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House Hunting In High Definition

techeditor — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:31:26 +0000

High-Definition isn't just for TV anymore. Homeland Security, Video-Conferencing, Home Movies and Video Surveillance are just a few of the jobs high-definition has been hired to perform. That HDTV is still commanding our entertainment dollars by the millions says a lot but it is rapidly becoming the standard by which we do business in other arenas.

Have you considered house-hunting online? You may see your next home in high-definition before you see it in person. The real estate industry has embraced this technology as a prime selling tool. Not only can you see the landscape and the outside of a house or condo but now you can see every room and every detail. You can even take a virtual tour of your new home. In this way, the high-definition video slowly pans throughout the entire home, allowing you to see details a still photograph won't show. Even so, a still photograph taken with high-definition equipment is so defining, the ones showcasing the real estate have to be extra vigilant as a property in need of paint is telling in high-definition.

In the same way, for a furnished home, tattered furniture will be tattled on when showcased in high-definition.

We shop for airline tickets and hotels online for our upcoming vacations. In the same way, many vacation sites are showcasing condominiums, suites and other amenities online. With high-definition technology, we can see where we're going on our next vacation with 10 times the clarity yesterday's brochures showed us. We can now see the true proximity of our vacation rental to the beach. Is it really just outside our door? Try it. Perform an online search before you set off on your next vacation and see what you're being offered ahead of time.

Mind Your Ps And Is

techeditor — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:22:26 +0000

What is 720p and 1080i and how will you know which one is the right resolution for your HDTV?

In the United States, there are two transmission standards for HDTV: 720p and 1080i. In a 720p display there are 720 individual horizontal lines, each with 1,280 pixels. Similarly, in a 1080i display, there are 1,080 horizontal scan lines in a picture, with 1,920 individual pixels. A pixel is the smallest element of data in a video image.

The letters "p" and "i" refer to how the lines are portrayed on the screen. The letter "p" stands for progressive scan, meaning the display scans one screen after another (line No.1, line No. 2, line No. 3…Line No. 720). The letter "i" stands for interlaced, meaning the odd-numbered lines are scanned first (1,3,5…1,079), and then the even lines (2,4,6,…1,080). The process happens so quickly that before the light emanating from the odd-number lines has completely faded, the even-numbered lines have been scanned, and vice versa.

With yesterday's standard having only 480 horizontal lines, HDTV delivers much better screen resolution. The obvious feature of an HDTV is the rectangular wide screen (16:9) but you can still get the square version (4:3).

Surprising to some, 720p is not inferior to 1080i; 720p has fewer lines but also has the advantages of progressive scanning, making it better able to handle motion. The best resolution for you may very well depend on the kinds of shows you watch.

Non-cinematic HDTV video recordings are recorded in either 720p or 1080i format. The format depends on the broadcast company if planned for television broadcast, however in other scenarios the format choice will vary depending on a number of factors.

The nature channels like to use 1080i as it delivers the highest quality for slow-moving pictures. Even so, National Geographic HD broadcasts in 720p. On the other hand, many sporting events are broadcast in 720p for the superior quality of high-speed pictures. Yet NBA TV and NFL Network HD broadcast in 1080i so it's not a hard and fast rule. Your eyes and not the numbers should decide on the best resolution for you.

Some Misconceptions About Hdtv

techeditor — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:39:26 +0000

HDTV is the most exciting thing television has ever seen yet some people find themselves faced with confusing abbreviations and too many choices. Just what is HDTV anyway?

High-Definition TV is the most advanced form of digital TV. It offers stunning pictures with crisp, clear clarity that commercials proclaim "makes you feel as if you're there." It's simply the best TV has ever had to offer, with its widescreen display and surround sound, the technology is the closest thing we've had at home to a movie theater experience.

Some people erroneously believe that when the government takes back the analog channels they will automatically have HDTV. This simply isn't true. President Bush signed legislation on February 8, 2006 that mandates that television signals will only be broadcast in digital as of February 17, 2009. Keep in mind however, that HDTV, while being the best digital TV has to offer is not synonymous with digital TV. Digital TV is comprised of 3 parts: Standard Definition, Enhanced Definition and High Definition. Therefore, while all HDTV is digital TV, not all digital TV is HDTV.

