HDTV Television Market

Toshiba REGZA 32HL67U 32" 720p LCD HDTV

2007-06-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

Technical Details
ATSC/NTSC & QAM Digital Television Tuners
CineSpeed Panel with Response Time of less than 8ms
Panel Resolution - 1366 x 768
PixelPure Hi-Bit12-Bit Digital Video Processing
Digital Noise Reduction

Product Description
Amazon.com Product DescriptionToshiba's Regza line of TVs marry state-of-the-art technology to hip design. One feature that sets them apart is PixelPure 14-bit digital video processing, which creates more than 4,000 levels of color gradations for a smooth, natural-looking picture without posterization or image banding. Another benefit is a fast response time. Response time is the interval an LCD screen takes to from its darkest color to its lightest color and back again, measured in milliseconds (ms). This screen's response time is 8 ms, which is at the faster and better end of the spectrum. This screen is likely to display cleaner, sharper images during high-action scenes and with fewer image artifacts than other screens in its class. This technology is housed in a black gloss cabinetry that is sure to fit well with most any decor.
The 32HL67 has a panel resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. This qualifies it as 720 progressive-line HDTV, which is a noticeably better picture than standard definition sets, but not as detailed as the 1080 HD sets available. Its 16:9 wide screen aspect ratio delivers most movies the way they were meant to be seen in the theater, without back bars wasting the top and bottom of the screen.
The Value of LCD TVsAside from their obvious aesthetic value, LCD TVs are much more practical in the home than CRT (tube-style) televisions. They take up a smaller footprint, and thus use up less floor space in the room. Also, LCD TVs are lighter and easier to move around when cleaning or redecorating. The 32HL67 is only 4.65 inches deep and weighs less than 35 pounds. Best of all, LCD screens use less power than CRTs and plasma screens.
ConnectionsThe set has a built-in digital television tuner, so out of the box it can receive digital broadcast ATSC signals and QAM signals used by most digital cable providers. It also has a built-in 181-channel NTSC tuner, so it can also accept traditional analog signals. It can also make these connections to your audio and video components:
HDMI inputs: 3
ColorStream HD component video inputs: 2
PC monitor input: 1 VGA 15 Pin D-sub
S-video input: 1
A/V inputs: 2
AudioThe unit's SoundStrip speaker system hides the unit's speakers in a thin strip bordering the screen. They're powerful enough to deliver big stereo sound, but they don't add significantly to the size of the set. Toshiba's StableSound feature maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal. This is an extremely useful feature when transitioning between a quiet television program and a very loud commercial advertisement or when changing channels. SRS WOW, a combination of SRS 3D, TruBass, and Focus sound-expanding systems, create a 3-D sound field with improved bass response over standard TV audio and create directed, three-dimensional audio sweet spot for maximum enjoyment. The TV also has optical digital output for connecting to your audio system.
32-inch wide screenA general rule of thumb for selecting the right size television screen is that the screen width--not its 32-inch diagonal measurement--should be between three and five times the optimum viewing distance, such as the distance from the TV screen to where your eyes are while sitting on the couch. Less than that and you may be distracted by the scan lines of the picture. More than that, and you may lose the detail of your TV. Based on this guide, the 32HL67 is ideal for viewing distances of seven to 12 feet.
What's in the Box32HL67, stand, 4-item universal remote, stand, warranty and product manuals.Product DescriptionATSC - NTSC & QAM TV Tuners / 16:9 Aspect / Stablesound / High Speed PixelPure Processing / HDMI / 1366x768 Resolution / 176-Degree View 3D Y/C Digital Comb Filter TheaterWide Modes (5 - Standard, Full, TW1, TW2, TW3) Cinema Mode (3 - 2 Pulldown) Color Temperature Control Dynamic Contrast Color Detail Enhancer MTS Stereo/SAP with dbx Audio SRS WOW (3D, Tru-bass, Focus) StableSound Tri-Lingual On-screen Display Closed Captioning on Mute V-Chip Parental Control System Individual A/V Settings by Input Type Sleep Timer Game Timer Channel Return SurfLock Channel Labeling Direct Video Input Selection Video Lock Video Labeling Two Level Mute Four-Item glow Universal Remote with DVD Control Movie and Sports Modes Discrete IR Codes Auto Aspect Detection HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) 2 ColorStream HD Component Video Inputs PC Monitor Input (VGA 15 Pin D-Sub) RF Input - Rear A/V Inputs - Rear S-Video Input Side Panel A/V/S Inputs

