How to Select a Digital TV

Shop carefully and speak with a well-informed sales person. TVs should be marked or labeled to indicate ifthey have a built-in digital tuner. Televisions labeled as “digital monitor”or “HDTV monitor” or as “digital ready” or “HDTV ready”may not have a built-in digital tuner. Without one, those TVs will need a digital TV converter box or cable/satellite service to get a digital picture.  Every analog television needs a digital TV converter box . Be sure to ask your retailer if the set you are purchasing has a built-in digital tuner. Prices for digital televisions continue to drop. Cost varies widely depending on the size, the level of capability and the options provided. Sizes vary up to 70 inches.

Digital televisions shipped to retailers after March 1, 2007 must contain built-in digital tuners.

Digital televisions come in two levels of picture quality:
Standard Definition TV (SDTV):  Basic digital television displayed as 480 scanned vertical lines in 16 x 9 widescreen format.

High Definition TV (HDTV):  The best quality digital picture, 16 x 9, widescreen display with at least 720 scanned vertical lines or 1080 scanned vertical lines that offers exceptional clarity and Dolby digital surround sound.

Just because a television is digital, does not mean it is a high definition TV (HDTV).  If you want a true high definition (HD) picture, make sure you get an HDTV. HD is a digital format that features much higher horizontal and vertical resolution, which provides a much sharper picture than today’s standard TVs. The best HDTV utilizes 1080 lines on the screen.

Display Format
You will be able to choose between the following display technologies:

LCD (liquid crystal display)
LCD acts like a venetian blind, opening and closing depending on the current which allows light to pass through and controls what colors the viewer sees.  If you’ll be putting the set in a bright room or if you’ll be playing video games, LCD is better.  LCD has sharper detail and handles glare better.  It also weighs less than plasma, which is a plus if you’re going to mount the screen on the wall.

Plasma
Plasma involves different technology. The picture appears because hundreds of thousands to millions of tiny glass plasma cells react to the electric impulses. If you want to watch sports, plasma is best because it reflects actual speed. Generally, the color is better as well.

DLP (Digital Light Processor)
DLP sets utilize a sophisticated microprocessor chip embedded with an array of millions of microscopic mirrors to project a digital video signal onto a screen with the help of a light source and projection lens. DLP television sets are somewhat bulkier than LCD or Plasma sets.

Don’t wait to make the switch, GO DIGITAL today!
You don't have to wait for February 17, 2009 to make the switch. You can start receiving digital-quality picture, sound and all four of WSRE’s digital channels now.