HDTV-is it too early?

by Lee Alexander

The temptation to get off that "almost as deep as high," close to 100 pound box in favor of a "hang-on-the-wall" flat screen display is hard to resist. HDTV is High Definition Television. Models are proliferating and prices are dropping for these high ticket items.

The deadline for cessation of analog broadcasts is February 17, 2009. At that time, you'll need either a new TV or an adapter to view broadcast TV. Before jumping into the fray, there are some technical aspects with which you should familiarize yourself. At a basic level there are two modes of display: i for interlaced and p for progressive. The interlaced method is similar to the present analog NTSC, supplying half a picture at 60 Hz for an effective frame rate of 30 FPS; progressive supplies the entire picture at 60 Hz for an effective frame rate of 60 FPS. Therefore, progressive displays will handle fast-moving events (such as sports) more effectively.

The next consideration is resolution or the amount of content (data) displayed. Two popular forms are 720p and 1080i (or p). The numbers refer to the number of vertical pixels making up the display. The actual resolutions are 1280 by 720 and 1920 by 1080 pixels. Here I am referring to LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays). Other systems: PDP (Plasma Display Panel) and front and rear projections are beyond the scope of this article.

The combination of signal and set characteristics scales the picture and may even discard pixels. "True HD" sets are 1080p - there are some high definition DVD movies but few other sources are truly High Definition. It is hoped that the future that will bring more high definition items. This brings us to the inputs of these sets. The following logos need some elucidation:

HDTV a widescreen TV with a digital terrestrial (over the air) tuner and at least 720 lines of vertical resolution and detail.

HD ready TV can display HDTV but does not include an over-the-air tuner. Warning: sets can have a 1080p display mode but only accept 1080i.

Full HD some manufacturers are using this to indicate that the TV has 1080p resolution and can accept a 1080p video signal.

HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface. A digital connection that supports audio and video over a single cable. Ideally, sets should have at least two HDMIs.

DCR Digital Cable Ready - TV that has a Cable Card slot, allowing a digital cable or satellite subscriber to use a card instead of a set-top box.

SDTV Standard-definition Television - Digital TV or video with, typically, a 480i signal.

EDTV Enhanced-definition Television. A widescreen TV with at least a 480p signal.

More about HDMI—the latest specification is for version 1.3. This natively accepts 1080p input, which will be necessary for the next generation Blu-ray and HD DVD players. The specification allows for the high-speed transfer of uncompressed video and audio data over a single cable. HDMI is a replacement for DVI (Digital Video Interface) which did not include audio.

To assure long-term usage the HDMI specification should be accompanied by HDCP (High‑definition Digital Content Protection). This is the movie industry's technology to ensure that copyright protected data cannot be reproduced. Without HDCP, you would not see all the high definition details of copyrighted material. In fact, some movie DVDs might not even play on your set. Other consumer electronic products, such as DVD players, along with future Blu-Ray and HD DVD players, DVR (Digital Video Recorders), and the like, should have this feature. You should also be aware that HDMI cables can run over $100. When purchasing devices with HDMI connections, check for included cables.

Another feature you must decide upon is size; of course, bigger will cost you more. Can the set be too big? The answer is definitely yes . Take into consideration the room size where you will be viewing the TV. In other words the distance and viewing angle for your line of sight. Unlike CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes), LCDs have limited off axis viewing angles both side to side and up-and-down. A view too close to a big widescreen display will distort the edges as well as show pixelation, the stair‑like jaggies.

Your best approach in deciding on a set is a side-by-side comparison; however, some vendors will punch up the brightness and contrast on models they prefer to sell. Have the clerk - excuse me, marketing technician - demonstrate the display controls on each set of interest. Fast moving objects that are blurred or yard lines on a football field that are not straight are signs of inferior components. Following are some examples of ads relating TV features :

Audiovox 15 inch LCD TV, HDTV compatible $259. Suspicious of the low price, we look further into the specifications. We then find the aspect ratio is 3:4, not 9:16 and the tuner is a 181 channel NTSC model. This is NOT an HD TV!

Mitsubishi MDT 321S 32 inch widescreen LCD $456. Again, price is low for HDTV. It is HDTV compatible with composite, DVI, and S video inputs. It does not have a digital TV tuner. This is NOT a full HD TV!

The following is what I consider a “middle of the road” entry in this new technology at $730: JVC AV-30W777 30" Widescreen 1080i Digital Direct View, ATSC/QAM Digital Tuner; 2 HDMI/HDCP Digital Inputs, 2 Auto Sensing Component Video Inputs, 2 S-Video Inputs (1 Front, 1 Rear), 4 AV Inputs (1 Front, 3 Rear); Single NTSC Tuner Picture in Picture with Index & Freeze Features, 16:9 Aspect Ratio; MTS Stereo/Dolby AC 3, Audio Output 10.0 Watts x 2 Speakers, BBE High Definition Audio; Universal Remote Control

This IS an HDTV set. Note the 2 HDMI/HDCP inputs. My next step up would be to look for a 1080p LCD model, perhaps 37”, at around $1000.

For buying advice and further explanations of acronyms, try the web site:

www.pricerunner.com/sound-and-vision/vision/tv/buying-advice

To add further confusion to the mix – a new display technology, codeveloped by Canon and Toshiba, has the acronym SED for Surface conduction Electron-emitter Display. Similar to a CRT, a fluorescent material will provide light emission through colored pixels (filter). Instead of the single beam of electrons, magnetically controlled, illuminating the phosphors in a CRT. The SED uses an array of electron emitters for a response time of less than a millisecond and has a contrast ratio of 50,000 to 1 for inky blacks and detailed grays. Advertised contrast ratios for LCDs range around 5,000 but those numbers are derived in a totally dark room – not a real world parameter. The physical dimensions rival the “hang-on-the-wall” flat panels of today. We may be able to see a 55-inch 1080p SED TV by late 2007. As to $ TBA – be prepared for shock.