Choosing A Hitachi Plasma TV

2007-05-14T22:38:00.001-07:00

Peter Thomas
In this busy day and age, spending what free time you have needs to be as enjoyable and relaxing an experience as possible. Nowhere is this more relevant than with your TV, whether it's for watching a DVD, or using it to play the latest games on your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 on. With the features on the latest models, choosing a Hitachi plasma TV can offer the solution that you've been looking for.
With Hitachi's new Platara range of plasma TV's, picture and sound quality has never been better. Even with the largest 42" model, Hitachi has managed to maintain a depth of only 90mm deep, so it won't take up any major space in your living room, whether you let it sit freely or decide to wall-mount it. Despite the relative slimness of the model, it's still fully laden with features.
Using Hitachi's patented ALIS technology, which offers bright yet bold pictures displayed in high resolution, their flagship 42" model, the 42PD9700 contains a wealth of features, including:
ท Picture Master HD Technology, for the sharpest pictures yet ท Integrated Digital TV (IDTV), offering digital transmissions from the box, without the need for a separate cable or satellite connection ท High Definition ready, offering future proof upgrading ท Motorized swivel stand
However, if this model appears feature packed, then the new Hitachi Ultravision Plasma HDTV range is the nest level up in plasma TV's. With patented technology, these models offer the ultimate in plasma picture quality. Incorporating the world's first true HD display of 1080i, the 42HDX99 also impresses with:
ท Picture Master HD III Video processor, which scans every single frame of movement to provide a crystal sharp image
ท Day & Night Picture Memory, allowing easy switching between preferred screen settings
ท Film Quality Image Tuning, which improves the detail in both highlight and shadow
ท Natural Color Deep Black Anti-Reflective Glass Screen, which reduces the effect of sunlight on the screen and allows far superior pictures
ท Digital Color Management III, which automatically re-tunes its settings when attached to a digital camera to match that objects color display
However, even this phenomenal set is outshone by its bigger brother, the 55HDX99 Ultravision Director's Series. With all the features of the 42" model and more, this truly is the pinnacle of plasma TV's and will enhance anyone's living area beyond compare. With intelligent remote controls that allows you to tune your whole home cinema system to your TV remote, and an HDMI interface for connecting superior products such as HD DVD players, this really is the next generation of not just Hitachi's plasma TV's, but any of its competitors as well.
About The Author
Peter Thomas is the marketing manager for http://www.plasma-television.co.uk - the UKs leading plasma & lcd tv price comparison website

Are All Plasma Televisions HDTVs?

2007-05-14T08:51:00.001-07:00

The short answer to this question is "NO". Here is why:
In order for a Television to be classified as an HDTV or HDTV-ready the television must be able to display a vertical resolution of at least 720 lines. Some of those "budget" Plasma televisions that are "selling like hotcakes" only display a vertical resolution of 480 lines. These sets are referred to as EDTVs (Extended or Enhanced Definition televisions).
EDTVs typically have a native pixel resolution of 852x480। 852x480 represents 852 pixels across (left to right) and 480 pixels down (top to bottom) on the screen surface. The 480 pixels down also represent the number of lines from the top to the bottom of the screen. This is higher than standard television, but not HDTV resolution. The images on these sets look great, especially for DVDs and standard digital cable, but it is not HDTV.

Plasmas that are capable of displaying HDTV signals have a native pixel resolution of 1024x768 (where 768 also represents the number of lines from the top to bottom of the screen) or higher.
Since Plasma televisions have a finite number of pixels (referred to as a fixed-pixel display), signal inputs that have higher resolutions must be scaled to fit the pixel field count of the particular Plasma display. For example, a typical HDTV input format of 1080i needs a native display of 1920x1080 pixels for a one-to-one point display of the HDTV image. However, if your Plasma television only has a pixel field of 1024x768, the original HDTV signal must be scaled to fit the 1024x768 pixel count on the Plasma screen surface. So, even if your Plasma television is classified as an HDTV because it displays 1024x768 pixels, some HDTV signal inputs will still have to be scaled down to fit the Plasma Televisions pixel field. By the same token, if you have an EDTV, any HDTV signals will have to be scaled down to fit an 852x480 pixel field. In essence, the resolution of the image actually viewed on the screen does not always correspond to the resolution of the orginal input signal.
In conclusion, when shopping for a Plasma Television, make sure you check to see if it is an EDTV or and HDTV-ready unit. Currently, most Plasma Televisions priced below $2,500 are of the EDTV variety, but there may be exceptions. Of course, this will change as prices come down for Plasma televisions in the coming year(s).

