Q: What size screen should I get for my room, and how far away should I sit for the best picture?
A: It depends on how big your room is. For a bedroom, kitchen, or office, where you'll probably be pretty close to the TV, you can go with a relatively small screen: 32" or even 26". But for the main TV in your living room or home theater, we recommend getting the largest screen that fits your budget and room. That's based on our own experiences and on feedback from our customers.
Sitting too far away from a smallish screen will reduce the impact and immediacy of the viewing experience. On the other hand, if you're too close to a large screen, you may be distracted by the screen's pixel structure. Compared to conventional tube TVs, digital HDTVs have higher-resolution screens (and more space-efficient cabinets) that let you put a larger set in your room and/or sit much closer.
High-quality video material like DVDs and HDTV programs look amazing on these new TVs. But some people also find that noise and distortion in lower-quality analog signals (like standard broadcast and cable) are exposed and magnified. That's why our viewing distance chart (below) offers a range for each screen size. If most of your viewing is DVD-quality or better, you'll see more details by sitting closer. If you watch more regular (non-HD) video, sit farther back for a smoother picture.
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Q: What else should I be aware of when placing my TV?
A: Along with viewing distance, consider viewing height. Ideally, your eyes should be about level with the middle of the screen when you're seated in your normal viewing position. This is especially important for rear-projection TVs since their pictures will look most vivid at this level. We carry a wide selection of TV stands designed to support flat-panel and tabletop rear-projection TVs and raise them to the correct viewing height.
Lighting in your room is another factor that affects your TV's picture. If you do much daytime viewing, daylight shining in through your windows can wash out your TV's picture and also create reflections on the screen. When watching TV at night, lamps and overhead lights can cause similar problems, although they're usually not as severe. You may find that watching with the lights dimmed enhances picture quality.
Q: What's this 2009 "analog cutoff" I keep hearing about, and will it affect me?
A: A government mandate requires that all full-power TV stations stop broadcasting analog signals and switch to 100% digital broadcasting by February 17, 2009. This digital transition will primarily affect the 15-20 million TV viewers who rely on local over-the-air broadcasts received via antenna. (The 85% of viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite TV shouldn't experience any interruption in those services. If necessary, your service provider will supply a digital set-top box that will work with your TV. )
For continued reception after the 2009 cutoff, all old-fashioned TVs (those with an analog-only tuner) will need to be connected to a digital-to-analog converter box, or replaced by a new TV with a built-in digital tuner. These converter boxes are expected to sell for $50 - $70, and you'll be able to buy them starting in February or March, 2008. You can reduce the cost significantly by taking advantage of the government's coupon program.
Q: What is the difference between an "HDTV" and an "HDTV-ready" TV?
A: Originally, an HDTV was defined as having a tuner capable of receiving HD signals, a screen with the wide 16:9 aspect ratio, and the ability to display at least 720 lines of vertical resolution.
An HDTV-ready TV is not capable of receiving HDTV broadcasts on its own and must be connected to a separate HD tuner to view high-def broadcasts (HDTV-ready TVs may include a regular NTSC tuner for receiving analog broadcasts, or they may be tunerless "monitors"). As of March 1, 2007, any TV with a built-in tuner shipped to the U.S. had to include a tuner for receiving digital over-the-air broadcasts.
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Q: What are my choices when it comes to HDTVs?
A: Most of us grew up watching TVs with picture tubes inside, but the major TV makers have almost completely eliminated tube HDTVs. The current crop of HDTVs are based on various digital display technologies. These TVs cost more than plain old tube TVs did, but they can do a lot more, and they come in much larger screen sizes — and they continue to get better and cheaper.
When you're shopping, you'll find three basic HDTV categories:
Flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs are extremely popular due to their thin designs and crisp, vivid picture quality. For tips on which type would work best for you.
Rear-projection TVs have also made the switch from picture tubes to digital technologies like DLP, LCD, and LCoS. In today's market, rear-projection TVs are great values, costing much less than same-sized flat-panel models. For an in-depth look at these new, slimmer microdisplay rear-projection models.
Digital projectors have grown more popular recently, in part because HDTV's remarkable picture clarity and detail make it possible to enjoy larger images than ever before — up to 10 feet across or even bigger.
Q: I'm interested in a flat-panel LCD or plasma TV. How do I decide which type is right for me?
A: Flat-panel TVs are extremely popular due both to their elegantly thin designs and sharp, vivid picture quality. Flat-panel advantages include wide viewing angles, a bright picture that can overcome room lights or daylight, and dependable, long-lasting screens.
Q: What's involved in wall-mounting a flat-panel TV? Can I do it myself?
A: Most people who want a flat-panel TV mounted on a wall are after an uncluttered, elegant look. Achieving that means not only installing a wall-mount bracket to hold the TV, but also hiding the power and signal cables running to the TV. If you're comfortable with household tasks like mounting shelving and installing new light fixtures, you can probably handle wall-mounting a TV.
Q: What is 1080p, and do I really need it?
A: 1080p is currently the highest HDTV screen resolution available, with 1920 x 1080 pixels and progressive scanning (see "i" vs. "p" question below). Since 1080p is higher than either of the broadcast HD formats (1080i and 720p) it means you can enjoy full picture resolution for all your video sources; the TV won't have to "downconvert" the signal and sacrifice detail. At this point, references to 1080p are mainly about TVs, since the only 1080p video sources are high-definition disc players (Blu-ray and HD DVD).
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Q: What do the "i" and "p" mean in picture resolution numbers?
A: The "i" and "p" refer to the video frame rate, where "i" stands for interlaced-scan and "p" stands for progressive-scan. These terms originated when all TVs used picture tubes, and images were "scanned" — painted across the screen line by line. Interlaced-scan images required two passes to create a complete video frame, while progressive-scan displayed the entire frame with just one pass (see illustration below). The frame rate for interlaced video is 30 frames per second while progressive-scan video is usually 60 frames per second.
Q: I have an HDTV, so whenever the "Available in HD" logo appears on the screen, I'm seeing a high-definition picture, right?
A: No, unfortunately it's not that simple. What that on-screen logo means is that if you have a high-definition TV that is receiving a high-definition signal, you'll be seeing HD. Sources of high-def programming include digital over-the-air broadcasts, and select cable and satellite channels.
Q: Primetime shows in high-def look great on my HDTV, but when my local news comes on, the picture isn't as sharp, and it's not widescreen. Why is that?
A: What you're seeing is the difference between high-definition and standard-definition digital broadcasts. At this point, relatively few local TV stations are producing their own shows in high-definition. It's common for stations to show daytime programs in SD (480i or 480p), and primetime network shows in HD (720p or 1080i).
Most HDTVs provide channel ID information, including resolution and aspect ratio. HD programs will be labeled "1080i/16:9" or "720p/16:9," while standard-definition shows are generally "480i/4:3." Usually, 480i over-the-air signals look sharper and clearer than standard satellite and cable TV signals, but they definitely don't have the same detail and depth as high-def.
