Unlike standard TVs, High Definition TVs aren’t standardized. When you buy a standard TV, you only consider price and size. In our parents’ time, you also had the option between color and black and white TVs (strange and archaic as it may sound to our children).

In any case, the quality of the image wasn’t in question. In fact, “quality of image” means “size of the screen” when you’re dealing with standard TVs.

Not so with High Definition TVs. Each manufacturer produces High Definition TVs that work in similar but different ways. That’s why you get specs that say 1080i when they talk about their image resolution.

If you don’t know much about High Definition TV technology, you might decide to ignore these specifications and just buy a HD TV of a size that you like. However, if you want to know what these specs are, here I’ll explain them a bit.

Let’s start with the letters p and i. These refer to the scanning method of the HD TV. The scanning method is the way the HD TV displays the image on the screen.

A few years ago, the amount that could be sent over cables or transmission wasn’t as big. This meant that the quality of the image suffered because not much information could be sent.

As a way to solve this, engineers came up with an original idea. Instead of sending the whole image, broadcasters would send only half of it at a time. So, you actually got only half of the video broadcasted at the same time. The other half would be broadcasted a few fractions of a second later and the cycle would repeat itself. Because you can’t detect images sent at fractions of a second, you don’t notice that part of the screen is static while the other part changes. This technology is called interlaced video and is referred by i.

As technology advanced, the amount of video that could be sent (especially by making it digital) improved. No longer did you have to send half after half of the screen. You could now send the whole screen at once. This is called progressive scanning and is represented by a p.

However, while progressive scan is superior, the difference is only noticeable if you have two screens side by side with objects moving really fast. Otherwise, any of these will certainly look much better than any standard TV display.

Anyway, I’m not going to talk about video game console wars in this article. I prefer the PlayStation 3, although I understand why some people prefer the Xbox 360 (which I own as well). To be honest, I don’t care about the Nintendo Wii, but I understand that its motion focus and its exclusive games have created a fan base.

No, this is not an article about which video game console is better. It’s an article about which console is the best for a HD TV, and the answer, my friends, without any questions, is the Playstation 3.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. The Wii, for all its tricks, is not an image driven video game console. If moving things to see them move on the screen is your thing, then yes, the Nintendo Wii is the best console for you. But if you want to watch amazing graphics that make the most of your HD TV, then look somewhere else. Oh, and the Wii doesn’t play any kind of movies either.

This leaves us with two candidates: the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. They are both powerhouses that are capable of great graphics. However, in case you don’t remember, when they came out, each one bet their future on a type of High Definition format for playing movies.

The Xbox 360 bet on the HD DVD format, while the PlayStation 3 bet on Blu Ray technology. At the time, it was uncertain which of them would win out in the end. Today we know the answer: the Blu Ray.

Most people don’t want to spend money on a movie player if they have a video game console that plays movies. If you have an Xbox 360, then you’ll have to buy a Blu Ray player to watch new movies. If you own a Playstation 3, you can use it to watch them. It’s as simple as that.

Of course, there are many other factors when buying a video console, and that’s whey the console wars keep going on, but if you’re planning to get a console that makes the best of your HD TV, then the Playstation 3 is the way to go.

Nevertheless, when it comes to buying an HDTV, many people get baffled by the technical specifications. What does 11920×1080p25 mean? And is it better than a HD TV that is 1080i30? Does it matter?

Aside from the ones that actually like getting into specification, most people ignore what these parameters mean, and which ones are better. Some of them just get the biggest HD TV they can afford. Others think that bigger numbers mean a better HDTV. Some just get the cheapest HDTV they can get for a specific size.

In reality, the best HD TV is the one that suits your needs better. But in order to shade some light about the nature of HD TVs, let’s study one parameter in particular: the scanning system of a HD TV.

The scanning system is one of the most obscure (for the regular person) specs of a HD TV. There are two systems, progressive scan and interlaced video. The reason why scanning systems are so obscure is because they are usually represented by a single letter: p for progressive scan, and i for interlaced video.

And what are progressive scan and interlaced video? They are the ways that your HD TV uses to render images. Of the two, interlaced video is the oldest technology.

Imagine a page from a notebook with horizontal lines. Now number those lines from 1 to 20 and imagine that’s your screen. A while ago, the information you could send at a time (bandwidth) was more limited that it is today. So, in order to save it, not all lines were broadcasted at the same time. First, only odd lines were broadcasted, then, a fraction of a second later, even lines were broadcasted. This allowed a good image without increasing bandwidth by much.

Then, when bandwidth was improved through digital compression, progressive scan came to be. In this case, ALL lines are displayed at the same time. This allows for a much better image, especially when dealing with movement.

So, all other factors remaining equal, progressive scan is better than interlaced video. Of course, that’s just one factor among many. But at least you know now what the p in 1080p means.