Think Samsung 27 HDTV When You Think Affordable

2007-05-12T10:06:00.001-07:00

Dean Iggo

The Samsung 27 HDTV is very affordable. When most people think of HDTV, the first thing that happens is they see dollar signs spinning like a casino slot machine. So many of the top HD sets out there cost thousands of dollars and are steeped in a kind of almost mystical technology that the average person doesn’t understand. But HDTV doesn’t have to break the bank, or the mind. This Samsung 27 HDTV is a great example of that.

The Samsung Tantus TXN2798HF 27" HD-Ready TV with DynaFlat Screen is one of the top sets on the market. And the price is the best part. Amazon.com is currently selling this very model for only $355.00.

Taking a closer look at this great set, it comes with a full 27 inch HDTV screen that works with both the 480p and 1080i formats. It comes with DVI input so that you can use a DTV receiver if you want. The set measures out at 27 inches wide, 24 inches high and 21 inches deep.

The trademark Samsung Dynaflat HD screen is used with this model and it shows. Even though this is an old fashioned CRT-style set, the display looks great and it essentially flat, not curved like an old style set.

The computer chipset inside this set is the Pro Chip Plus, which changes over normal analog TV signals and shows them at a higher quality. While it can’t make analogue signals look like HDTV, it can make them look better than they would on your old television.

This set puts out some top quality sound, as well. There is a pair of 10-watt speakers plus a hefty 25-watt subwoofer for that natural bass sound that all good sets need.

Last but not least, there is a great picture in picture feature that can be huge when you’re trying to follow two ballgames at once.

If you’re looking for a great HD-ready set that doesn’t break the bank but still gives you your monies worth, you could do a lot worse than this Samsung 27 HDTV. This set is proof you don’t need to take a second mortgage to have a great HD experience at home.

Think Samsung 27 HDTV When You Think Affordable

2007-05-12T10:05:00.001-07:00

Dean Iggo

The Samsung 27 HDTV is very affordable. When most people think of HDTV, the first thing that happens is they see dollar signs spinning like a casino slot machine. So many of the top HD sets out there cost thousands of dollars and are steeped in a kind of almost mystical technology that the average person doesn’t understand. But HDTV doesn’t have to break the bank, or the mind. This Samsung 27 HDTV is a great example of that.

The Samsung Tantus TXN2798HF 27" HD-Ready TV with DynaFlat Screen is one of the top sets on the market. And the price is the best part. Amazon.com is currently selling this very model for only $355.00.

Taking a closer look at this great set, it comes with a full 27 inch HDTV screen that works with both the 480p and 1080i formats. It comes with DVI input so that you can use a DTV receiver if you want. The set measures out at 27 inches wide, 24 inches high and 21 inches deep.

The trademark Samsung Dynaflat HD screen is used with this model and it shows. Even though this is an old fashioned CRT-style set, the display looks great and it essentially flat, not curved like an old style set.

The computer chipset inside this set is the Pro Chip Plus, which changes over normal analog TV signals and shows them at a higher quality. While it can’t make analogue signals look like HDTV, it can make them look better than they would on your old television.

This set puts out some top quality sound, as well. There is a pair of 10-watt speakers plus a hefty 25-watt subwoofer for that natural bass sound that all good sets need.

Last but not least, there is a great picture in picture feature that can be huge when you’re trying to follow two ballgames at once.

If you’re looking for a great HD-ready set that doesn’t break the bank but still gives you your monies worth, you could do a lot worse than this Samsung 27 HDTV. This set is proof you don’t need to take a second mortgage to have a great HD experience at home.

