HDTV Buying Guide (Part 2)

So after reading Part 1, you're now hopefully a little more familiar with the HDTV technology options avaliable to you.  Here are some other things to consider when shopping for a new HDTV.

ResolutionThere are two times of video display modes: progressive and interlaced.

Progressive, represented as a p, means that each and every line on your TV is refreshed X number of times in one second, giving you the sharpest image possible.

Interlaced, represented by i, means that every other line on your TV is refreshed X number of times in one second, giving you slightly less sharp image.

As for the X, that's determined by FPS (frames per second).  If your TV runs i at 60 fps, then every other line on your TV will be refreshed 60 times every second.

The resolution itself refers to how many pixels are on the screen at one time.  If you buy a 1080 TV then there are 1,920 x 1,080 pixels displayed; if you buy a 720, there are 1280 x 720 pixels displayed. Therefore, a 1080i TV running at 60fps will display 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and every other line will be refreshed 60 times every second.

What it is you're viewing (or plan to view) determines whether 1080i or 720p is best.  If you are watching or playing an image that moves slowly (e.g. a golf video game), then 1080i is the best for that. If, however, you are watching an image that is fast-paced (e.g. a racing video game), 720p is best. Check that the HDTV you are buying supports 1080i and 720p; there's no guarantee that it will.

1080p is a new resolution that combines both 1080i and 720p.  1080p is new and expensive, and unless you paln on buying a TV around 40", 1080p will not make a big difference to you.

Native resolution is another term you should be familiar with.  Basically, it's the resolution on which the TV was designed to operate.  It can still display images of higher and lower resolution, but it must convert the image, making it slightly degraded.

WidescreenYou definitely want to look into widescreen, which displays an image in a 16:9 ratio (for every 16" of width, it displays 9" of height).  Widescreen will allow you to watch a more broad view of the image. Most movies are shot in widescreen, and most games for the ps3 will have this as well, so getting it will only benefit you.  When looking into buying a widescreen, make sure the TV has Panorama, TheaterWide, or Natural settings; otherwise, the image you are watching will look distorted.

ConnectionsNow that you have decided on your screen it’s time to look at all the ports you are going to need.

HDMI- This connection provide your ps3 with the highest quality of video and audio possible.

DVI/ HDCP- This is much like HDMI, except that it doesn’t send digital audio, so you will have to buy an optical cable and attach it to your PS3 to get digital audio.  The other thing is that the PS3 doesn’t have a DVI connection, so you will have to buy an adaptor.

Blu-Ray recently announced that their Blu-ray players would not function properly without an HDMI or DVI connection; HDMI and DVI ports/ cables have copy protection technology in them, meaning that they will not display pirated discs. 

If you don’t have an HDMI or DVI port, then the resolution of your Blu-ray discs will be cut in half.  Although it has not been confirmed that PS3 will function the same way as the Blu-ray players, it does seem to be heading in that direction.

So...if you bought a HDTV and it doesn’t have a HDMI or DVI port, then you will not be getting HDTV signals out of your PS3.  If you are going to buy an HDTV soon, just make sure that it has either or both ports. If you ahave or want more than just a PS3 connected to your TV, then get all of these.  Your ideal connectivity should be this: one DVI (for PC, DVD, cable, or satellite receiver); one HDMI; at least three full-bandwidth component-video inputs; three S-Video inputs.

TV Tuner- Also called a Digital or ATSC Tuner, this connection allows you to view channels that send HDTV signals in that form.  It replaces the box you would need to pay for from your local service provider.  TVs that have a TV Tuner will be marked “integrated HDTVs,” while TVs that don’t have a TV tuner will be marked “HDTV ready” or “HDTV compatible.”  You should only get this if you are in a largely populated area.

Digital Cable Ready (DCR) - This works much like the TV Tuner. If you buy a Digital Cable Ready TV, you will be able to view Digital Cable channels in HD.  TVs with integrated digital cable box will be marked “Digital Cable Ready” or “DCR.”  This replaces the Digital Cable Box you will need from your local service provider.  If you don’t live in a highly populated area this is a waste of money because you will not get the signals anyway.

VGA (Video Graphics Array) - If you would like to connect your TV to your computer and use it as a screen then you will need a VGA port.  You can also get an S-Video, but VGA has a much bigger resolution a image quality.  If you gey a TV with both HDMI and DVI connections, you can use the DVI for your PC, since the DVI provides a much better resoultion.