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HDTV Features

Video
Audio
Connectivity

Introduction
HDTV: The Picture
HDTV: The Sound
HDTV Programming
HDTV Features

Video

Horizontal Lines of Resolution - 1080i HDTV Display Capability
A television's potential level of detail (picture sharpness) is usually expressed as the number of horizontal scanning lines on its screen. The better HDTVs today offer 1080i (i for interlaced) horizontal scanning lines. Sometimes the resolution is described by paired numbers, such as "1920 x 1080i", representing the number of individually addressable pixels in each scan line times the number of scan lines.

Comb Filters
This feature separates the video signal into its brightness (Y) and color (C) components as each horizontal line is scanned by the cathode ray tube (CRT). Comb filters enhance fine detail, eliminate dot crawl, and prevent cross-color interference. HDTVs available today contain one of the following comb filter types:

	3D Y/C Comb Filter Best This is the most advanced type of comb filter available today and provides the highest quality color separation. This 3-dimensional filter evaluates 3 consecutive scanning lines within a video field and analyzes the preceeding and following video fields. Based on this data, it makes adjustments to produce a very clean, very stable image.
	3-Line Digital Comb Filter This type of comb filter evaluates 3 consecutive scanning lines within a video field, but does not compare preceeding and following fields. 2-Line Digital Comb Filter Two consecutive scanning lines within one video field are evaluated, and adjustments are made to reduce color-bleeding.

Number of Lens Elements (Projection TVs)
The lenses inside the picture tube of a projection TV are used to magnify and focus the picture seen on the screen. As a general rule, the greater the number of lenses, the better the picture quality.

Automatic Multipoint Digital Convergence In better projection TVs, this automatic feature precisely aligns the images from the 3 color picture tubes at multiple points on the screen to form a picture that is continuously clear, corner to corner.
Digital Natural Motion The ultimate in Digital Signal Processing from Philips! Digital Natural Motion analyzes the position of objects in each video field and calculates additional intermediate motion positions that are inserted between the existing frames. The result is a picture in which objects move much more smoothly, remain razor sharp, and are free of jittery motion effects.

Reverse 3:2 Pulldown
This feature corrects the distortion that occurs when movies, typically filmed at 24 frames per second, are converted to video, at 30 frames per second.

Line Doubling (Progressive Scan Up Conversion)
Most HDTVs have a feature which converts the interlaced format of an analog TV signal to a progressive scan format by doubling the scan lines in the video picture. This markedly improves the appearance of programming from analog sources (as well as from non-progressive DVD players).

Velocity Scan Modulation
This feature helps to create clean, crisp transitions between light and dark objects on your screen and improves overall picture uniformity.

Active Control
This ingenious control system from Philips automatically optimizes pictures under a wide variety of viewing conditions. The TV continuously monitors light in the surrounding room as well as the incoming video signal qualities and automatically adjusts the contrast, brightness, color, sharpness, and DNR. Whether you're watching football on cable TV in a bright, sunny room, or watching a DVD movie at night in the dark, you'll get the best picture possible. Active Control can be set to "Low," "Medium," or "High."

First Surface Mirror
Today's better projection TVs provide a brighter, cleaner picture by reflecting light directly from the surface of the First Surface Mirror rather than from a conventional projection mirror, which is encased beneath a layer of light-diminishing glass.

Adjustable Color Temperature
Colors on your TV screen will appear different under varying lighting conditions such as bright sunlight, fluorescent lighting, or dim incandescent light. This feature allows you to adjust the color "warmth" to your preference for movies, sports, etc.

Two Tuner Picture-in-Picture
Watch the evening news and keep an eye on the game at the same time using just your TV. Many models offer only single tuner picture-in-picture, meaning that a DVD player, VCR, or other video source must be connected and used as the source of the second picture.

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Audio

Dolby Digital^® 5.1/DTS Decoder
If you will be connecting your TV to a home theater system, this feature will allow you to enjoy the same realistic 3D sound that you experience in a movie theater.* The Dolby Digital^® decoder provides 5 separate full-range channels and an additional dedicated low frequency channel. This system will allow you to hear all of the audio channels that were part of the original recording. HDTV signals and most DVD software include Dolby Digital 5.1 audio information.

*Assuming that you have access to a 5.1 channel audio signal. Mono and stereo broadcasts will sound their best, but they will still sound like mono and stereo.

SRS (·) Audio Enhancement

This family of innovative technologies from SRS (·) Labs make it possible to simulate home theater sound with only two speakers. This feature creates the ambiance of surround sound using only 2 speakers when a home theater system is not available.

SRS (·) Focus^®
This technology raises sound from speakers located below the screen and projects the audio at ear level, providing more lifelike audio.

SRS (·) TruSurround^®
This audio enhancement virtually repositions individual audio channels to provide dimensional realism by manipulating the audio cues we use to determine distance and direction. This is a useful feature when you don't have to room for the extra speakers that true surround sound requires.

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Connectivity

While most HDTVs can function as standalone units, they really deliver their full potential when they are the centerpiece of a more extended home entertainment system. Many external components such as DVD players, satellite receivers, and home theater systems can be connected to HDTVs to provide additional capabilities. It is important to consider all the add-ons you may want - now, and down the road. In general, the more inputs/outputs available, the better.

Component Video Inputs/Outputs
This type of video input carries the three channels that make up a digital video signal (2 color channels plus black & white) separately and yields the highest quality picture of any connection type. Component inputs usually feature red, green, and blue jacks to designate the three signals. HD component inputs are capable of handling the broader bandwidth associated with HDTV and progressive scan images.

S-Video Inputs/Outputs
S-Video jacks maintain separation between the color (chrominance) and black & white (luminance) components of a video signal, but combine the 2 color channels, meaning that there may be cross-color interference that slightly diminishes picture quality. If you are connecting your television to a DVD player, having S-video inputs and outputs will allow flexibility in connecting your home theater system.

Composite Video Inputs/Outputs
This is the more primitive video signal used by analog (NTSC) TV. All color and brightness information is carried as a single signal.

RF Inputs
These are standard coaxial, screw-on connections that supply cable, antenna, and satellite TV signals to a TV. Some televisions have dual RF (Radio Frequency) inputs to allow you to switch between two signal sources using a remote control.

VGA/SVGA Inputs
These inputs can accept a signal from a PC and display a picture in the same way as a computer monitor. As TV and PC converge, this type of connection is becoming increasingly important as HDTV monitors are utilized for applications such as viewing web pages or displaying video games.

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HDTV Introduction

HDTV Buyer's Guide

Compare HD Receivers

HDTV Programming

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Glossary

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