High Definition TVs Become Mainstream

2007-05-07T08:51:00.001-07:00

Mikael Rieck

HDTV or high definition televisions are finally entering the arena where it can be considered mainstream। Literally every single day we see that the prices on high definition television sets are falling or even dropping। Luckily the available supporting technology like the digital video recorders has no problem handling HDTV programs।
Today, in at totally different industry, we see that the video game systems are using the advantage that high definition technology provides. And as a bonus we are seeing that more and more channels become available in the HDTV format now than ever before in the history of the technology.
While all of this is considered good news in the of the high definition television market a few of the giant technology companies are fighting a format war in the market for the HD digital video disc. As in the old days with the Beta-max vs. VHS format war there are now two opposing formats that both utilize the blue laser technology in order to encode enough data for a full length movie in high definition. And on top of that there are the bonus features and materials that are added onto a disc that's the same size as a normal DVD. The challenge is that most of the available players of today are only supporting one format and therefore won't play discs in the other format. You can say that the formats are incompatible.
Consumers avoiding the Beta-max failure
Due to this conflict there is currently a lot of trouble in regards to the widespread adoption of just one of the formats. Consumers can easily remember the last time there was a format war and where many people got stuck with a bunch of useless Beta-max cassette players and tapes. Therefore we are now seeing consumers being more cautious and are therefore holding out to see which of the two formats that comes out on top before investing into new technology.
The technical specifications of the two formats are pretty close to being equal, but the Blu-ray disc format from Sony is the winner in terms of the amount of data that it can store. On a disc from Sony you can store up to fifty gigabytes or as much as twenty five gigabytes on each side of the disc. On the other side you have rival of Toshiba with their HD-DVD format. It can only store fifteen gigabytes per side for a total of thirty, but it has the advantage in terms of players being sold about half the price of Blu-ray disc players.
Due to the fact that the Blu-ray format can store the most data, it would seem obvious that it would be the winner on purely technical grounds. However time has shown us that the market for these things isn't quite that simple. In order to win the battle both Sony and Toshiba are trying to win by making their technology more attractive than the other's which in the end will only benifit the consumers.
To make the picture complete one must know that there are some really big names in the electronics, software, and movies industry have gotten behind each of the two formats. On one side the huge company of Microsoft favors HD-DVD and offers an HD-DVD drive that attaches to its popular Xbox 360 gaming system
On the other side there are the major movie studios like 20th Century Fox that are currently releasing a lot of movies on Blu-ray disc while yet other movie companies are releasing movies on HD-DVD. Some of the major film producers are going the safe route and are releasing movies in both formats just to hedge their bets.
So when it looks like high definition television is ready to become mainstream the DVD format war is becoming more and more ugly every day and at this point it doesn’t seem like there will be found any solution in the near future.

2007-05-01T23:26:00.001-07:00

DTV vs. HDTV

The Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) has set voluntary standards for digital television. These standards include how sound and video are encoded and transmitted. They also provide guidelines for different levels of quality. All of the digital standards are better in quality than analog signals. HDTV standards are the top tier of all the digital signals.

Standard vs. high-definition aspect ratio

The ATSC has created 18 commonly used digital broadcast formats for video. The lowest quality digital format is about the same as the highest quality an analog TV can display. The 18 formats cover differences in:

Aspect ratio - Standard television has a 4:3 aspect ratio -- it is four units wide by three units high. HDTV has a 16:9 aspect ratio, more like a movie screen.
Resolution - The lowest standard resolution (SDTV) will be about the same as analog TV and will go up to 704 x 480 pixels. The highest HDTV resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels. HDTV can display about ten times as many pixels as an analog TV set.
Frame rate - A set's frame rate describes how many times it creates a complete picture on the screen every second. DTV frame rates usually end in "i" or "p" to denote whether they are interlaced or progressive. DTV frame rates range from 24p (24 frames per second, progressive) to 60p (60 frames per second, progressive).
Many of these standards have exactly the same aspect ratio and resolution -- their frame rates differentiate them from one another. When you hear someone mention a "1080i" HDTV set, they're talking about one that has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and can display 60 frames per second, interlaced.

The 18 Primary DTV Standards

Broadcasters get to decide which of these formats they will use and whether they will broadcast in high definition -- many are already using digital and high-definition signals. Electronics manufacturers get to decide which aspect ratios and resolutions their TVs will use. Consumers get to decide which resolutions are most important to them and buy their new equipment based on that.

