DTV - Consumer Buying Guide - TIJBC · 2009-12-02 · DTV How Do I Select The Right DTV/HDTV? To help you focus in on finding the perfect Digital Television set, use this buying guide

DTVHow Do I Select The Right DTV/HDTV?

To help you focus in on finding the perfect Digital Television set, use this buying guide to narrow your choices based on six steps: 1) select the right size foryour room, 2) choose an aspect ratio, 3) select image quality, 4) pick a display style 5) get the right inputs and 6) include essential extras.

It is important to select a TV that fits your room. Bigger is generally better, but sit too close and the picturemay look grainy or fuzzy. But if you're too far away, you'll miss some of HDTV's awesome detail. Selecting theright size set for your room is easy using this simple calculation:

DetailsSteps

Set Type Rating720p and higher

1. Measure distance from TV to sitting position.2. Divide by 2 and then by 3 to get ideal screen size range.

The resulting numbers will be your ideal screen sizes.

Consider the screen shape or aspect ratio. Choices are widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3). Many DTVs and virtually all HDTVs are widescreen – it's the format of the future.

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1. Select The Right Size

2. Choose An Aspect Ratio

3. Select Your Image Quality

Example:Distance = 8 feet (or 96 inches)

96 / 2 = 48” set96 / 3 = 32” set

Ideal set is 32” – 48”

Benefits of Widescreen:• 16:9 set is perfectly suited for watching DVD or HDTV content, most of which is widescreen.• Most widescreen sets can adjust standard content to fill a widescreen picture.

DTVs come in three basic types based on the maximum resolution they can display:

High Definition Television

Maximum ResolutionBest

480p and higherEnhanced DefinitionTelevision

Better

480i or lessStandard DefinitionTelevision Good

TV Type LogoTrue high-definition, the best pictures available. Can display HD broadcasts at full resolution as well as HDgames and HD formats of DVDs.

At-A-Glance Guide To Image Quality

High Definition Television

Rating

Enhanced DefinitionTelevision

Standard DefinitionTelevision

Aspect Ratio*

Best

Better

Good

16:9

16:9or 4:3

Better than analog and even SD because of its smootherlooking progressive scan. Will display HD broadcasts at alower, but still good, quality. This is the quality of currentDVDs.

Comparable to analog TV in terms of resolution but still offers the digital advantage (no ghosts or noise, larger color palette, better contrast, etc.). Will display HDbroadcasts at the lowest resolution and quality.

16:9or 4:3

DTV

3. Select Your Image Quality (continued)

4. Pick A Display Style

*Aspect ratio: Every video picture is a rectangle. The proportion of width to height is expressed as a ratioand this is called the aspect ratio. Many DTVs have a widescreen aspect ratio. When the shape of the content being viewed doesn't match that of the screen, black bars are added to display the image properly.

** Image quality: The number (e.g. 720 or 480) indicates the number of vertical pixels or picture elements.The more pixels, the better the picture. The letter (p or i) indicates the scanning technology - progressive (p)where scanning is all at once, or interlaced (i) where scanning takes two passes. Progressive provides asmoother more film-like picture.

Details

Digital televisions come in many sizes, shapes and technologies. Some sets utilize traditional TV tubes, whileothers use newer technologies to achieve bright pictures with thin, attractive designs. And some, like front projectors, are not really TVs at all.



Steps

Display Type/Style Technologies

• Plasma sets generallyhave wider viewing anglethan LCD

• LCD most affordable insmaller (37” and less)sizes

• Image quality variesgreatly model-to-model

At-A-Glance Guide To Display Types

Flat PanelThese sets are only inchesthick, décor friendly.Picture quality is great,although varies frommodel-to-model.

Screen Size Considerations

<10 to100+inches

Benefits

• LCD• Plasma• Up-and-comers:

– OLED– OLED

• Wide variety ofsizes

• Beautiful pictures from HDor DVD

• Slender,hang-on-the-wall

• Décor-friendly• CRT-based models are

being phased out• Microdisplay

technologies each haveupsides and downsides.

