HDTV Buying Guide 2010

High Definition Televisions have quickly replaced the older CRT monitors and Analog TV sets that have used the NTSC broadcast standard of the last 50+ years. The newer HD models are thinner, brighter, and display a stunning picture with many times the resolution of older sets. Below are some of the terminology used in describing HDTVs and the features they have.

HDTV Screen Resolution 720p or 1080p? Screen resolution is the maximum (in pixels) that a TV can display. Most HDTV’s today can display what is called 720p which is usually a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (1 million pixels). A new standard has emerged called 1080p with a much higher resolution of 1920 x 1080 ( 2 million pixels). Blu-ray, Playstation 3, and HD DVDs are able to display the full 1080p resolution. Cable TV and Satellite companies currently are showing high definition at the lower 720p standard, but in the future they eventually will be broadcasting at 1080p, but due to bandwidth issues it may be a while. 1080p TVs also have smaller pixels, so if you are sitting up close it may be worth it to get 1080p (this is regardless of the resolution of what you are watching). Today’s best sellers are 1080p as prices have come down.

HDMI and COMPONENT – Hooking up your high definition cable box, DVD player, PS3, or other high quality source requires the right connection. The best connection is HDMI, followed by Component. Both are high quality, with HDMI having an edge in picture quality. If you have many hookups to make, you would want to see more HDMI and Component jacks on the TV you purchase. For 1080p sets, you want to have HDMI as your connection of choice. So look for HDTVs with more HDMI and Component connections. Most have at least 2 HDMI and many are now coming with 3 or more HDMI connections.

Which screen size? – One of the first decisions you will have to make, is how big a screen will you need. HDTVs come in a variety of sizes. They come as small as 19 inches and up to 60+ inches. As a general rule, the smaller the room, the smaller the TV. A bedroom should do well with a 26-40 inch HDTV, although there is no set rule to this. A living room depending on the size should be in the range of 40 inches and higher. Those with larger living rooms may need a larger TV. Click on our HDTV Sizing Article for more information on HDTV sizes.

Which HDTV Screen Technology is best? – There are three types of display technologies that are in mainstream HDTV’s. Each display technology has its pluses and minuses. Below are all three technologies and a detailed description.

• LCD (liquid crystal display) – LCD TVs have become the most popular technology. They have many advantages such as low power consumption, ability to display the highest resolutions (1080p), LCDs are flat, many are wall mountable. The disadvantage of an LCD is that their ability to show contrast is less than some other technologies like plasma. LCDs in the past were also slower to refresh (not so with the current models). These disadvantages are quickly disappearing. Today’s LCD HDTVs have greatly improved on contrast and refresh speed. The latest LCD technology is 240Hz. Most LCDs are silent with no moving parts or fans. LCD’s are brighter than Plasma HDTVs and so are better suited in well lit rooms during the day than plasmas. Smart Review’s Best LCD “Top-Picks” are the new for 2010 LG LD650 Series, the Samsung 650c Series, the LG LD550 Series, and last year’s Sony XBR9 Series



• LED HDTVs – The latest technology in HDTVs is referred to as LED. This actually is an LCD with an LED backlight instead of the traditional fluorescent backlights that are used on almost all HDTVs up to this point. LED backlights improve contrast, use less power, and allow super thin (1.2 inch thick) TVs. There are two types of LED TVs. One is Edge Lit, which illuminates like traditional backlights. The other is “Local Dimming” which means that the LEDs are behind the screen and can turn off or dim to give the greatest level of contrast, or Samsung’s new precision dimming which uses technology to achieve the same local dimming. LED TVs are more expensive than LCD TVs of the same size.
  
  Smart Review’s Top LED HDTV: Samsung C8000 3D Series (3D Ready TV).
  
  
  Related Article: LED TV Roundup and Comparison

  

• Plasma Displays – Plasma displays are very popular as well. They have higher contrast than LCDs (although that gap is closing), and can display HDTV with stunning clarity. Plasma sets also display fast action (sports, action movies) better. The disadvantages of plasma are that they take more electricity than LCDs, and can generate more heat. Many have built in fans. Plasma screens are susceptible to screen burn-in (new models compensate with various screen-saving methods). Heavier than LCDs. Smart Review’s Plasma “Top Picks” are the new for 2010 Panasonic G25 Series (1080p Plasma), the new Samsung PNC8000 Series (3D Plasma), and the 2009 Models: Panasonic G10 Series(1080p Plasma) and the Panasonic S1 Series (1080p Plasma).
  
  
  Related Article: Plasma TV Roundup and Comparison

  

• Digital Light Processing (DLP) – DLP was invented by Texas Instruments. It uses many microscopic mirrors which can turn on and off thousands of times per second. This technology offers incredible color reproduction, and excellent contrast. Disadvantages are that most sets require a minimum of 12-14″ depth for the rear projection unit. Older DLP and projection TV’s use a replaceable lamp, so down the road these will need to be replaced. The latest DLP TVs now use an LED light engine which replaces the bulb and color wheel. The LED engine should last the life of the TV. The LED engine also should eliminate the rainbow effect that was a detraction of DLP sets. The LED’s provide a separate light source for each pixel, which gives the new LED-DLP displays a contrast and brightness that rivals Plasma. However, unlike Plasma technology, this system has no chance of burning in.

