Best HDTV | Best HDTV – What Does “HDTV Ready” Mean?

When looking to purchase the best HDTV, many people get confused as to whether the super-low-priced TV advertised in their local paper is going to satisfy their HDTV requirements. However, they don’t educate themselves on what they are getting into and they end up wasting money on a television that is not HDTV-ready.

BEST HDTV – Resolution

The first thing people are faced with is the matter of resolution. The resolution is the total number of pixels on the screen. This is represented by 2 numbers (usually A x B). The first number represents the horizontal number of pixels and the second number represents the vertical number of pixels.  

Best HDTV – What Is HDTV Ready ?

HDTV owners have their pick from 720p, 1080i and 1080p. These have 720 and 1080 lines of resolution respectively. An HDTV is considered HDTV ready as long as it at least has 720 lines of resolution. If a TV is advertised without at least 720 lines, it is not HDTV ready.

So if 720 is the minimum number of lines, does that mean that all TV’s with 720 lines are HDTV ready? No. The aspect ratio must be considered as well.

Best HDTV – HDTV Ready? Consider The Aspect Ratio

To be HDTV ready a TV must be able to adjust the HDTV signal which is broadcast in 16:9 widescreen. This is the aspect ratio. The aspect ratio’s first number refers to the width of the image and the second number refers to the height. So what does the aspect ratio have to do with 720 lines of resolution? Because some manufacturers will claim their TV’s as HDTV ready when they have an aspect ratio of 1024 x 720. This passes our “720″ threshold, however it displays a distorted picture unless you adjust it and cut it down. This eliminates the best part about the HDTV. To display a true HDTV ready picture of 720 lines, the aspect ratio of the HDTV must be at least 1280 x 720 pixels.

To get the best HDTV possible, you will need to consider if the TV you’re purchasing is HDTV ready.

Related posts:

1. What Is HDTV? In 2009, the United States switched over to high definition...
2. Best HDTV – Other Aspects To Consider High Definition Television, or HDTV, is here to stay. Since...
3. What LG HDTV To Consider While there are many manufacturers that are delving into the...
4. LCD HDTV – How Does It Work And What Should You Look For? Many people, when looking for an HDTV television, will opt...
5. Best HDTV – A Few Things To Know HDTV has been around since the late 1990′s. As with...