Rear ProjectionMicrodisplays use some ofthe technologies found inflat-panel TVs or even bet-ter technologies to providegreat picture quality in afairly thin cabinet.

40 to100+inches

• CRT (tube)• Microdisplay:

– DLP– LCD– LCoS

• Large screensizes

• Relatively affordable (par-ticularly bulkierCRT models)

• “Microdisplay”models arethinner

• Screen size limited tounder 40 inches

• Large and bulky

Direct View (tube TV)Traditional tube TVs. Theyoffer excellent picturequality and are among themost affordable DTVs.

13 to34

inches

• CRT • The most affordable DTVsaround

• Excellent picture quality,brightness andviewing angle

• Requires light-controlledenvironment

• Not ideal for typical family room environment

Front ProjectionNot really a set at all,these high-resolution displays can projectextremely large, high-quality pictures. Bestsuited for dedicated hometheater environments.

Projectedimageranges

from verysmall to

very large

• DLP• LCD

• Perfect for dedicated hometheaters andmedia rooms

• Generally veryhigh-resolution,bright, high-contrast images

DTV

4. Pick A Display Style (continued)

5. Get The Right Connections

Details



Steps

DTV Connections Connect To

At-A-Glance Guide To DTV Connections

Component Jacks

Digital?

No

Comments

• DVD Players• Progressive-Scan

DVD Players• HDTV Receivers• Gaming Consoles

• Component video jacks are often color-coded asred, green and blue.

• Component video jacks are often color-coded asred, green and blue.

• When making component video connections, it's important to use a specifically designedcomponent video cable.

• When making component video connections, it's important to use a specifically designedcomponent video cable.

Display Technology Details• Plasma: A "flat panel” technology, sometimes called "PDP," for plasma display panel. A layer of gas is

sandwiched between panes of glass. These are excited into producing light by incoming electrical charges.The light illuminates a fixed array of red, green and blue pixels. Plasma TVs offer deep blacks and rich colors, can be viewed from wider angles than LCDs, and come in larger sizes.

• LCD: Liquid Crystal Display is the technology used for years in notebook computer screens, PDAs, digitalcameras, etc. Three grids of pixels (for red, green and blue) are coated with a substance that lights upwhen electrically charged. Millions of tiny transistors tell the grids which pixels to light up in response tothe content. LCD TVs are better than plasmas in bright rooms and very affordable up to a certain size.

• DLP: Digital Light Processing is a recent technology, and produces excellent pictures for projection TVs (rear and front projection). A "digital light engine" shines light on more than a million tiny mirrors, whichmove to reflect the light through a revolving "color wheel" to product colors.

• LCoS: Liquid Crystal on Silicon is a newer technology. It often uses three chips instead of one as in DLP,thereby having more pixels and a better quality picture. With multiple pixels at each point, there are nodead spots. Unlike DLP there are no moving parts. LCoS bounces light off fixed mirrors that are covered anduncovered by liquid crystals.

• OLED: An up-and-coming technology, OLED displays use an organic polymer material that are self-luminous, which eliminates the need for a backlight. As this technology is perfected and brought to market, these sets will be thinner, use less energy and perform better in bright sunlit rooms compared toother flat panel technologies.

• SED: This up-and-coming technology stands for Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display and wasdeveloped jointly by Canon and Toshiba. It promises super-bright pictures in super-thin cabinet designs.

IEEE-1394 (a.k.a. FireWire andiLink)

Yes• Some HDTVReceivers

• D-VHS VCRs

• Used especially to send signals from DVD players and recorders, and digital camcorders,and from these components to an A/V receiver

One more important consideration when deciding on a new DTV is the number and type of inputs and connections. Be sure to get enough inputs for your existing and future sources, multiple HD inputs and atleast one digital input. Here's a list of DTV connections and why you may need them:

DTV

5. Get The Right Connections (continued)

6. Include Essential Extras



Steps

Choices Issue

Antennas - Receiving Over-The-Air DTV Broadcasts

Antenna basics

Details

Need • A UHF antenna, preferably one designed to receive DTV and HDTV• Antennas designed for this purpose are able to focus their reception on

narrow "bands" of signal and strongly reject other bands of signals.

