The simple explanation of Digital TV

    Digital TV describes the current crop of higher scan frequency sets.  The designation is bestowed on sets that are able to display progressive signals or include a line doubler to convert the incoming viewable NTSC signal at 480i (interlaced) to 480p (progressive).  Digital TV can be 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio.  Ultimately, it is the ability to display the high resolution image defined by the ATSC standards of 1080i or 720p that is the solid foundation of Digital TV.

HDTV or HD-Ready

    During the course of shopping for a digital television, the labels HDTV and HD-Ready maybe of some confusion to the consumer.  This HDTV designation signifies that the set has an internal ATSC tuner/decoder, as well as meeting the widescreen specifications often required to be considered a true HDTV.  The sets will meet the requirement to display in 1080i/720p, although it is often the former only.  Very few digital TVs on the market will display in native 720p.  The lack of an ATSC tuner/decoder is not necessarily a negative as many set-top decoders are now available with more features than those included in the integrated HDTV.  The separate purchase of a HD-Ready TV and the external set-top-box often provides flexibility to the consumer to choose one that offers added features such as satellite receiver and the proper output signal.  Most HD-Ready sets will include a high-band component (Y-Pb-Pr) DTV input, although few on the market also offers RGB for this purpose.  There have been much debate between manufacturers as to the aspect ratio specifications of the HDTV designation, and it is now recognized that a true HD set will provide widescreen 16:9 aspect screen.

Industry Standards

    Due to the confusion in the Digital Television labeling, the Consumer Electronics Association has defined the descriptions for television equipment standards listed below:

    High-Definition Television (HDTV): HDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following minimum performance attributes:

        * Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats
        * Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 720 progressive (720p), 1080 interlaced (1080i), or higher
        * Aspect Ratio: Capable of displaying a 16:9 image1
        * Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio

    High-Definition Television (HDTV) Monitor: HDTV Monitor refers to a monitor or display with the following minimum performance attributes:

        * Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 720 progressive (720p), 1080 interlaced (1080i), or higher
        * Aspect Ratio: Capable of displaying a 16:9 image (1)

          (1) In specifications found on product literature and in owner's manuals, manufacturers are required to disclose the number of vertical scanning lines in the 16:9 viewable area, which must be 540p, 810i or higher to meet the definition of HDTV.

    Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV): EDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following minimum performance attributes:

        * Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats
        * Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 480 progressive (480p) or higher
        * Aspect Ratio: None Specified
        * Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio

    Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV) Monitor: EDTV Monitor refers to a monitor or display with the following minimum performance attributes:

        * Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines of 480 progressive (480p) or higher
        * Aspect Ratio: None specified
        * Audio: Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs Dolby Digital audio

    Standard Definition Television (SDTV): SDTV refers to a complete product/system with the following performance attributes:

        * Receiver: Receives ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions and decodes all ATSC Table 3 video formats, and produces a useable picture
        * Display Scanning Format: Has active vertical scanning lines less than that of EDTV
        * Aspect Ratio: None specified
        * Audio: Receives and reproduces usable audio

How to connect a PC to an HD-Ready Digital TV?

aa_vga.gif (15770 bytes)

If there is one question that we receive here on a daily basis, that would be "how do I hook up a PC to my HDTV?".  The value of being able to use the big screen in the family room as a PC monitor is compelling, entertainment melding regular broadcasts with web surfing, 3D gaming, DVD video playback and access to special features, and MP3 jukebox storage and playback.

The combination in theory sounds like a match made in heaven, a high frequency display and a computer, but manufacturers have not been so cooperative.  Recently, DVI based HDTV displays have appeared on the market which may allow you to by-pass this article, but video timing issues as explained still apply.  It is not a simple task, but one which is possible with a little persistence and more importantly, the right gadgets.

The introduction of the HDTV brought us the high-band Component input, otherwise known as Y-Pb-Pr.  While the internal working of the HDTV set had similarities to a PC monitor, the new format is not compatible with the PC standard of VGA otherwise known as RGBHV. 

It seemed that the two would never come together until RCA introduced their first HDTV tuner box, which prompted two manufacturers to step up to the plate to create the VGA to Component trascoder.  Originally designed as a solution to connect RCA's VGA based DTC-100 HDTV tuner to component based HDTV, the transcoder soon became popular with the PC and home theater enthusiasts that wanted to use their PC's DVD player and other entertainment applications on their brand new HD-Ready/HDTV.  The result is a product that will receive a computer/HDTV signal from RGB/VGA format, convert and re-send the signal to the Progressive Component (Y-Pb-Pr) input of HDTV sets.  The models of transcoders available from the two companies are listed below:

Audio Authority - 9A60 VGA to Component Converter
Key Digital - KD-VTCA3 VGA to Component Converter

Now, the caveats......

