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The alphabeth of HDTVs
By Darco | February 1, 2008
All full-power TV stations will turn off their analog signals on Feb. 17, 2009. That’s by order of the Federal Communications Commission. As a result, many people are rushing to buy HDTVs, especially during this holiday season.
Unfortunately for consumers, there are a lot of TV options out there. There are LCDs, DLPs, plasmas, flat-screens, projection screens, large sets, small sets – and all in high-definition. With so many choices and more being added every day, even the most educated in high-definition technology can find their heads swimming.
Local TV expert and owner of Bond’s Television and Electronics, Bob Bond, offers up some information to keep us afloat.
“The old format is four units horizontal by three units vertical. The new technology is 16 units by nine units,” Bond said.
That means if you want the same size image as your old 32-inch screen, you’d have to buy a 40-inch HDTV. Good rule of thumb: The diagonal dimensions of an HD set should be 25-percent larger than your current analog TV.
But aspect ratio isn’t the only thing to consider. How the picture is transmitted to the screen is another. You’ll need to choose between 1080i, interlace scanning, and 720p or 1080p, progressive scanning.
“1080p is the highest quality unit. It’s unlikely that that will be broadcast soon. The only thing that has 1080p is like your Blue Ray or High-Definition DVD’s,” Bond said.
Even cabling is different. You can use standard analog cables, but they won’t give you true digital quality. A single cable called an HDMI will do a straight digital transfer from your DVD player or cable box to the set. Although HDMI are transferring audio and video digitally, it is still advised not to buy the cheapest ones on the market.
A word of advice: dont feel pressured to buy. Just get the manufacturer’s name and the model number of the set and check it out on the manufacturer’s Web site. There’s probably even a glossary with definitions to all the HDTV terms.
Don’t worry about getting an image if you choose not to buy an HDTV. If you have cable TV, your cable company will convert local digital TV stations for both analog and digital customers. You just won’t have that digital quality. If you get your programming the old-fashioned way–through rabbit ears–the government has a coupon program that allows you to get a converter for about $40.
Source: news8austin.com
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