Before you check out, be sure you have everything you'll need to receive a signal and integrate your new setinto your home entertainment system. Be sure to consider:

• An Antenna: You'll need an antenna to go along with an integrated HDTV or a set-top receiver.Depending on your location, your choices are an indoor antenna or outdoor.(See antenna chart below)

• Universal Remote: There's no easier way to simplify your A/V system than with a universal remote that can control all of your devices. Programming these remotes has never been easier. Choices range from inexpensive to touch-screen models.

• A/V Cables: Having the right A/V cables is essential to connecting your equipment and getting the best possible picture available. In addition to A/V cables, don't forget a speaker cable to connect your surround audio system.

• Furniture: Furniture can make a home entertainment system. Consider a wall mount for your flat panel display, A/V racks or stands for the audio equipment and even custom home theater seating to complete the look.

DTV Connections Connect To

At-A-Glance Guide To DTV Connections

HDMI (High DefinitionMultimedia Interface)

Digital?

Yes

Comments

• Most HDTVreceivers

• “Up-convert”DVD Players

• Next-generationhigh-resolutionDVD players

• Gaming Consoles

• A single connector that carries high-definitionvideo as well as digital audio

• Used in DTVs, A/V receivers and other digitalvideo and audio components

• Can carry copy-protected content

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

Yes• PCs• Video Projectors• A few HDTV

receivers

• Used for years in personal computers • Simple connectivity, but a bit old fashioned.

No copyright protection.

DVI (Digital Video Interface)

Yes• HDTVReceivers

• Some DVDPlayers

• Often used to connect a set-top box and a DTV• Can carry copy-protected content when labeled

with “HDCP”

DTV

6. Include Essential Extras (continued)



StepsChoices Issue

Antennas - Receiving Over-The-Air DTV Broadcasts

Details

Factorsaffectingreception

• Geography: OTA waves need a clear path to the antenna. Hills and valleys affect reception.

• Signal strength from broadcaster: If a local broadcaster is not at fullpower and you live far from the broadcast tower, you may experience difficulties receiving programming depending on the amount of power thebroadcaster is using. In other cases, when tall structures surround orobstruct a clear path to your antenna, reception difficulties could result.

Greatantennainfo

• You can go to www.antennaweb.org, enter your zip code and some basicinformation, and receive a recommendation on what type of outdoor antenna to buy. The site shows whether you would be best off with a directional or multidirectional antenna, need a large or medium-sized outdoor antenna, and which local channels are broadcasting in DTV. Alsooffers aiming information.

Outdoor antennas

Maximizingperformance

• Higher is better: Best on highest point in home. If outdoors, this meansmounting on roof or eaves.

• Bigger is better.• Small: OK if close to broadcasting towers.• Medium: Generally good up to 30-40 miles from broadcasts, good

compromise between size and performance.• Large: Best performance, needed in areas far from broadcast centers.

Classified by • Size and directionality• The AntennaWeb guide publishes a color-coding scheme for antennas.

You can pick the right antenna from the website, and look for the appropriate color-coding on the antenna box when you go to buy.

Indoor antennas

Maximizingperformance

• Proximity to broadcasting towers: Near towers provides better signalstrength. May be easiest in urban areas.

• Amplified option: Some antennas amplify weak reception signals. • These are often needed when home is far from the broadcast tower.• An amplified antenna can only maximize weak signals. It cannot create

signal when there's no reception at all.

Choices • Indoor vs. outdoor: Outdoor is better; indoor may only work well whenclose to the broadcaster.

• Multidirectional vs. directional: A directional antenna picks up signalfrom one direction. A multidirectional picks up from all directions.

• Application specific: The best choice depends on where you live in relationto where the broadcasts are coming from. If all the broadcasters are inone direction from the home, use a directional antenna. If you live between broadcasters, a multidirectional antenna or antennawith rotor may be your best choice.

DTV - Consumer Buying Guide - TIJBC · 2009-12-02 · DTV How Do I Select The Right DTV/HDTV? To help you focus in on finding the perfect Digital Television set, use this buying guide

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