Until the analog shutoff date, broadcasters will have two available channels to send their signal -- a channel for analog, and a "virtual" channel for digital. Right now, people can watch an over-the-air digital signal only if they are tuned in to the broadcaster's virtual digital channel. After analog broadcasting ends, the only signals people will receive over the air will be digital.

However, even though a digital signal is better quality than an analog signal, it isn't necessarily high definition. HDTV is simply the highest of all the DTV standards. But whether you see a high-definition picture and hear the accompanying Dolby Digital® sound depends on two things. First, the station has to be broadcasting a high-definition signal. Second, you have to have the right equipment to receive and view it. We'll look at how to get an HDTV set and signal next.

MPEG-2
DTV usually uses MPEG-2 encoding, the industry standard for most DVDs, to compress the signal to a reasonable size. MPEG-2 compression reduces the size of the data by a factor of about 55:1, and it discards a lot of the visual information the human eye would not notice was missing.

How HDTV Works

2007-04-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

by Tracy V. Wilson

Introduction to How HDTV Works
When the first high-definition television (HDTV) sets hit the market in 1998, movie buffs, sports fans and tech aficionados got pretty excited, and for good reason. Ads for the sets hinted at a television paradise with superior resolution and digital surround sound. With HDTV, you could also play movies in their original widescreen format without the letterbox "black bars" that some people find annoying.
Shopping for an HDTV?
Compare HDTV prices at Consumer Guide Products before you buy.

But for a lot of people, HDTV hasn't delivered a ready-made source for transcendent experiences in front of the tube. Instead, people have gone shopping for a TV and found themselves surrounded by confusing abbreviations and too many choices. Some have even hooked up their new HDTV sets only to discover that the picture doesn't look good.

Fortunately, a few basic facts easily dispel all of this confusion. In this article, we'll explain the acronyms and resolution levels and give you the facts on the United States transition to all-digital television. We'll also tell you exactly what you need to know if you're thinking about upgrading to HDTV.

Analog, Digital and HDFor years, watching TV has involved analog signals and cathode ray tube (CRT) sets. The signal is made of continually varying radio waves that the TV translates into a picture and sound. An analog signal can reach a person's TV over the air, through a cable or via satellite. Digital signals, like the ones from DVD players, are converted to analog when played on traditional TVs. (You can read about how the TV interprets the signal in How Television Works.)
This system has worked pretty well for a long time, but it has some limitations:
Conventional CRT sets display around 480 visible lines of pixels. Broadcasters have been sending signals that work well with this resolution for years, and they can't fit enough resolution to fill a huge television into the analog signal.
Analog pictures are interlaced -- a CRT's electron gun paints only half the lines for each pass down the screen. On some TVs, interlacing makes the picture flicker.
Converting video to analog format lowers its quality.

Photo courtesy HowStuffWorks Shopper

Analog TVs like this one can't use a digital signal without a set-top converter.

United States broadcasting is currently changing to digital television (DTV). A digital signal transmits the information for video and sound as ones and zeros instead of as a wave. For over-the-air broadcasting, DTV will generally use the UHF portion of the radio spectrum with a 6 MHz bandwidth, just like analog TV signals do.
DTV has several advantages:
The picture, even when displayed on a small TV, is better quality.
A digital signal can support a higher resolution, so the picture will still look good when shown on a larger TV screen.
The video can be progressive rather than interlaced -- the screen shows the entire picture for every frame instead of every other line of pixels.
TV stations can broadcast several signals using the same bandwidth. This is called multicasting.
If broadcasters choose to, they can include interactive content or additional information with the DTV signal.
It can support high-definition (HDTV) broadcasts.
DTV also has one really big disadvantage: Analog TVs can't decode and display digital signals. When analog broadcasting ends, you'll only be able to watch TV on your trusty old set if you have cable or satellite service transmitting analog signals or if you have a set-top digital converter.
This brings us to the first big misconception about HDTV. Some people believe that the United States is switching to HDTV, that all they'll need for HDTV is a new TV and that they'll automatically have HDTV when analog service ends. Unfortunately, none of this is true.
HDTV is just one part of the DTV transition. We'll look at HDTV in more detail, including what makes it different from DTV, in the next section.

