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HDTVs: A Two Minute Buying Guide

What is HDTV and How Does it Work?

HDTV (short for High Definition Television) is digital television format that offers the highest television picture quality. HDTV is the future of home television, theater and gaming. That being said, the area is new and many would-be TV buyers have questions about how the format works, why it is better and how to purchase the right TV. This two minute buying guide covers the basics of HDTVófrom what it is and how it works to buying the right HDTV and getting the most quality for your dollar. HDTV is part of the Federal Communicationís Digital Television Standards, known as ATSC.


Why HDTV?

The three features that set HDTVs apart from the rest of the TV herd are the aspect ratio, the resolution quality and the digital sound. Aspect Ratio: HDTVís have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which basically means that they have the same width ratio as movies and movie screens, which means that movies viewed in the home theater are not reformatted to fit the screen and appear as they were intended to be seen. On regular televisions, movies must be reformatted to fit the smaller aspect ratio, which means that about 1/3 of the picture is missing.
When displaying high-definition content, an HDTVís resolution is remarkably crisp and clear. HDTV resolution types are 720p, 1080i and 1080p. The resolution type number (i.e. 720, 1080) is the number of lines embedded in the TV signal. The higher the number, the higher the resolution. The letter (p, i) mean ìProgressiveî and ìInterlaced.î Progressive means that all lines of resolution sequentially appear on the screen in a single pass of the TVís digital signal scanner. Interlaced means that the lines sequentially, meaning that odd numbed lines are shown first and then even numbered lines. In theory, Progressive scan is better and is worth the extra investment. Now, to put HDTVís aspect ratio and resolution in perspective, letís compare it to the aspect ratio and resolution on non-HDTV televisions. The resolution for regular TVs is 480i and the aspect ratio is 4:3. To translate that into a quick ìrule of thumbî comparison, you can say that HDTV is roughly three times superior to a regular TV.
HDTV also receives 5.1 independent digital sound channels and produces CD quality sound to accompany the picture. Whether watching HD programming, movies, or gaming, the net result is that HDTVs provide an amazing media experience that is currently unmatched by any other technology.


High Definition Content

In order to watch High Definition content, is to use an HDTV receiver in combination with an HDTV to receive and display the over-the-air HD signals from the major broadcasting companies (CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, etc.). Another option for television programming is to subscribe to High Definition programming from a satellite or cable company. For movies, most DVD players will at least display 780p and many newer DVD players display 1080i and/or 1080p.
It is important to note that an HDTV will not turn a regular television signal into a High Definition signal. To get the full HDTV experience, you must have an HDTV, and HDTV receiver and an HD signal.


HDTV Types

There are four major types of HDTV.
  1. Direct View CRT HDTVs ñ the screen is not flat and max size is about 30 inches. These are the least expensive and lowest quality HDTVs. Like Rear Projection TVs, these old timers are being phased out.
  2. Flat-Panel LCD ñ Flat Panel LCDs come in a wide range of sizes and compete with Flat Panel as the crËme de la crËme of the HDTV world. The two biggest advantages of LCD over Plasma is that LCD has higher resolution and comes in a wider variety of sizes.
  3. Flat Panel Plasma ñ Competitive with LCDs, but subject to ìburn inî and has slightly lower resolution than their LCD counterparts. Hands Down Best choice for TVs in the high 50 inch range and above. Burn in means that any image that stays on the screen for an extended period of time (think of a video game or movie that is left on pause for an hour or so) might be permanently visible on the screen.
  4. Rear Projection CRT, DLP, LCD and LCos ñ These behemoths offer a lot of screen real estate for a relatively smaller price, but are big, bulky and becoming fast outdated.

How to Buy the Right (i.e. Best) HDTV for you

Size, quality and price are the three most important factors to consider when purchasing an HDTV. HDTVs range in size from 13 to 73 inches. Flat Panel LCD and Flat Panel Plasma sets offer the highest picture quality. Plasma and LCD sets are typically similar in price, with LCDs being slightly more expensive. Typical prices range from $400 for the smallest sets to $3,000 plus for the largest televisions.

Choosing the right size of television will have an impact on your viewing quality. There is a perfect size for every television, depending on the desired application, the size of the room in which the tv will be placed and the distance from which you intend to watch the television.


HDTV Brands

Below you will find a list of the major HDTV manufacturers as of 2008. This list also provides a broad idea of the types of televisions each manufacturer prodiuces and in the approximate size ranges.


Additional Information on HDTVs

Researching HDTVs is quite the chore, especially if you are new to HDTV and making your first purchase. The technology can seem complicated and there is a wide range of HDTV brands and prices to choose from. HDTVsOnline.com is a resource for consumers to find the right HDTV for their specific needs. In addition to the video demonstrations and information you will find on specific high-definition televisions here, we have compiled a list of objective, third party websites that provide more detailed technical information on the HDTV platform in general. Please note that we have no relationship with any of the sites listed below.