Full HDTV Television

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).

For HDTV, resolution is the key word, defining how detailed an image can be displayed without blurring. Those who opted for the HD converter box are still viewing a picture on an analogue CRT screen .NTSC-analogue TV resolution is defined as 480i. The ‘i’ means interlaced. This results from the TV camera having 480 horizontal lines of resolution while the CRT tube has only 240 lines available. So every other line of the 480 is simultaneously scanned for 1/60th of a second then the remaining lines are scanned. Hence, the TV signal is “interlaced” giving the appearance of more vertical resolution. With an aspect ratio of 4:3 (width x height), the analogue television resolution can be described 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 1920×1080 pixels for full HDTV.

It seems that the full HDTV (1080p) would be the most desirable product for optimum resolution and viewing pleasure. However, on televisions smaller than 42 inches in size, the difference in the standard HDTV versus the full HDTV isn’t visible. For this reason, full HDTV isn’t available on smaller TVs. Only standard HDTV (720i or 720p) is available. Hence, a 42 inch screen television or larger is required if you wish to get the benefit of full HDTV.

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.

Features of a full HDTV plasma screen include a wide range in color, great brightness, and very large screens. The display screens can be made up to 58 inches. Also, since the display panel is only 2.5 inches thick, the TVs are only around 4 to 6 inches thick. Claims of contrast ratios in plasma televisions are as high as 50K and even 100K, but the highest contrast available is 30K. The response time is a very quick .001 milliseconds and the refresh frequencies are 600 Hz. Reasons to choose a plasma screen over an LCD display would be better color reproduction, a wider viewing angle, and fast response time. Response time can make a difference with fast moving images in such cases as watching sports and action.

One disadvantage is the power requirements in a plasma TV. The requirements can be as high as 500 watts. In addition, plasma TVs are traditionally heavier than LCD displays. However, the plasma can be mounted on a wall and the LCD display can’t.

Full HDTV LCD displays have the same resolution as plasma full HDTV displays, but the LCD displays have a slower response time (2 milliseconds). This could result in ghosting during fast moving images. The refresh frequency of an LCD display screen is 240 Hz, but the contrast ratio has been improved so that it’s the same as the plasma screen (30K). Though there are some differences in response time and refresh frequencies, LCD TVs are less expensive than plasmas.

A note of caution, except for resolution, when comparing specifications many reviewers question their accuracy and their meaningfulness to your viewing experience. My advice is judge for your self. In conclusion, barring financial and/or physical restraints or simple preference for smaller TV size, full HDTV is the obvious choice. If striving for a home theatre experience, make sure your full HDTV is compatible with the entire system you are planning.

James Junior writes about full hd tv and samsung led tvs