1080p Television

Tags: 1080p television, lcd tv, plasma technology, ultra high definition

1080p Television

1080p television

There is currently a lot of buzz about 1080p television. What exactly do the numbers mean?

1080p has come to mean ultra high definition or true HD depending on the manufacturer.

The P stands for progressive scan and refers to an image that is not interlaced.

Interlaced or Progressive Scan

In early models images were interlaced which meant the image was painted on the screen one pixel line at a time beginning with an even number line then an odd and so on.

This technique was used to increase the image quality of CRT televisions when the displays became larger and brighter without consuming extra bandwidth.

Today most models of television are LCD plasma or DLP none of which utilize interlacing technology. This means that the internal circuitry of these sets must convert interlaced signals to progressive scan, thus giving you in some cases the 1080p television.

Decoding the Numbers

You have likely seen other numbers with the P or I designation as well, 480 or 720 are also common. These numbers refer to the number of vertical lines of resolution that the television can display.

The larger the number the better picture quality you will see. Bottom line of all this information is 1080p televisions are the top of the line in high definition.

Other Considerations

Now that you have a better, understanding of what the numbers and letters mean you should know there are other considerations to think about before buying a 1080p television.

The dynamic contrast ratio is a set of numbers that compare the blackest black to the whitest white. Anything that is 1,000:1 or more can be labeled high definition.

However you should know that technology has advanced rapidly and it is now possible to purchase a set that is 50,000:1 or better, plasma and a few LCD models have broke one million to one dynamic contrast ratio.

Size does matter especially when you are talking about a 1080p television. With larger displays, you will get the full benefit of the progressive scan and the dynamic contrast ratio. In a smaller set, say 37 inches or smaller the differences will be barely noticeable.

The number of high definition inputs on your 1080p television are also important as the number of high def peripherals increases.

Blue ray players, certain game systems and a small number of satellite boxes are all that come with HDMI capabilities, and you likely have only one if any of these in your home.

Nevertheless, the transition to this type of device will move quickly over the next couple of years and you will not want to be stuck with a set that only has one HDMI port.

Think ahead now and be prepared and you will have many years of enjoyment from your 1080p television.

Overall

Several manufacturers are putting out a 1080p television and as time wears on you will see that this type of television will become the norm. If you are ready to upgrade a 1080p, television is a great choice.

It is unlikely that a more advanced display will come out anytime in the near future as broadcasters are already scrambling to produce a high def signal. This is a good time to buy a 1080p television.

Here's 1080p Television Selections:

Samsung LN40C630 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV (Bl...	Customer Review: I got this TV w/free delivery. It came quicker than I expected so kudos to Amazon. I will be updating this review as things unfold because I want to be fair. This is the first TV I've had in over 15 years so I'm no expert on TVs, but I am pretty te... Read More	(104)
Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDT...	Customer Review: Before I start let me just say this is my first Plasma TV purchase as I feared the Image Retention and Burn in problems of past plasma's. I have bought a new LCD TV almost at a rate of one a year (my wife hates my passion for a high quality tv) tryin... Read More
AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable (6.5 Feet/2.0 M...	Customer Review: Worked fine at first. Stopped completely after two weeks. So far 2 out of 3 hdmi ordered from amazon didnt work.... Read More	(410)
Samsung LN46C630 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV (Bl...	Customer Review: Well worth the price. Excellent picture and picture quality. At first the picture bothered me because it was too much "like being there." Sound is not the greatest, not because of quality, but because you have to have the sound on 40 before you ca... Read More	(96)
Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p...	Customer Review: After a couple of mnoths with this TV, I couldn't be happier. I did months of research and this was definitely the best TV for the money. I hooked up to a PS3 and Yamaha 7.1 receiver so my son is in seventh heaven. I'm even amazed at how good non-... Read More	(130)