Your Audio/Video Questions Answered Here!: What is the best brand of TV to buy?

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

What is the best brand of TV to buy?

I don't endorse any particular brand. According to Consumer Reports, Sony and Samsung are the best ... generally speaking. Other good brands include, Panasonic, Phillips, Toshiba, and Pioneer. The March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports contains a very detailed list. If you are a member of ConsumerReports.org, you can view the ratings here. There are also many free websites that rate TVs. Type 'HDTV Ratings' in your favorite search engine.

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Glossary

1080p - "True HD" The number 1080 represents horizontal lines of resolution. In other words, how many lines of pixels run across the width of the screen starting at the top and moving to the bottom. Kind of like the way you read a book. The bigger the number the better! As far as the letter after the number goes, it represents how the lines are scanned. A "p" designation (progressive) means that lines are scanned in order from top to bottom, left to right. An "i" designation (interlaced) means that lines are scanned in alternating order. In other words, the odd numbered lines are scanned followed by the even numbered lines. Bottom line ... "p" is better.

480p - 480 lines of horizontal resolution. Progressive scan. DVD Quality. (see 1080p definition)

720p - 720 lines of horizontal resolution. Progressive Scan. Considered the "minimum" quality for HDTV. (see 1080p definition)

ATSC - The (Advanced Television Systems Committee) documented digital television format that will replace the analog NTSC standard on June 12, 2009.

Blu-ray - Derived from the blue laser that is used to read these discs Blu-ray is a High-density optical disc, similar to a DVD, that is able to store 5-10x that amount of data that a DVD can store. This translates to higher video quality on your TV. Blu-ray is 1080p while DVD is 480p or 480i. Click here for more info.

Component Video - An analog Video source that is split up into 3 separate "components" in order to cut down on interference. The most common example of this in the A/V world is called Y/Pb/Pr. Y is the luminance (brightness) and sync component and also carries the green color. Pb and Pr stand for Blue and Red respectively. When Red, Green, and Blue, are combined the signal can make any color it wants on your TV. This is the red, green and blue on a DVD player. Click here for more info.

Composite Video - A single signal that carries sync, color and luminance all in one wire. This is the yellow cable on the VCR, and is the lowest quality out there (typically 200-300i).

HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface - This is the ultimate in HDTV cables. It carries both the video and audio signals, and is capable of 1080p.

HDTV - High-Definition Television - A digital television (ATSC) format with resolutions up to 1080p.

NTSC - The (National Television System Committee) analog television system that is used in the Americas, and many of the Pacific island nations. This system has now been largely replaced by ATSC in the U.S.A.

S-Video - Separate Video - Also known as Y/C S-Video is an analog Video source that is split up into 2 "separate" signals in order to cut down on interference. One signal is luminance (Y) which represents brightness. The other signal is Chroma (C) which represents Color. Typically used for DVD connection to SDTV for 480i resolution. Click here for more info.

SDTV - Standard-Definition Television - A digital television (ATSC) format with a horizontal resolution of 480i.

Your Audio/Video Questions Answered Here!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

What is the best brand of TV to buy?

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