It's important to know the limitations of this solution as there are no existing standards between the two connection/signal types.  The important details are:

1.  This converter will not work on a standard analog NTSC interlaced TV. Your TV must be an HD-Ready set.

2.  Resolution is limited by the Digital TV used.  While the PC is capable of outputting high resolutions, the HD-Ready set is often fixed to the high-definition TV standards of 480p or 1080i at mere 60Hz cycle (known as refresh rate on a PC).  A proper signal must be generated from the PC to display an image, and not adhering to the signal frequency can damage your HDTV.

3.  The consumer TV often suffers from overscan, cutting of screen information that may make navigation difficult.  Image on the right below is an example of overscan.


Properly sized screen                                   


Overscanned image

The above limitations can be overcome providing that your PC's hardware can support special resolutions, and you are able to properly configure the output.  One resolution that will require no special modification is 640x480 (480p) @ 60Hz which should work on virtually all HD-Ready TV.  For those that want to use a higher resolutions (more ideal for web surfing and DVD playback), an application by Entech called PowerStrip can set custom resolutions/timing to match the optimal frequency of your HDTV (normally 1080i, sometimes 720p)

For more information on how to configure your HDTV to a PC, read Wayne Harrelson's Excellent Guide to PowerStrip.

Point of Interest:  Reverse transcoders are available to connect a Progressive Component output (Progressive Scan DVD, XBox) to RGB/VGA for use with a PC Monitor.

Audio Authority 9A62 Component to VGA Converter
Key Digital KD-CTCA3 Component to VGA Converter

The connection method for usage for your videogame consoles is virtually the same as connection to PC, only that you dont have to tinker with Powerstrip , it is preset to the three popular HDTV modes, 480p, 720p and 1080i.

And oh, 100hz Progressive scan IS NOT a HD Mode, it is a cheap ploy by current TV manufacturer to imply that their TVs have some sort of HD Mode in them. 100Hz Progressive scan ONLY cleans the video signal received from the antennae from terrestrial TV or other available inputs on the TV. Since this process merely repeats/doubles the INTERLACED scanlines on the TV, your eyes is fooled into thinking that the image is smoother and clearer.

Muahaha... everything looks better after I switched to component inputs... even the grass in WE8!!! The grass really is greener on the other side!!!

BTW, I can't find an option on GT4 to switch the video mode to 720p... it only shows 1080i and 480p?

I'm using Sony (Model:KV-DA29M61), HD-Ready TV with Sony Component cable somehow I can see a fade ring in the middle of the screen while playing GT4 in 1080i mode, size sligthly bigger than a CD. It is exceptionly obvious when running on open space.

I can see it all the time even in replay mode. Noted: I can see it from any camera angle, so I'm pretty sure it is not the game effect.

The ring just stick there in the middle of the screen & doesn't move with the view of camera.

Is it normal for HD-ready TV for GT4 in 1080i mode?

Is this TV good enough for GT4? I still can see some jagged image and a bit laggy eventhough it is way lesser than S-video cable.

I'm using Sony (Model:KV-DA29M61), HD-Ready TV with Sony Component cable somehow I can see a fade ring in the middle of the screen while playing GT4 in 1080i mode, size sligthly bigger than a CD. It is exceptionly obvious when running on open space.
I

AFAIK PS2 only capable to do 480P only, right?If i not mistake PS2 is a product around year 2000 where HDTV specification still not spread wide that time.

1 minutes HDTV with 720P take around 50++MB, you can download some trial from  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsme...ntShowcase.aspx

That is a HDTV patern generator in my factory, the 1080I quality is superb even though in a regular TV SET(yup, regular TV CRT + special electronic circuit board.)

But please take note that, so call digital TV broadcast is not free.We may need to pay for it just like Astro.

I've been reading about this "burn in " defects on plasma tvs at gamefaqs.com board.  Many of them experience it after using the tv for quite some time.

Is this true?

