HDTV is the highest digital form of television also known as “High-Definition television”. It has a 16:9 aspect ratio, whereas an SDTV has a 4:3 ratio. For example, its ratio is the same as a movie theater screen. Having the same aspect ratio as a movie theater screen is one of the biggest selling points. HD has three different types of resolution: 720p, 1080i and 1080p. These three types of resolution represent how many pixels each contains, the more pixels, the better the image. 1080 is the best right now. Besides different types of resolution there are also different types of HDTV (Torres).
The first type of HDTV is direct view CRT. It’s the same design as older TVs but still has the 16:9 ratio and is capable of displaying HD resolution. The typical size of a CRT ranges between 27 and 30 inches (Grant). The second type of HDTV is plasma which is a flat panel screen. It’s called plasma because each pixel contains three cells typically ranging between 37-71 inches. Another type of HDTV is LCD. LCD is a flat panel and its size typically ranges 13-65 inches (Katzmaier). “LCD” stands for “liquid crystal” and has three pixels subparts of RBG. DLP, the fourth type, is a rear projection TV that uses digital light processing technology with the typical size anywhere from 37-73 inches. The process consists of a bulb that shines light through a spinning color wheel onto thousands of tiny mirrors and reflects light onto the screen (Grant). Despite the fact there are several types of HDTV its popularity is rapidly growing.
In 2003 HDTV sales were around 3.2 million. In 2004 Americans bought between 6 and 7 million HDTVs. This was an increase of more than 50% compared to the numbers in 2003. In 2003 it was predicted that the number of HDTVs sold would be around 20.2 million in 2008 (Latest High-Definition). Interestingly enough, in U.S households in 2008 it was recorded that there were 28 million HDTVs currently in possession. A recent survey shows that 5.5 of that 28 million purchased their first HDTVs during the 2007 holiday season. Of these 5.5 million 3 million bought their second HDTV within less than a year of purchasing their first HDTV (Hughes). After being interviewed Senior Vice President of Newswires said that their company believes that there will be a jump in HDTV demands” (Library Research Database).
As of right now the future of HDTV is Sony’s OLED. OLED stands for “organic light-emitting diode”. This type of HDTV is powered by organic compounds that emit their own light therefore it requires no backlight. This allows the TV to last longer than any other TV. It is the tinniest TV because it is only 3mm in width (the size of three credit cards). It is expected to be shipped out in the next year (McKnight).
5 comments:
I got an HDTV for christmas last year. The picture is really clear. I love it. It is an LCD and also energy efficient, which is great since I do not like high electric bills. The only problem I have with it is that if someone is sitting on the floor or higher than the screen, the colors sometimes get messed up. The OLED technology is really neat. It'll be interesting to see how it is progressing in the next few years. As of now, that's a very tiny TV for such a high price.
-anderson.1327
HDTV is a very exciting frontier for fans of anything that looks good. I bought an HDTV over a year ago and have not regretted it one bit. Although prices have significantly dropped (when I bought mine it was around $700, now the same TV costs around $500), I am still glad I bought it when I did. This is also a technology that hasn't been fully realized yet, so it will be exciting to watch and see what progress it makes in the next decade. The OLED technology is a very cool and exciting new area for HD technology as well. I can't wait till I have the funds to buy another HDTV, because I will do it in a heartbeat.
benton.51
just like the other people who replied, i got myself an HDTV last year and have not regretted it one bit. i wear glasses and am blind to begin with so when i turn on my tv or video games and see crystal clear quality, i couldn’t be happier. As for the OLED technology, i cant wait for that to become the standard and hope it will become availably cheap in the near future. Ive been sort of spoiled for a while, having a TV in my room for almost as long as I can remember and each time I get more and more impressed with what im seeing.
-Sanders.421
I feel that soon in the future more and more people will be owning HDTVs. As time goes on the price will come down and it will become afordable to more people. They take the television experience to a whole new level. In my house right now we have two and they are great. My parents both have one. Around christmas time the prices come down lower with sales and many people buy them then. I hope that they continue to improve and get cheeper.
lawson.226@osu.edu
The OLED technology is really interesting. I would definitely like to read more about that. I like this topic because everyone would like an HDTV, whether it be for actual functionality in respect to an improved viewing experience or as a status symbol the demand is definitely there. I am curious to see what the pricing will be on the new OLED units.
Archie Smith III
smith.5039
WhatsTheMove.com
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