HDTV 101: A primer

'That time of year, again.

By reference of one of my favorite blogs... {which is starting to bug me. Everytime he links to something in popular consumer culture, it's to Amazon dot come.

NewMediaWhore!}

Anyway it does cover at least the technical stuff you need to know.

However, for a LOT of people, the confusion remains over broadcast DTV.

This site helps a little but not much.

simple summary:
1. Compatible - USUALLY means you have to buy something else to do it.
1a. READY - OFTEN means you have to buy something else to do it.

2a. Interlaced - a cheaper way to fool the eye into seeing a steady non-flicker picture. Like our standard NTSC system.

2b. Progressive. Scanning all the horizontal lines in sequence. Like the
British system. Some will recall seeing 'flicker' out of the corner of your eye.
- These are further confused by the term 'persistance' which relates to how long the elements are 'lit' but this can be basically ignored.

3. 1080P is the highest tech and should be suitable for anything in the mid-future.

- 720i is the 'lowest tech' display method that qualifies as HD. Wouldn't really matter to me a whole lot, because of my age/eyes, as long as it would PLAY 1080p media.
But that's the question, isnt it?

Not that I'm in the market right now, but I'm old timey enough that unless I KNOW a particular brand and model is superior, I would only buy what I see is superior firsthand.

Last time I bought a TV {was long time ago and for my dad} I insisted on talking to the dept manager and getting him on record that if the out-of-box product didnt perform as well as the floor display, I could bring it back and get the actual display TV.

Judging from floor displays I've seen, even on flat screens, nothing has yet changed my mind on that. And SURE as hell i would insist on it for anything 'projection related'.... Which, personally, doesnt interest me.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on Vizio's? They are the cheapest HDTV's out there as far as price. Does anyone have anything positive or negative to say about them?

 

720 x 486 is the current standard for displayed resolution. there are 486 lines {top to bottom of screen}, each line may be turned on and off in various colors, 720 times.

1920 x 1080 is the highest definition standard in TV. 1080 lines top to bottom, turned on/off 1920 times per line.

Broadcast DTV is 720 x 486. It WILL present a better picture in most cases... except for:

1. Since it's digital, there may be 'stop frames' which some of you are familiar with from using SAT and cable digital feeds. This occurs where normaly you would see snow or 'noise' blips on the screen.

2. If you're watching it on High-Def monitors.

Here's the pig that goes along with picking your model. Most folks 'know' that a standard picture looks like crap on a high def display.

Well, it doesnt necessarily HAVE to look that bad. But for a monitor to display standard scan as well as a standard monitor of the same size would, it has to have some sophisticated conversion electronics. It exists, and it's based on computerized algorithm that looks at the picture transitions ahead and behind.
But no one actually LOOKS at how a standard picture looks when they are shopping for HD, do they?
- So -
I suggest it might be a good thing to ask the sales guy to hook up and run a standard DVD on the model you're considering.

And by the way... obvious when you think about it, but something MOST folks dont consider... the bigger the screen and the closer you are to it, the WORSE a standard display is going to look. Why I wouldnt buy bigger flat panel than 42" and a 37" equates to a 32" standard TV.

 

When I see Vizio's in Sams club, they always seem to have among the best picure fidelity.

CheckAmazon and Cnet
reviews

And BTW.. refer to above. Never rely on a single endorsement. I just yesterday saw one of my blogs endorse a cheap 'snapshot' type Digital Camcorder... BUT the reviews on it were awful... and the still and movies he posted were no better than what you'd get with a phone.

Only rely on your OWN eyes! And like I said, get a 'backstop' agreement.