On June 12th, 2009, the USA stopped broadcasting the old (NTSC) analog standard definition TV signal and replaced it with a new digital signal that provides a better picture, better sound, and more channels. Everything is better, right??? Well, make sure you get it right.
Myth 1: The best TVs still use Picture Tubes
Sorry, the old CRT-based TVs, whether direct view (consoles) or rear projection, just don't cut it. First, you cannot get a really big one. Second, they just do not display HD as well. I have yet to see a CRT-based TV that can display a full 1080 pixels wide. There is always some garbage around the edges. Third, the technology was designed to display on curved screens. The old "flat" picture tubes actually distort the corners. Even cheap flat panels are better than most CRTs.
Myth 2: Bigger is Better
I'll be the first to admit that size matters, but the most common mistake made by TV buyers is buying too big. Minimum distance from an HDTV is 3 screen heights. If you buy a 63" TV you have to be sitting at least 93" or about 8' from the screen. Get much closer than that and you start to see individual pixels, and the sense of reality is lost.
Myth 3: LCDs are Better than Plasmas
Depends. A properly calibrated plasma is brighter and has a higher (real) contrast ratio than a properly calibrated LCD. LCDs are lit from behind. There is a tendency for them to be much brighter from the front than the sides (even LED LCDs). Plasma pictures are painted right on the surface. You can pretty much see them from any angle. Don't use an LCD if:
- You are watching from far to the side
- You (or kids) are watching from the floor
- You watch often in the daytime or with the lights on
Plasmas are heavier, run hotter (but not as hot as a CRT), and can burn if you make certain mistakes. BTW, burns can be fixed.
Myth 4: The best picture is the brightest picture
Next issue we will talk about calibration, but let me clue you in. Manufacturers know that people buy bright, so they purposely mess up the picture by turning up both the black and white levels. They add extra blue to the gray because blue looks bright to the human eye (e.g. blue headlights). This makes the picture look flat, not 3D. They compensate for this extra blue by adding extra red, too ("red push"). Hence, rosy cheeks and sunburns.
Don't buy "bright," buy a TV that can be calibrated. Good calibration controls make a huge difference. A more expensive TV usually can be better when you buy it, but it probably doesn't look much better than the cheaper model until it is calibrated.
Next issue: Improving your picture—The process of Video Calibration.
Whether you want a new TV set or to get the most out of your old one, give us a call at 703-323-4680 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
Whether you want a new TV set or to get the most out of your old one, give us a call at 703-323-4680.
Thanks for tuning in—Dan