Looking into HDTV? Get the Facts
Before You Buy.
So, why go Hi Def? Since regular broadcast channels are going to be sent via digital signal only soon, you may want to be prepared. Especially if you watch a lot of TV. Many people have never seen TV in High Definition before. The difference is amazing!
A great example of the difference it makes is if you turn on your non HDTV and watch a basketball game. Look at the crowd in the stands. Can you see them as distinct people? Of course not. They are almost blurred out. If you watch that same game on HDTV, not only will the crowd become actual people (!) with distinct facial features, but the gleam of the court and the sweat on the players is so clear it might as well be real. The difference is not only
noticeable, but astounding.
The immediacy of HDTV is what makes it so cool. The details are so clear
that you might as well be in the show you are watching. Beware...once
you watch HDTV you will never want to watch regular TV ever, ever again.
As a point of comparison, HDTV has the capacity to display an image
that’s 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall.
Compare high definition resolution to current North American Standard
Definition TV at 720 pixels wide by 486 pixels tall. With a resolution
potential that’s 400% higher, HD can bring a remarkable, theater-like
experience into your home.
Some HDTV sets on the
market incorporate HD-capable displays coupled with a built-in HDTV
tuner to receive over-the-air HD broadcasts (currently available only in
certain markets, these broadcasts are becoming increasingly common as
the 2006 digital-broadcast deadline approaches). Often referred to as
integrated HDTVs, these models are usually indicated by a
designation like "with Built-In HDTV Tuner."
Widescreens can be used to
display just about any form of wide screen or 4 by 3 content that’s on
the market. But, as the High Definition Standard becomes more saturated
in the marketplace, so to will the widescreen become more of the
standard display device. High definition video's native aspect ratio is
16 by 9, which is the same AR as a widescreen television. So, as the
world slowly changes its television standard to High Definition, more
programming will be captured in a wide screen format.
If you purchase a HDTV Big
Screen online, you can save a significant amount of money. But as with
any online purchase, you need to wary of “Too Good to be True” offers
and stick with only the most reputable companies.
Just because an HDTV dealer
shows up in Deal Time, Price Grabber or E-pinions doesn’t mean that they
are a quality dealer. With the right amount of money, and unscrupulous
company can buy a listing in one of these price searching engines. Do
your research, and don’t fall for pie in the sky advertising and the
good old bait and switch tactics.
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