HDTV Source Resolutions

8/11/2019 HDTV Source Resolutions

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HDTV source resolutions

If you read those three axioms closely, you'll see that source is everythingwith HDTV.

Or, as George Fueschel first said, "Garage i!, garage out."

Highdefi!itio! sources today come i! o!e of three differe!t resolutio!s# $%&%, $%&%i,a!d ()%. *omari!g the latter two, $%&%i has more li!es a!d ixels tha! ()%, ut ()%is a rogressi+esca! format that should deli+er a smoother image that stays sharer

duri!g motio!.

$%&% comi!es the suerior resolutio! of $%&%i with the rogressi+esca! smooth!ess of

()%. True $%&% is restricted to luray, some +ideoo!dema!d sources a!d the latest

+ideo games, howe+er, a!d !o!e of the ma-or !etwors has a!!ou!ced $%&% roadcasts.

Source

resolution

name

Resolution in

pixels

HDTV?Progressive-

scan?

Wide-

screen?

Netor!s " sources

$%&% $,/)%x$,%&% 0es 0es 0es

luray layers1

2lay3tatio! 4a!d 5ox

46%1 some +ideoo!dema!d sources lie Vudu

$%&%i $,/)%x$,%&% 0es 7o 0esI!cludes *3, 7*, 23,

Disco+eryHD Theater

()% $,)&%x()% 0es 0es 0esI!cludes 8*, Fox,9327HD

:&% &;)x:&% 7o 0es 0es2rogressi+esca! DVD

layers:&%i


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7ow that we'+e co!sidered the source, let's loo at the tele+isio!s. 8s we me!tio!ed

ao+e, all fixedixel HDTVs scale the i!comi!g resolutio!s to fit the a+ailale ixels,

throwi!g away i!formatio! if they ha+e fewer ixels a!d i!terolati!g i!formatio! if theyha+e more ixels tha! the source.

The tale elow shows some of the more commo! !ati+e resolutio!s1 rarer o!es lie$,6%%x$,)%% are commo!ly fou!d o! smallerscree! =*Ds deri+ed from comuter

mo!itors.

Native

resolution#$ommonly

called%

&eets

de'inition o'

high-de'? ()re*uency

TV types and typical

si+es

$,/)%x$,%&% $%&% 0es*ommo! amo!g all

dislay tyes

=*D, lasma, D=2 of

all si>es

$,466x(6& (6&, ()% 0es?elati+ely rareamo!g e+e! e!try

le+el =*Ds

9!tryle+el =*D :%

i!ches a!d lower,

e!tryle+el ;%i!chlasma

$,%):x(6& (6&, ()% 0es?estricted to e!tryle+el lasmas

9!tryle+el :)i!chlasma

&;)x:&%9DTV

lasma7o ?are :)i!ch lasma

6:%x:&% VG8 7o ?are 3mall =*D TVs

Technically speaking, all of these numbers are accurate and useful, but don't put too

much stock in them. In the real world, it's difficult to tell the difference between native

resolutions once you get into high-definition. For examle, desite the fact that a 4(

i!ch =*D with "o!ly" $,466x(6& ixels has to throw away a good deal of i!formatio! todislay a $%&%i footall game o! *3, you'd e hardressed to see more detail o! a

similar 4(i!ch =*D with $,/)%x$,%&% resolutio!.

8fter more tha! $% years re+iewi!g HDTVs, I feel comfortale co!+eyi!g somege!erali>atio!s I'+e oser+ed aout icture @uality#

8 good icture is o!e that reroduces the i!comi!g source as closely as ossile

without "imro+i!g" color, smooth!ess, or other characteristics.

2lasma TVs come closer to this ideal tha! =*Ds, esecially for +iewers who

are!'t sitti!g i! the sweet sot directly i! fro!t of the scree!.

=*D TVs ca! get righter, ut lasmas are right e!ough for all ut the most su!dre!ched rooms.

=9Daclit =*D TVs with local dimmi!g, whether edgelit or fullarray, ofte!

outerform those without.

3cree! u!iformity is a rolem for =*D TVs, ut !ot for lasmas.

The aility to roduce a dee shade of lac which tra!slates i!to high co!trast

is the most imorta!t i!gredie!t i! a good icture.
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*olor saturatio!, which is directly i!flue!ced y co!trastAlac le+el, is seco!d

most imorta!t, followed y color accuracy.

I! a right room matte scree!s are the est o+erall at reduci!g reflectio!s. The

est glossy scree!s reser+e lac le+els well.

=ess imorta!t factors i!clude +ideo rocessi!g B$)%H>, ):%H>, etcC, maximum

light outut, a!d dislay resolutio!B$%&%, $%&%i a!d ()%C. a!y eole do!'t reali>e they're watchi!g the 3oa Oera 9ffect, a!d might lie

their TV's icture @uality etter if they tur!ed it off.

2oor icture setti!gs o! a good TV will usually loo worse tha! calirated icture

setti!gs o! a cray TV.
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HDTV Source Resolutions