Viewing Angle – Some HDTV’s displays have a more limited viewing angle than others. They lose contrast and become hard to read at some viewing angles and they have more contrast and are easier to read at others. Generally the higher the viewing angle, the better. This is especially important when a group of people are watching an HDTV at the same time. Modern High Definition TVs have much better viewing angles, and it is not as big an issue as it was in the past.

Contrast Ratio – This is the difference in light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black. Higher is better. The higher the contrast ratio, the greater the ability to show subtle color details, and better resulting picture. Details in dark scenes will benefit from a higher contrast ratio. Many manufacturers give what is called Dynamic contrast which is a higher number than the contrast ratio. So be careful not to confuse this when comparing. LCD panels regular Native contrast ratios hover around 1200-3500:1 for LCDs, and up to 40,000:1 for Plasmas. Dynamic contrast for LCDs can run as high as 150,000 and more. LED TVs and Plasma TVs have contrast ratios 1,000,000:1 and more. As noted one must consider both static (Native) and dynamic contrast ratios.

Response Time – For LCD TV’s. Response time is in simplistic terms how fast the screen can “paint” the screen. It is measured in milliseconds or (ms). Lower numbers are better. A lower response time is best for fast paced games, video, fast moving movies and sports. Today’s HDTV’s have much faster response times than in the past and this issue is also becoming less important since most models today are quite fast.

3D TVs – Introduced in 2010, a new type of HDTV technology has come out on select HDTVs. Because of the popularity of 3d in the movie theater with blockbusters such as Avatar, a demand for in home 3d Television has emerged. The 3d TV is the same as a normal set except that it has a built in IR (Infrared) transmitter to transmit signals to special 3D glasses. These sets also can convert 2D (regular TV) into 3D. In the future there will be 3D content on your Cable or Satellite programming. Right now, you can also buy a 3D Blu-ray player and 3D Blu-ray discs. These will take the full advantage of the 3D capability now. (Although titles are limited but growing). 3D Ready TVs display both regular TV and HDTV content as well as 3D content. So even if you are not going to initially buy accessories (glasses and 3D blu-ray players), you can enjoy the TV as a normal HDTV. Smart-Review will feature these 3D sets as they become available. The current top-picks in 3D TVs are the Samsung UNC8000 LED 3D TV Series (with precision dimming) and the Samsung PNC8000 Plasma 3D TV Series.

120Hz LCDs – Introduced in Mid 2007, a new type of LCD HDTV technology has come out on select HDTVs. 120Hz refers to the frame rate of an HDTV. Currently sets are 60hz. The double frame rate 120Hz sets will make fast action less prone to blurring. This is important for action movies, and sports. Plasma HDTVs do not need this technology as they handle fast action without the need for 120Hz. Smart-Review will feature these sets as they become available. Top Rated 120Hz HDTVs.

240Hz LCDs – Introduced in late 2008, this technology quadruples the normal framerate of a 60Hz HDTV, to 240Hz. Like the 120Hz, these sets will make fast action even less prone to blurring. For 2009 there are many new models utilizing this new technology in their HDTVs. Top-Rated 240Hz HDTVs.

HDTV Firmware – Most of the newer HDTVs now are upgradeable with a firmware (software) upgrade. Usually they can be upgraded using a USB port on the TV, and some using wireless Wifi (this is how the PS3 upgrades itself). Firmware upgrades serve many purposes, including expanding features (such as more internet applications), and fixing bugs. Some TVs that end up being the highest rated may have some poor ratings initially that come from a bug that is later fixed with firmware upgrades. You can usually find these upgrades at the Manufacturer’s web site.

ATSC Tuner – Most of the newer HDTVs now include a digital HD tuner called ATSC. An ATSC digital tuner is required to receive and decode over-the-air digital television signals. Sets do not require this tuner if you are only receiving your high definition feed from a cable company or from satellite, as they will provide you with a high definition decoder box instead. This gives you the option to receive “free” over the air HD local broadcasts.

ATSC/QAM Tuner – Some newer HDTVs have not only ATSC, but also a QAM tuner. An integrated QAM tuner allows the free reception of unscrambled digital programming sent “in the clear” by cable providers (without a box), usually local broadcast stations. This varies by cable company. Most other stations however are scrambled.

Cable Card – Some sets allow you to put a Cable Card in a slot. This card is provided by your cable tv company and allows you to descramble the channels without a cable box. Some people would rather not rent the box provided by the cable company. However, you may lose the TV schedule and on demand features when you use this feature instead of the provided box.

Brand Name or 2nd Tier Brand? – When purchasing an HDTV you will see familiar top level brands such as Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba, Pioneer, etc. Then you will see 2nd tier brands that sell at substantial discounts to the top brands. We recommend only top tier brands for several reasons. One is that many of these 2nd tier brands offer poor servicing should something go wrong. Some charge you the freight to either ship the TV to them or back after repair. One brand we saw offers no parts after the one year warranty is up, so in effect it is a throwaway TV. Higher end TVs have better video processors for upconverting and reducing digital noise. For these reasons we believe that top tier brands are the best way to go even though there is a higher initial cost.