there must be a TV station broadcasting signals. The TV must be capable of displaying the broadcasted signal. In addition, unless the set is HDTV ready, it must have a decoding tuner component so signals received in clarity.

HDTV’s are able to display resolutions of 720p and 1080p and other formats, which are determined by individual model programming of TV screens bringing better viewing pleasure. As long as the tuner decodes the HD signal, a TV set can display HDTV subject matter. Either a TV can have a built in tuner or a tuner is installed as an external receiver.

These external tuners can be purchased from any dealer that sells consumer electronics. If the signals you prefer are from non-broadcasting stations, you will have to subscribe to your local satellite or cable company for a compatible tuner to your HDTV.

The stir concerning 1080p resolution standard seems to have the advantage of 360 more lines of resolution, which offers a wonderful quality of detail that is several times higher than traditional TV standards of definition. However, its draw back is a native 1080p format is currently not widely available. Although there are so many possibilities of tomorrow’s programming and air waves to keep in mind while shopping for the perfect TV screens and their resolution.

Therefore, even though the image is more detailed for 1080p formatting, being able to receive new content is limited in supply. Yet again TV and broadcasting technology are working wonders everyday and there will be new interesting content development in the 1080p format before we realize it.

The choice of 720p or 1080p is best left up to the factor of being able to pick up a native broadcasting signal. As well as your budget and preferences in individual TV screens.



By: David Tanguay

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The 52? 1080p Sony Bravia KDL-52W3000 LCD HDTV is simply an amazing set. This is one of the best 52″ LCD HDTVs out there. This set is loved by many and you can check all over the internet and you’ll see that I’m not fibbing. Sony just keeps making the Bravia better and better with each new model release. If you’re looking for a 52″ LCD HDTV and this one is in your budget, this may be the best one out there.

First, let’s talk about how the KDL-52W3000 looks aesthetically. The brush metal matte frame is a classic look that actually absorbs light and does not reflect like the 46V3000 if you found the piano black to be distracting. The stand does not pivot like the 46V2500 does, but that’s only one slight negative thing compared to what this baby can do.

Let’s talk about the picture, the part that everyone wants to know about. Let me say that the picture quality of the Sony Bravia KDL-52W3000 LCD HDTV is simply amazing in HD. The picture is vivid and the Live Color Creation “gimmick” is no gimmick. Colors are rich, vivid, and life like to the point that it’s almost 3D, especially when watching animated films like Ratatouille or Cars. The viewing angle is excellent and the screen has no glares and has no problem playing in a sunlit room.

I recommend you use HDMI 1.3 Category 2 cables so that the TV can display colors better. Standard definition is fine and will not terrify you like most LCD HDTVs out there. Watching DVD is almost HD like when paired with the up-converting Oppo DVD player. The refresh rate is 60hz but there is little to no difference when compared side by side with the 120hz XBR4. Motion blurring is usually normal in LCD TVs, but the Sony Bravia KDL-52W3000 does a good job at keeping it to a minimum. If you do catch any blurring, try turning off Noise Reduction to eliminate it.

The Sony Bravia KDL-52W3000’s audio quality is above average especially if you customize the sound yourself, turn on the S-Force Front Surround, and raise the voice boost. The stock TV speakers are not going to make you feel like you’re in a movie theater, but it’s good enough if you’re not planning to get a home theater although you should. The Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA Home Theater System is a good one.

Get the 52″ Sony Bravia KDL-52W3000 LCD HDTV if the XBR4 is too expensive. This set is the next best thing if it falls within your budget. Remember to buy HDMI 1.3 cables to get the best colors possible because this TV supports it. Have fun and don’t forget to look away from the TV and get up to walk around once in a while because this TV will suck you into the world that you’re watching like you’ve been looking through a window the whole time.



By: Eric Ha

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What makes High Definition TV so great? Most HDTV watchers would tell you that it’s simple: higher resolution. That’s what sets HDTV apart from regular TV.

Regular television, or “standard definition” as it’s also called, shows up to 480 pixels per line. It looks good if you’ve never experienced HDTV’s higher resolution. With HDTV, the resolution depends on the source. There are two main source resolutions used in HDTV: 1080i and 720p.

1080i

1080i has a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. This is a major improvement over standard definition television. CBS, NBC, Discovery Channel’s HD broadcasts, PBS and the Xbox 360 all use this resolution. Of course, you can watch these stations on a lower resolution TV set, but if you have a 1080i set, you’ll get the better resolution.

Also, 1080i is in a widescreen format. This is another great feature of HDTV.

720p

720p has a lower resolution. It’s 1,280 by 720 pixels. Even though it has a lower resolution than 1080i, the difference is not as noticeable as the difference between either one and a standard definition TV. 720p also has the widescreen format. ABC, Fox and ESPN’s HD broadcasts all use this resolution.

720p’s resolution is lower, but it has a feature called “progressive scan” that 1080i doesn’t. Progressive scan makes the movement on screen more fluid and realistic. Progressive scan makes the image move more smoothly.

480p

There is also a 480p format, which Fox uses for its digital broadcasts, but it’s technically not HDTV, although it can be viewed on HDTV’s. It’s 852 by 480 pixels, widescreen and has progressive scan. Fox is the only network that uses this resolution, but some DVD players use it because of the smoother movement of progressive scan.

1080p

There is a newer format called 1080p which has the high resolution of the 1080i with the progressive scan of the 720p, but no network uses it yet. It’s mostly a resolution format that some HDTV’s are made in. According to reviews, 1080p isn’t very much different than 1080i. Unless you have a large TV, like something over 46 inches, there’s no noticeable difference.

