HDTV Trivia
Did you know that there is no green in your component video connection?
 Component video is the only analog connection for HD video. It is actually an RGB signal, compacted, very similar to the RGB connection between your computer and your monitor. The three elements in a Component connection are Luminance (“Y”), which is the brightness of the image, or the black and white portion of your picture, Red (“R-Y” or “Pr” or “Cr”) and Blue (“B-Y” or “Pb” or “Cb”). The human eye perceives all colour as combinations of red, green and blue. It seems natural that the best way to break down a video signal is in the same way. What makes component video interesting is that there is no Green present in the signal, only Luminance, Blue, and Red. The presence of Green is inferred; your HD display knows how bright the image is (from the “Y” component), and since it knows about the blue and the red (Pb & Pr), it figures the rest must be green and fills it in. It’s done this way to reduce the bandwidth of the signal, making the picture elements easier to process, and reduces the connections between component devices from four to three.
Y PB PR is defined as a color space used in video electronics. It’s designed for use in analog systems, where Y CB CR is designed for digital systems. The two are virtually interchangeable.
Did you know that, currently, there are no 1080 HD plasmas for home use?
High definition video is made up of six different standards, only three of which are commonly available: 720p, 1080i and 1080p. HD plasma monitors like the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK and Pioneer 434CMX have resolutions of 1024x768, while larger units like the 50 inch NEC 50XM3 have a resolution of 1365x768. The highest standard of HDTV is 1920x1080, meaning that anything over 720p must be re-sized to fit on your high definition plasma display. Some LCD displays, like the Sharp LC-45GX6U have a native resolution of 1920x1080, which are capable of displaying uncompressed HD video of the highest resolution.
The next generation of plasma displays will feature native resolutions of 1920x1080P. These are expected sometime in late ’06 and will be restricted to the larger panel sizes.
Did you know that NTSC analog video has remained essentially unchanged for almost 50 years?
NTSC is a set of standards governing transmission and display of video signals that has been in place since 1941. A separate colour signal was added for the “Tournament of Roses Parade”, broadcast on January 1, 1954. TV in North America will have remained unchanged for 52 years by the time we switch to DTV in 2006. Or 2007. Or 2008. Or maybe 2009…
Did you know that the quality of 1080 HDTV is comparable to that of 35mm film?
The highest standard of HDTV, 1080i/p (1920x1080) is virtually indistinguishable from 35mm film stock, which is widely used for big budget action films and TV series alike. Viewed side by side, the two are virtually impossible to tell apart. 1080 HDTV has over two million pixels (2,073,600 pixels)! That’s almost seven times as many pixels as NTSC video!
Did you know that “Contrast Ratios” are very often a misleading statistic?
Most manufacturers of plasma and LCD displays advertise a Contrast Ratio, a number indicating the difference between the brightest area (Peak White) divided by the darkest area at any given moment. Contrast ratios can be enhanced by improving the black levels, the darker areas, more easily than the brighter areas. Unfortunately for the consumer, there are no standardized tests for contrast ratios. For instance, Panasonic advertises contrast ratios of 3000:1 or 4000:1 for their plasma displays. They artificially lower the black levels by a factor of 12 – anything below 12 IREs is lowered to one IRE. IREs are a unit of brightness, or luminance. 100 IREs equates to peak white, while 1 IRE equates to black . While this does extend contrast ratios, it can do so at the expense of detail in the areas being processed so heavily. Contrast can be further “improved” by testing on display panels that have had all of the optical coatings, like reflective and anti-glare filters found in the production versions, removed. Ambient light, either natural or artificial, can also affect contrast ratios. As a result, the only contrast ratio numbers that have any meaning at all are Bright Room numbers, or ANSI Contrast ratios, neither of which you’re likely to see any time soon. After all, what sells more units, a 380:1 or a 10,000:1 contrast ratio?
Did you know that given average viewing habits, your plasma display can last for decades?