Unfortunately, purchasing a High-Definition television set isn't the only requirement needed for programming in HDTV. Although over the air programming is free, even with an HDTV set with an integrated tuner you would still need an antenna. If you purchase an HDTV-ready set you would need a separate tuner or you would need to have cable or satellite service.

Perhaps the most widely held misconception regarding HDTV sets though, is the price. While it's true that they can be very expensive, not all of them are. As with any other major purchase, the cost of this eye candy varies with prices ranging from the very modest at around 399.99 for a 26" HDTV-ready set to well over 10,000 for a fully integrated big screen HDTV.

High Definition Defined

techeditor — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:24:26 +0000

In order to understand how superior HDTV is, let's first look at its predecessors.

Analog TV has been used to transmit conventional TV signals for many years. The 60-year old system is comprised of 480 horizontal lines that are scanned to form a picture that makes sense to our eyes.

In 1996 Congress authorized the FCC to add a digital frequency to the television broadcaster's spectrum. The digital technology brought improved clarity leaving behind the "ghosting" images often seen on analog transmissions. Right now TV is still broadcast using both an analog and a digital signal. Very soon, the FCC is going to take back the analog channels and all broadcasts will have to be digital. They've been planning this for years. In fact, on Feb 8, 2006 President Bush signed legislation that will cease all analog transmissions as of February 17, 2009. In turn, this will free up spectrum for public service use such as fire, police and homeland security. Consumers benefit all the way around.

High-Definition, or HDTV as it is commonly referred to, is the highest resolution and picture quality of all the digital formats. It has more than twice as many horizontal lines as analog and is transmitted in a wide screen format. Whereas analog TV has an aspect ratio of 4:3, which means the screen is 4 units wide by 3 units high; HDTV has an aspect ratio of 16:9, which provides spectacular detail. The sound is also much improved with HDTV, resembling more of a movie theater experience.

The first thing to do in order to get HDTV is to get an HDTV set. You can get either an HDTV-ready set or an integrated HDTV set. With an integrated HDTV set, you can immediately pick up free local HDTV broadcasts using only an antenna. With an HDTV-ready set, you'll need a receiver in order to get the HDTV signals. For this, you'll want to contact your cable company or satellite service provider.

Is A High Definition Front Projector Right For You

techeditor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:16:26 +0000

When shopping for your High-Definition home theater, a front projector is a popular choice. Although they are not TVs in the most obvious sense (they don't have a built-in screen or any kind of tuner), front projectors are an increasingly popular way to get big-screen viewing without big-screen furniture into your HD home theater.

How does a High-Definition front projector create such life-size stunning images? Since the image is projected onto a detached screen, everything inside a High-Definition projector's compact case is dedicated to creating the sharpest picture possible.

Even though it doesn't have its own tuner, it will display signals from another HD source such as a tuner, cable box or satellite receiver.

You'll want to decide if you will consider your HD front projector an everyday TV or if it will be limited to special viewing events. LCD and DLP projectors typically have a lamp life of 2000-4000 hours, compared to 8000 hours for High-Definition "big-screen" rear-projection models. The hour estimate actually corresponds to the point where the lamp's brilliance has diminished by half. A lamp will still work past this point, but it will progressively lose intensity. When you replace the lamp (it's easily user-replaceable), picture quality returns to its original luster. High-Definition front projector owners who mainly watch movies and special events use their projectors about 8 hours a week. For a projector with a 2000-hour lamp, that adds up to 4-5 years of use.

However, if you use an HD front projector as your main TV, clocking roughly 4 hours a day, you'll likely be replacing the lamp in less than 2 years. Unfortunately, they're not inexpensive, costing as much as a thousand dollars. The important thing is to assess your needs and your budget before you make your purchase. Look around your home and see how much room you have to devote to your new HDTV. There's one out there to fit every need.

