High Definition LCD TV

Since television was invented, cathode ray tube (CRT) imaging has traditionally been the standard means of providing video images. This system creates video images by flashing light through glass tubes in timed intervals. Each burst of light targets a specific arrangement of tiny pixels on a viewing screen. The pixels briefly combine to form still images, which are flashed against the screen in sequence. As a result, the still pictures take on the appearance of movement, resulting in a video display. CRT imaging is an analog procedure, and has been improved over the years to provide higher quality images, as well as larger video screens. However, as new video broadcast and reception formats are developed, digital video seems poised to replace its analog predecessor.

Digital video provides an image created without the use of any moving parts or large glass tubes. Instead, the images are created by the manipulation of light and data in relation to a field of pixels within the viewing screen. Liquid crystal display (LCD) is one standard of digital video imaging, and it is employed in a variety of devices, such as TVs, computer monitors, scoreboards, digital alarm clocks, and watches. Although the image quality will vary greatly between such devices, they all operate on the same basic principle.

LCD displays basically consist of a layer of electronically manipulated, light polarizing liquid crystals, that are manipulated and moved by micro transistors. Fluorescent light is then directed against the field, and the subsequent movement and positioning of the liquid crystals defines the image that is displayed on the screen. This type of display is capable of producing higher quality visuals than traditional analog television, while requiring far less space component space.

High Definition LCD TV Format

The current format for television broadcasting in America, as well as much of the world, is the NTSC format. This analog format takes its name from the National Television Systems Committee, and has long been the industry standard. NTSC was introduced in 1953 as part of a system for processing color television broadcasts. Although there was a previous color standard introduced several years earlier, it was incapable of rendering black-and-white signals, limiting its usefulness at a time when not all programs were broadcast in color. The NTSC format was developed as a joint effort between the FCC and several television manufacturers, including RCA and Philco. It broadcasts images at a rate of 29.9 frames per second (fps). This means that it takes a rapid succession of 29.9 still images within a second in order to create the illusion of movement on an NTSC TV. In comparison, motion picture film generally operates at 24fps, which can provide richer, more fluid visuals.

While analog NTSC may have been the format of choice for nearly 50 years, digital broadcasting is not only revolutionizing the broadcast industry, but also the shape and function of televisions themselves. High definition digital television broadcasting (HDTV) provides a much higher image resolution than NTSC. While NTSC could only provide around 650 lines of information per image, HDTV offers up to 1080 lines. This allows for much more detail and clarity.

HDTV sets take advantage of their higher resolution by featuring a widescreen aspect ratio. Aspect ratio refers to the screen's width compared against its height. The standard HDTV aspect ratio is 16:9, resulting in a wide, rectangular screen, similar to a movie theater. Traditional analog televisions feature an aspect ratio of 4:3, which is an almost square shape. For years, all television was broadcast in this aspect ratio. However, once HDTV sets hit the market, some programs began to simulcast in a widescreen format. TVs with a 4:3 aspect ratio can still display these broadcasts by cropping or letterboxing the image.

High Definition LCD TV--The New Standard?

The FCC has set 2006 as the date by which all broadcasts will be done in high definition. Older analog TVs will still be able to display programs after being equipped with a digital-to-analog adapter. However, with 2006 rapidly approaching, cathode ray tube analog TVs are fast being phased out completely. Although there are several types of HDTV ready sets on the market, LCD video monitors have proven the to be well suited for a variety of video products. In addition to providing the technology for large screen, yet lightweight flat panel TVs, LCD screens are also found in portable DVD and video game devices, TV/PC monitor combo devices, and car mounted video monitors, which are an increasingly popular option for family vehicles.

High definition LCD TVs don't require the bulky tubes of analog sets, and can therefore offer more design options. Liquid crystal displays are ideal for flat panel screens, allowing high definition televisions to be amazingly thin in comparison to their screen size. As a result, thin, flat TVs can be mounted on walls, or affixed to other areas that would have been off limits to bulky analog units. Some high definition LCD TVs even feature a separate component that acts as an interface for video input, such as cable, VCRs, or DVD players, and transmits the image to the LCD screen wirelessly. This provides even more convenience, as a flat panel TV can be displayed in plain view, while the wires and clutter of various video sources can be kept out of sight.