The life expectancy of you plasma is anywhere from 30,000 – 60,000 hours plus to half-life, much less on “off-brand” displays. That means that watching your plasma three hours a day, every day, gives you about 20,000 days, or about 55 years, to half-life! Half-life is that point in a plasma’s lifespan where the picture has degraded to 50% of its original brightness and colour.
Do you know the difference between “Commercial” and “Residential” Plasma Displays?
 In spite of how they are marketed, most plasma displays are certified for use in your home (FCC Class B – see below). The chief difference between Commercial and Residential plasma displays is how they’re packaged; commercial units are most often just the display panel, while residential units often come with an analog NTSC tuner / media receiver, and side mounted speakers. This has its disadvantages. Firstly, the residential units cost more: you’re paying for the extras you might not need or want; plasma speakers are rated from 8 to 12 watts per channel, and the NTSC tuner is a soon to be an outdated, obsolete bit of electronics. The picture elements of both versions are identical. Generally speaking, you’re better off buying the “Commercial” model and a 500 watt home theater system, which will probably cost you less. Resolution from an NTSC tuner is about 250 lines (technically more, but you only see about 250 of the 425 lines available), but you will be able to access local programming easily.
The FCC has two broad classifications for electronics. FCC Class A indicates an “industrial” model, while FCC Class B denotes a “residential” model. The difference lies in the shielding. The assumption is that home electronics will be in close proximity to other devices, like radios, TV tuners, etc, and so require better shielding from interference.
Do you know what the plasma in your plasma display is made of?
The gas inside your plasma display is made up of a mixture of three different gasses, Neon, Xenon, and Helium. The gas lights up when a current is applied to the pocket, or pixel, containing the gas mixture. These gases are inert, and harmless if released. Helium is the second most common element in the universe, and is very handy for balloons and funny voices. Xenon is present in our atmosphere, so we draw it in with every breath. Neon is a gas we’re all familiar with; no surprise it’s used in a plasma display. Manufacturers use various combinations of these gases in their plasmas. Combined with cell, or pixel, geometry, the gas mixture is the most important element in determining the brightness and colour reproduction of your plasma displays.
Did you know that Plasma screens can never be “re-charged”?
Plasma display panels are composed of millions of Xenon gas pockets etched into a glass substrate. So called “ribs” within the glass substrate separate the pixels further, then the whole thing is sandwiched with another layer of glass, making “re-gassing” impossible.
Did you know that plasma displays are prone to “burn in”?
Plasma displays, like early CRT televisions, are prone to burn in. Burn in is an afterimage that has been “burned” into your plasma display. Burn in is permanent, and is not repairable. Prolonged display of static images, like network IDs, stock tickers, scores on video games, that sort of thing, contributes to this effect. As a result,most major plasma display manufacturers, like Pioneer and NEC, build in a variety of features to reduce the possibility and severity of burn in. These features include orbiters, which will “wave” the picture slightly, screen wipers, which wipe a white bar across the screen when activated, the white flash utility, where the screen will flash a 100 IRE white, “resetting” the pixels. As well, you can reduce the potential for burn in by never setting the picture so it’s over-bright. In addition, you can play a dynamic, moving image after prolonged display of static images (for example, watch a DVD after playing a video game.) The bottom line is this: treat your plasma like a fine automobile. Treat it well, take care of it, and it will last for decades.
A few manufacturers, like Panasonic, have claimed to have beat phosphor burn entirely. This has yet to be confirmed.
Did you know that the world’s largest plasma is a Panasonic?
The world largest commercially available single screen plasma display panel is the Panasonic TH-65PHD7UY. The screen measures 31.7 inches by 56.5 inches for a diagonal measurement of 65 inches, making it the largest plasma display panel in the world. Plasma displays can be worked into a matrix using a Crestron switch. A matrix is a group of plasmas laid out like tile on a wall that can have huge diagonal viewing dimension of 84 inches or more, but it requires four or more separate panels to achieve. LG, Pioneer and Panasonic have all shown displays as big as 103 inches, but none of these have been made available to purchase.
Do you know what makes a good home theater receiver?
