High-Definition Televisions

High-definition TVs (HDTVs) grabbed the attention of customers almost immediately on entry into the market, thanks to their unparalleled picture quality. Till then, watching soap on the traditional TV set seemed like a good enough idea for the evening. But HDTV’s wide screen, sharp pictures and excellent colour contrast have consigned the traditional TV set to the dustbin of history. As most TV shows and films are being made and aired in the HD format, it makes sense today to upgrade to an HDTV.

However, buying an HDTV could be confusing, what with several types available in the market, ranging from plasma to LCDs and LEDs. Also, there is no dearth of brands, such as Sony BRAVIA, LG, Samsung, Panasonic VIERA and Philips. But before you bring one home, ensure that you are buying something that fits your room as well as your budget.

WHAT IS A HIGH-DEFINITION TV?

High Definition TV or HDTV is a digital broadcast standard that insures the viewer the ultimate in viewing quality and sound. It is one of 18 voluntary standards for digital television set by the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC), which provides guidelines on the levels of quality to be followed for sound and video encoding and transmission. Of these 18 standards, which are all superior to the analogue technology commonly used in television today, HDTV holds the highest rank.

Simply put, it is a TV which uses a technology that generates a greater number of lines per frame while transmitting pictures. This makes high definition different from the standard-definition format, as the former provides high-resolution, crystal clear pictures and digital sound quality. Though analogue signals can be received on an HDTV, the picture quality will not be good. HDTV—is basically meant for receiving and playing HD signals. For live sports or entertainment shows, the HD format is ideal.

The HDTV broadcast format, therefore, is the most superior. However, purchasing an HDTV-ready TV set does not mean that one automatically gets to enjoy the benefits of this technology. To be able to enjoy HDTV, one must also be viewing a program that has been digitally prepared. In some cases, one needs a set-top converter to convert the broadcasts from analogue to digital.

Let's take a look at the popular categories of HD televisions in the market.

Plasma:  A plasma TV has a sheet of individual plasma cells, which get activated when electricity is passed through the TV. For a dimly lit room, plasma works well since it reduces the overall intensity of the picture. As a result, you can see the subtler details without straining your eyes. However, nowadays plasma TVs are not manufactured in big scale as LED TVs are the order of the day.

LCD:

Short for liquid crystal display, an LCD TV has liquid crystal behind the display panel, which gets activated when electric current is supplied to it. Thinner and lighter than plasma TVs, they create brighter pictures, so they work well in brighter rooms.

LED:

Light-emitting diode (LED) TVs are not very different from LCD TVs, barring the fact that they use LEDs as backlight to illuminate the display. An LCD TV uses a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) for backlight. However, it is to be noted that in an LED TV, the display panel is LCD panel but only the system of illuminating the display is different.

OLED TV:

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, and OLEDs use organic compounds to create the picture when electricity enters the diode. OLED technology illuminates each pixel independently and generates the deepest black of any diode in a flat-screen display. OLEDs are also curved and feature a larger viewing angle. This superior technology also allows OLED displays to provide a lighter and thinner product. The individual LEDs inside LED displays are heavier and space consuming, while individual OLEDs do not require backlight and use less power. As a result, OLED displays are more energy efficient. OLEDs also have better response times and are more flexible than LEDs. However, OLEDs are more expensive than LEDs.

Ultra HD (UHD) or 4K:

Usually, the UHD TV’s comprise of 4 times the pixel resolution of a conventional HD TV. There are many screen sizes to choose, and the prices are becoming more affordable. The best feature is that 4K content is available for UHD TV, which gives these TVs’ a better resolution than an HDTV. UHD TVs have a resolution of 3840 X 2160 pixel resolution or 82944000 pixels. This can be also referred as 4K progressive or 4 times HD resolution. One of the main features of the 4K UHD TV is its ability to upscale an HD video up to four times its resolution. The HD signals received by the TV are unscaled using in panel resolution technology. This higher resolution produces sharper images and gives a more three-dimensional experience than a flatter two-dimensional experience.

Ultra HD or 4K TV is available in both LED technology and OLED technology.

Know the Difference between Full HD and HD Ready:

For the uninitiated, it's important to know the difference between HD-ready TVs and full HDTVs. While an HD-ready TV can show 720 horizontal lines of information in a single frame and receive HD broadcast signals, the picture clarity won’t be that great since it would not be able to match up to a full HD (1080p) in terms of picture resolution. The HD signals are usually in 1080p, 720p or even 480p format. As a full HD shows 1080 horizontal lines per frame, it delivers the HD signals without rescaling and distorting the intended format.

THE HD ADVANTAGE

CONVENIENCE:

Many HDTVs, such as Sony Bravia LED models, now come with in-built Internet features. This facility will come in handy if you like to watch TV as well as listen to music, browse the Web or play online games. Look for multiple ports so that you can connect your laptop, game console, camera, DVD player and USB devices to your HDTV.

SPACE SAVER:

An HDTV saves on space as it can be mounted on a wall or fixed on the ceiling. This way, you can do way with the need to place it on a table or a stand.

SIGHT AND SOUND:

A wider, flat screen gives you a theatre-like experience. The sound quality of an HDTV operating on HD signal cannot be matched by a SD system. Some models come with tweeters and sub-woofers to boost treble and bass and also audio enhancement technologies such as SRS Theatre Sound and Audyssey EQ.

3D:

Most brands now supplement their LED TVs with 3D technology for a supreme viewing experience. Sony BRAVIA and are some such models.

THINGS To Consider:

Display Resolution:

Refers to the number of lines of detail that appear on the screen from top to bottom when one does a progressive scan of a picture on the frame. The greater the number, the higher the resolution. HDTVs come in display resolutions of 720p (720 lines of detail) and 1080i/p (1,080 lines of detail) whereas a standard definition (SD) TV has 480p. The 'i’ here stands for interlaced while the 'p’ stands for progressive scan.

Aspect Ratio:

It is the ratio of the screen’s height to its width. Videos filmed in HD have a wider aspect ratio. The aspect ratio of HDTV pictures is 16:9 compared to 4:3 for an SDTV. With a wider aspect ratio, you get rid of the top and bottom black bars that used to appear on you older TV screen.

HD Tuner:

With an HD tuner- integrated TV or integrated digital TV (IDTV), you will require only an external antenna instead of buying a separate HDTV, HD set top box and external antenna for viewing shows, or movies in HD format. You will also need to sign up with an HD broadcast provider to receive programmes broadcast in HD format.

Size:

Before you buy an expensive HDTV make sure of its location in your house. Make the purchase accordingly. While a 26- or 32-inch set is great for the bed-room, a 43 inch model will suit the living room. Also, you need to maintain a certain minimum distance watching HD television; else you will be able to spot pixels on the monitor. For a 32-inch HDTV the minimum viewing distance advised as 1.5 metres and the maximum is 2. 7metres.As the screen size increases, so should the distance between you and the TV.