HDTV

2007-04-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

by Edward Jay Epstein

Converting to high-definition television (HDTV), whatever its benefits to American civilization, would be possibly the most costly modernization ever undertaken voluntarily. It would far exceed the cost of building the interstate highways. Even if Americans bought the cheapest equipment available today, they would need to spend more than $300 billion just to replace their analog TVs with ones capable of receiving HDTV. Television stations also would have to spend tens of billions of dollars for new equipment. To provide the carrot for this massive conversion, the federal government has already committed itself to giving away much of the remaining frequency spectrum to television stations. The public, as its incentive for converting, will get a more elongated picture -- using a 16:9 instead of 12:9 ratio of width to height -- that provides better resolution in newscasts, game shows, reality-based voyeurism, soap operas, wrestling matches and other entertainments. The public's gain has been difficult to fully assess because very few people have ever actually seen regular HDTV broadcasts.

Indeed, until very recently, HDTV was not broadcast in a form in which most Americans could get it without an antenna complex. Television stations had little incentive for broadcasting HDTV, since very few people had the ability to receive it. So they put it on relatively obscure UHF stations as a public relations gesture. Unfortunately, according to tests done by Sinclair Broadcasting, the largest broadcaster group, indoor antennas would not work without a direct line of sight to the transmitting antennas, nor if there was any interference. Further adding to its unavailability, the cable industry, which did not participate in the spectrum giveaway and thus had no incentive to show HDTV, declared that the home cable box was incompatible with it. Similarly, the satellite narrowcasters, DirectTV and EchoStar, although digitized, had little reason to launch the new satellites necessary to carry broader-band HDTV -- at least not until a significant portion of the public had the hardware to receive these signals. It was a chicken-and-egg situation: no sets, no reason to broadcast; no broadcasts, no reason to buy a set.

Like other concerned citizens, I wanted to evaluate this new technology. But I was discouraged when a high-ranking executive at Sony told me that she had considered having the company install a giant antenna on the roof of its skyscraper in New York to get HDTV broadcasts for its showroom, but had found that the cost of providing a reliable signal was "prohibitive." If Sony, which employs 100,000 engineers and technicians, could not get a reliable HDTV of its own, what chance had I of getting one in my New York apartment?

Then, just two weeks ago, I heard through the Internet grapevine that there might be a means of getting HDTV free. My proximate source was Bill Cushman, a Houston-based writer for the video magazine The Perfect Vision, who keeps close contact with the small but resourceful community of HDTV seekers. He passed on the rumor that Time Warner was secretly transmitting HDTV on unused channels of its cable system in New York, presumably to test it out. To get it, he suggested, I merely had to discard my cable box and hook the cable into a HDTV decoder.

I immediately called Time Warner in New York. The customer representative came on the line and courteously denied the rumor that there was free HDTV on its cable. There was now only one way to find out. I bought a RCA Digital Decoder ($630), which arrived by FedEx the next morning. I then unplugged the cable from the cable box and replugged it into the "Antenna A" slot on the HDTV decoder, which was connected to my Sony HDTV- ready projector. Less than 5 minutes later, I was watching HDTV on two channels, CBS and (free) HBO. It was in the 16:9 format with Dolby digital sound (CBS had five channels, HBO only two). To fine-tune these channels, one needs the service access code for the RCA decoder. Fortunately, like many other codes, it is available on the Internet.

Then, to find out what was available over the airwaves as opposed to cable, I mounted an eight-foot UHF ChannelMaster antenna on my roof, which I plugged into the "Antenna B" slot on the RCA decoder. After getting a number of tips from the Internet -- including the useful site at www.antennaweb.org1, which draws a street map from your address showing the precise path to all obtainable digital stations -- I got WNYW, the Fox digital station. According to Internet tipsters, I might also get WTNH, the ABC digital station in New Haven, Conn., and WNJT, the PBS digital station in Trenton, N. J., under the right weather conditions. But at present I can count on only three digital stations, and not everything they broadcast is converted to HDTV. Nevertheless, the material that is broadcast in HDTV -- especially the CBS programs for which Mitsubishi paid to convert and the 16:9 formatted movies on HBO -- provide an ample opportunity to assess this new technology.

