Buying an HDTV: What You Need to Know

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Cameron Baker
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Aug. 20, 2008

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Inputs: HDMI vs Component

HDMI = 1 digital cable; Component = 3-5 analog cables. Game-set-match, HDMI, right? Wrong. This is another case in which the marketing-speak will try to convince you that one is definitely better than the other. Component connections require the digital source material (a DVD, for example) to be converted to analog to be passed over the component cables, and back to digital once it is to be decoded for display. Some say that the degradation inherent in analog signal transmission can cause signal loss. However, this is only perceptible over long (200+ ft) cable lengths. Most home theater setups will not run into this problem.

HDMI has a slightly different process that it must go through to get a signal from source to display. One reason content providers love HDMI is that it is a copy-protected transmission medium -- in addition to the audio/video signal, an HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Copy Protection) signal is added. Some televisions will only accept a 1080p signal over HDMI, and Blu-Ray will only do 1080p through HDMI.

The HDM spec has gone through a few revisions that added some new features. In the latest revision (HDMI 1.3), a wider color space or "Deep Color" specification has been implemented, moving color support from 8 bit to 16 bit. A smaller connector variation was added and the speed increased far beyond what current video formats require. Support was also added for a couple of lossless HD audio formats, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio(TM), enhancing its audio abilities.

These are all great improvements, but the ability to take advantage of them rests solely with the television, and sources, in question. Deep Color is currently only supported by some HD camcorders, and nothing currently takes advantage of the speed boost. However, some sources may do so in the near future. With that in mind, even if the extra features aren't really put to use yet, HDMI 1.3 is good for the sake of future-proofing.

No matter what type of connection you use, the most important factor is the quality of the signal conversion, either in the display or content player. If a DVD player cannot handle up-conversion from its native 480p signal to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, your picture will suffer. The television's video processing must also be up to the task. The best policy here is to test these types of connections in the store. Most electronics stores will be more than happy to accommodate your requests.

Outputs: Audio

Most likely, the selection of televisions you look at will have a few options in this category. You will have the classic red/white analog stereo connections, but if you are going for a surround sound setup that's not going to cut it. You'll want to use either HDMI or a TOSLINK optical connection. Both are digital mediums and both handle all surround sound needs you will come across. Again, just be sure to check your sources to confirm that they support these connections. Your speakers are really important for a great surround sound experience as well, but that is another topic for another day.

Special Features

Think of these as fringe benefits when choosing a new HD television. One is a set of features from different manufacturers that will allow you to control certain sources over HDMI to make your life easier. Sony's Bravia Link, for example, powers on your DVD player and opens the tray for you when you switch to the correct HDMI source -- this is a nice little perk for owning compatible Sony devices.

Many LCD displays are offering LED backlighting as an option on traditionally CCFL backlit televisions. The backlighting technique is intended to offer a more even lighting across the entire panel, and can increase the black level performance by using selective backlighting. I haven't seen this in action yet, but it seems to be gaining a lot of ground with those who have. You'll pay a premium for it, so make sure you 'need' it before blindly deciding.

Another feature that has been gaining popularity and availability is 120Hz image processing. Sony calls it MotionFlow, Samsung calls it Auto Motion Plus, but they all boil down to the same thing. Turning this feature on is supposed to give you a smoother picture because the screen displays 120 frames per second, as opposed to the current standard of 60 frames per second. The video processor interpolates what information should be present in an intermediate frame. This results in a much smoother image display. The other bonus is that 120 is equally divisible by 24 (film frame rate) and 60 (most digital content), so you get an even number of frames each second in both formats, resulting in an elimination of jitter created by uneven conversions. I have seen this on three separate TVs and it makes a huge difference to me, especially during Blu-Ray playback. Other folks I have talked to have not been able to notice a difference. Once again, your judgment supersedes anyone else's, so go check it out for yourself.

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Page 1: Introduction, Types of HDTVs Compared, and Potential Sources
Page 2: Shopping Tip, Technical Specifications to Consider
Page 3: Inputs, Outputs, and Special Features
Page 4: Installation Concerns and Conclusion

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1 User Comment

1 - Posted by Rick on November 28, 2008 - 8:04 am

Nice article! Thanks for the information...

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