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I tried my best to type this up in MS Word 02.
What is SDTV and HDTV??
This is a short one, but I hope to go into more detail at a later date hopefully. Well first SD TV as most of you know is known as Single Definition.
And well most SD TV's have Cathode Ray Tube in them which have lasted a long time for most people, plus most Plasmas still sold are still SD TVs but not HD. So if your looking to buy a Plasma TV, do your research. Because most still have burn in and do not last as long as HD LCD TVs, then again SD TVs still show SD TV programs and channels better then HD TVs.
But you can still get HD Plasma TVs, but they cost more then the SD Plasma TVs of course. Anyway back onto the main thing about SD TVs and what it is?
Well SD TVs are the TVs running SD Digital signals at the moment as well as non SD Digital signals, and SD is something called 480p which is the amount of lines in has in a broadcast or recording. Plus most of the cameras in most broadcasts at the moment in the UK are only built for SD TV broadcasts and recordings.
But the older SD Signals and broadcasts had less lines while being less compact for less detail, but when 480p did come around just after colour TVs. The lines were compacted so they could fit more lines in, which gave better broadcasting and recording signals.
But SD cameras do cost less then HD cameras, but give it time and costs will come down. Also 480p is 640x480. Now onto HD-TV, most of you know BBC will start moving to better digital known by some.
And if you think SD TVs will be able to go to this better digital signals, well SD TVs will not be able to run the better digital signals are 2008 and upwards. Because better digital signals will free up extra broadcasting space, but will be HDTV.
By 2011 no SD TV will be in the shops to buy, and thats when the big move plans have been fully completed. And when BBC starts filming all shows in HDTV, some BBC programs are filmed in HDTV.
But the picture goodness is downgraded for SD TVs as well, but dont worry people wanting to watch HDTV can either move out of England to either Asia or USA. Or wait till Sky HD comes out in May, which will cost most likely £9.99 a month.
While allowing the Sky + recording feature, so if anyone still has VCR. Its time to start transferring those VCR tapes to DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD+ or DVD-R as well as many other DVD formats..
Or you could wait till the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray recorders come out, but if your planning to record HD-TV in its fullness. You could either do any of these 3 things, first try and record the shows to your PC, which will need a TV capture card.
While needing either a:
Blu-Ray Recorder
Or even a HD-DVD Recorder for your PC. Next thing you could do is buy Sky HD, which will have the Sky + feature. Which is one of the easy ways, which involves finding the HD program in your Sky guide?
Then press the record button, after you do that. Just wait for it to start recording. After that it will start recording in MPEG4 to a 300GB HDD most likely. You should also be able to select record in 720p or 1080i.
And the 3rd way is well first buy Sky HD or even get any of the other HD set top boxes. And then buy a HD-DVD recorder or a Blu-Ray recorder.
But if you think DVD recorders will be able to record in HD, well you better not. Because youre most likely be able to record like only 10-30mins. While not having, the full goodness.
But if you do go to the Sky HD route your need £300 just for the box. Oh and I forgot if you live in London, you could just do the BBC HD trials which would allow you to watch the World Cup 2006 in HD.
Another thing HD set top boxes should allow you to watch SD digital channels as well, there will be Free View HD coming out. Right back into more detail of what HD-TV is, well its better then 480p (480 lines). Because it makes the lines more compact and smaller, this allows crisper and sharper detail. While allowing more lines, in either of these HD formats:
720p (720 lines)
1080i (1080 lines)
1080p Not out yet but will have 1080 lines but in crisper detail.
Also 720p is 1360x768, 1080i is 1600x1200. And 1080p is 2000x1000.
Now onto what cables can do HD, first VGA. Yes so your monitor is most likely can show HD, next cable is component. This is like RGB, but is way better. While allowing it to show:
720p and 1080i
Next is DVi most of the graphics cards ever made allow DVi, also LCD and TFT monitors allow this. But talking about LCD if your going to buy a LCD HD-TV, and get one with 8Ms refresh rate or lower.
Most HD-TVs also have DVi with them, which is best used with your PC for like showing video games from it. As well as other stuff, and the next one is HDMI. Which is not supported by the Xbox 360, but it is supported by both Sky HD and the PS3.
And if your getting a PS3 and Sky HD like me dont worry you can buy multi Component and HDMI boxes. Which are known as switchers, and an example is a HDMI switcher allows 3-5 HDMIs products to connect to 1 HDMI through a switcher.
The only downside is, well HDMI and Component switchers, can cost up to as much as £150 as well as higher. Anyway there was another cable but I forgot, next thing can HDTV cables support 60hz pal, well yes.
Next thing is sound is way improved in HD-TV, which is shown in the Xbox 360 with the right surround sound system. Ok onto can my current def DVDs look better on HD-TV, well yes they can either if you have a Xbox 360 or DVD player connected up to a HDTV.
It could look better if you buy the right cables to improve goodness, while buying a upscaler DVD player. Some of the current ones are not as good as the future ones coming out, but most should support an upscale of 1080i. And the ones supporting 1080p should come out real soon, but if you want to watch movies in true HD.
