Since the federal regulation of mandatory DTV (digital television) signal, the subject of full HDTV (full high definition television) has become a more popular topic of discussion and has become more of an interest to the public. With the digital changeover, now everyone has access to HDTV signal. However, an HDTV display is still necessary in order to view high definition no matter what type of signal you have (cable, antenna, or satellite).
When talking about HDTV, the quality of the picture (or high resolution) is the main point. Anyone who chose to purchase or obtain an HD converter box still has an analogue picture on a CRT screen. The resolution of an NTSC-analogue TV described as 480i. The "i" in the description refers to the word "interlaced". The reason why is because the CRT tube in the analogue television only 240 horizontal lines available, but the television camera has 480 lines. Therefore, in order to present the look of a more vertical resolution, the television signal is interlaced. If you consider the aspect ratio of 4:3, using basic mathematics, you can see why the analogue TV resolution can be depicted as 640 x 480i.
So how do HDTV and full HDTV differ from analogue TV? Certainly the most obvious feature is the resolution. Standard HDTV has a resolution of 720i or 720p and full HDTV has 1080i or 1080p. The 'p' signifies progressive scanning versus interlaced, i.e. all the vertical scans are done at the same time. With a 16:9 aspect ratio in HDTV this results in 1520 x 720 pixels for standard HDTV and 1920x1080 pixels for full HDTV.
Full HDTV, 1080p, would seem the product of choice; however, for a TV smaller than 42 inches the difference between standard and full HDTV cannot be seen. Consequently, these smaller TV's are available only in standard HDTV, either 720i or 720p. To enjoy full HDTV a 42 inch or larger screen is necessary.
The three options available for full HDTV are rear projection, full HD plasma, and full HD LCD TV. The rear projection TVs are still available, but the demand for them isn't great and a lot of TV makers aren't producing them any longer. Therefore, you should stay away from the purchase of these. This leaves you with the other two options. When deciding between the other two, response time, contrast ratio, and color reproduction should be considered.
Full HDTV plasma screens have a broad range in color, are very bright, and can have very large screens. Display screens of full HDTV plasma TVs can be up to 58 inches in size. Since the display panel is only about 2.5 inches thick, the televisions are only about 4 to 6 inches thick. Though there are claims of contrast ratios as high as 100K in plasma TVs, the highest contrast currently available in stores is 30K. The response time is .001 milliseconds while the refresh frequencies are 600 Hz. The advantages of a plasma TV over an LCD are that the screen has a better color reproduction and also has a wider viewing angle. Because of the fast response time, plasma TVs are great for viewing fast moving film such as sports.
Of course full HDTV plasma is not perfect. The power requirements can be as high as 500 watts for some large screen versions and because the screen is made of glass, glare can be a problem. Plasma displays are heavier compared to their LCD counterparts but can be wall mounted.
Full HDTV LCDs have the same resolution, 1080p, as plasma HDTV. Initially, slow response times in LCD sets could result in ghosting on fast-moving images. However, refresh rates have decreased to about 2 ms with a 240Hz refresh rate. The contrast ratios have also been improved to 30K. Full HDTV LCD's are less expensive for the high-end systems necessary for full HDTV.
Other than resolution, the other features of the two full HDTV options are more up to interpretation and the desire of the consumer. Ultimately, full HDTV is the best choice, taking into consideration the extra cost. However, be careful to make sure that if you're looking into an entire home theatre that your full HDTV is compatible with the system. - 30542
When talking about HDTV, the quality of the picture (or high resolution) is the main point. Anyone who chose to purchase or obtain an HD converter box still has an analogue picture on a CRT screen. The resolution of an NTSC-analogue TV described as 480i. The "i" in the description refers to the word "interlaced". The reason why is because the CRT tube in the analogue television only 240 horizontal lines available, but the television camera has 480 lines. Therefore, in order to present the look of a more vertical resolution, the television signal is interlaced. If you consider the aspect ratio of 4:3, using basic mathematics, you can see why the analogue TV resolution can be depicted as 640 x 480i.
So how do HDTV and full HDTV differ from analogue TV? Certainly the most obvious feature is the resolution. Standard HDTV has a resolution of 720i or 720p and full HDTV has 1080i or 1080p. The 'p' signifies progressive scanning versus interlaced, i.e. all the vertical scans are done at the same time. With a 16:9 aspect ratio in HDTV this results in 1520 x 720 pixels for standard HDTV and 1920x1080 pixels for full HDTV.
Full HDTV, 1080p, would seem the product of choice; however, for a TV smaller than 42 inches the difference between standard and full HDTV cannot be seen. Consequently, these smaller TV's are available only in standard HDTV, either 720i or 720p. To enjoy full HDTV a 42 inch or larger screen is necessary.
The three options available for full HDTV are rear projection, full HD plasma, and full HD LCD TV. The rear projection TVs are still available, but the demand for them isn't great and a lot of TV makers aren't producing them any longer. Therefore, you should stay away from the purchase of these. This leaves you with the other two options. When deciding between the other two, response time, contrast ratio, and color reproduction should be considered.
Full HDTV plasma screens have a broad range in color, are very bright, and can have very large screens. Display screens of full HDTV plasma TVs can be up to 58 inches in size. Since the display panel is only about 2.5 inches thick, the televisions are only about 4 to 6 inches thick. Though there are claims of contrast ratios as high as 100K in plasma TVs, the highest contrast currently available in stores is 30K. The response time is .001 milliseconds while the refresh frequencies are 600 Hz. The advantages of a plasma TV over an LCD are that the screen has a better color reproduction and also has a wider viewing angle. Because of the fast response time, plasma TVs are great for viewing fast moving film such as sports.
Of course full HDTV plasma is not perfect. The power requirements can be as high as 500 watts for some large screen versions and because the screen is made of glass, glare can be a problem. Plasma displays are heavier compared to their LCD counterparts but can be wall mounted.
Full HDTV LCDs have the same resolution, 1080p, as plasma HDTV. Initially, slow response times in LCD sets could result in ghosting on fast-moving images. However, refresh rates have decreased to about 2 ms with a 240Hz refresh rate. The contrast ratios have also been improved to 30K. Full HDTV LCD's are less expensive for the high-end systems necessary for full HDTV.
Other than resolution, the other features of the two full HDTV options are more up to interpretation and the desire of the consumer. Ultimately, full HDTV is the best choice, taking into consideration the extra cost. However, be careful to make sure that if you're looking into an entire home theatre that your full HDTV is compatible with the system. - 30542