 Sound quality. Amplitude is secondary to excellent sound reproduction, a low sound to noise ratio. Low-end home theater receivers can be very loud, but also can produce a noticeable hiss, or muddiness, in the soundscape. We recommend products like Pioneer, Panasonic, Denon, and Harman Kardon.
Your home theater receiver is also the router for your home theater experience; it functions as a video switcher as well as an audio processor. To this end, there are two very important features that your home theater should have to maximize performance with a digital monitor, like a LCD or plasma. 1) Progressive scan DVD player. The player doubles the picture information encoded on the disc, improving image quality for progressive scan displays, like plasmas, projectors, and LCDs. This feature eliminates most image artefacting, like ghosting and smear, because the display is receiving 60 full frames per second, instead of 60 half frames, or fields. Your eyes and brain don’t have to work as hard to perceive the image as one contiguous whole. 2)Component video switching. This means is that you can switch to and from a HD/component video source on your receiver. For you to access the benefits of progressive scan within a home theater system, you have to use a high definition connection, like a component connection. Units like the Pioneer VSX-1015 both have this feature. Some manufacturers, like Denon and Pioneer, offer Scalars, circuitry that up converts NTSC video to a Y PB PR signal. This drastically improves picture quality of low-end video, and as a result, is highly recommended for today’s hi resolution displays. Note that Bose receivers don’t support high definition video switching, and Bose doesn’t currently make a progressive scan DVD player.
Do you know the difference between LCD and plasma displays?
 LCD and Plasma displays may look the same, but they work very differently. LCDs use layers of a thin film containing the liquid crystal, while plasmas are composed of hundreds of thousand of glass bubbles, powered by millions of transistors. Both technologies have benefits and drawbacks. The chief advantages of plasma are that I) plasma is brighter, meaning that there is less competition with ambient light, ii) plasma have better viewing angles than LCDs; LCDs look better the closer you are to a center line from the screen, either horizontally and vertically, iii) the phosphors used in plasma displays provide the brightest, most realistic color reproduction of any display technology currently available, and iv) plasmas aren’t subject to “lag” , AKA a distortion of fast moving on screen objects. On the other hand, plasmas are prone to phosphor burn, a ghostly after-image that can permanently “burn in” to the plasma panel (see “Burn In” above). As well, the liquid crystal inside the panel can actually begin to degrade and discolor over time. This happens because the liquid crystal composition is made from organic compounds, which begin to break down as high UV content light passes through them. While both technologies should last for about the same time span, plasma is generally a better choice for home theater. You get brighter, more vibrant pictures that are easy to see.
Do you know what makes plasma rated for high altitudes?
Think of your plasma as a gas balloon. At sea level, where air pressure is quite high, your balloon will take a long time to deflate. Move your balloon to the top of Mount Everest, and it will probably pop. There is less air pressure containing the gas in the balloon, so the gas attempts to break out of the balloon in an attempt to equalize pressure. Your plasma behaves the same way, except instead of popping, the gas mixture can leak through the seals and into the air. Most manufacturers offer a limited number of high altitude rate plasmas, units that can function in parts of the country that are well above sea level. These units can be very difficult to obtain, and cost more than their low altitude cousins. You can operate regular plasmas at high altitude, but the lifespan of the plasma is drastically reduced. NEC has solved this problem by making all of their plasma displays certified for 9840 feet. This means that all of the internal seals in the display panel are built to withstand drastic pressure changes. Fortunately for people in parts of the country that are that high, NEC plasmas are very high quality in all other respects, and produce an excellent picture.
Electrical equipment operates on a series of times pulses, or frequency. Synching and smoothing these timed pulses is very important for maximum picture quality. The trick is to get all of your devices working at the exact same cycle, so all the pulses of electricity happen at the same point in all devices at the same time. This reduces image distortion and can drastically improve picture quality. Power conditioners do more than just get your imaging devices working at the same frequency; they massage and stabilize the power supply, optimizing it for use in your high end home theater.
