An expert guide to HDTV
By JASON COX
for Smart
If you’ve ever perused the Sunday fliers with the thought of getting in on the HDTV action your neighbor’s been raving about, chances are you’ve come across at least a few of these abbreviations and quickly closed the flier, putting the project off for another day.
To help clear up the confusion, we caught up with David Nahum, vice president of service for York Electronic SVC, and threw a few questions that HDTV newbies might want to know the answers to.
What’s this 720p, 1080i and 1080p business I keep seeing?
The letters (p or i) simply designate whether it’s progressive or interlaced. People prefer progressive scan because there’s less flicker than interlaced. The numbers indicate how many lines of resolution are in the image (the more the better). But most people don’t have a trained eye and won’t notice the difference.
What is the difference between composite, component and HDMI video? Composite video’s maximum resolution is 480 (lines of resolution). You can’t get high-definition signals through composite signals. It’s for VCRs, camcorders, etc. Component video, depending on the television, will support 720 and 1080 (high-definition) signals from a high-definition cable box. And above that is HDMI, which incorporates everything digitally — video and sound — through one cable.
What other components should I consider buying along with an HDTV?
Check to see if the HDTV has a built-in QAM/ATSC tuner. What that means is you can screw your TV directly into the cable line with a cable box. If it doesn’t have a tuner, you must either be furnished with an HD box from the cable company or a satellite service provider.
Any particular brand you are a fan of?
Sony and Samsung have LCD pretty much sewn up. Sony has best LCD on the market. As far as plasma, it’s got to be Samsung or Panasonic. If I had to recommend a DLP to anyone, it’d be a Samsung.
Any brand to avoid?
There are some brands that are, quote, low cost — Akai, Protron, Visio are a few. Yes, they’re at a lower cost to buy, but if you need service, it’s hard to find parts. Do you want to have your TV for 10 years or two years? It’s worth the extra couple hundred bucks for the Sony or bigger name. Another issue we face a lot — be careful buying from dot coms. The savings they quote you are tempting, but many times you get refurbished TVs, and if it’s a heavy item, you might have shipping damage, which is not the manufacturer’s fault.
What should I be expecting to pay for an HDTV?
It varies greatly between technologies. Plasma is the most expensive, but for less money and similar performance, you can get a hell of a nice LCD. Low-cost 27-inch flat LCDs go for, like, $500, sometimes less. A 50-inch DLP might go for $1,500. The real price jump is with plasma, which I don’t know why anyone buys anyway.
What about installation? Is this something I can get into my house myself?
If you’re not hanging it on a wall, installing is pretty basic and simple. If you are planning to hang it on a wall, it’s best to consult a professional installer. There are special mounting brackets and screws involved, and you don’t want it to be a danger to anyone walking underneath.
What else should I know?
If you’re expecting good sound, don’t expect it from a flat panel TV that’s only two-inches thick — you must go projection.
Another complaint I get is that the picture on an HDTV actually looks worse. When you’re not watching a high-definition broadcast on an HDTV, things might not look as good. The lines (of resolution on a standard-definition broadcast) have to be drawn twice to fill the native resolution of the screen. But more and more channels are going digital and high-def, so that problem will be a thing of the past.
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