Think You Know Your Hdtv Then Get A Job

techeditor — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:58:26 +0000

We live in an information society. Sometimes we need to understand every little iota about something. Most of the time we don't. Information overkill, or just as bad, not enough information can confuse us to the point of making poor decisions.

It's hard to explain high-definition technology in laymen's terms.

"What kind of HDTV are you looking for?" the salesperson asks.

"Well, a big one," customer answers.

Now might be the time to explain the difference in display technologies, such as DLP, LCD, Plasma, CRT, LCOS and Projection. If the customer doesn't know the difference, and most don't, they do know that size matters. They may not want the bulk of the CRT, but we as consumers, deserve to know the difference. Which technology is prone to burn in? Which HDTV might produce the "rainbow effect?" Which high-definition television will we need to watch with the drapes closed and which one can be viewed perfectly in a sunny room?

In most cases, we pick the big one. Not just any big one, but the one with the price we like and the pretty cabinet. After, all, right now in the store it has a pretty picture.

What about the tuner? Is it integrated or HDTV-ready? If I didn't know better, if I bought an HDTV-ready set, I would think I could take it home and instantly get HDTV programming. At least over-the-air programming. Boy, would I be mad when I found out after all the money I had just spent, now I had to get cable or a satellite dish to get any HDTV programming.

I didn't see any black bars above and below or on the sides of the screen in the store (the black bars displayed when watching TV or DVD content filmed in a different aspect ratio than my set is displaying) so why do I have them at home?

It would have been nice if the salesperson had explained aspect ratio to me, even in the simplest of terms. Then I could make an informed decision on whether I wanted to purchase an HDTV set with a native resolution of 1080i or 720p.

The real problem isn't even the salespeople. It's the people they work for not taking the time (which is money) to train them. It would take most of us a couple of weeks in an all-day training class to get all this HDTV stuff down. How can we expect the sales force, who if they're lucky, get to read a brochure or watch a training video before they are thrust on the high-definition floor to assist us?

We have to educate ourselves and take responsibility before we purchase such a big-ticket item to know exactly what we're looking for. In just a few months we'll have two totally different HD DVD players on the market and then we'll have to figure out not just which one is the best one, but which one will suit our high-definition needs. So do me a favor. If you know your HDTV, get a job…please!

Hdtv Home Theater

techeditor — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:52:26 +0000

The Price is Right gave away a set of "home theater" recliners today. I'd be surprised if there wasn't an HDTV sensor installed allowing the recline position only if you are watching high-definition television. HDTV has exploded and for good reason. It's spectacular! The incredible picture clarity shows us what we've been missing all these years without even knowing it. Now that we do know we'll never go back. Now that we've seen and heard the HDTV difference, we're going to want all our components to get involved in the high-definition experience so that whether we're watching television, a pre-recorded movie, or playing a video game, we haven't left HDTV behind.

Home theater, literally theater at home, runs the gamut from Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) in a modest family or living room to special furniture, carpet, popcorn machines, speakers that rock, a room-size screen and a whole host of other paraphernalia.

There's budget to consider, of course, and the amount of room you have available but for a modest set-up that doesn't take up the whole house HTiB is a great way to enjoy your high-definition television. Although it doesn't come with absolutely everything you'll need, it has the essentials in that the speakers, amplifier, cables, and control center come pre-packaged. Some HTiBs come with DVD players and all come with the most important component: directions! Prices range from as little as a few hundred dollars to 2000.00 or more. The best thing about home theater in a box is you don't have to worry about compatibility between components or which cables to use. You will want to make sure that your HDTV has enough digital video and audio inputs to connect all the components you plan on having as part of your home theater.

Some home theaters in a box come with a DVD player. This is another important consideration, especially right now as we are on the eve of the new HD DVD and Blu-ray high-definition disc player being released. If you're planning on buying a high-definition DVD player, you may not want to purchase a theater system with the standard definition DVD player. However, not all pre-packaged theater systems come with a DVD player.

It's up to you. You can pay a professional to come to your home and install a professional system, buy the components piece by piece yourself or go with the convenience of HTiB. I do highly recommend that popcorn accompany whatever high-def decisions you make. Buttered, of course.