There can be no doubt that HDTV renders a picture that is vastly superior to the one on conventional television. HDTV uses roughly 500,000 color pixels; conventional television uses the equivalent of about 50,000. Consider, for example, a picture of 100,00 people at a political demonstration. On HDTV, each person could be represented by five different color pixels, which could show them with multiple color outfits and banners. Conventional television would have to use one color pixel to represent every two persons, turning them into a blur. Suddenly, it becomes possible to see individually tinted hairs on a head or weeds on a baseball diamond. This cumulatively adds up to the illusion of depth, complexity and three-dimensionality. It is, in a word, fabulous.

The price for this new diversion and deception is relatively steep. Unfortunately, smaller HDTV receivers, which cost more than $2,000 (without the decoder), will not provide the full virtual-reality illusion (unless one sits only a few inches away at the risk of one's vision). So one needs a projection HDTV receiver costing between $4,000 and $8,000, as well as a decoder (another $600 to $1,000.) Then there is the cost of getting a signal. Unless one can tap into one's local cable for HDTV, as I did, one will have to invest in some sort of rooftop antenna farm or at least a satellite dish. Of course, there is the risk that HDTV will be abandoned once television stations get full title to their digital licenses. (Stations can pack four non-HDTV digital channels in the space required for one HDTV channel.) But why not see HDTV while the opportunity nobly provided by Time Warner still exists? If, of course, you can afford it.

HDTV

2007-04-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Samsung TH-50PX60U Description

Featuring Panasonic's 9th generation gas-plasma screen, the 50-inch TH-50PX60U features a width-to-height 16:9 aspect ratio similar to movie theater screens, providing a theater-like experience at home. Its maximum of 29 billion colors and over 3,000 shades of gradation provide exceptionally fine detail for outstanding HDTV reproduction. The set's built-in ATSC (DTV) tuner pulls HD signals (480p/720p/1080i) right from the airwaves, and its QAM tuner is fully compatible with unscrambled HDTV cable reception. A standard analog NTSC tuner receives standard-definition (SD) programming. It also includes a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot, enabling you to take an SD card directly from a digital still camera or camcorder and insert it directly into the TV for quick and colorful photo slideshows.
A plasma screen renders vivid colors like you've never seen before (as in, up to 29 billion in this case), extremely wide viewing angles (wider, even, than those of most LCD screens), and easy placement due to a plasma monitor's slim profile--the TH-42PX60U is a mere 3.7 inches deep, one of the slimmest plasmas around--perfect for desk or wall mounting. Brightness tends to be extremely uniform across plasma screens, which are also impervious to the picture distortion and negative color balances that afflict CRT monitors when placed near lighting or sound systems.

The TH-50PX60U features a 1366 x 768-pixel resolution and an amazing contrast ratio of 10000:1. (The higher the contrast ratio, the greater a TV's ability to display subtle color details and not get washed out by ambient room light.) The 3D Y/C digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time, to reduce dramatically edge image artifacts while improving transition detail. Other features include V-Chip parental controls, on/off sleep timers, closed-caption decoding, aspect ratio control, and video input labeling.
The TV's internal stereo speakers are powered by 10 watts per channel (for 20 watts of total power). It features the following connection options:
Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 2 inputs (with 2 audio inputs)
HDMI: 2 inputs
Composite (RCA audio/video): 3 inputs (1 on the front), 1 output
S-Video: 3 inputs (1 on the front)
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any AV source with an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV). HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multi-channel digital audio--all using a single cable.
If a component doesn't have an HDMI connection, you'll also get great picture reproduction using the three-jack component video (Y/Pb/Pr) input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. Component video output is available only for DVD playback.
What's in the BoxPlasma TV, remote control (with batteries), pedestal base, power cord, printed operating instructions Product DescriptionThe TH-50PX60U 50" Diagonal Plasma HDTV gives you deep blacks, bright whites and 29 billion colors -- it's an image so close to real life, you'll swear you were in your favorite programs instead of just watching them. Enjoy crisp, lifelike details with the up to 10,000:1 contrast ratio. Deep blacks provide excellent shadow detail during dark scenes, while brilliant whites render bright scenes with vivid realism. Receive and view local over-the-air broadcasts in stunning HD, using the built-in HDTV tuner. You can even share your JPEG photos taken with the built-in SD card slot. Features a width-to-height ratio similar to movie theater screens, providing a theater-like experience at home. View HDTV broadcasts and widescreen DVDs the way they were meant to be seen. Native Resolution - 1366 x 768 Contrast Ratio - Up to 10,000 - 1 Progressive Scan Video Noise Reduction Digital Comb Filter Color Purity Optimizer (3D Color Management) Two 20-watt, 8 ohm speakers -- 70Hz - 17kHz, 10% THD Surround Sound Motion Pattern Noise Reduction BBE ViVA HD3D Sound Standard NTSC tuner ATSC/QAM (SDTV and HDTV broadcasts) SD Card Slot & Photo Viewer HDMI-HDCP Interface - 2, in rear Analog Audio Input (for HDMI) - 1 rear Composite Video Input - 3 (2 rear, 1 front) S-Video Inputs - 3 (2 rear, 1 front) Audio Input (for Video) - 3 (2 rear, 1 front) Rear Inputs/Outputs - 2 Component Video (YPbPr), 2 Component Audio out, 1 Composite & Audio out On-screen display languages - English/Spanish/French Timers - Sleep/On/Off Built-in closed-caption decoder Video Input Labeling V-Chip Program Lockout Includes remote control & pedestal stand Unit Dimensions(HxWxD) - 32.2 x 47.6 x 3.7 Unit Weight - 89.5 lbs

