Is It Time for a High-Definition TV?
Your next monitor could double as a sophisticated entertainment device.
You've seen them at your local electronics store, their picture-perfect displays lighting the way to couch potato nirvana. Maybe you've even experienced one first-hand at a Super Bowl party. HDTV converts say that once you've soaked in the splendor of a high-definition broadcast, you can't go back to your father's TV set.
High-definition television is so alluring that manufacturers are building HDTV capability into an increasing number of PC monitors, such as the Samsung SyncMaster 240T ($3169) and Sony SDM-V72W/B ($1000). And high-definition televisions make great PC monitors, too. Which makes selecting a TV or a monitor tougher.
High-definition television images really are strikingly sharp--richer and more detailed than you'll see on even the best analog TVs. Some viewers compare watching a high-definition broadcast to looking out a window instead of viewing a TV screen.
Why does HDTV look so much better than analog television? Simple: resolution. HDTV displays contain up to three times more pixels than analog, resulting in a much crisper, clearer picture. HDTV sharpens displayed images to 920 by 1080 resolution, up from analog's 720 by 486.
Better resolution makes high-definition screens the best kind of TV for viewing your PC desktop. That's useful if you live in a small place and need one screen to do double duty. It also helps for combining the talents of your PC and television to record TV programs or show digital video--a growing trend with new technology devices designed for the living room. And the idea of a monitor that does two jobs may help you justify paying the $1800 to $4000 that an integrated HDTV set costs.
The Big Screen
HDTV broadcasts update the aspect ratio from the old television standard of 4:3 (4 units of width for every 3 units of height) to 16:9. That's the ratio most movies use, and it's a better fit with our horizontally oriented field of vision. HDTV includes other goodies--such as Dolby 5.1 surround sound--to make prime time even more irresistible.
Of course, you'll enjoy the full impact of HDTV only with programs broadcast in that format. And though the networks are expanding their HDTV offerings, few programs now broadcast over the air in high definition. Satellite TV providers such as DirecTV also offer HDTV viewing options, including movie channels and sports.
Even shows not broadcast in high definition should look and sound better on an HDTV set than on an analog one; but the images may look slightly stretched or distorted, since they're formatted for a standard 4:3 television screen. Most wide-screen sets let you reformat the image.
So far, about 2 million viewers have bought a digital set. Maybe you'd sooner sit through a Fear Factor marathon than fork over serious cash to watch Ray Romano whine in high definition. But eventually you'll need an HDTV.
Under FCC plans, only after digital television achieves 85 percent market penetration will it be time to get rid of analog signals. When will that happen? Perhaps not until 2014.
If you're in the market for a new TV, should you go with HDTV? That depends first on your budget. Though HDTV prices are dropping, they're still up to three times higher than the price you'd pay for a top-of-the-line analog set of comparable size.
You must also decide whether to buy an integrated HDTV--shipped with a digital receiver installed--or a digital-ready monitor. In theory, you can plug in an integrated HDTV and enjoy high-definition broadcasting right away. You'll need a set-top box to see HDTV on a digital-ready monitor, but such monitors start at less than $1000.
Expensive Obsolescence
The problem with choosing an integrated HDTV, besides its higher price tag, is the chance that the installed receiver will become obsolete as digital television broadcast standards evolve and as cable and satellite providers add digital service. For example, if you currently subscribe to satellite TV and want to receive its HD broadcasts--or if your cable company starts offering HDTV service--you'll likely have to purchase or rent an additional set-top box to replace the receiver in the set.
Also consider how you'll get your high-definition television signal: via satellite, via cable, or over the air. Subscribing to a digital cable or satellite service is no guarantee that you'll receive a high-definition TV broadcast. Cable and satellite companies use the term digital to describe how the analog television signal is encoded and compressed when it arrives at your house; it has nothing to do with the format the signal was broadcast in. In fact, with the exception of Time Warner, cable companies have been conspicuously slow to board the HDTV bandwagon.
Of course, you can receive HDTV signals over the air via an antenna, but that can be tough. Digital signals have trouble evading tall buildings. So be sure to test the local waters before you jump in. Try searching the AVS Forum for nearby HDTV fanatics. TitanTV.com can help you find the right antenna for your location.
Is HDTV worth the investment? At this point, that depends entirely on how much you love television. I'm convinced that digital is the way to go--eventually. So when my two-year-old 27-inch analog TV bites the dust, I'll probably go with a high-definition set. But I can think of things I'd rather do with two grand now than watch Letterman's Top Ten List in HD.
Anne Kandra is a contributing editor for PC World. E-mail her at consumerwatch@pcworld.com. Click here for more Consumer Watch columns.