The 1080p might be good for serious HDTV nuts. It does enable manufacturers to add special features, like increased contrast or better color. Unless you have a really good eye, you might not notice these differences, though. And, the 1080p sets usually cost quite a bit more than the others. In the next few years, there will probably be more reasonably priced 1080p sets. It’s expected that more networks will begin taking advantage of 1080p’s resolution and possibilities and begin broadcasting in 1080p. If this happens, 1080p sets may become a better buy.



By: Eric Gov

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If you want to watch high definition content but don’t want to pay thousands for a brand new television set, you can easily watch that very same content on your computer. Almost all monitors are capable of playing 720p content (which will look very nice compared to older formats), and one of the most popular monitor segments today is the 24 inch and above widescreen monitor, which is capable of displaying 1080p high definition content, the best looking format available today. However, to watch these beautiful shows and movies on your computer, you’ll need an High Definition TV tuner.

Easy As Hooking Up a Mouse

Many people are wary about messing around with their computers for fears of harming some component, but HD TV tuners make it easy for everyone to watch high definition content right on their computer. Most tuners hook up to your computer by plugging into a USB port (just like most mice and keyboards use), and then that high definition content will play on your computer. New copies of Windows and MacOS can play this content out of the box, so you don’t have to worry about that. All you’ll need to do is install a driver (a language which allows the HD TV tuner to communicate with the rest of the computer), and in many cases your operating system will do this automatically for you as soon as you hook up the tuner.

HD Providers

It wouldn’t make much sense to buy an High Definition TV tuner and then not have any content to use it for. Fortunately, many programs are cast off air and can be picked up by an antenna, and if you order a subscription service from any of the providers (major providers include Comcast and DirecTV, although there are many others), they will often lend or give you tuners. However, other high definition content comes in the form of next gen movie formats, mainly Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs. If you buy either of these, you’ll need a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player, so it’s best to make sure that you have the necessary hardware for what type of content you’re planning on watching.

Remember, you need to figure out which content you’ll be receiving (Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs, subscription services, and/or off-air content via antenna) before you buy the equipment. To watch the latter on your computer, you’ll need an tuner to plug into a USB port, although subscription services will generally lend you a tuner (even if it plugs directly into your monitor). To see the world in high def, you need to go with an HD TV tuner.



By: Low Jeremy

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Are you avid sports fan?  Looking for that perfect television for the Superbowl?  But you are confused by all the techno jargon and the several different types of TVs available, and you are not all that sure you trust that salesman at the electronics store.  Well here are a few tips and facts that will get you on the right track.

First of all, how big do you want to go.  Recently Panasonic revealed a new 150" plasma television.  If you are looking for something that big, then the answer is easy Panasonic is your only choice.  Of course you could buy a high definition projector and a screen, but then I’m not addressing projectors in this article.  For purposes of simplicity, I’ll assume you are looking for a 50" or larger screen.

Bottom line up front - Purchase a plasma and not an LCD; here’s why:

LCDs suffer more from motion blur than plasma TVs.  They are improving, but plasma screens definitely have the upper hand here.  Motion blur is the tendency of the picture to lose resolution where there is motion on screen.  Guess what there is a LOT of motion in football.  A plasma television would be preferable for any sports watching.

Plasma televisions have a better contrast ratio. is one the most important factors when it comes to overall  TV picture quality. while LCD TV’s are improving their contrast ration and closing the gap, Plasma TV’s are simply have better contrast ratios.

LCDs have a narrower viewing angle.  A football party will tend to have a lot of people, spread across a room.  For this reason the plasma TV is a better Superbowl TV.

Of course plasma have some disadvantages.  First, they can suffer from burn-in, that is where an area of the television "burns-in" if there is a constant image on the screen.  This is predominantly a problem is the TV is used primarily for video games or a monitor.  In this case we are assuming the TV will mostly be used for sports, so no problem here.  Additionally, if you allow your TV to display a variety of programming for the first 12-14 hours of use, this greatly reduces the chance of the set ever developing burn-in

Plasmas are a bit heavier, if you are looking to hang your television on your wall, I’d make sure to screw the mount onto a wall stud, but then I’d recommend that for an LCD as well.

On the plus side, plasma’s also tend to be cheaper, especially as you get into larger sizes, since we are talking big screens here - that is a definite benefit.  Plasma normally do not get any smaller that about 42", but again we are talking big screens, so - no problem.

Other considerations :

Look for a 1080p resolution.  Most newer sets are 1080p, so it should not difficult for you to find one.  As the screens get bigger, the difference between a 720p television and 1080p becomes more evident.  Since we are talking big, make sure you get a 1080 set.  You may also see a 1080i resolutions, although they have the same number or pixels as a 1080p, they are refreshed about half as often, this can lead to a perceptible flickering.  The difference in price is minor, so get a 1080p.

New 120hz Plasmas.  Movies are filmed at 24 frames per second (fps), while TV programming is normally 30fps, since 120 is a multiple of both, they eliminate a slight juddering that can occur when watching movies.  Since we are talking sports, you won’t get much benefit from 120hz.  If you are planning to watch movies in addition to sports, or perhaps movies about football, you might want to pay a little extra for this, but since Plasmas don’t suffer from motion blur as much as LCDs, 120hz helps LCDs perform better more than Plasma screens.

Start your search for a plasma screen with Panasonic, in my opinion they hit the sweet spot between price and quality.  You will get your money’s worth, and they make some of the best plasma screens available.  If money is not an issue, and you want the best possible TV for the Superbowl, I recommend the Pioneer Kuro Elite TV’s they come in 50" and 60" and have what most video experts consider the very best picture on the market, and an excellent speaker system.

Learn more and find the best prices on plasmas at Dream Home Theater.



By: Roger

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