You could either buy HD-DVD player or recorder, or even a Blu-Ray player or recorder. Next thing is get a Sky HD or any other HD set top box, but if your going to go to the HD Player route.
Well your need to invest in a HD-DVD movie or Blu-Ray movie, they seem to cost the same as the current gen DVDs. But could be made cheaper, also HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray movies are next gen DVD format movies.
Right back to HD Sky, as some of you know you can see HD Sky Channels in the listings already on your Sky guide. But there only EPG on your boxes so dont pay for them yet, because there not in true HD.
Also with them showing up on the Sky Planner at the moment, well it means the channels are already up on there satellites. But the software, bios and drivers on the satellites software will be improved.
Plus with this whole new HD broadcasting, channels running them. Well they have to make there broadcast buildings bigger while buying new cameras to support HD. The same goes for there control rooms,
Another thing to sample HD clips, you can go to Sky.com/HD last time I checked there site and there URL. And download the clips, but a couple minute clips are 50mb and bigger.
Ok now lets talk about the tech in HD-TVs, well you can buy Plasma HD-TVs. DLP HD-TVs and even Projector HD-TVs.
Plus you can buy LCD HD-TVs, the main brought HD-TVs. The entire tech in theses is nearly the same. But LCDs HD-TVs have liquid crystals running in them. And an electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light.
Also LCD stands for liquid crystal display, ok last couple of things. If your planning to buy a HD-TV look for the HD sign on them, different HD TVs have hidden menus where you have to use a kind of code or button press code, built into them which allow you to change hidden stuff. But be careful when changing any of these features, because if you mess with the wrong one youre most likely lose your warranty.
Other stuff built into these, allow you to see who worked on the software when working on your TV. While allowing you to see your firmware version, that allows you to get it updated once one is out.
Some of the hidden features can sometimes allow you to turn off the backlight. Last thing here is what you should look for in a LCD HD-TV or HD-TV, and what companies you should go for.
First what you should go for:
Price: £600-£1000
Inputs and outputs: 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x S-Video, 1 or 2 Component, 3 or 4 RGB Scart (These allow Scart as well)
Size: 32inch is a must have, but 26inch does not seem to be any smaller then 32inch when you look at it most times. But if you plan to have it in the living room for the whole family go for 32inch.
Ok there is my guide I did forget some stuff, when typing. But I will be sure to post it up later on if I remember it.
What is SDTV and HDTV??
This is a short one, but I hope to go into more detail at a later date hopefully. Well first SD TV as most of you know is known as Single Definition.
And well most SD TV's have Cathode Ray Tube in them which have lasted a long time for most people, plus most Plasmas still sold are still SD TVs but not HD. So if your looking to buy a Plasma TV, do your research. Because most still have burn in and do not last as long as HD LCD TVs, then again SD TVs still show SD TV programs and channels better then HD TVs.
But you can still get HD Plasma TVs, but they cost more then the SD Plasma TVs of course. Anyway back onto the main thing about SD TVs and what it is?
Well SD TVs are the TVs running SD Digital signals at the moment as well as non SD Digital signals, and SD is something called 480p which is the amount of lines in has in a broadcast or recording. Plus most of the cameras in most broadcasts at the moment in the UK are only built for SD TV broadcasts and recordings.
But the older SD Signals and broadcasts had less lines while being less compact for less detail, but when 480p did come around just after colour TVs. The lines were compacted so they could fit more lines in, which gave better broadcasting and recording signals.
But SD cameras do cost less then HD cameras, but give it time and costs will come down. Also 480p is 640x480. Now onto HD-TV, most of you know BBC will start moving to better digital known by some.
And if you think SD TVs will be able to go to this better digital signals, well SD TVs will not be able to run the better digital signals are 2008 and upwards. Because better digital signals will free up extra broadcasting space, but will be HDTV.
By 2011 no SD TV will be in the shops to buy, and thats when the big move plans have been fully completed. And when BBC starts filming all shows in HDTV, some BBC programs are filmed in HDTV.
But the picture goodness is downgraded for SD TVs as well, but dont worry people wanting to watch HDTV can either move out of England to either Asia or USA. Or wait till Sky HD comes out in May, which will cost most likely £9.99 a month.
While allowing the Sky + recording feature, so if anyone still has VCR. Its time to start transferring those VCR tapes to DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD+ or DVD-R as well as many other DVD formats..
Or you could wait till the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray recorders come out, but if your planning to record HD-TV in its fullness. You could either do any of these 3 things, first try and record the shows to your PC, which will need a TV capture card.
While needing either a:
Blu-Ray Recorder
Or even a HD-DVD Recorder for your PC. Next thing you could do is buy Sky HD, which will have the Sky + feature. Which is one of the easy ways, which involves finding the HD program in your Sky guide?