Is Hdtv Hurting The Motion Picture Industry

techeditor — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:31:26 +0000

Reuters reports that in 2004 during Boston Red Sox baseball fever, the year they won the World Series for the first time since 1918, National Amusements, the controlling shareholder in Viacom Inc, began screening high-definition broadcasts of Red Sox games in its Showcase Cinemas in several New England cities on weekday nights.

Fast-forward two years later when HDTV is rapidly becoming the standard for our home entertainment. The movie theaters are again taking note and again wondering how to boost their sagging profits. Enter 3D. Not your mother's 3D but you do still have to wear the glasses, although they're much lighter now and purported not to cause the headaches 3D glasses did in the 50s and 60s.

They're scared. They're scared we're going to stay home and watch our high-definition TVs, which is exactly what we're doing. Especially during the week, although National Amusements may have hit on something by bringing in hot dog vendors to walk the aisles with their dogs, peanuts and beer. That they sold team gear in the lobby only added to the overall experience and no longer were we just watching a game, we were there.

Last November, Chicken Little was screened in 3D and brought in more money than its original version. Columbia Pictures' Monster House will be released July 21, 2006 in its regular version and in 3D in 200 theaters equipped with the 3D projection equipment, which costs roughly 2500.00.

Just as we were able to bring HDTV into our homes, Philips Electronics thinks 3D for the home is just around the corner. In an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, 2006, Philips' CEO Rudy Provost said he hopes to be able to debut a Philips HDTV by 2008 that would play 3D video content. "Although movie studios don't produce movies in 3D yet, consumers will be able to get a 3D experience from a 2D high-definition disc and these TVs," he said. "As the technology catches on, studios will likely produce movies made from the beginning with 3D in mind," he added.

Whatever happens, it's an exciting time for HDTV as more and more gadgets employ the high-definition technology, and more and more technology finds its way into our homes.

Hdtv And Aspect Ratio

techeditor — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:09:26 +0000

There are a lot of letters and numbers associated with High-Definition TV. Almost too many to comprehend and far too many to learn all at once. If you're buying a new HDTV however, you'll want to consider the aspect ratio. If you already have an HDTV, you may have had some experience with letterboxing (black bars at the top and bottom of your TV screen) or pillar boxing or sidebars (black bars on both sides of your TV screen.)

Aspect ratio is simply the relationship between the height and width of your TV screen. We've all been used to 4:3 which is 4 units across the top by 3 units down the side. When all of the video we watched was produced in 4:3 aspect ratio we didn't have a problem with it because the show or movie completely filled our TV screens. We didn't even need to know about it.

Now, with HDTV becoming increasingly popular, we need to know about it. If everyone on TV is looking bloated and fat or tall and skinny, you may have an aspect ratio problem.

Most HDTV programming is filmed in 16:9 aspect ratio. You'll notice a 16:9 HDTV by its rectangular shape, although with most of them you can change the aspect ratio to 4:3 if you need to.

Say you've had an HDTV for a while or even just bought a new one with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Here's what you're in for: Since almost all HDTV programming is filmed in 16:9 aspect ratio, you'll have to put up with horizontal black bars above and below the image when you watch High Definition programming. With aspect ratio control, you can stretch the image to fill the screen but you'll lose the clarity that HDTV is famous for.

On the other hand, if you purchase a widescreen 16:9 HDTV, you'll experience fewer problems, but as long as there is still TV programming filmed in 4:3 aspect ratio, you'll have this dilemma. If your TV or video source has aspect ratio control, there are some things you can do to make the situation better. For one thing, just by watching standard TV (4:3) on a widescreen HDTV (16:9) you'll have black or gray bars on the right and left of the screen. You can use the zoom control on the HDTV or DVD to blow up the image. By doing this, the screen will be filled but the image won't be as sharp and there may be some detail missing at the top and bottom of the screen.

There are ways to eliminate or minimize the aspect ratio problem. Knowledge really is power when you're shopping for a High-Definition TV set. By educating yourself on what your needs are and what you're purchasing you stand an excellent chance of avoiding headaches later on.