Surge suppressors stabilize and limit current fluctuations. An extreme example is having your local transformer hit by lightning. A surge suppressor will protect your home theater investment by stopping that jolt of electricity before it gets to your home theater, preventing damage.
Do you know who invented the plasma monitor?
The first plasma display was invented by professors Donald Bitzer, Gene Slottow, and then graduate student Robert Willson at the University if Illinois in 1963. In 2002, they received an Emmy for technical innovation. The first plasma display was only a few pixels large, and was entirely orange. Now plasmas can have over a million pixels, and over one billion colours. Now that’s progress!
Do you know who makes your plasma?
There are only a handful of manufacturers that actually make plasma displays. Many lower cost units, like Sampo, Gateway, and Akai, are Korean or Chinese knock-offs of Japanese units. As a result, they tend not to perform like their higher quality Japanese cousins. NEC is currently the largest manufacturer of plasma displays in the world. Their “chassis” (panel and electronics) can be found in Sony, Runco, and Marantz PDPs, among others. LG, Panasonic and Pioneer all make their own displays, while Philips, JVC, and Viewsonic, generally buy chassis from manufacturers like NEC and Panasonic. Hitachi makes most of their own models, and at one time would buy what they don’t build themselves from Pioneer.
Do you know which is the best display type for your home?
There are several competing technologies fighting for a spot in your home. One of them, projection television, has been around for some time, while LCD and plasma displays are relative newcomers. Modern projection TV is generally found in two types, LCD and DLP. Both are much stronger than the older CRT units you’ve probably seen, but projection TV is still prone to some inherent weaknesses. The picture will dim, or flatten out, as you get farther off center from the screen. Projection TV is also not anywhere near as bright as a plasma display, and the color is not as vibrant. Projection TV is also much larger than a plasma or LCD. As a result, they tend to cost less for similar resolution. Assuming there is room in your budget, plasma displays are by far the best choice, currently, for use in your home.
Do you know what HDCP DVI and HDMI are, and why they’re important?
HDCP DVI and HDMI are next generation connectors for the digital age. Both are support full HD resolution (1920x1080), but the benefits aren’t limited to that. They also support technical stuff like refresh rates, interleaves, and absolutely guarantee that your digital source material is displayed at exactly the quality it’s received. HDMI adds several channels of high quality digital audio, making it a kind of DVI 2.0. Most plasma and LCD displays will have HDCP DVI available, either standard or as an option. The convenience of HDMI and it’s ability to carry data as well as picture and sound means it will be with us for a long time to come.
Do you know what “ DCR” is and how it works?
DCR stands for Digital Cable Ready. This means that the display contains a first generation digital cable tuner, requiring only a cable card from your cable provider to make it work. Effectively, this means you have an option not to clutter up your home entertainment rack with another piece of gear, because the card allows the DCR tuner to decode encrypted digital cable signals. The drawback is that the DCR tuner is a one-way device – it can’t download local program information. As well, most of the cooler features of digital cable aren’t accessible either, features like Video on Demand and Pay per View. If you subscribe to satellite, a DCR tuner won’t work at all.
Do you know what a Tuner is, and what it does?
A tuner’s job is to attenuate, to pick out a part of a TV signal, and make it available to the display to turn into a pretty picture. Currently, there are a handful of tuners out there. Here’s a brief description
i) NTSC: See above. Pros – very common. Cons – low grade signal, at least by modern standards; looks awful of HD displays. Definite shelf life
ii) ATSC: Advanced Television Systems Committee, essentially allows you to pull in free off air HD signals. Pros – HD for free! Cons – virtually no content currently.
iii) DCR: Digital Cable Ready - Pros – one less box. Cons – requires a digital cable subscription, not widely supported, no advanced features.
iv) Satellite: Your satellite box. Pros – 100% digital content. Large programming choices. Cons – weather dependant. Video on demand not supported, although that will change.
v) Digital Cable Box – your typical set top box, available in SD and HD. Can come with dual tuners and PVRs. The best way to get full featured HD.
Featured Product Reviews
|