HDTV signal reception

2007-04-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

HDTV signal reception

The popularity of large screens and projectors makes the limitations of conventional broadcast video, especially compressed digital video, very visible unless viewed far from the screen. An HDTV compatible television set or projector does not improve the quality of the conventional TV channels. They require a different tuner to acquire entirely different signals from new signal sources, sometimes at an additional cost. These are typically
Over the air over an antenna. Most cities in the US with major network affiliates broadcast over the air in HDTV. Tuners can also be fitted to computers to receive this signal. Some televisions have a HDTV tuner built in. Monitors often lack a tuner, but a tuner is not needed for digital cable.
Cable television companies often offer HDTV broadcasts as part of digital broadcast service. HDTV will not work with an analog service. For example, if channel 4 is ABC, channel 104 might be offered in HDTV. For clearest signal, the monitor should be connected with an HDMI cable rather than composite or component cables. Some cable carriers also offer HDTV on-demand playback of free and for-fee movies and programming of commonly viewed shows.
Satellite-based TV companies, such as Optimum, DirecTV and Dish Network, offer HDTV to customers as an upgrade. New satellite receiver boxes and a new satellite dish are often required to receive HD content.
Video game systems, such as the Xbox (NTSC only), Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, can output at an HD resolution.
Two optical disc standards, Blu-ray and HD DVD, can provide HDTV signal.

High-definition television

2007-04-24T23:28:00.000-07:00

High-definition television
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Projection screen in a home theater, displaying a high-definition television image.

Projection screen in a home theater, displaying a high-definition television image.
High-definition television (HDTV) is a digital television broadcasting system with a significantly higher resolution than traditional formats (NTSC, SECAM, PAL). While some early analog HDTV formats were broadcast in Europe and Japan, HDTV is usually broadcast digitally, because digital television (DTV) broadcasting requires much less bandwidth. HDTV technology was first introduced in the US during the 1990s by a group of electronics companies called the Digital HDTV Grand Alliance.[1][2]
In the early 2000s, a number of high-definition television standards were competing for the still-developing niche markets. Current HDTV standards are defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R BT.709) as 1080 active interlace or progressive scan lines, or 720 progressive scan lines, using a 16:9 aspect ratio. HDTV is also capable of "theater-quality" audio because it uses the Dolby Digital (AC-3) format to support "5.1" surround sound. It should be noted that while HDTV is more like a theater in quality than conventional television, 35mm and 70mm film projectors used in theaters still have the highest resolution and best viewing quality on very large screens. Many HDTV programs are produced from movies on film as well as content shot in HD video.
The term "high-definition" can refer to the resolution specifications themselves, or more loosely to media capable of similar sharpness, such as photographic film. As of 2007, 24 million US households have HDTVs. However, only half are set up to actually receive HDTV programming[3] as some consumers are not aware that they must get special receivers to get HDTV from cable, or use HDTV tuners to receive over-the-air broadcasts, and some are planning to use it in the future.