Since they require an investment, sometimes parents find it difficult to make the jump from a standard television to a HD one. In these cases, a better or bigger image is sometimes not enough to justify the expense. However, there are other factors to consider.

One of them is Blu-Ray technology. Without going into technical details, I’ll just mention that Blu-Ray technology is a format that allows movies to be recorded and played on high definition. And in case you were wondering, yes, “blu” is a reference to the blue color of the laser that is used to read Blu-Ray discs.  Blue Ray DVDs have amazing video quality that changes the way you see video.

Also, in case you weren’t aware of, Blu-Ray technology was in a war with HD DVD technology not long ago. It was a war that Blu-Ray won, when Warner decided to stop issuing movies in HD DVD technology. After that, all other entertainment companies followed suit.

But what does it mean for you? Well, for once, if you want to see movies in a high definition, then Blu-Ray is the only way to go. And the only way to really take advantage of the quality of image that Blu-Ray offers, is to get a high definition TV.

If you like video games as well, there’s another way you can get both experiences in a single machine. Just get a Playstation 3. Aside from the great array of video games it has, like the Final Fantasy series, the video game console doubles as a Blu-Ray player. So, you can play video games and watch Blu-Ray movies on a single machine. Of course, you can still watch regular DVDs on the PS3 if you want, but then you probably have a DVD player for that.

Even with all that, let’s say that you’re still not convinced. Let’s say that you don’t play video games. Let’s say that you’re happy with your current DVD player for the movies that you want to see and that you see little motivation in spending the money on a HD TV or a Blu-Ray payer.

I then suggest one last option. Watch a whole Blu-Ray movie on someone else’s HD TV. If possible, with the sound coming from a stereo. You can then make a decision.

These people do not only lack a way of watching regular TV in their houses, but in most cases, they go out of their way to avoid watching TV in other places, for example, when they visit friends or family.

Why do they avoid TV? Well, there are several reasons. Some thing local programs are bad, others think the news are biased, etc. But they have a new way of entertainment that they find much more interesting, diverse, and unbiased: the Internet.

As you know, the Internet is the vastest source of information in the world. You can read news, participate in forums, chat with your friends, and yes, even watch TV programs. It’s not a surprise that people are turning their TV off and turning their computers on.

In this context, people who have HD TVs have started to connect them to their computer instead. And while most computers come with a monitor, when there’s a need to replace it, people are getting HD TVs instead. In fact, there are some who buy a CPU and a HD TV directly.

The experience you get is a completely different one. First of all, your eyes will thank you. Everything will be easier to see and read. Even if you use an application that isn’t graphic intense, like a forum or a chat room, reading the text is much easier and pleasant. No more eye straining to see what the small font says.

And of course, if you need good graphics or image handling, the difference in image quality is immense. After playing a video game on a HD TV, it’s almost impossible to go back and play it in a regular monitor. Watch a HD video on Youtube and you won’t be able to enjoy it in a lower resolution again.

And that’s just the beginning. Many activities that used to be done “offline” are now being done on the Internet: banking, newspaper reading, shopping, long distance calls, etc. With the possibility of having a good resolution for a bit more of the price, who doesn’t want a HD TV as a monitor?

Instead, if you’re lucky, you will work in several companies during your career. And more likely than not, at some point, you’ll either end up working on your own at home or working for a company… from your home (hopefully not during weekends, but it happens).

Working from home might be more comfortable, but it isn’t easier or takes less time. In fact, if you work on your own, you’ll likely spend even MORE time in front of a monitor than if you work for someone else, since the more you work, the more you earn.

With so much time being spent in front of a monitor, why not get the best one? Buying a HDTV to be used as a monitor isn’t really more expensive than a regular monitor, and the quality of the image is much better. This is even more useful if you work in an area that deals heavily with images, like graphic design or web page building, where you really want details to stand out.

There’s also the matter of your eyesight. As every person knows, seeing a monitor (HD, TV, or regular computer monitor) very close will affect your eyesight on the long run. That’s yet another reason to buy the best one you can afford. You really don’t want to spend 8 hours a day straining your eyes because you can’t make out what the small text on a license agreement says. In addition, even if you “save” money on a cheaper, but of less quality monitor, you’ll end up spending that money on eyeglasses anyway.

Finally, using a HD TV as a computer monitor will enhance almost any experience with your computer. While reading e-mails and writing reports will still be boring, you’ll definitely see a difference when you play video games or watch a DVE on your HDTV. Even videos like the ones you will find in youtube will look much better.

And of course, you can still use your HD TV to watch TV if you want. All it takes is pressing a button to change the signal and that’s it.

These digital worlds are stunning, with scenes that can easily pass for a high budget movie for the casual viewer. However, for these effects to be impressive, a person needs a good HDTV. Otherwise, the impressive snow mountain and its wind currents becomes a black and white triangle that shakes a bit.

