HDTV buying guide

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Contents

1 Some Basic Terminology
2 Let's Get Connected
3 The Great Debate: LCD or Plasma?
4 Popular HDTV Brands
5 Related Guides

HDTV Buying Guide

The High Definition TV format has come a long way in recent years. These televisions are now much more easily affordable and offer much more viewing power than they did in previous years. If you've decided to get started in the world of HDTVs, your first decision will be on what type of telly to buy.

Some Basic Terminology

In your search for the perfect television, you'll run across a few terms frequently. Here's what they mean:

Contrast Ratio: The contrast ratio is a measure of the intensity of light produced between the brightest colour possible (pure white) and the darkest colour possible (pure black). The larger this ratio, the greater the difference between light and dark colours on the screen and the clearer the image. For example, a 25,000:1 contrast ratio provides better clarity than a 10,000:1 contrast ratio.
Flat-Panel vs. Flat-Screen: LCD and Plasma are flat-panel televisions. They come in small, thin cases. Old-style monitors and televisions might have flat screens, where the screen itself is indeed flat, but come in thicker shells.
Widescreen: Nearly all modern displays are widescreen. The widescreen standard is 16:9, meaning that the screen has 16 horizontal pixels for every 9 vertical pixels.
Resolution and Scanning: Resolution isn't just something you make at the beginning of a new year. It refers to the number of pixels on the screen and the signals the TV can receive and display. The greater the number of pixels, the sharper the image, and the more signals the TV can accept. There are two components to the signal quality, a number and a letter:

Numbers give the resolution in terms of the vertical pixels.
The letter at the end of the resolution (such as the 'p' in 1080p or the 'i' in 480i) refers to one of two scanning types on signals. Interlacing (i) is the older standard in which alternate lines of the image are refreshed. In other words, the odd numbered lines of an image (the first, third, fifth, etc.) will be refreshed at one time, and then the even numbered lines (second, fourth, sixth, and so on) will be refreshed. This causes the image to be slightly less smooth than in progressive (p), the newer standard in which all lines of the image are constantly refreshed.
The most common inputs you'll see are 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p.

480i is the signal received by old televisions (known as "Standard Definition.") 480p is the same resolution but with progressive scanning, often found on DVDs. All high definition TVs can display these signals.
720p is the first type of "High Definition" signal. It is higher resolution than the old standard definition quality and is used by many channels as their main source of HD programming. All high definition TVs can display 720p.
1080i is the second type of high definition that is frequently offered by channels. It is higher resolution than 720p, but uses interlacing instead of progressive scanning. The majority of new HDTVs can display 1080i, but make sure that the TV has sufficient pixels for it.
1080p is the highest quality visual signal available, often called "Full HD." It has both the highest 1920x1080 resolution and uses progressive scanning for a smoother picture. Currently TV stations are generally unable to broadcast in this format, as TV providers' existing interfaces do not support such a dense and powerful signal. Plans are in place for 1080p broadcasts in the near future, but if you can't wait to get your hands (and eyes) on Full HD content, you can find it in Blu-Ray movies, as well as games for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 that are programmed in 1080p. Only a TV with Full HD support can display all possible video signals.

Refresh Rate: Measured in hertz (Hz), the refresh rate is how often the image refreshes. Most TVs refresh 60 times per second (60Hz), but some newer models have 120Hz or 240Hz refresh rates. The amount that a TV can refresh is dictated by the source it's receiving, but 120 Hz and 240Hz TVs are smoother in general and avoid the stuttering issue that can occur with movies on some 60Hz televisions.

Let's Get Connected

In addition to terminology about the TV's display, you should also get to know the connection types on your telly. Research what connection ports are present on your TV, and buy the appropriate types of cables so you can hook up your other electronics to your TV.