100Hz scan is not HDTV, that's for certain. (still having bad memories of that Samsung Tanto, eh stringfellow?). An interlaced picture consists of an odd and even field. A 100Hz Scan TV (for eg, Panasonic Tau Giga) takes each field, and fills in the gaps by repeating each available line. This is called line-doubling. A line-doubled field becomes a "frame" as in "frames per second". The newly reconstructed frames are then displayed twice, thus achieving 100Hz or 100fps. On certain TVs, when playing videogames there may be a noticeable lag between controller input and on-screen action.

Obviously, line-doubling makes vertical "jaggies" even more apparent. Sometimes line-doubling is called "bob" de-interlacing. Because the odd and even lines are offset by 1 line, the even "frame" ends up one line lower than the "odd" frame. When showing still pictures, the image may appear to "bob" up and down.

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) HDTV standard fixes the vertical refresh rate at 30Hz for all the HDTV modes (480p, 720p and 1080i). 30Hz may sound a bit low and flickery, but new screen technologies like LCDs and Plasmas and upcoming stuff like OLEDs and CNT-FED aren't subjected to flicker like CRTs are. CRT based HDTVs also use frame doubling to up the refresh rates to a more respectable rate, but since they are working from actual progressive image sources, they don't suffer for it like the "100Hz" sets.

edit: 480p is EDTV, oops

to agingamer- component is like ddr2 ram and rca is like edo ram.

sorry to hijack but i just cannot find a place to discuss tv

i am no gamer but need to buy a tv for normal viewing

my plan is to get plasma/lcd in couple of years so whatever i am buying is for about 2-3 years

I limited myself to 2 choice

a 34 inch Panasonic- at about RM2600- no HD ready, 100 h progressive scan
or
a 29 inch Sony, the one mentioned here- KV DA 29M61- which i believe have better specs, slightly cheaper at 2500...

Is the 5 inch worth sacrificing? Is the Sony picture really more superior?
My normal usage- football, cartoon, HBOs, DVDs...

sorry guys for hijacking the topic!

The New Aspect Ratio
Current televisions are based upon the aspect ratio of 4:3. This means a TV with an aspect ratio of 4:3 will be 3 feet high and 4 feet wide. With HDTV the aspect ratio is 16:9, making the image much wider than a normal TV. The new screen size is 33% wider to be exact.

Comparison of the aspect ratio of a High Definition TV compared to a NTSC TV of the same height...

The increased width is a huge improvement because it allows you to view TV and movies as if you were watching them in a theater. When watching TV on a 16:9 screen you use your peripheral vision, which truly makes you feel like you are a part of the program.

Norm Samat, the directory of ABC's Monday Night Football HDTV feed put it perfectly:
You almost get into a trance looking at HDTV pictures because you really see more. The wider 16:9 aspect ratio makes a big difference in covering football. With the old 4:3 aspect ratio screens it was often tricky to cover the defense. In HDTV they are already in your picture, so you can see more of the play develop.

Resolution
The usual resolution a normal NTSC TV can display is 525 scan lines with 480 actually being visible. The usual TV can display a resolution of about 210,000 pixels per image. High Definition TV's can go all the way up to 1920 (horizontal) x 1080 (vertical) pixels, with a total of 2,073,600 pixels per image. That is ten times the resolution and picture quality. Ten times!

Number of pixels on a HDTV monitor at 1920 x 1080 versus NTSC at 720 x 486...

In fact, when you squeeze all these pixels down to the same sized TV you get impeccable quality. Instead of stretching these pixels out, they are crammed together so tight that resolutions get as high and as sharp as they do.

Different Views of SDTV and HDTV-Resolution

Digital TV - SDTV:

    * 480i - 704x480 interlaced
    * 480p - 704x480 progressive
     

Digital-HDTV:

    * 720p - 1280x720  progressive
    * 1080i - 1920x1080 interlaced
    * 1080p - 1920x1080 progressive

More Accurate - Listing the resolution and frame rate:

    * 480i - The picture is 704x480 - (60/2 interlaced frames per second)
      = 30 complete frames per second.
     
    * 480p - The picture is 704x480 - 60 complete frames per second.
     
    * 720p - The picture is 1280x720 - 60 complete frames per second.
     
    * 1080i - The picture is 1920x1080 - (60/2 interlaced frames per second)
      = 30 complete frames per second.
     
    * 1080p - The picture is 1920x1080 - 60 complete frames per second.

Comparison of Digital TV and HDTV

Note: Although "non-CRT" television sets use different technologies in creating the screen images, and there are other factors involved with how they display the picture, in the end, HDTV-Resolutions are still (720p) and (1080i) - or higher.

On the matter of component input, I have a TV with one component input
but multiple devices capable of component output - DVD, XBOX and PS2.

Is there a switcher/selector of some kind that I can get?
Will the passive A/V selector work at all?
I kind of doubt it myself.

What is the difference between the component cable vs RCA audio/video
cable? The plugs look the same. I can only think that the cable quality is different.

so...
1.a lcd 15" monitor is good for my ps2??
2.a projection tv 100hz 42'' good for ps2??

i saw many widescreen hd-ready tv in senq today...is that the hd ready widescreen tv is hd tv??
wat wat is lcd tv with hd ready??

oh..thx for answering me,,,

Just got back from Guanzhou, china and bought myself a true HDTV.  Its a 32" 16:9 CRT HDTV thats supports 1080P, 1080i, 720P. 

I bought it for RM2250 and cost about RM350 to ship it back to malaysia.

wow!!!
it's 16:9? not widescreen? like that the screen is super long!
even support 1080p?   quite cheap for such big tv, but what brand is it?

^is it a wide screen or normal 4:3?
with 720p support also?

you say have to look for it for months, is this model phased-out already? damn, wish hdtv price will come down quicker.

Yeah - it's pretty much discontinued. Philips has a new range out now with Pixel Plus 2 starting from 34" but without the 1080i capability and retailing for RM 3900. Weird - I guess they realised they were giving too many capabilities with the old line. Judging from how fast prices are going, I think it's viable that 32" and above hdtv LCD screens will be affordable in the next 2 years or so...till then, it's CRT, lol!

ya, i too hope can afford to get a widescreen hdtv. running 720p on 4:3 screen will mean a black border on top and bottom. so sad that no demand for widescreen in malaysia, i see j-drama even their pc monitor is wide screen.

There is demand but there is no supply.  All Malaysian TV comes in 4:3 ratio except the newer DLP and LCD TV.  Those are too expensive anyway.  That is why i bought the Skyworth 16:9 crt HDTV because its widescreen.

There is demand but there is no supply.  All Malaysian TV comes in 4:3 ratio except the newer DLP and LCD TV.  Those are too expensive anyway.  That is why i bought the Skyworth 16:9 crt HDTV because its widescreen.

is there really any demand? only the enthusiast in AV would know about wide screen. the average joe only know that tv is 4:3. btw, your widescreen tv, it's china brand izzit? how the quality compare to like sony or philips?

btw Lord_Ashe, today i see some philips tv with the HDTV (or only HD, not sure) Monitor printed on the front. is this the same as yours or EDTV in disguise?

both also looks about the same, i couldn't tell
but the one i see don't have rgb input, guess this is the model without Pixel Plus 2.
btw, the second link, is this the same model as yours? i read th pdf file, it only support 480p and 1080i. from philips website there's only 3 model with HD capabilities, and all 3 only have 480p and 1080i.



the tv, does the display look almost similiar with pc monitor? i mean without the interlace line like normal tv?

is there really any demand? only the enthusiast in AV would know about wide screen. the average joe only know that tv is 4:3. btw, your widescreen tv, it's china brand izzit? how the quality compare to like sony or philips?

Hehe, both look the same because of the tendency for retailers to hook up the dinkiest (and I mean stupidest) kind of composite connection to "show off" the TV, with brightness and other settings tuned up way high...

You're right - I forgot to mention that strangely enough only my model (which has been discontinued, I guess) has support for 480p, 720p and 1080i. I couldn't find a similar PDF but it's stated on the manual. Hmm... I need to do a bit more testing, I think.

As for no interlace line - I played a bit of King Kong yesterday, and that looked pretty amazing for a  CRT. Soul Calibur 2(ori) also looked extra crisp but that was at 480p. I'll need to see if I can push it higher...

Yes, its china brand Skyworth.  Quality wise to me are more or less the same.

Basically CRT HDTV displays are still the highest quality display over any other format (DLP, Plasma, LCD, LCoS). However in the xbox 360's case, all games natively support 720p but unfortunately CRT televisions do not support 720p native. Instead they upscale everything to 1080i in which loss can occur. So if you want to display games in their native resolution, going to Plasma or LCD is the way to go.

However from a technical standpoint, there is one CRT that kind of words around the technical jargon and can do 720p native - the JVC 34" widescreen HDTV. Instead of converting all signals to 1080i, it actually converts signals to 1500i which is a few extra lines on top of 1440i resolution. 1440i is the same as 720p. Since the picture is interlaced (have the picture is shown every other time) across 1440 lines (720 on the first, 720 on the second), it can actually show 720p received signals accurately without compromising quality because the resolution is exactly divisible by 2.

So, to sum it up, unless you have a 1500i CRT TV (JVC is the only one that currently does this), then you will not be getting the most out of your picture, no matter the cable

Lord_Ashe, are you sure your tv support 720p? i was browsing xbox-scene when i stumble on this article

CRT televisions do not support 720p native. Instead they upscale everything to 1080i in which loss can occur. So if you want to display games in their native resolution, going to Plasma or LCD is the way to go.

according to the article:

meaning it can display 720p, but at some loss of line, unless the tv support 1440i/1500i (which is double of 720p line). 1080 if divided 2 will only be 540 lines.

Wow that really sounds like a bargain!

After going around for months I finally found one of the few remaining Philips 29" Pixel Plus 2 CRT sets. Snagged it for RM 2400 and am happily gawking at my DVDs and xbox! Even Astro looks nicer, lol.

It doesn't have 1080p, but 1080i support for HDTV will have to be good enough for an average Joe like me...

there is no such thing as 1440i/1500i.  HD standard is 720P/1080i/1080P.  And newer crt these days can fully support these.  The only disadvantages of crt hdtv is that part of the tube might be covered the frame so one might not see the whole picture.  A minor disadvantages considering the price you pay.

(32KHz for 1080i and 37KHz for 720p if I remember correctly.) There are very few CRT's that natively support 720p for this very reason. The manufacturing costs are much higher. 99% of all sets that claim to support 720p, actually scale the signal to 1080i.

hI,

Can tell which model is it?

I'm currently looking for a new HDTV...since my old 29" SDTV KO liao, it gives me a good reason to!!

But i've a hard time deciding. My current choice is the SONY DB29M61 which is currently the ONLY CRT HDTV which supports 1080i/720p/480p/576p etc...and i think it's the cheapest HDTV in the market!!(Only RM1900).

However, i'm also looking at  the Philips Pixel Plus 2(the old Pixel Plus models all sold out i guess) and saw some on display in SENQ. Can't remember the price though.

Pixel Plus really makes a difference, i think it's the best looking of all the technology mumbo-jumbo of other tv's out there. However, as highlighted by other poster, the Philips model only plays 480p and 1080i.

So i'm wondering, can i play 720p XBOX games with Philips TV? Does it do upscaling (or whatever conversion) to 1080i??

Really headache...cannot decide!!

That is wrong....crt HDTV don't have native resolution like plasma or LCD which fix-pixel.  And crt HDTV do suppport 720P, 1080i and even 1080P.  We just don't have them in malaysia.

You can refer to my earlier post for the CRT HDTV i bought from china and look at its spec that say 720P, 1080i and 1080P.

Wow that really sounds like a bargain!

After going around for months I finally found one of the few remaining Philips 29" Pixel Plus 2 CRT sets. Snagged it for RM 2400 and am happily gawking at my DVDs and xbox! Even Astro looks nicer, lol.

It doesn't have 1080p, but 1080i support for HDTV will have to be good enough for an average Joe like me...

Lord_Ashe, which model exactly is it? I wanna to check it out too!

so you mean any crt hdtv can support 720p natively? without the need to upscale it? but i wonder why most crt hdtv only have 480p and 1080i like the philips tv that

So your tv arrive already? I think it's kinda risky buying some tv from China...sometimes specs doesn't tells everything....the quality of the image might not be satisfactory.

Seriously, for that price, i'll rather go with Pixel Plus 2.... it beats everything, HDTV or not!

Anyway, good luck and be sure to let us know the result when you got it!

how much is a 25 inch HDTV ready? i wanna buy 1 when i get a next gen console

Lord Ashe: Can u tell me whether your Philips TV does upscaling/conversion of 720p to 1080i??

Example, when u play SC2 (XBOX) on your TV, how do you know which resolution it's running? Is it set from the game or TV?? Does it runs SC2 in 720p mode by upscaling to 1080i??

I think need to check out the Pixel Plus 2 prices soon.

Good question. As far as I can see, when I run SC2 on my TV it defaults to 480p. I don't think it does upscaling - but as of the time of writing I'm trying to see if I can get it to do so. It's controlled by the TV (auto resolution selection), of that I'm sure - I'm just looking to see if there's any way I can change it. I'll post any info I can.

In any case, if you're on a budget the Pixel Plus 2 sets won't dissapoint.