Then press the record button, after you do that. Just wait for it to start recording. After that it will start recording in MPEG4 to a 300GB HDD most likely. You should also be able to select record in 720p or 1080i.
And the 3rd way is well first buy Sky HD or even get any of the other HD set top boxes. And then buy a HD-DVD recorder or a Blu-Ray recorder.
But if you think DVD recorders will be able to record in HD, well you better not. Because youre most likely be able to record like only 10-30mins. While not having, the full goodness.
But if you do go to the Sky HD route your need £300 just for the box. Oh and I forgot if you live in London, you could just do the BBC HD trials which would allow you to watch the World Cup 2006 in HD.
Another thing HD set top boxes should allow you to watch SD digital channels as well, there will be Free View HD coming out. Right back into more detail of what HD-TV is, well its better then 480p (480 lines). Because it makes the lines more compact and smaller, this allows crisper and sharper detail. While allowing more lines, in either of these HD formats:
720p (720 lines)
1080i (1080 lines)
1080p Not out yet but will have 1080 lines but in crisper detail.
Also 720p is 1360x768, 1080i is 1600x1200. And 1080p is 2000x1000.
Now onto what cables can do HD, first VGA. Yes so your monitor is most likely can show HD, next cable is component. This is like RGB, but is way better. While allowing it to show:
720p and 1080i
Next is DVi most of the graphics cards ever made allow DVi, also LCD and TFT monitors allow this. But talking about LCD if your going to buy a LCD HD-TV, and get one with 8Ms refresh rate or lower.
Most HD-TVs also have DVi with them, which is best used with your PC for like showing video games from it. As well as other stuff, and the next one is HDMI. Which is not supported by the Xbox 360, but it is supported by both Sky HD and the PS3.
And if your getting a PS3 and Sky HD like me dont worry you can buy multi Component and HDMI boxes. Which are known as switchers, and an example is a HDMI switcher allows 3-5 HDMIs products to connect to 1 HDMI through a switcher.
The only downside is, well HDMI and Component switchers, can cost up to as much as £150 as well as higher. Anyway there was another cable but I forgot, next thing can HDTV cables support 60hz pal, well yes.
Next thing is sound is way improved in HD-TV, which is shown in the Xbox 360 with the right surround sound system. Ok onto can my current def DVDs look better on HD-TV, well yes they can either if you have a Xbox 360 or DVD player connected up to a HDTV.
It could look better if you buy the right cables to improve goodness, while buying a upscaler DVD player. Some of the current ones are not as good as the future ones coming out, but most should support an upscale of 1080i. And the ones supporting 1080p should come out real soon, but if you want to watch movies in true HD.
You could either buy HD-DVD player or recorder, or even a Blu-Ray player or recorder. Next thing is get a Sky HD or any other HD set top box, but if your going to go to the HD Player route.
Well your need to invest in a HD-DVD movie or Blu-Ray movie, they seem to cost the same as the current gen DVDs. But could be made cheaper, also HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray movies are next gen DVD format movies.
Right back to HD Sky, as some of you know you can see HD Sky Channels in the listings already on your Sky guide. But there only EPG on your boxes so dont pay for them yet, because there not in true HD.
Also with them showing up on the Sky Planner at the moment, well it means the channels are already up on there satellites. But the software, bios and drivers on the satellites software will be improved.
Plus with this whole new HD broadcasting, channels running them. Well they have to make there broadcast buildings bigger while buying new cameras to support HD. The same goes for there control rooms,
Another thing to sample HD clips, you can go to Sky.com/HD last time I checked there site and there URL. And download the clips, but a couple minute clips are 50mb and bigger.
Ok now lets talk about the tech in HD-TVs, well you can buy Plasma HD-TVs. DLP HD-TVs and even Projector HD-TVs.
Plus you can buy LCD HD-TVs, the main brought HD-TVs. The entire tech in theses is nearly the same. But LCDs HD-TVs have liquid crystals running in them. And an electric current passed through the liquid causes the crystals to align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal, therefore, is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light.
Also LCD stands for liquid crystal display, ok last couple of things. If your planning to buy a HD-TV look for the HD sign on them, different HD TVs have hidden menus where you have to use a kind of code or button press code, built into them which allow you to change hidden stuff. But be careful when changing any of these features, because if you mess with the wrong one youre most likely lose your warranty.
Other stuff built into these, allow you to see who worked on the software when working on your TV. While allowing you to see your firmware version, that allows you to get it updated once one is out.
Some of the hidden features can sometimes allow you to turn off the backlight. Last thing here is what you should look for in a LCD HD-TV or HD-TV, and what companies you should go for.
First what you should go for:
Price: £600-£1000
Inputs and outputs: 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x S-Video, 1 or 2 Component, 3 or 4 RGB Scart (These allow Scart as well)
Size: 32inch is a must have, but 26inch does not seem to be any smaller then 32inch when you look at it most times. But if you plan to have it in the living room for the whole family go for 32inch.
Ok there is my guide I did forget some stuff, when typing. But I will be sure to post it up later on if I remember it.