Composite: One of the oldest types of cables, composite is split into red, white, and yellow connectors to carry video and audio. It can display 480i signals only.
S-Video: S-Video is a single cable that carries only video. It supports standard definition only, but is higher quality than composite.
Component: Component uses five connectors to carry both picture and sound. Component supports all signals, including 1080p.
HDMI: The High Definition Multimedia Interface is a single cable that carries the highest quality video of all signal types, including 1080p, as well as the highest quality audio. Many modern electronic devices that support HD offer HDMI, and some high-end computers have HDMI-out ports as well.
Antenna/Cable: Also called Radio Frequency (RF), this allows the connection of some types of older cable boxes, as well as the direct connection of an antenna to the system to receive over-the-air signals. It supports all standard and high definition signals.
VGA: The Video Graphics Array is sometimes known as a PC input. Other than HDMI, it is one of the two computer-specific inputs available on TVs.
DVI: The Digital Visual Interface is the second variety of computer-specific input. Present on midrange or higher-end computers, it provides better image quality than VGA.
USB: A USB port will allow the connection of electronic USB devices to the telly, such as MP3 players or digital cameras.
Ethernet: A few TVs have their own internet functionality, and can hook into a network wirelessly or with an Ethernet cable.
Bluetooth: Some new TV models will support Bluetooth, and can sync with Bluetooth-compatible devices.
IEEE 1394 (Firewire/i.LINK): Compatible electronics, such as digital storage devices or camcorders, can be attached to any TV with an IEEE 1394 port.
Memory Card Slot: Memory cards can be inserted into a memory card reader to access data such as photos, music, or video.

The Great Debate: LCD or Plasma?

With the prices of the flat-panel televisions steadily falling in recent years, rear projection TV models have all but been phased out. Whilst you can still find old models of these for bargain prices, flat panel models have come down in price significantly and are much sleeker, enabling them to fit in almost any room, either standing on a piece of furniture or mounted on a wall if the model permits. This leaves two main options in the HDTV market: Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Plasma. If you're really dedicated to the home theatre experience, you may also want to consider a projector and a projector screen. For more on these options, check out our guide to Multimedia Projectors.

There is a long list of features available on each type of telly, but here is a basic look at the key differences between LCD and Plasma:

Screen Size: LCDs range from about 60 to 140 cm in screen size. Plasmas range from about 100 to upwards of 150 cm.
Thickness: Most LCD TVs are about 10 cm thick (although there are super-slim models that are even thinner) whilst most plasma TVs come in around 15 cm thick, although there are thinner models.
Price: In past generations, plasmas and LCDs of the same screen size had a slight price disparity, with LCDs costing a little more. In recent years, however, this difference has vanished, and 1080p models of the same size cost essentially the same amount for each type of TV. Very large plasmas, such as 150cm models, tend to be extremely expensive.
Weight: Plasmas weigh significantly more than LCDs. An LCD around 100 cm in screen size will weigh about 22 kilos. A plasma will weigh about twice as much. Keep this in mind, especially for wall mounting.
Black Level Performance: Plasma TVs produce deeper blacks than LCDs, meaning that the darkest parts of images will look appropriately darker than the lighter parts of images. The level of contrast is also superior on plasmas, although recent LCDs boost their contrast with "dynamic contrast" systems, which allow them to produce darker or lighter colours by altering the power of the TV's backlight from scene to scene. Black level performance affects all picture quality, but is particularly important if you plan to utilise your TV as part of a home theatre.
Viewing Angle: If you want to be able to see your TV clearly from every angle of the room, both LCD and plasma can handle it. On plasmas, the image can effectively be viewed from any angle up until you are horizontal with the TV (you still need to be looking at the screen though, not the back of the TV!) LCD TVs are almost as good, and can usually provide almost full coverage, though when watching almost directly from the side, the image quality might deteriorate.
Burn-in: An affliction to which LCDs are immune, burn-in can be problematic for plasma owners. On plasmas, if the same pixels are activated in the same way for prolonged periods (more than a few minutes), the ghosted image can be burned into the TV. This usually goes away within a day, but in rare cases can be permanent. For video gamers, where the parts of the screen often display a similar image for a long period of time, or for in-game menus or on-screen TV guides, burn-in should be a major concern. Standard definition content, where black bars appear on the sides of the screen, can also pose burn-in problems. If you think you might be affected by burn-in, opt for an LCD.
Brightness and Glare: LCD TVs have matte screens and produce a brighter image than plasmas, both of which help to eliminate glare in bright environments, such as when using your TV during the daytime or in a well-lit room at night. Plasma TVs have glossy screens, which allow them to produce their deeper blacks but also make them very prone to glare. Additionally, these glossy screens are mirror-like, and may cause you to be able to see your own reflection during dark scenes, which can be distracting.
Power Consumption: LCDs use significantly less energy than do plasmas. Some newer LCD models use LED backlighting, which is even more energy efficient.

Once you've compared your two options, head on over to the buying guide for LCD or Plasma.


Home Theatre Systems	Multimedia Projectors	Video Games	Movies	Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD