What do all the acronyms and specifications mean? What’s a 1080p? Who’s 780i? 60Hz, 120Hz or 240Hz? What’s the difference between LCD, DLP and Plasma, and why should you care?
With the proliferation of TV features today, the landscape is more confusing than ever. Even though “flat-screen” TV has been in home for over 10 years now, the variety can be bewildering. Let's start with what you want in a TV.
Bright color? Plasma gives good color, but it comes at a cost in weight and energy. LCD/LED screens are bright, but still somewhat more expensive, and straight LCD screens can range in quality from mediocre to pretty darn good.
Then there's the matter of 60Hz (standard refresh rate, till recently), 120 Hz vs. 240 Hz. What do these mean, exactly?
Screen Size: Although we may be ego-driven to buy the largest TV we can afford, this may not be the best move you can make. A too-large screen in a too-small room can be uncomfortable and even difficult to watch.
You'd need 5 to 10 feet from a 40-inch screen, for instance, for your best viewing pleasure. A general guideline goes something like this: just multiply the size of the screen by two – a 40-inch screen is good at a distance
of around 80 inches, or 6 and a half feet or more. Obviously, this isn't cut-and-dried, but a guideline.
Contrast Ratio: Contrast ratio refers to the brightest and darkest light values a display can produce at the same time. All else being equal, the higher the contrast ratio is, the better the quality is. Mind you, pumping up light output for brighter
colors is fine, but without deep, rich blacks for them to show against, there's no picture. Since there's no true standard, take manufacturer claims with a grain of salt and look for yourself for a picture that meets YOUR needs in
all light conditions.
Video Inputs: The number and type of video inputs determine which sources you can use with the display. From the basic Composite video that we've been used to for years, through S-Video, Component Video, VGA, DVI or HDMI, it's
best to find a TV with both the largest number and widest variety of inputs to accommodate the variety of video and even computer connections you'll want to make. HDMI is the preferred connection method for HD systems, for clarity and a
clean signal. It also helps simplify your connections by needing only one cable necessary for both audio and video data.
Refresh rate: Refresh rate refers to the number of times per second a new image displays on the screen. The standard refresh rate for television in North America is 60 times per second, or 60 Hz (hertz), and until fairly recently that was it. Now, however, many high-end LCD HDTVs offer a 120-Hz and even a 240-Hz refresh rate. Usually the TV set achieves the higher rate by interpolating new frames between the ones that are broadcast. To be sure, most folks won't notice the difference between 120-Hz and 240-Hz. The human eye just isn't normally that perceptive. While the difference between 60-Hz and 120-Hz IS more apparent, the 60-Hz screen can still offer a great viewing experience.
The meteoric rise in flat-panel television sales has brought big-screen HDTV home to millions. Many of those households are missing out on the other half of the experience. To complete your home theater systems, you need to complement
your video with an investment in audio. Why?
Surround for Movies: Today's movies have surround sound encoded into their soundtracks. The purpose of surround sound is similar to that of a big picture. By dominating the senses, it suspends disbelief and pulls you more deeply into a
cinematic story. This can make movies scarier, funnier, or more moving.
Surround for Television: Like movies, high-def TV programs often have surround sound encoded into their soundtracks. With primetime dramas, surround works the same way as in movies, pulling you into the story. With sporting events,
it puts you in the heart of the crowd. With late-night talk shows and Saturday Night Live, it gives you the same immersive feel as being in the studio audience.
Surround for Music: High-resolution audio formats such as Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio (DVD-A) require a high-quality audio system to sound their best. Concert videos delivered via Blu-ray, DVD, or HDTV broadcasting may have high-quality soundtracks encoded in Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, or other formats that would benefit from a good system.
TV Speakers vs. Add-On Audio Components: TV speakers are only for watching the news and other talking-heads material. To get the best out of movies and primetime programming, you’ll to switch to a higher-quality audio system.
Multi-Purpose vs. Dedicated Room: Most people will want to fit their audio and video gear into a room that can also be used for other purposes—for example, playing children, entertaining guests, or just relaxing. The room must be
available for all these things, though the scale of the system may vary according to room size and taste. Those who want a true movie-theater experience will go for a dedicated screening room with dark walls, fixed seating, and cutting-edge gear. This is not to
say you can't get a great home theater experience in your living room, however. It just takes examining the capability of the components to ensure they'll do what you need them to.
HTiB vs. Receiver vs. Separates: Home-theater-in-a-box (HTiB) systems are suitable only for smaller rooms and more general use. They always include speaker packages plus amplification and sometimes include a built-in disc player.
For a medium-sized room, build your system around an audio/video receiver with surround capability. For a large and/or dedicated room and the ultimate in performance, split the receiver's functions into an outboard power amp and surround preamp-processor
to obtain the maximum in power, dynamics, and realism.
You'll hear lots of confusing terms about "channels" of sound, and may wonder how you can have "7.1" sound channels. How can you have a tenth of a channel. Thankfully, we can explain.
An audio-for-video system should have at least two channels and can have as many as seven plus a subwoofer channel (that's where the ".1" comes in). Which configuration is right for you?
7.1 Channels:
This is the configuration for maximum surround sound coverage and is best for large rooms. It has three speakers in front, two side-surround speakers alongside the seating area, and two back-surround
speakers behind the seating area. The center speaker is mainly for dialogue, while the others generate a soundfield that immerses the listener.
5.1 Channels:
This configuration is the minimum for cinematic surround sound, the standard for high-resolution multi-channel music, and works in any kind of room. It eliminates the back-surrounds, leaving three
speakers in front, two side-surrounds, and a subwoofer.
2.1 Channels:
This configuration is stereo enhanced with a subwoofer. It is suitable for small rooms and any other spaces where surround speakers would seem intrusive. You'll miss out on the surround soundtracks
encoded into movies, TV, and music, but in lieu of a front-to-back soundfield, you can still have a side-to-side soundstage with lateral panning. And the presence of a subwoofer will still provide powerful
bass effects and a meaty drum sound.
2.0 Channels:
Better known as plain, old stereo, this configuration uses large speakers with extended bass response and suitably powerful amplification. With high-end components, the system can offer a combination
of realism and power. It is more suitable for music than movies but can handle both.
So you see, your audio is almost as important as video for bringing you the full pleasure of your modern video system. With a little reading, and some decisions to be made about what you need, want, and can
afford, Newegg stands ready to help you build the best possible system for your home.
Blu-ray players are nearly essential for getting the most out of your high-definition home theater system. As the surviving successor to the DVD format, Blu-ray is equipped to give you the best picture for your flat-screen HDTV. Some of them even offer web connectivity, audio/video streaming capability, and disc changers with robust disc handling. Some can up-sample your DVDs to offer limited improvements in your picture quality from them. To transmit that quality, Blu-ray players send their video to the system through the HDMI connection for best resolution, low-
noise signals. Many players are now also equipped to work with services such as Netflix®, YouTube™, and PandoraSM. Some manufacturers also include widgets that can display customized information such as
news and weather updates on your HDTV screen.
In short, a number of manufacturers make fine Blu-ray players, and with more and more of your favorite shows and movies being released on Blu-ray, and almost all new material coming out on Blu-ray as well
as DVD, you have a wealth of media to choose from!
Media Players:
Designed to offer HD playback from all your digital files, hard drives, flash drives and the like, these versatile devices usually also support network streaming and will help you browse for shared files on your network.
Put the pictures from your latest vacation on your TV! Watch movies streaming from digital sources! Turn your TV into a true multimedia center.
"Sling" Boxes:
"Slingbox". Not a very informative description, right? Well, that's why we're here: to tell you what it is and why you should consider buying it. The idea is to let you stream high definition video where you want to watch it,
not where it happens to be. Most will let you plug in multiple devices and watch your video anywhere on your LAN intranet, or with sufficiently fast connections, upload it to the Internet, and view it anywhere in the world
that you can connect to the 'net from while traveling. Only you can view your own stream, so you avoid copyright issues and media rights problems. This is truly a useful device for the traveler or "time-shifter" who watches
shows or movies other than when they air.
Remote Controls:
With the rise in the number of electronic devices in your home theater system, you run into issues of juggling different remote controls for your TV, Cable or Satellite box, Blu-Ray Player, Game System, Audio System, and on,
and on . . . and you never will seem to get your hands on the right control at the right time. You may want to consider getting a "Universal" Remote, which can be programmed to control all of your equipment. Check carefully,
though, to make sure that the Universal Remote you purchase IS truly compatible with all of your various systems, or you could wind up being even more frustrated.
Wall-Mount Brackets:
The new, thinner displays offer the chance to mount your screen to a convenient wall. To that end, several manufacturers offer brackets to be mounted to those walls and some of them even let you angle the set in different
directions for an optimum view. Things to consider: Is it rated to carry the weight of your screen? Can you mount it to the wall, to studs behind the wall or is there some other procedure required? Does it offer the angled
view, and/or do you need that? Choose carefully, and consider getting professional installation, to be sure it's done right.
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