Intro to HD
High Definition TV (HD or HDTV) is the name given to resolutions of TV that are higher than the standard resolution that we have all been using for many many years. To you, the consumer, this means that the picture is much more defined, details are much easier to see, and even colors have more depth and vibrance. The general media has made HD sound very confusing and challenging to setup and receive, but in reality it is a simple technology that anyone can get setup easily (as I am going to show you).
What makes High Definition so special or something you should be paying so much attention to? Well it is the next step in the world of television and in a few years (the FCC is saying 2010) will be what everyone needs to have the ability to receive since all television will be broadcast in HD only.
Many people compare watching HDTV to looking through a window at the event that is occurring (whether it be a TV Show or Sporting Event). Which is a big difference from standard TV that suffers from poorer quality that many times we do not notice as we are used to watching it and except it as the way TV looks.
Resolutions and what those numbers mean
But what makes High Definition TV look so much better? It all comes from the word you will see me use quite a bit, resolution. The resolution on HDTV is much greater than that on a SDTV (standard television). This greater resolution puts more bits of the picture into a smaller area so the overall result is a better picture.
Resolutions are also the reason you hear about a few different types of HD. 480i/p, 720p, and 1080i/p are all referring to different resolutions. 480i is standard definition TV and what is currently able to be displayed on all TVs. 720p is HD, but has a slightly lower resolution than 1080i/p. 1080i/p is the maximum resolution that is currently available. Not all TVs support all versions of HD though most HD sources can display in different versions of HD (whether it be 720p or 1080i/p)
Progressive and Interlaced, the p and i of video
The final key component to the different types of HD is the letter after the resolution, the i or p. The i stands for interlaced and the p stands for progressive. These two items refer to the way that the picture is presented on your TV. Interlaced video is put on your screen by first showing all the odd lines and then the even lines. This happens very quickly and many times per second so you do not see the lines, but it does contribute to the quality of picture. Progressive video is put on your screen all at once. There are no alternating lines and the whole picture is put up at the same time. Progressive is generally the better of the two as it provides a crisper picture and better quality.
The confusing part about this is 720p actually looks about the same as 1080i. How can this be you may ask? Well, although 1080i has a greater resolution, it is interlaced which means it decreases in quality. 720p has a lower resolution, but it is progressive so it has a better quality that bumps it up right with 1080i. Some TVs will display one or the other better though, so if your TV supports both, try both and see what looks better (even though both will be HD and technically should look about the same).
1080p is the newest version to come to the table and is often being referred to as full-HD although that is incorrect as 720p and 1080i are HD as well. 1080p is, as we determined before, the same resolution as 1080i but displayed progressively. This means that it is a better picture and right now the best picture available. The only sources that currently display in 1080p are game consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360) and the new HD-DVD and Blu-ray players. 1080p TVs are often more expensive, and as of right now not utilized except for when using those few sources.
480p is not HDTV and is usually referred to as EDTV. It is better looking than 480i since it is progressive, but it is not near the quality of 720p, 1080i, or 1080p
Widescreen
Another thing that is different on HDTVs is that the screen is in the shape of a rectangle vs. the standard square (they are not a perfect square, but you get the idea) normal TVs are. This is because the aspect ratio of HDTVs is 16:9 (also referred to as widescreen) vs. the standard 4:3 aspect of normal SDTVs. The reason this was done is that movie studios actually film all movies and shows in a widescreen format, but then cut the picture to fit on a standard television With a widescreen (16:9) television, movies and HDTV broadcasts are able to be displayed in their full, non-cut, size.
Summary
I hope this guide gave you an intro to what HD is and what those numbers mean.
Read on for more HD info:
- Types of HDTVs
- HDTV Connections
- HDTV Sources
CategoryHD
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