This is no small matter. Part of the appeal of certain games is the attention of detail that makes them look realistic or impressive. For example, driving games now allow you to see how the painting on your car shines. And the most advanced ones can actually show the reflection on their windows of the things that it passes by, giving the impression that the car is actually going through a course, rather than being just a model on a digital arena. Without a HD TV, this effect is greatly lost.

And I’m not only talking about aesthetics here. Having a good display can actually improve gameplay. Let’s take a videogame that uses two displays, like Dynasty Warriors 6. It has a display that occupies the whole screen, where you can see your warrior battling hundreds of soldiers, and a small display that shows the map and the direction your warrior is moving. Now, if you are using a HDTV, there is nothing worth noticing. However, if you are using a regular TV, good luck trying to see the tiny, blurry map without straining your eyes. And that’s not the only example. There are several games that have white or small text that is incredibly difficult to read without a high definition display.

Lastly, at this moment, there aren’t games that require you to have a HDTV to play them, but that’s not a guarantee that this won’t change in the future. After all, in some countries, TV is only broadcasted in HD, so don’t be surprised if in the near future, your favorite videogame comes with a sticker that says “needs a HD TV to be played.”

• Measuring the space where the HD TV will be. When people think of a new HD TV, they think “bigger.” However, it’s surprising how many people just assume that they will place their new HD TV in the same place where they had their old TV. The result? Many times, it doesn’t fit. This is especially true if they want to place it in an entertainment center that has a place for a TV. Most likely the entertainment center was bought to accommodate their old TV, but with the years, people get so used to think of it as the “TV place” and just figure they will put their new TV there. A less frequent case is a supporting piece of furniture that for some reason can’t handle the new TV and has to be replaced.

So, in order to avoid last minute surprises, take a measuring tape and see how much space you really have before buying your HD TV.

• Taking into account the number and type of devices that will be connected to the HD TV. HD TVs are popular because you can connect to them some devices that you can’t connect to a regular TV, or because you get a much better experience with those that you can connect to a regular TV. If you plan to connect your Xbox, your Playstation 1, 2, and 3, your Nintendo Wii, your old VCR and your DVD player (in addition to your regular antenna, of course), then you might run out of connectors. You’ll be forced to connect and disconnect cables if you want to play a specific game. If you have your HD TV mounted on a wall, this makes it difficult and inconvenient. Alternatively, you can just avoid using some devices, which means the money you invested on them will be a waste.

The solution? Make a list of all the devices that you really plan to use, in order of priority. For example, most people will prefer to connect a DVD player before a VHS player. You can also reduce the number of connectors needed by seeing which devices can do more than one function. For example, the PS3 can play blu ray discs, and the Xbox 360 can play DVDs, so that’s two devices less to worry about. Finally, take note of what type of connectors you need and check that the HD TV you want has them or that you can get an adaptor.

What is a High-definition television (HDTV)?

High-definition television (HDTV) is a digital television broadcasting system with a significantly higher resolution than traditional formats (NTSC, SECAM, PAL). While some early analog HDTV formats were broadcast in Europe and Japan, HDTV is usually broadcast digitally, because digital television (DTV) broadcasting requires much less bandwidth. HDTV technology was first introduced in the US during the 1990s by a group of electronics companies called the Digital HDTV Grand Alliance.

The History of High Def  TVs

High-Definition television was first developed by Nippon H?s? Ky?kai, and was unveiled in 1969. However, the system did not become mainstream until the late 1990s.

In the early 2000s, a number of high-definition television standards were competing for the still-developing niche markets.

Three HDTV standards are currently defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R BT.709). They include 1080i (1,080 actively interlaced lines), 1080p (1,080 progressively scanned lines), and 720p (720 progressively scanned lines). All standards use a 16:9 aspect ratio, leading many consumers to the incorrect conclusion of equating widescreen television with HDTV. All current HDTV broadcasting standards are encompassed within the DVB specification.

HDTV is also capable of “theater-quality” audio because it uses the Dolby Digital (AC-3) format to support “5.1″ surround sound. It should be noted that while HDTV is more like a theater in quality than conventional television, 35 mm and 70 mm film projectors used in theaters still have the highest resolution and best viewing quality on very large screens. Many HDTV programs are produced from movies on film as well as content shot in HD video.

The term “high-definition” can refer to the resolution specifications themselves, or more loosely to media capable of similar sharpness, such as photographic film and digital video. As of July 2007, HDTV saturation in the US has reached 30% – in other words, three out of every ten American households own at least one HDTV. However, only 44% of those that do own an HDTV are actually receiving HDTV programming, as many consumers are not aware that they must obtain special receivers to receive HDTV from cable or satellite, or use ATSC tuners to receive over-the-air broadcasts; others may not even know what HDTV is.